Change is a Coming!

I have come to a point in my life where I realize I need to evaluate the things that are taking up my time and make sure I'm spending my time as wisely as possible.

So yesterday, I carved out a free moment to sit down and evaluate my music business.  You see, very important changes are happening in my life.  This week will be my last week as a public school music teacher, at least for now.  Next week, I will be fully employed by my year-old company, K L J Creative.  My company serves as the umbrella for all of my creative pursuits: books, music, consulting and blogs.  And I'm excited for the company to potentially grow and blossom into something much bigger than I initially thought it could be.

I was thinking about my blogs and going over what is working and what isn't.  I write 3 blogs!  I don't know why I do this to myself, but I guess it's because deep down, I will always be a writer at heart.  But still, trying to constantly come up with new content for three different blogs can be daunting and exhausting at times.

One of things that I figured out was that this is my most popular blog.  It literally has ten times the visitors than my other two.  So first of all, thank you for that!  I so appreciate this amazing audience who wants to know more about singing.

Upon further reflection, I realized that the title "The Choir Singer" doesn't accurately reflect the season of life I'm in.  So, in a few weeks, I am going to reveal a new name for this blog as well as give it a much-needed facelift to keep providing the quality content you've come to expect.  I am also cutting one of my three blogs so I can focus all of my energy on this one and my website blog (www.kristinkingmusic.com).

So yes, change is a coming!  But change is a good thing and I think you are going to love the new blog and the new title!

Stick around!  It's about to get interesting!

As always, Happy Singing!

Kristin

On the Other Side of the Table

On Friday, I had the privilege once more of doing one of my favorite things to do all year long: I got to serve as an evaluator for the Fine Arts Festival here in Florida.  For those of you who don't know what Fine Arts is, it's basically a performing and visual arts competition for Assemblies of God youth.  Here in Florida, Fine Arts is really big.  Like 4,000 students running around and competing in difference categories like human video, choir, songwriting, and short sermon.

Every year since 2012, I've made it a priority to serve as an evaluator.  If I'm working, I take a day off work just so I can attend.  One of the reasons it's so important to me is that half my lifetime ago, I was standing on the other side of the judges' table, competing in Fine Arts myself as a young teen.

When I see a young lady step up in front of a small crowd, swallow nervously and grab the microphone to sing a solo, I get it.  That was me.

Oh, the joy, sweat, and tears it took to prepare for my solo every year!  I painstakingly took the time to choose the best song for my voice and practice it with the track (cassettes in my day; I know, I'm dating myself) and perform it in front of my family.  Oh, the nerves of performing it in front of strangers who had the power to "advance" me to nationals if they thought I was good enough.

I still remember the year I was a sophomore in high school and I wrote a song just for Fine Arts.  It was a good song and also very vocally challenging.  I had a track made and sang my little heart out.  My solo did not advance and I was devastated.

So I try to keep my personal experiences in my mind as I delicately write comments about the young girl in front of me singing her solo.  I try to remember the exhilaration of nailing a solo and the devastation of not quite hitting the mark.  I try to be the encourager I needed all those years ago from the evaluators.

In retrospect, I value Fine Arts for the yearly experience I got to express myself through my music.  It was great training for all of the writing and singing and performing I do most days of my life now.  What the evaluators said to me is now long-forgotten.  But the experience remains special to me.

I love what Christian recording artist Natalie Grant said once when she talked about competing in Fine Arts herself as a teen.  She said, "I never won anything, but I savored the experience and it's priceless to me."

For someone who never won anything at Fine Arts, Ms. Natalie seems to be doing pretty well for herself these days.  Oh, and I heard quite a few of her songs being sung on Friday.

I guess that means there's hope for me!

Spring Sale (You Don't Want to Miss!)

In honor of Spring Break and it beginning to look a lot like spring everywhere, it gives me great pleasure to announce the Spring Sale of my eBook Ten Weeks to a Better Voice.

Ten Weeks to a Better Voice is the go-to guide for learning about and developing your best voice.  And as the title says, you'll do it in just 10 weeks.  The normal retail price for this eBook is $5.99, still an absolute bargain compared to a single $30, $40, or even $50 vocal session with a voice coach.  But because it's Spring Break week for me, the price is going to be $2.99 March 20-26th only.  To go to my Amazon page for this product, click here.

I don't write books that I myself can't use.  I would never place value in products that don't wow me because I don't have time for that and neither do you!  But this book is one I keep returning to over and over again because it has such practical advice on how to be the best singer I can be.  My favorite chapter is "Week Eight: Dealing with Performance Anxiety".

Want to know more about the book?  Here is the description:

So, you want to sing? Or maybe you already love to sing but want to know more about how your own voice works.  In just ten weeks, you can become the singer you've always wanted to be.

Ten Weeks to a Better Voice will help you:
-Increase your range
-Care for your voice for life
-Troubleshoot and eliminate common vocal problems
-Perform with ease and confidence

Even if you can't study with a vocal coach, this book will help you discover your individual voice and maximize your areas of strength.  Each chapter includes action steps to take your singing to the next level.  Get ready to sing it like you mean it!

