The Secret of Performing with Vocal Power for Singers, Public Speakers and Actors.

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

Many Singers, Public Speakers and Actors are constantly seeking new strategies of how they can improve their voice. If you browse the internet to search for answers, you will find many opinions. But, some subjects about achieving powerful vocal performance are not debatable. They are the systems in the body that must perform as a team to produce powerful sound. They are the Abdominal Mucles, the Larnyx or Voice Box and the Throat and Head which I call The Amplifier. The strategies of "how" to operate these systems are many but the basic systems function as they do without our consent. Let's learn important information about these basic body systems.

May I introduce the Vocal Power Team!

The Vocal Power Team - The key to becoming a powerful and understood singer, public speaker or actor.

1) The Abdominal Muscles
2) The larynx
3) The Amplifier

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world." George Washington Carver (1864-1943)

I am someone who has always believed in teamwork. When I directed my 75 member choral group, the Capistrano Chorale, we were all dependent on one another to practice and perform to our individual potential. When we all did, the performances were exceptional and when we all didn’t the performances suffered.

We have the same scenario in our body. We have three separate body systems that must operate at their individual potential and coordinate as a team in order for our singing or speaking to be powerful. The following material consists of excerpts from my popular book Singing and Speaking on the Edge of a Grunt. This material is simply an explanation of their basic functions. The answers to how to coordinate them to produce powerful vocal sounds are explained in the book. I hope you learn something special from this material. The body is truly an incredible machine!

1) The Abdominal Muscles

The Abdominal Muscles are located between the ribs and the pelvis on the front portion of the body. There are five muscle groups that combine to completely cover the internal organs. Further, they support the trunk, allow movement, and hold organs in place by regulating internal abdominal pressure.

The five main abdominal muscles groups are:

> Transversus Abdominus - The deepest muscle layer, its main role are to stabilize the trunk and maintain internal abdominal pressure.

> Rectus Abdominus - It exists between the ribs and the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis. This muscle group is commonly called “The Six Pack”. The main function of the rectus abdominus is to move the body between the ribcage and the pelvis.

> External Oblique Muscles - They exist on each side of the rectus abdominus. The external oblique muscles allow the trunk to twist to the left or right.

> Internal Oblique Muscles – These flank the rectus abdominus, and are located just inside the hipbones. They operate in the opposite way to the external oblique muscles. For example, twisting the trunk to the left requires the left hand side internal oblique and the right hand side external oblique to contract together.

The abdominals are an extremely important part of the breathing process, especially during exhale. They assist in forcing air out of the lungs by depressing the thorax. Then, our fifth muscle group begins its very important job. The fifth and arguably most important muscle for our discussion is the Diaphragm.

> Diaphragm - In the anatomy of Mammals, (Yes, we are one of those!) the diaphragm is a shelf of muscle extending across the bottom of the ribcage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity (with lung and heart) from the abdominal cavity (with liver, stomach, intestines, etc.). In its relaxed state, the diaphragm is shaped like a dome or parachute.

2) The larynx






I must first say that I consider the Larynx to be one of the greatest miracles and gifts that mankind has ever been given.

Take a moment and consider life without a larynx. If you could not sing, speak or laugh I think you would agree that your life would change in a major way. We have actually been born with a free instrument. It is better than any instrument created by man because it can not only create pitch, but it can communicate words. No other instrument can do that. With many people, though, they shy away from singing because many students, in my experience, think they sound poor. This is often because, as in my case, somebody close to them laughed at them when they sang and maybe inferred that they had no talent. Unfortunately, with the voice, many people fail to understand that, like any instrument, it must also be trained to reach its potential.

Of course, there exist many people who sound wonderful without any training. The mistake many of these people make is that they will achieve exceptional voices if they submit themselves to effective training. This is because their basic voice is so far advanced without training. Often times I have seen these gifted vocalists conclude they have a natural talent and have a perfect voice that does not require training. Another problem these people with natural voices have, common to everyone, is the lack of knowledge of how to achieve effective breath control. The truth that I have found is that humans do not breathe correctly under normal conditions. All of us must learn this basic and vital ability.

