Rock & Roll 101

June 26th, 2013

June 19th, 2013

Ally and I wrapped up the year by playing together on four of the songs she's learned, and we recorded it as well, just for fun.

I've enjoyed teaching Ally-- I hope she comes back next year!

June 12th, 2013

We finished recording and mixign the song today, and it sounds fantastic. I'll upload it later tonight.

Pick a song for next week. 2 weeks left.

June 5th, 2013

We're finished up with vocals on Ally's song, now all that is left is to pick the best tracks. We did that some on Wednesday, and I will try to spend some time on that this week as well to get as much as I can done by next lesson.

Ally might want to think about another song to work on. We have a couple of weeks left.

May 29th, 2013

We started recording the song we worked on last week-- Ally had trouble accessing the mp3 files I emailed her, but we went ahead anyway with the recording.

We did three separate tracks, the first one Ally was still warming up her voice, the second sounded really great, and the third I asked her to sing lightly and quietly if possible.

It's just a tad high and a tad low, so she is straining a little bit on the high notes. It sounds okay, though, and if she continues to work on keeping her voice relaxed, she should be able to hit those notes easily.

Here are the vocal vowel excercises:
http://rockandroll101.ca/recordings/vocal-vowels.mp3

Ally should try singing along with that (maybe put it on your phone?).

May 22nd, 2013

May 15th, 2013

Today Ally and I worked on her range a bit again. She's feeling frustrated with her ability to sing the lowest and the highest notes, so we had a chat about how emotional issues can affect the voice. She felt a little concerned about how things went at the singing in the cafeteria today, and was a little teary about it.

I asked her to spent one hour this week in total, just working on her range. She feels conspicuous working on it in front of her family, so maybe she can find some time when people are out of the house, or outside.

She's doing fantastic, and I like teaching her. I tried to encourage her to keep pushing past these frustrations, and not to get down on herself.

May 8th, 2013

Her voice is still not able to get the high notes since being sick, so we switched song:

Marianna's Trench, Beside You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ0z1LH6RJc

We tried to find a key, but had struggles-- Ally is going to ask Shelby what the key is for next week.

Her date is the 15th of May-- so we've got 7 days.

Actually, not enough time, so we picked a different song:

Miranda Lambert - Over You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWtyj_l9WKM

May 1st, 2013

April 24th, 2013

Ally struggled with her range today, she had sung quite a bit for a rehearsal at the school, and her throat was hurting. We sang through her song a few times, but I was afraid of doing damage to her voice by the sound of things, so we stopped a little early.

April 17th, 2013

Ally and I worked on her new song.

We tried Philip Philips Home, but it was too high, even changing keys (it would then be too low).

We settled on the Fray's You Found Me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMlou7Q0GRE

We transposed it to Ab, and it really suits her. She's able to belt it out well on the high parts, and can sing the low parts in that key as well.

April 10th, 2013

April 3rd, 2013

Today Ally and I went over turning tables a number of times as practice for her talent show on Friday.

She has asked me to play for her, assuming that I can make the time of her slot. She's going to inform me when she's on.

Also, we did "Apologize" for fun,.

March 27th, 2013

Ally and I tried a few different songs to use for her talent show coming up, and settled on the first one by the Dixie Chicks, Wide Open Spaces:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUcltIrh8Po

I recommended she do the first verse and first chorus as a ballad, and then grow through the song as she sings, just to give the song some interest.

She also wanted to try Adele's Turning Tables, so we went over that a few times, and worked on the high notes.

She said she wants to try them again next week.

March 20th, 2013

We finished up by picking the best vocal tracks. I'll upload it later today.

Next song: we went through a few options:
Possibly Adele:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx7sLNyIeQk

Possibly Bruno Mars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zovdxadYYbE

March 13th, 2013

March 6th, 2013

Ally is amazing! This recording was the easiest, and fastest we've ever done. She sang this in tune, completely on her own, she has come into her own voice more and more.

Her voice is getting more mature and able every lesson.

We are just going to do some edits on it next week, and it will be ready!

So pick a new song for the week after, and maybe we should talk about finding venues to stretch your wings.

February 27th, 2013

February 20th, 2013

Today Ally and I worked on the high part of the song, and how to open up the throat-- she really nailed it and it sounds wonderful! We're going to record it next week.

This song is especially fitting for her voice-- it's in the perfect range for her.

After that, we talked about meter and rhythm, and how that relates to song writing. I showed her some examples of meter and her assignment for this week is to come next week with a poem she's written.

It should follow strict metering rules (6,7,6,7 for example) and she should try to use metaphors to describe her ideas (so that it's not all obvious, but makes the listener think).

February 14th, 2013

February 6th, 2013

Today we wrapped up recording of her song, and she is picking a new song for next week.

I'll upload her song later this week when I'm done mixing it down.

January 30th, 2013

Ally was sick today, and was not able to come.

January 23rd, 2013

Ally and I re-recorded her high part today, and a bunch of lower parts that I had her sing as a whisper.

It's sounding terrific.