Hopefully that description convinced you to check out the book, but if that didn't do it, here are two of the reviews from customers on Amazon.  One of them is a top 50 Amazon reviewer!

"This book is designed to get the beginning singer off to a good start: 'What you hold in your hands is a manual on the basics of vocal technique.' TEN WEEKS is designed to 'provide you with the tools to get you singing correctly with confidence.' 

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Week Four covers 'Strengthening the Head Voice.' It seems to me that head versus chest voice is a more advanced topic, but no harm in explaining that to the beginner right away."


"Kristin has done a fantastic job. It is like taking a college level vocal course and concentrating it into a powerful easy to understand reference guide you will use throughout your singing career. Many who sing for the most part do not understand their own voice and how to maximize and protect it. This book will definitely give them the information and edge to succeed."

My goal during 2016 is to reach and impact at least 100 singers who would like to get better at their craft.  This is such a great way to get that started. I really hope you'll consider investing in this book, especially at the rock-bottom price of $2.99!  You just can't beat it.  

Remember, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice will only be on sale for $2.99 from March 20-26th.  Follow this link to my product page on Amazon.  

Thank you for your awesome support!

Success is Not an Isolated Event

This past week, I experienced what I consider to be a successful moment in my music career.  I found out from my publicist that the first radio stations had decided to add 3 of my songs from my new EP Make Something Happen into their rotation of songs.

When I got that email, I was overjoyed.  I mean, what singer doesn't dream of writing songs and actually getting them played on the radio?

However, the more I started thinking about it, the more I realized that this success did not come all by itself.  The station manager did not magically decide to play some random Christian singer's music from Port Orange, Florida.  No, there were a lot of steps that got me to this place of experiencing this success.

1. I had to write the songs that are now going to be played.
2. I had to find the right people (producer, engineer, musicians, etc.) to help me produce the product.
3.  I had to find the funding to produce the product.
4.  I had to follow through and actually see the product come to completion.
5.  I had to choose a publicist to help me spread my message.
6.  I had to spend a lot of time honing my biography and writing the "stories behind the songs".

I've come to realize that every success we experience in life is usually not an isolated event.  Meaning, we've often had lots of little successes along the way that we don't think about actually contributing to the larger success.

Think of it this way: You don't just decide to run a marathon and then go do it.  You have to put in the time of actually training for the run beforehand and lots of little runs end up contributing to the overall goal.

Likewise, as a singer, you don't just go out and have a rockin' performance that everyone raves about without putting in the time and effort to hone your musical skills.

So, here's what I'd like to ask you to do.  If you're working towards a larger success, whatever that might be, start counting and celebrating all of the little successes that will get you to that goal.  Want to make an album?  Spend some time writing a new song that you can't wait to share with the world.  Want to sing a solo but feel scared?  Count the success of joining and singing in your church choir first.

Once you realize that success is not an isolated event, you will begin to celebrate all of life's little moments that will get you to any level of success that you desire.  Pretty soon, you will be unstoppable as you go from success to success and start to experience your wildest dreams coming true.

Happy Singing and Happy Living,

Kristin

Choosing the Right Key for Your Song

I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this topic, but rest assured, it is a very important one.  Have you ever tried to sing your favorite song from the radio, your mp3 player, or whatever and find your voice isn't quite up to the challenge?  It's frustrating, right?  So, you probably just give up and think, "I can't sing this one" and move on to something else.

Here's a little known secret: the real reason you probably can't sing the song is because it's not in the right key for you.  That's not to say with a little practice and working with a skilled vocal coach you could never sing it in that key.   But why waste the time and energy when you can just try it in a different key and experience much faster success?

Many times, I work with clients who do not want to change the key of the song they are attempting to sing because they view it as exposing their weakness or something.  I don't see it that way at all.  I think changing the key to fit your voice as a singer plays to your strengths.  So, never be afraid to do it, especially if it allows you to sound better, pretty much instantly!

I am also learning this lesson in my own life.  I'm currently in the songwriting stage for upcoming music projects and am very mindful (this time around) about the keys that I write my music in.  Not only do I need to be able to sing them skillfully when it's time to record, but I also need to make sure the keys of my songs will sound great when I have to perform them over and over again to a live audience.

One of my unreleased songs, "Faithful Father" started out in a higher key.  As I was piecing together lyrics and music, I decided to lower the key a half step, just to see what it sounded like.  Voila!  It was like a different, much stronger singer performing.  The song found its perfect key and my voice found its best sound.

So the next time you're tempted to give up on a hard song, do me a favor and try it out in a different key.  Lower it or raise it depending on your needs.  I bet it will make all the difference!

Happy Singing!


For more tips like these, and a structured program to get you singing at your best, check out my book Ten Weeks to a Better Voice here.

Singing and Homeostasis

I never thought I'd get into science.  It was not my "thing" in school.  Dissecting frogs, learning the names of the bones of the body, trying to solve [impossible] chemistry equations--not my cup of tea!

However the older I get, the more I appreciate science because it actually has everything to do with singing well.  How do I know this?  I've experienced it firsthand.

This past weekend, I had my first performance of a song off my new album, Make Something Happen.  All day on Friday, leading up to the performance, I determined to practice so I would go into the performance feeling completely confident and fully warmed up.