In a comparable example with the steps required to learn another common musical instrument, if you were learning the guitar, you would not expect to immediately be able to play it once you purchased your instrument. That would be ridiculous! Anyone would expect that they must take some kind of lessons. One reason that our approach to training the voice may be different is

that our instrument already works. Since we have used it to communicate, starting with our first scream, we have already developed some level of vocalization and pitch. The important thing to understand is that your basic level of development will be different from everybody else. You must accept your current ability and move forward with confidence and dedication to create a voice that represents your individual potential.


3) The Amplifier

The what? Do I need my electric guitar? No. Actually, an acoustic guitar would be a better analogy. All kidding aside, without the resonating cavities of the neck and head, our little voice box would probably sound like a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz.

Have you ever heard an electric guitar played without an amplifier? No much to hear, is there? But, plug it into a couple of high-end Marshall Amplifier stacks and run it through some crazy effects and you will hear it for a long distance. Here is how this same principle works within our body.

As we have discussed, the vocal cords are two bands of mucous membrane tissue located in the larynx. The larynx is located in the neck at the top of the trachea or windpipe. Vocal cords produce sound by vibrating together as the air passes through them from the lungs, supported by the abdominal muscles. After leaving the larynx, the vibrations travel through the resonating cavities (amplifiers) of the neck and head. When they reach there, the sound is further amplified by resonating (bouncing) against the hard boney surfaces that enclose those cavities, especially the teeth.

This amplified vibration is eventually projected, as a complex sound, beyond the body via the open mouth. Before exiting, the sound is often enhanced by the addition of words. This is accomplished mainly with the tongue, teeth and lips. The result is called diction. We will discuss diction in depth in chapter five. At the end of the process, the resulting outside of body sound is the sound of the individual’s voice. The individual’s voice quality is also partially dependent on the thickness and length of the vocal chords. Further, the shape, thickness, and density of the bones and cartilages, and the size and shape of the empty spaces in the resonating cavities are of prime importance when determining our voice.

I hope this information was helpful.

Thanks for Reading! Visit my web site for more info. http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com/ebooks

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Blessings,

Jonathan Morgan Jenkins

Performing all Vocal Styles with Expertise and Confidence is Critical to your Resume as a Vocalist.

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Quality Microphones, Podcasting, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

To become a truly professional vocalist, you must be able to perform all vocal styles with expertise and confidence. If you are a vocalist that is stuck in a "Style Rut", read this article and you may find that it is not as difficult as you may think to sing and speak in different styles with control and confidence.

During my tenure as a Voice Instructor, I have coached Singers, Speakers and Actors of every age and musical of speaking style. Some typical singing styles would be, Classical, Opera, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Pop, Folk, Rock, Rhythm and Blues and Country. Some typical speaking styles would be, Corporate Trainer, Corporate Speaker, Politician, Teacher, Poet or Rap Artist. Some typical Acting styles would be, Stage Actor, Musical Theatre, Film Actor, Commercial Actor, Voice Over or the creation of specific Characters or Accents. If I missed any, please add them to the list.

My point is that there are so many uses for the Human Voice, an incredible miracle of an instrument. After working with all of these people through the years, I have found these consistent themes in how they perceive their chosen method and/or style.

1) They often worship their chosen style and exclude all others. (This is especially prevalent with snooty academic/classical crowd)
2) They think that their style of singing is the only correct way the voice can operate.
3) They have little or no understanding of how the voice operates.
4) They think they are gifted and do not need competent training.
5) They refuse to even consider expanding their capabilities by attempting to sing or speak in another style.

To me, anyone who thinks in any fashion like this is incredibly naïve and has little or no interest in becoming an accomplished vocalist. If I have ruffled your virgin feathers, I make no apologies.

Before you leave the room or call your Attorney claiming that I have bruised your ego, please allow me one chance to explain to you the many aspects of proper vocal performance that are similar to all vocal styles. Then we will discuss the actual few differences. Here is a list of all the aspects of vocal performance that must be understood and applied by all vocalists and all musical or speaking styles.

