DON’T STRAIN OR PUSH When it comes to high notes, most people think that if they just try a little harder, those notes will come out. Singers often sabotage themselves by straining to hit a note that they could probably hit if they weren’t straining to hit it! Start by relaxing through your shoulders, neck […]
Many singers aren’t aware that singing louder doesn’t mean more effort. Surprised? I didn’t always believe it either. Yet the more I experience good singing the more I realize that, when I want more out of my voice, I need to relax and get out of the way! Ironically, when you want more volume from […]
I don’t agree with the adage, “practice makes perfect”. I prefer “PERFECT practice makes perfect”. The reason being that the brain will gravitate towards whatever it has done the most. Repeating something correctly or incorrectly will lock it into your muscle memory exactly the way you practiced it. Inevitably, when I begin to make changes […]
The first questions I often ask new students are: “What do you wish your voice was able to do?” and “What do you wish your voice would stop doing?”. Many singers assume they are stuck with the default setting on their voice and don’t realize (until they take lessons) that there are often easy solutions […]
You know the one. That kid who got the lead every year in your school musical because she had the highest and loudest belt on the planet while the rest of us were still navigating pubescent vocal cracking. As a young singer I felt frustration and envy. As a vocal technique teacher, those are the […]
LACK OF SLEEP Late nights followed by catching a few winks on the drive to the next show (if you are lucky enough to have a driver) can spell trouble for your body and voice. Limiting your tour time, planning more days off between shows and sleeping in a hotel room rather than the back […]
Breathing and support are hotly debated topics among singing teachers. One of the first things new students often say to me is that they’ve been told they had poor breath control or diaphragm control. There are some teachers who focus almost entirely on breathing and supporting that breath with their singers, and some who don’t. […]
USE YOUR BREATH, NOT YOUR THROAT Many singers (and speakers) instinctively squeeze the muscles around their vocal folds when they want more volume – but those muscles are completely unnecessary for this task and even can inhibit the very thing you are trying to accomplish. Try this: keeping your throat, neck, shoulders and jaw very […]
When it comes to teaching someone to find their mix voice I’ve observed that I can often use a “short-cut” to get a singer there much faster: with some singers, all of the sounds and sensations I need them to feel are already present in their speaking voice – however, that particular coordination of the […]
Hi, I'm Noreen Smith, and I have been working with performers who utilize their voice for local performance all the way through professional actors and singers working in Hollywood and New York.
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