Around noon, I was driving in my car and practicing the song along with the recording.  Only, my live performance was not coming out well.  I couldn't sustain the high notes, much less gather the energy to reach them in the first place.  I was a bit scared that I was having an "off" day with my voice, which is a totally normal thing, by the way.  I just didn't need to have one on a day I was performing solo.

Lo and behold, I found myself remembering a word from 6th grade science class: homeostasis.  I instantly realized what my issue was.  I stopped practicing because there was no use in frustrating myself even more and I arrived home and immediately made myself a sandwich and fruit for lunch.  The reason I wasn't singing well?  I was hungry.

Now, all the people who know me are laughing right now because they realize how true it is that I'm "off" when I'm hungry, but I have the science to prove it!

Wikipedia defines homeostasis as "the property of a system in which variables are regulated so that internal conditions remain stable and relatively constant".   In other words, the human body is constantly trying to balance itself to make it more efficient.  That's why you need so much food each day, but not too much food or you'll start to gain weight.  That's why you need so much sleep but not too much sleep to provide energy for your day.

Here's what happened after I ate.  I let my food settle and then went into my music room to resume practicing my song.  I practiced 4 times before the actual performance, and they were some of the best practices I'd had.  Before the show, I made sure I ate another nutritious meal, this time dinner, and then I had a cup of tea and honey and some water.  My performance turned out great!  I felt energized and my voice held up beautifully.

Here are some quick tips to think about if you're practicing for a performance and your voice is not holding up:

1.  If you feel faint, do you need to eat something?  Try eating a light meal and be sure to include some fruits or veggies, both of which contain vital water and nutrients.

2.  Are you completely satiated from your last meal?  Wait to practice singing for an hour or so to allow your food to settle.  Otherwise, you'd better practice alone because you'll be belching through the whole rehearsal.  Gross!

3.  Are you just worn out?  You may not have the luxury of a two hour afternoon nap (who does anyway?), but can you fit in a cat-nap?  My absolute favorite naps are between 15-30 minutes long.  They get me over the mid-day slump and I wake up much more energized and ready to take on my day.  If you don't think you'll wake up after half an hour, set a timer beforehand, then snooze away.

4.  Are you stressed?  In my book Ten Weeks to a Better Voice, I talk a little about the effect of stress on singing.  And yes, stress definitely affects singing.  One of my favorite ways to combat stress is to get some fresh air.  Lucky for me, I live in Florida and can usually get in a walk outside most days.  If you're not able to get outside, take a ten minute break from your music and walk inside.

All of these tips will help you reestablish homeostasis in your own body and hopefully help you practice and perform at your peak!

(Don't try to sing when you're hungry!  Go eat a quick snack or meal, then get back to practice.  Your body will thank you.)

Dreaming and Doing

2016 feels like a banner year already!

For those of you who don't know, I recently released my debut music project Make Something Happen into the world.  It became available digitally several weeks ago and on Wednesday of this week, I received my CDs in the mail.

(Here I am making a silly face, but I promise I was really excited about this!  If you would like to hear more about my project and the stories behind the songs, visit my website, www.kristinkingmusic.com)

Sometimes I can't even believe this project is out.  It was so much work, but truly work that I enjoyed doing every step of the way.  I especially enjoyed the 4 trips to Nashville I made in 2015, all related to my growing music business.

Make Something Happen is a project I'm so proud of because all of the songs are from the deepest places in my heart and soul.  If you want to know how I feel about God and life in general, listen to this project.  It feels like I'm wearing my "heart on my sleeve".  And I'm ok with that.

I will leave you with this because I think it's very appropriate to my life and my music in this season:

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do." -Steve Jobs

I am really loving what I'm doing!  Probably because I've been dreaming of doing it for a long, long time.

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

The holiday season is upon us.  I don't know about you, but it seems to me that this season has been especially poignant.  What I mean by that is my emotions have been on a roller coaster.  I think that stems from losing my grandma a month ago.  I have moments of sheer joy, like when I'm rocking my son to sleep and singing him Christmas songs.  And at other times, I can cry at the drop of a hat, like when I play through a piece of sheet music that has Nanny's distinctive writing on it.

It seems this year my highs have been higher and my lows have been lower.

I'm not complaining because I do think this is part of experiencing life to the fullest, but it can be exhausting to run the gamut of emotions I've been feeling.

Nothing feels more like true comfort and joy than some good 'ole Christmas music.  On a whim, I bought two digital Christmas albums in the same day-- the whole albums!  They are Michael W. Smith's The Spirit of Christmas and Pentatonix' That's What Christmas Means to Me.  They do not disappoint.  I highly recommend them both to bring you much comfort and joy during this season.

I thought I would take a post to tell you about some of my favorite Christmas songs and why I love them.

"Jingle Bells"- I don't know what it is about this silly song, but it's Christmas personified if you ask me.  My kids at school just love it.  We perform it many different ways.  The 4th graders are learning to play it on their recorders.  The 1st graders can play it on xylophones.  The other grades have experimented with jingle bells and just their voices.  And I learned a fun arrangement of the song on piano this year.