1) How to breathe properly to intake the maximum amount of oxygen every time we breathe.
2) Understand how the body is engineered to use pressurized oxygen to accomplish many vital functions by coordinating the abdominal muscles.
3) Have a thorough understanding of the most important abdominal muscle for singing or speaking called the Diaphragm. This includes its position in the body, how it is used to intake oxygen and how it is used to pressurize airflow and expel it in a controlled and efficient manner.
4) Have a thorough understanding of the Larynx or Vocal Chords and how this marvelous organ is used to accomplish a fundamental sound and correct pitch.
5) How to keep our throat open so the fundamental sound and pitch which emanates from the Larynx is not restricted and therefore diminished in any way before it reaches the resonating chambers of the head.

Before we discuss how style differences are accomplished, please review the above long list of important things that all vocalists must be able to understand and perform masterfully before they can be a powerful vocalist in any style.

Now let’s discuss how we accomplish different styles. You will be amazed at how simple it really is. And when you realize this, my hope is that you will become a vocalist that understands there are more common processes than different ones. And, hopefully, you will become more open to becoming an accomplished singer or speaker in all styles.

Let’s start with the style where the voice is usually operating to its absolute potential. That would be Classical or Opera. I realized that I made a not so flattering comment in #1 of my first group of numbered items. (This is especially prevalent with snooty academic/classical crowd) I did not make this comment about the style; I made this comment about the some of the people that perform that style. The college where I received my formal music degree was a place where the mention of Popular Music was considered Sacrilege. With my childhood musical background being Surf Bands and Rock and Roll, I had to watch what I said for fear of being Tarred and Feathered!

Lets analyze the physical singing style of Classical or Opera. We usually observe the following physical characteristics in the performer.

1) They often breathe correctly.
2) They often understand how to use their abdominal muscles for proper oxygen control.
3) Their Diction is often clear and resonant.
4) Their jaw is often open or dropped to produce the most balanced resonant tone possible.

I my experience, I seldom find these important vocal performance aspects in people who sing in other styles. The main reason is lack of training but another reason is a bad attitude about being open to sing in other styles.

Unfortunately, it appears to be human nature to dismiss a new challenge or even minimize its importance rather than embrace it as a gift that will change our life. We would rather shoot the messenger than listen, embrace and grow. Pretty sad!

What I have found is that, once I can get a student past the mental blocks of experimenting with a new vocal style, it becomes mainly an issue of altering the diction and opening the jaw to different positions that creates basic musical or speaking style changes. It is really that simple.

I want all of you to try something so you can get the effect. I want you to act in character using two extremes. Pick any song or speech you are familiar with and perform it in each of the following characters. Don’t hold back and perform the character as exaggerated as possible.

1) Pretend you are an Opera Singer or Speaking words in a Shakespeare Play.
2) Pretend that you are an old-time Country Singer with all the twang you can muster. If speaking, just say the words that way.

While you are doing this, be aware of the following:

1) How open or closed your throat is.
2) The position of your tongue at all times.
3) How closed or how open your jaw is.
4) What kind of tone, nasally or balanced, you are producing.
5) Do you feel tension in your neck and head or not.

I hope you are getting the picture that the differences in vocal performance are very few compared to the similarities. When you tell your body to become a certain character, the subconscious mind brings it to pass by altering physical positions.

In conclusion, I tell all my students that if they want to truly become and accomplished and fulfilled vocalist, they should be able to sing or speak in any style on command and do it properly.

So, it is time to drop the ego and open yourself up to receiving some proper training. Trust me, when you do this, you will be a very happy vocalist. Further, you will have a healthy respect for all styles, all vocalists and increased admiration for your marvelous musical instrument.

Thanks for Reading! Visit my web site fir more info. http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com/ebooks

Goodbye!

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http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com

Blessings,

Jonathan Morgan Jenkins

The Human Voice is an Incredible and Powerful Instrument for Singers, Public Speakers or Actors.