Next week we'll start something new, so Ally please pick a new song to learn.

January 16th, 2013

Today Ally and I worked on increasing her range to re-record the high note (B) in the song we're recording.

We listened through the recording from last week and picked some parts that we want to re-record because they were a little rough.

We set up the microphone and recorded three additional tracks, but the noise was quite bad on them so we will do it again next week.

January 9th, 2013

We redid the vocals for Ally's "Here Comes Goodbye," and she sounds fantastic.

We listened through it and I gave her some advice on improving a few places, including better pronouncing her T's at the end of words, and changing the dynamcis (volumes) throughout the song.

January 2nd, 2013

December 19th, 2012

This week Ally and I recorded Here Comes Goodbye, first draft.

She sounds AWESOME!! Can't wait for everyone to hear this.

December 12th, 2012

Ally started out a bit tight and her voice felt tired and inflexible when we began. We did some simple scales 1 2 3... up and down and up, trying different vowels, and she did relax some.

As the practice went on, she got really open.

Technical details:
1. Sing Ah, instead of Ar
2. Sing Theeeng instead of Thaang, or Thiiihng.
3. Relax.

December 5th, 2012

This week Ally and I started a little later, and went over 15 minutes as well, so I think we're good (my students before and after cancelled this week).

We went over Here Comes Goodbye a few more times, and really focused on the high note. She was able to consistently get that high note now, and I think we can even get a few more whole steps up out of her. :)

Keep working on increasing comfort in the higher register, and eradicating the country accent.

Good job! Nearly ready to record.

November 28th, 2012

So we started the new song this week, and before that we warmed up for 15 minutes, concentrating on her range. You could keep expanding your range by practicing the scales at home more.

Then the new song, we decided to keep it in the same key. Try recording yourself to better notice the country accent you're using. Try to make it as real to Ally as possible.

November 21st, 2012

Ally and I finished up her recording today, and then listened through a couple of other songs she'd like to learn.

We're going to do the Rascal Flatts song, "Here Comes Goodbye."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2mYyBYx8JA

I reminded her that even on weeks when we're recording, it's important that she keeps her voice excercised, and works through the scales and so on so she continues to grow vocally.

She should practice reaching the high note in Here Comes Goodbye.

November 14th, 2012

Today Ally and I spent some time working on harmonies, and I explained the concept of the easiest harmony which is one 3rd above the melody. I asked her to work on this on her own with the recording.

We then started to record bass but ran into problems, so we worked on fifths and octaves, singing them in tune without swooping or stopping the note. She's going to work on this as well.

November 7th, 2012

Ally and I finished recording her vocals on her song, and she sounds terrific. She's going to pick a new song to learn, and next week we start working on it.

October 24th, 2012

October 17th, 2012

Ally and I recorded a scratch track, then her vocals, then a guitar track today.

Listening through, she felt like she wanted to redo parts of it, so we're going to go over the vocals again next week.

October 10th, 2012

We recorded this week, and from listening back, Ally was able to hear specific areas she needs to work on.

Especially, tight little vibratos which need to be dropped. Also, passion doesn't translate well across a recording, so she needs to bring up the emotional level.

October 3rd, 2012

We warmed up on 1 3 5 3 1 using Ahhs. Ally has really got such a beautiful voice! I can't believe it!

Then we moved to EEes, and she finally let her voice go and broke some notes higher up around the B and C above middle C. She should continue to practice letting go up there.

Buiding muscles.

Then we worked on I Won't Give Up (Mraz), and first, worked on IEE (for words like sunrise, etc.) and biting her Rs (AARHHH matey).

Then we talked more about emotion, being real, connecting to the meaning of the song, not being embarrased about who is looking, what you're saying to them. You're a performer - an actor- it doesn't mean anything. It's just moving people.

September 26th, 2012

We started with warm up-- Ally had a cold, but we did well through the scales.

We did Ah, Ooh, and Eee. We talked about head voice, and watched a video describing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Fktutg1Lc

I encouraged her to expand her chest voice even higher, and save the head voice for different situations.

We went over the song, and practiced not biting the "r's", then sang it with the guitar.

She is doing very well with the song, and needs to add one more big factor: emotion. Think about the words, connect an experience with them.

September 19th, 2012

Ally and I did vocal warm up to start, then worked on volume issues-- she was singing to quietly. Especialyl when we moved to the song, she was having a hard time getting the high notes, becfause she was holding back.

So I put the song in the key of G for her, and we sang along, with a mic. She was able to really nail those notes now with more air support.

I sent her the mp3 to practice with, and told her to keep excercising her vocal cords with the scales.

September 12th, 2012

Ally did a great job on her first lesson. She has experience playing a bit of piano, and played flute at Loughborough. She has no problem with pitch.

There's a natural talent in her voice, and she doesn't have the encumbrances that I've found in other vocalists-- her sound is very fresh and pure.

I expect to focus on her expression so that her words match well with her emotions.

We started with a Jason Mraz song, "I Won't Give Up"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-4u9W-bns