"Still, Still, Still"- This is such a beautiful Austrian carol that I discovered a couple of years ago when I was a high school chorus teacher.  As soon as I heard it, I knew we had to learn it for our holiday concert.  I had my ensemble group perform the song, and it brought tears to my eyes.  It's one of those songs that will always transport me back to that special time in my life.  Try to find a version of a choir singing this song.  It's sure to touch you.

"O Holy Night"-  I don't know what it is about this hymn/ song.  It's magic.  I wonder if the Frenchmen who penned it realized that back in the 1800's or John Sullivan Dwight, the man who translated it into English.  Any version of this song is good in my book.  But last year, it became especially meaningful to me.  I was asked to sing it at my church on Christmas Eve.  I was excited to perform it, but grew concerned as the date came closer and I was struggling with losing my voice.  The day before, I almost asked the directors to replace me because I was almost sure I couldn't sing it.  But, I prayed for strength and sang it any way.  Below is a link to that performance.  Even though it's not perfect, it stands out as one of my proudest performances.

I pray that you will find much comfort and joy as you spend time with those who mean the most to you this holiday season.

Do you have a favorite Christmas song?  If so, I would love to hear what it is in the comments below.

The Worth of a Music Teacher

Last week was a crazy week.

It was the week of our holiday performances at school.

Now, those of you who have been involved in any kind of holiday performance can probably understand just how busy this time of year can get.  Not only is there the holiday performance (many times, multiple performances), but all of the extra rehearsals you have in order to prepare for it.

Now, imagine being the director of the performance.  The workload just multiplies when you're actually in charge of pulling the whole thing off.  You're not just responsible for one part.  You're responsible for all parts.  And if something goes wrong, it's your fault, no matter what.

I'm very lucky to work with another talented music teacher, so we are able to tag team and help each other.  This year, she worked with the lines primarily and I focused on the music.

We did not have the luxury of being exempt from our normal classes while we were directing the musical.  Which meant, I was technically in charge of a group of students both sitting behind me and performing in front of me on the stage.  It was a good time to use the "eyes in the back of my head" that all teachers claim to have.  I don't know what I would have done if one of my out of sight students had done something wrong.  I suppose I would have had to stop the show, correct the student and move on from there.

Anyway, last week in the middle of all the chaos and madness and glitter and tinsel, I thought to myself, "Do people ever really see the worth of a music teacher?" I mean, we live in a country whose education is so regimented, the powers that be see more merit in removing the arts to make room for more math.  But does anyone really notice the magic that happens when a music teacher takes a bunch of rowdy kids, puts them in a small room together and teaches them to channel their endless energy into a beautiful melody?

Maybe it's something you've never thought about before, but so many countless, thankless hours go into a holiday production, and the music teacher doesn't even get the credit.  That goes to the stage performers who shine bright because of their solos or funny lines.

If you attend any musical performances this holiday, will you do me a favor?  Take a minute and see if you can locate the director of the show.  Watch him or her for a moment during the performance and you're likely to catch a person making magic.  Injecting energy and spirit into each and every line of a song that someone else performs.  Bonus points if you thank the music teacher who allows your loved ones to shine so bright on that stage!

Happy Holidays!

( Here are some of my holiday elves and reindeer getting ready for their 4th performance of our show in 48 hours!  No wonder they look tired!)

Practice in Heaven? (A Tribute)

For the past two days, I have been contemplating whether or not musicians have to practice in heaven.  For real.

Yesterday, around 11:15am, my grandma, beloved by so many, kissed her life on earth goodbye and went to heaven.  I have no doubt whatsoever that she is in heaven.  She's been a faithful follower of Christ her entire life.  And what a beautiful life she lived.

(This is a picture a picture, but one of my favorites of Nanny and me from my wedding day.)


Next week will be her 86th birthday. Of her 86 years of life on earth, my dad guesstimated that she played piano for 75 years.

Now, if there's one thing I know about my Nanny, it's that she was a great piano player.  She was never afraid of the challenging pieces and always practiced more than anyone I know and made lots of notes in pencil on her music.  If it's any indication of how much she loved music, up until a few weeks ago, she still taught piano lessons and took them herself.

I am the woman I am today in part because of her.  There are so many traits about my Nanny that I try to emulate on a daily basis, such as her zest for life, her courageousness, and her frugality, but it thrills me the most that we both share such a passion for music.

I haven't always enjoyed practicing my music.  But, now knowing that she's in heaven, I feel like practicing will be a little less of a chore for me and a little more of a reminder of my grandma and her love of music.

And so, I wonder if she has to practice in heaven.  Because you can't convince me otherwise that she is the piano player for heaven's choir.  I wonder if the music played and sung in keys nonexistent here on earth just come naturally.  Or if she still takes a moment (whatever that equates to in heaven) to go through the celestial score in front of her.

I miss you, Nanny.  I will keep your music alive here on earth, and I will think of you each time I sit down at my own piano.  I hope to join you in a heavenly duet someday.

(A picture of my Nanny's piano where she practiced daily for many years of her life.  I will especially miss her signature style of playing those ivories.)