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Quality Microphones, Podcasting, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

This month we will be discussing an incredible creation, the Human Voice. During my 26 years of training this incredible gift, I never cease to be amazed at the lack of knowledge of it’s most basic functions and how it is often taken for granted or even intentionally or unintentionally abused by misguided vocalists. Let us take a glimpse at this powerful instrument and, hopefully, develop a healthy respect.

Larynx

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The larynx (plural larynges), colloquially known as the voicebox, is an organ in the neck of mammals involved in protection of the trachea and sound production. The larynx houses the vocal folds, and is situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the esophagus.

I must first say that I consider the Larynx to be one of the greatest miracles and gifts that mankind has ever been given. Let’s pause for a moment and consider life without a larynx. If you could not speak, sing or laugh I think you would agree that your life would change in a major way. We have actually been born with a free instrument. It is more functional and complex than any instrument created by man because it can not only create pitch, but it can also communicate words when used in connection with the parts in the throat and the head that produce diction and tone.

No other instrument can do this. With many people, though, they shy away from singing because many students, in my experience, think they sound poor. This is often because, as in my case, somebody close to them laughed at them when they sang and maybe said they had no talent. Unfortunately with the voice, many people have completely forgot that, like any other instrument, it must be trained to reach its potential.

I agree that there exists many people who sound wonderful without any training. The mistake many of these people make is that they can achieve "exceptional" voices if they would submit themselves to effective training. This is because their basic voice is so far advanced without training. Often times they conclude they have a “natural talent” and “ have a perfect voice that does not need training”. Another problem these “natural voices” have is the lack of knowledge of how to achieve effective breath control. As I have learned through my many years, humans do not breathe correctly under normal conditions. All of us must learn this basic and vital ability.

For example, if you were learning the clarinet, you would not expect to just be able to play it once you purchased your instrument. That would be ridiculous! Anybody would expect that they would have to take some kind of lessons. One reason we forget this in respect to the voice is that our instrument already works. Since we have used it to communicate, starting with our first scream after being born, we have already developed some level of vocalization and pitch.

Another consideration is that, with the clarinet or any other instrument, if you do not want to play or learn, you can sell your instrument and chose another. With the voice, though, you are stuck with what your have. This is why many people harbor ill feelings about their voice for many years. For many, it is easier to just keep quite than take another chance at being ridiculed for singing poorly. This result is a shame as most people can be trained to sing effectively. To reach our vocal performance goals, we must first be grateful for the gift we have and believe that it can improve with correct information and effort.

Now we can discuss the nuts and bolts of this marvelous creation called the larynx.

The larynx, also known as the voice box, is an organ in the neck of mammals that protects the trachea and is the miracle organ that creates sound production. The larynx houses the vocal cords. It is positioned just below where the tract of the pharynx, the part of your throat you see when you look straight back into your mouth, splits into the trachea (passage to the lungs) and the esophagus (passage to your stomach).

Sound is generated in the larynx. Further, this is where pitch and volume are manipulated. The strength of the airflow from the lungs, generated from the lower abdominal muscles and controlled by the diaphragm, contributes to loudness of overall sound. As this air column passes through the vocal chords, a fundamental sound is produced.

The vocal chords are, then, stretched according to the information received from the brain and a certain pitch is produced. This is information is important weather we are singing or speaking. As I have clearly written about in my book, Singing and Speaking on the Edge of a Grunt, Public Speakers and Actors must perform the same air support and control of any singer. In fact, if a speaker, actor, etc. is to be effective, they must also alter their pitch and volume like any singer.

This connection of similar vocal training for these different vocal disciplines is often not supported. They are seldom considered to be doing the same thing when they perform. But, in my world, they all need to become Vocal Warriors. We are all doing the same thing. We are using our voice to express entertainment and ideas to others. Strategies for vocal development are the same for all. This is an important cornerstone of my teaching philosophy.

