Rock & Roll 101

June 24th, 2013

We finished up her song tonight, and I uploaded it to the web site.

This has been a fun year! Good job with your vocals, Rhiannon!

June 17th, 2013

We started with some vocal warm ups as usual. We did simple melodies with various consonants and vowels. She's coming along really well.

We recorded vocals on Rhiannon's Part of Me song, and she did two tracks, that sound fantastic. She was having some asthma issues so we'll try again next week.

June 10th, 2013

We started with some warm up, and sang the alphabet - practice singing the alphabet on different tunes, like London Bridge, Ba Ba Black Sheep, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc.

Then we went to This Is A Part oF Me again, and tried to connect with sadness, making the lyrics real. Sing it like it actually has a meaning, not just unthinkingly.

Good job, Rhiannon!

June 3rd, 2013

The Ipod app I was talking about today is called Doh Re Me. A link to it is in the resources tab of this web site. (RockAndRoll101.ca)

We went through the Katy Perry song a few times, and then lowered it a half step. I asked her to sing it with pain and anger, like she was really upset. Not trite and thoughtless, but serious, and reflective.

May 27th, 2013

Congrats on the audition!!!! SO EXCITING that Rhiannon was the only one who got applause!

We decided to learn a pop song, so we're doing Part of me by Katy Perry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o94S5Qw17YE

We worked on the chorus, especially focusing on the pronouciation of the Rs and the Es, as well as the soft Is.

SO, practice singing ahhhhh, eeee, as well as aahhhhh iiiii.

Then remember that it's "pot of me" and "nevah evah"

Good job!

May 20th, 2013

Tonight we did a brief vocal warm-up using the vocal vowels:
http://rockandroll101.ca/recordings/vocal-vowels.mp3

I recorded this for her and others to practice with.

After that I spent some time in helping her to express the song-- her eyes tend to wander around a lot when she's singing and talking, and her body language is somewhat uncomfortable, so I talked to her about putting on the nature of the person she is singing as, (in this case Annie), and trying to use little hand motions, or tipping of the head and squinting of the eyes to communicate the meaning of the lyrics and the intent of the actor singing.

She felt uncomfortable with this at first, so we watched a couple of videos of Maybe being sung on stages, and she saw examples of what I am trying to get from her. Her vocal sound is pretty good, and if she can connect her mind/body/eyes to her voice, she'll be outstanding.

This week practice in front of a mirror, and force yourself to look into your own eyes as you sing.

May 13th, 2013

May 6th, 2013

Tonight we did more warm ups and then the Annie song. We talked about singing in the character of Annie, and getting more air, more air more air. She told me she has asthma, which I'd forgotten, but if she can use more air in any way at all, it will help her immensely. She should even risk shouting her singing a bit in the beginning just to get the support and volume there that she needs.

April 29th, 2013

We did vocal warm ups and exercises to start. I would like Rhiannon to work on these exercises on her own at home as well.

We went over Maybe a few times, and I tried to help her with cues, and drawing enough breath to sing out whole notes.

She should be careful to keep her tone strong throughout the duration of the note- if she runs out of air, not to peter out but to end it confidently.

April 22nd, 2013

Today Rhiannon and I worked through yet another song for her audition. This piece is much better suited to her range.

Her sound is very pure. Sometimes she sings a little heavy and I encourage her to keep the "eee" sound light whenever she can.

Also, try not to breathe in the middle of a sentence-- when there is a complete thought in a line or two of a verse, you should not breathe in the middle of that thought.

We recorded her singing the track four times, and listened back to it in order to evaluate tuning issues and other things. The final version I will be uploading here shortly.

Good job Rhiannon!

April 15th, 2013

Rhiannon has decided to work on a different song to use as an audition for an upcoming opportunity. It's A Hard Luck Life, from Annie.

It's in A and Ab. It has a high note in it, but she can sing it if she works on relaxing and letting the note take her there.

If she decides not to use this song for the audition, I recommend she find something that doesn't go quite so high.

April 8th, 2013

April 1st, 2013

Rhiannon and I went over Annie's song, but her voice was sore from a cold-- so we did some alternative things.

First we did some simple and easy vocal warm ups, and then we talked about diaphragmatic breathing. I showed he ran exercise that I want er to do, lying on her back with a book on her tummy. She should see the book go up and down as she breathes.

Sing lying on your back as well, so that you can practice getting a good support of air.

Air support is crucial when singing well.

Then we looked at some videos online of how to breathe with the diaphragm, and I encouraged her to practice.

The we did laughing exercises, and sang some ear training stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp-gCvW8PRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-_NNCrrdus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fquI3_YF-sM

March 25th, 2013

Rhiannon has decided to change her song:
Annie's Tomorrow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PzL8aL6jtI

We talked about diphthongs this week, and how to sing the first part of vowels, like a long A, U, or I. If you sing and hold the last part of the vowel, it sounds funny. Kind of Newfie-ish.

We did scales, and worked on posture.. I want Rhiannon to practice standing still, and straight, not putting all her weight on one leg, but evenly, at shoulder width.

We talked about relaxing and relaxation exercises, and how she can practices being relaxed, and then singing in that state.

March 18th, 2013

Today Rhiannon and I did some scales to get familiar with her voice. She has a beautiful high soprano.

We did some basic vowels, which she will work on this week, about 5 minutes a day

We picked a song to work on, called Stay Stay Stay, by Taylor Swift. She will finish memorizing the vocals so we can really work on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3d5-2rNI38

March 11th, 2013