Little Blessings

Time for a little honesty:  there are days, even seasons of my life when I wonder if what I do makes any kind of difference to anyone.  Sometimes I question why I had to fall in love with music and writing instead of, say, brain surgery.  Music is so subjective; everyone has their own preference and feelings about what they like and why.

Still, music is my thing.  It is the thing that I will do if I never make a cent from it, just because I have to make music.  But sometimes it can get discouraging when you feel that no one even cares to hear it.

I was having one of those pity-party days last week as I was working at my elementary school job.  Thinking to myself, "What if I take all the time and effort to create this music that no one cares to hear?"  It was about that time, my 3rd grade class arrived for their lesson.  As I greeted them at the door, one precious girl stopped and handed me a bracelet.  "I made this for you, Mrs. King."  The bracelet has white round beads with a silver treble clef charm.  It's lovely.

After exclaiming my excitement over the gift (because, I don't care what it is, all teachers love getting gifts from their students), I asked her if she really did make it.  She said yes.  I put it on and wore it the rest of the day.

Ok, so maybe millions of people won't be inspired and touched by my music, but that little girl was.  Even if she's only heard me sing silly songs.  My music impacted her enough to think of me when she crafted a beautiful personalized gift.

The lesson is this: whatever you're doing, whether big or small, matters to someone.  Keep doing it.  Keep writing, even if you think no one reads.  Keep making music, even if you think no one hears.  Keep playing ball, even if you think no one cheers.  I think you'll find that someone is, in fact, paying attention.  Do it for them.  And do it because you can't not do it.

New Opportunities

What a year it's been!  And it's not quite over yet.

If you had told me back in January all of the opportunities I would get with my music this year, I wouldn't have believed you.  It all started when I decided upon my motto for the year: "Make Something Happen".  You see, each year, I come up with a theme or motto to base my entire year around.  This year, those three little words kept coming back to me, so I decided to let them frame everything that happened in my life for the next 12 months.

Then came the song, "Make Something Happen".  Initially, I was irritated when I woke up singing the chorus and the bridge that I either dreamed or composed in my sleep.  When I looked at the clock, it read 5:30am and I had 40 minutes left to sleep.  The last thing I wanted to do was leave the comfort of my warm bed to go work on a song.

Still, I grabbed my phone, trudged dreary-eyed to the bathroom, shut the door so I wouldn't wake up my one-year old son, and hit record on my phone.

A few days later, I put some verses and chords to the chorus and bridge, and I had a song.

The song inspired the project, and fast-forward 11 months, and I am getting ready to release a 5-song album to the world entitled Make Something Happen.  I am really pleased with how this project turned out and am so excited to release it soon.

This week, I'll be traveling to Nashville for the 4th time this year to discuss some exciting music business opportunities.  What a whirlwind, landmark year it's been!  I wouldn't have it any other way!

(Doing some tracking for my project, Make Something Happen, right on Music Row in beautiful Nashville, TN)

Week Three: A Singing Space

(This post is part 3 of 10 in my series highlighting my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice, available here .)

Week Three is all about gathering the materials you need to enhance your singing and also about establishing a space where you can "escape" to make music.

Never underestimate the importance of ambiance when you want to get some great practice in.  It's nice to have a place that you can call your own (even if it's just a couple of square feet) for being creative.  Once you've established your music space, fill it with items that motivate you to sing.  You could put a binder full of lyrics on a small table somewhere close and display a few of your favorite CDs or an MP3 player and headphones.  Some people even like to display inspirational sayings and quotes to help them get motivated.  Whatever makes you want to use your creative space-- put it in there!

I have three singing spaces that I visit each week.  Only one is located in my house.  My music room is where I teach lessons each week, learn songs for church, warm-up my voice, and write and produce music.  For a closer look at my music room, you can check out a previous post, the Making of a Music Room here.

My second space for creating and practicing music is my classroom at the elementary school where I teach music, which is really just a portable building.  When I first found out I would be teaching in a portable, I'll admit, I was a little disappointed, but I quickly grew attached to my little building which has affectionately become know as the "Music Castle" (you know, because I am the King and all!).

I like to keep the space open in the middle so students can easily move to the floor if we're doing an instrument activity.  Or they can stay seated in the chairs if we're singing, reading, or writing.  It may not look like much, but a lot of music is created and practiced between these four walls!

The third singing space I visit each week is the choir practice room at my church.  Sometimes we hold rehearsal in different rooms, depending on other events scheduled at the church on any given week, but as long as I have a keyboard, lyrics, an MP3 player with the songs, and chairs for all the choir members, I can practice anywhere.  During our choir rehearsal, we start out with warm-ups for about 5-10 minutes, then begin rehearsing the songs for the upcoming Sunday service and we work in any new music we need to learn as well.

Each of these spaces is different and each of them contributes to my life as a musician.  Of course, you really only need one great space to practice music in.  What's important is that you establish a place to practice and you visit there often, several times per week.  It needs to be a place, no matter how big or small that motivates you to S-I-N-G!

If you want more information on creating a singing space, be sure to pick up a copy of my book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice on Amazon. Through August the 31st, you can get the eBook for a discounted price!

Happy Singing!

Ten Weeks eBook Sale!

