What to Bring to the Gig

It is (oh so) easy to forget something you need at a gig. Try making a gig checklist or creating a “gig bag” so you will always have what you need. Here are some things I make sure to have with me. my music and songbooks (and enough copies for me and all of my players) my microphone and cable […]

Preparing to Perform

As you get ready for a performance, here are some things to keep in mind.

Where the Air Goes: Saving vs. Spending

Singers tend to fall into two camps regarding breathing: savers and spenders. Singers who spend air when they sing use up all of the breath right at the beginning. Phrases start out strong, but taper off to a whimper. (You feel like you never hear the end of what they are singing.) Contrarily, savers never […]

Go with the Flow

As I have said before, breath is important to and for singers. Learning to let the breath “take care of itself” makes our singing easier and better. For me, understanding how my breath and vocal folds work together was crucial to improving my singing. … So. Imagine your windpipe is a garden hose. Now imagine […]

Colds, Flus and Other Singer Blues

I noticed yesterday that the trees outside my window have started to turn red and gold. That means (sadly) that colder weather is on its way to Minnesota.

And with lower temperatures come colds, sinus infections, the flu and other illnesses that effect our ability to sing.