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for your overwhelming support of my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice.  I am so excited that this product is finally available, both in eBook and paperback.  I have received so much positive feedback and support from all of you and I am so grateful!

That being said, I believe that there are many people out there who don't yet know about Ten Weeks and might be able to benefit from it.  So, for the last few days of August, my eBook will be on sale.  The sooner you purchase it, the deeper the discount!  Starting tomorrow, the 27th, you can get it as cheap as $1.99!  At this time, just the eBook is on sale.  Click here for the link to the eBook.

So, if you haven't had a chance to read Ten Weeks to a Better Voice yet, I hope you'll consider purchasing the eBook while it's on sale from Amazon.  If you have read it or know of someone who might enjoy reading it, please feel free to repost this or send them the link.

If you own the book, be sure to follow along with my week by week overview of the book right here on my blog.  Look for the next installment, Week Three, coming soon.

As always, thank you to my faithful readers!  Happy singing!

Kristin

Week Two: Why You Need to Warm-up First

(This post is part 2 of 10 in my series highlighting my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice, available here .)

"Have you ever noticed that when you try to speak or sing loud first thing in the morning without warming up, it feels (and maybe sounds) like slogging through mud?  Pitches that would normally be easy to reach cause you strain and limit your range.  That's because your voice has been at rest for about eight hours and now you're suddenly attempting to use it to its full capacity.  Your vocal cords are saying, 'I don't think so!' because they are not created to go from no use to full use without some preparation.

That's why it's so important to warm-up before heavy singing (or speaking).  Your voice needs a chance to wake up, just like the rest of your body.  Most people aren't able to pop right out of bed the first time the alarm goes off at 5:30 am.  If you are like me, you start to ease yourself out of bed with a full-body stretch.  If you ease into singing through some gentle vocal warm-ups, your range will reflect it, and you will keep unnecessary tension off the cords. Remember, the goal is to keep you singing healthy now and for the rest of your life.  Warm-ups will serve to prolong your voice, as long as you use them often!" -excerpt from Ten Weeks to a Better Voice

Before going to music school, I didn't think much about warm-ups.  I rarely used them.  Then as I started spending hours a day in a tiny practice room, I started hearing a difference in the quality of my  voice practice when I performed a couple of simple warm-ups.  In fact, I couldn't believe how my range increased and difficult passages in a song became easier after I warmed up.  And it was continued warm-ups that helped me discover the power of my chest voice range.

Warming up is the single most important thing you can do to prolong a healthy singing voice.  And honestly, warming up is fun!  I mean, come on, when else do you get the chance to sing silly, nonsense words in full voice, unless you're an elementary music teacher (guilty as charged!)?

I've worked with a couple of different church choirs in the past couple of years and one of the first things I teach a choir is the process of doing corporate warm-ups.  First of all, it's a great way to start a rehearsal because it breaks the ice and helps people get over their nerves.  And also, it helps everyone get through the next hour and a half of full singing in rehearsal.

And of course, all of my voice students know by now that we will always begin a lesson with warm-ups.  I try to vary the warm-ups we use and tailor them to the needs of my individual students.  If we will be working on a song that uses head voice primarily, I'll include several high warm-ups designed to gently open up the range.  Or if we will be focusing on a song filled with runs, I'll choose a warm-up or two that helps develop agility.

I hope you can see by now the importance of warm-ups.  Here's a little challenge: if you're someone who doesn't usually warm-up before you sing, try adding a few simple warm-ups into your practice beforehand.  If you don't know any warm-ups, search for them on YouTube and choose a few favorites.  OR, if you do warm-up on a regular basis, why not search for and try out a few new warm-ups, maybe some that challenge your voice in different ways.  I will take this challenge with you!  My goal is not only to practice some new warm-ups, but to write some new warm-ups for the upcoming school year.  I'll be sure to share them later on.

As usual, if you would like more information on warm-ups, consider purchasing my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice available on Amazon in paperback and eBook formats.  Thanks for your support!

Happy Singing!

Week One: The Biology of Singing

(This post is part 1 of 10 in my series highlighting my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice, available here .)

Biology was not my favorite subject in high school.  In fact, anything science or math-related was not my favorite.  Yet somehow, my tenth grade biology teacher was always able to make biology fun.  Anytime we were watching a video that had the potential to be gross, our teacher always passed out BlowPops.  I used to think he was trying to gain "cool points" by doing that, but later realized that a student was much less likely to throw-up if he or she was sucking on candy.  Clever, clever, Mr. Biology!

Anyway, fast-forward to now, and would you believe that my first chapter in Ten Weeks to a Better Voice is mostly focused on biology?  I didn't realized how important it was until I began the quest to understand how exactly a person forms a single sound.

"Every sound you make starts with a breath.  You must have adequate air to produce an adequate sound.  When you engage your diaphragm (a muscle below your chest that aids in breathing), the lungs pump air up to the vocal cords (also known as the vocal folds), which then vibrate and form an audible pitch.  Then the articulators (the tongue, soft and hard palates, cheeks, and lips) share the sound as it flows from the mouth.  This is how a single sound is produced every time.  Now you can see how inadequate breath support will fail to produce the desired tone in singing.  If you were to take a shallow breath, not engaging the diaphragm, your vocal cords would not have enough air to produce a quality sound.  Then you might try to 'help' yourself by tensing the neck or lifting the tongue.  This type of singing, occurring repeatedly, would eventually cause you to lose your voice, because your throat is not meant to take on the work of the diaphragm.

The vocal cords are located in the larynx in your throat.  The size of the vocal cords determines the range of pitches that a person can sing.  The size also varies, depending if you're male or female, with men having deeper voices because of deeper, thicker folds.  Your genetics and gender determine which voice part you can comfortably sing." --An excerpt from Ten Weeks to a Better Voice

The first step to becoming a better singer is to gain knowledge on how your voice works.  In the paragraphs above, I refer to the diaphragm, the "singing muscle".  Even though you cannot physically feel the diaphragm,  you can imagine it as a horizontal band that lies just beneath your rib cage.  When you are practicing, imagine contracting and releasing that muscle as you inhale and then sing on the exhale.

In my study of the voice and in the years I've spent teaching lessons, failure to fully engage the diaphragm is the single most common problem I've observed from the singers I've worked with.  If you don't engage the diaphragm fully, you don't get adequate breath support, and then the sound of your singing comes out thin and weak.

This week, think about the different vocal problems that you deal with.  Can being aware of how your body produces sound help you with them?  Can you practice deep breathing and stretching before warm-ups to increase awareness of the diaphragm?  I hope this little biology lesson will help your singing this week!

Week Two will focus on stretches and warm-ups that will help you have more productive practice sessions!

The Traveling Saleswoman

Today is a day that ranks up there with my graduation from college, my wedding day, and the birth of my son. No kidding!

Today I received the most wonderful package in the world in the mail: fifteen pristine copies of my first ever self-published book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice!  Now I know I wrote about the eBook a few blog posts ago, and while I'm definitely glad that the eBook is available for people who want it, there is just something about holding my dream in my hand.  Thumbing through the pages I spent so many hours researching, testing, and writing.  This book has been a labor of love for the past three years, and I'm glad to say that it can finally take on a life of its own.

Now, the name of the game is getting this book into the right hands.  It is available on Amazon, so it reaches a wide audience, but I want people to know that it's out there.  A short singing resource that will help the average Joe become a better singer.  Or the seasoned performer who needs some tips on caring for her vocal cords in the best ways.  This book includes those things.

So in honor of the new book, for the next ten blog posts, I will be writing brief summaries of the chapters, covering all ten weeks.  Then if you want more information, you'll be able to pick up a copy of the book or download the eBook on Amazon.

I once read about a woman who always kept a few copies of her own book in the trunk of her car.  That way, whenever she had the opportunity to sell one, she was prepared.  You can bet that I will be doing the same!  I called myself the "traveling saleswoman" on Facebook today, and I'm ok with that title because I truly believe in the product I'm peddling.

Those of you who have read my previous blog posts or know me can hopefully tell that I am passionate about singing and singing well.  The mission of Ten Weeks to a Better Voice is to help anyone learn to sing better, with or without a voice teacher.  So if you know of a singer who could benefit from the book, please share this post!  Or better yet, buy them copy of the book (shameless plug)!  The easiest way to find it is to go to Amazon's website and type in "Ten Week Voice" in the search engine.

On a sincere note, thank you to everyone who has already purchased the book, read it, or reviewed it on Amazon!  I could not live my dream without your help!

As always, Happy Singing!

(Here I am, cheesing it up with four copies of my book!  One of these could be yours! Thank you for your support.)

The Power of Purposeful Practice

How's that title for alliteration? The Power of Purposeful Practice.  What a magnificent sounding phrase!  Sorry, I couldn't help myself!

I really do mean to write about something important today.  Something that many people, myself included, don't often enjoy.  That's practice.

Yesterday, I taught a piano lesson to a young girl.  It was only our second lesson together, but she did something that absolutely astonished me.  She played all of her songs from the previous week with confidence and told me she had already prepared for this week's songs ahead of time.  Translation: she practiced!

All of you piano and voice teachers out there can now join me in a dance because you know how wonderful it makes you feel when a student does what you ask them to and more!

After the lesson, I bragged on the girl to her parents, telling them she is going to be great at the piano.  And I truly believe that because she has the drive to do the hard work.  She's going to practice and that is only going to make her better over time.

Now, confession time: I often struggle with practice myself.  As organized as I consider myself to be, I am still the Queen of Procrastination.  Often before a Thursday night choir rehearsal, I wait until Thursday afternoon to review my set list and prepare what I'm going to teach.  But on those rare occasions that I prepare a few days ahead of time, I find myself feeling much more confident and prepared when it's time for choir rehearsal.  This leads me to believe that practice brings confidence.

Ah, but not just any practice will do.  The title of this post is "The Power of Purposeful Practice".  Meaning, the practice has to achieve some sort of goal to be the most effective.

For instance, if I am working on learning a new Mozart song on the piano, I could sit down and try to run through the entire song at first practice.  Honestly, I would probably get frustrated and not look at the piece for a few months (true story!).  OR, I could sit down and commit to practicing fifteen minutes on the first eight measures of the song.  My outcome will probably sound a lot better, and I'm more likely to show up for practice the next day if I've achieved my mini goal.  One example demonstrates practice without any clear purpose; the other demonstrates a purposeful practice.

This technique of purposeful practice doesn't just work for playing the piano or singing.  It can translate into any area of your life where you'd like to see improvement.  Even little five minute purposeful practice sessions each day can add up very quickly.

To implement purposeful practice into your life, try these easy steps:

1. Set a purposeful practice goal. Example: "I want to learn to sing the first verse and chorus of my favorite song".

2. Set a time limit. Example: "I'm going to work on this for the next twenty minutes".

3. Set a timer and practice.  When the timer goes off, stop the practice and evaluate whether or not you've met your goal.

4. Repeat Steps 1-3 every day, setting new practice goals as you need to.

We've all heard the saying "practice makes perfect".  Although in some cases that might be true, I propose a new saying: "purposeful practice makes confidence".

What are you waiting for?  Go practice purposefully today!

Ten Weeks to a Better Voice

Once again, I sit down to write a blog post and realize it's been more than several months since I updated this blog.  Hopefully my procrastination with this blog is a thing of the past because I now have an exciting new product available and I want to highlight it and expand upon it using this platform.

Last week, I released my first eBook, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice to the Amazon marketplace.  If you have a Kindle reader or even the Kindle app on your smart device or computer, you can purchase this eBook from Amazon for $5.99.

Here is the description of the book straight from Amazon:

Ten Weeks to a Better Voice is the handbook for singers of all levels who desire to improve their singing. In just two and a half months, you can expect to learn more about your own unique sound, improve the weakest areas in your range, and gain more confidence to perform for audiences of all sizes. Ten Week Voice is designed to work even if you can’t afford to take voice lessons! This book covers the following topics: 

• Getting started with singing 
• Voice warm-ups and stretches before singing 
• Creating a space to practice music 
• Improving the head voice 
• Strengthening the chest voice 
• Developing the mixed voice 
• Emotions in singing 
• Dealing with performance anxiety 
• Solving common vocal problems 
• Finding your performing niche 

The author believes that anyone who desires to improve in singing can do so by employing the tips and techniques contained in this book. Each chapter includes Singer’s Next Steps which will help you incorporate your newly-acquired knowledge into your singing to see and hear results immediately! 

I can't tell you how excited I've been to release this vision into the world!  It was born as a result of so many people sharing their vocal concerns with me or asking me how they could increase their ranges.  I wanted to share this valuable information in one place that could serve as a resource singers can return to again and again.  I also wanted to make the tips and techniques accessible for a small price so even singers who can't afford voice lessons can benefit.  

I hope you'll consider purchasing this eBook if you are a singer and want to learn more about the craft.  In celebration of the release of this book, in the upcoming posts I will be highlighting and expanding upon different chapters of the Ten Week Voice and also providing incentives to purchase the eBook.

By the way, if you've purchased the eBook and read it, I want to hear from you!  Post a comment on this blog, on my facebook page, and/or write a review on Amazon.  I would love to know how it helped your singing. 

Thank you for your support!  I couldn't do what I do each day without you, my fellow singers and musicians!  You are truly my muse!

Ten Weeks to a Better Voice (Click here to view and purchase my new eBook)

Is Belting for You?

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been working with the 4th and 5th grade students at my school on songs for our upcoming Christmas production.  I have been blown away by the talent I've heard from these young singers!  It reminds me of my own budding enthusiasm for performing when I was their age.

Last Friday, I worked with two girls who each had her own solo.  Both had absolutely terrific voices and beautiful tone and pitch to match.  But I also thought later about how each had unique qualities that made up the timbre of their one-of-a-kind sound.  One girl could project very well and seemed to have no trouble belting her higher notes loud and clear.  The other girl had a lovely tone, but a much softer voice.  She did not belt, but instead used a very warm, soothing tone.  Both of these girls have talent; both have very different voices.

In describing my own singing voice, I would probably favor the second girl described above more than the first.  I did not grow up comfortable with belting and therefore grew far more comfortable singing in my head voice with the aid of a microphone.  Other people that I studied with in college had been using their belting voices all their lives and were more than comfortable letting the notes ring out deeply.

From what I've observed, it appears that it's easier to be a belter if you've been used to singing that way from childhood.  If you haven't, belting is certainly a technique that can be learned, but must be done so in the presence of a skilled vocal coach who knows how to train you properly.  Fair warning: using a belt voice with an improper technique will curtail your singing career quickly because it can put extreme strain on your vocal cords.

But what if you aren't a belter and don't think you can master the technique, or rather don't want to risk putting your voice through unnecessary strain by belting incorrectly? You can still seek to fine tune the beautiful, unique parts of your voice that are your strength.  There is nothing wrong with not belting.  Look at Dia Frampton, the runner-up of The Voice several years ago.  She is not a belter, and yet her voice obviously had the chops to beat out a boatload of belters.

Every singer has something unique to offer with his or her voice.  Whether it's belting or singing with a gorgeous head voice you like to use, don't be afraid to be an original!  This world has enough copycats as it is!

Happy Singing!