After the basic sound vibration exits the vocal cords it is altered as it travels through the vocal tract, eventually exiting the mouth and nose. The changes occur based on the individual construction of your unique body and on the position of the pharynx tongue, lips, and mouth. The process of altering a source sound as it passes through the filter of the vocal tract creates the many different vowel and consonant sounds of the world's languages. Further, this is where comedians, for instance, alter their sound to mimic other people’s voices or others create cartoon characters.

The vocal folds can be held close together by adducting the arytenoid cartilages. The muscles attached to the arytenoid cartilages control the degree of opening. Vocal fold length and tension can be controlled by rocking the thyroid cartilage forward and backward on the cricoid cartilage, and by manipulating the tension of the muscles within the vocal folds. This causes the pitch produced during phonation to rise or fall.

To summarize, these two basic movements exist within the larynx.

1) Bringing the vocal chords together so they vibrate and produce a fundamental vibrating sound when air travels between them.

2) Once the fundamental sound is produced, the vocal chords are stretched (just like tightening a guitar string and the pitch rises) and the pitch changes.

Although there exists more complex muscle movements within the larynx needed to produce sound, these are the most fundamental and easiest to understand. After all, my main goal is for you to understand the fundamental basics of vocal production so you can apply them daily and improve your sound. I am not trying to prepare you for pre-med school!

This information is only the beginning to understand the complexities of how to operate the Human Voice. To become a powerful and accomplished vocalist, you must have a thorough understanding of the Abdominal Muscle Systems, the Larynx, the Resonating Cavities in the Throat and Head and the many facets of Diction that are used to produce the multiple styles of Music or Speaking production.

This information is only the beginning to understand the complexities of how to operate the Human Voice. To become a powerful and accomplished vocalist, you must have a thorough understanding of the Abdominal Muscle Systems, the Larynx, the Resonating Cavities in the Throat and Head and the many facets of Diction that are used to produce the multiple styles of Music or Speaking production. All these subjects are thoroughly discussed in my book, Singing and Speaking on the Edge of a Grunt, (click here) on sale for only 19.95! When you consider that my private students pay me as much as 2,400.00 a year to get this information, this offer is an obvious bargain.


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Jonathan Morgan Jenkins
http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com

Correct Posture for Singers, Public Speakers, Actors and All People.

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Quality Microphones, Podcasting, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

Before we can Breathe, Sing, Speak or just walk around, we need to create good posture in our body. Good posture is demonstrated when your body is standing straight up with no "hunch back." Imagine standing or walking while balancing a book on your head and this will create the effect I am talking about. This type of posture provides a few positive things for you. The most important result is an open Lower Abdominal Cage so you can consistently inhale a full breath and an Erect Stance that communicates to others that you are Confident and Positive.

Posture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The word "posture" is derived from the latin verb "ponere" which is defined as "to put or place." The general concept of human posture refers to "the carriage of the body as a whole, the attitude of the body, or the position of the limbs (the arms and legs)."

Good posture is the stance which is attained, "when the joints are not bent and the spine is aligned and not twisted." In this position, a person is thus able to completely and optimally attain balance and proportion of the body mass and framework. Good posture optimizes breathing and affects the circulation of bodily fluids. Padmasana or the Lotus Position is a central stance in yoga which
is used to enhance breathing through good posture. The word padmasana is a combination of the sanskrit words padma (lotus) and asana (posture).

During my 26 years of private coaching Singing Voices in all styles, directing Choirs, working with Rock and Pop vocalists and coaching Public Speakers and Actors, here is one simple physical attribute which is often lacking and can easily be improved. That is the performance of Correct Posture. When I make mention of the need to improve to many students when I see they have bad posture, I often get that "look" like "are you kidding?"

No, I am not. How often do you see people when you are out and about walking around that are walking, sitting or standing with dropped shoulders, a slouched back and a dropped chin with the head tilted forward? Be honest about how you perceive somebody like this. Does this person appear confident, happy, interesting, important, friendly or approachable? Are they somebody you would like to get to know? Probably not. How about taking a personal inventory of yourself, because maybe you are doing the same thing. When was the last time that you watched yourself walk, stand or sit. I suggest that you do and if your posture is not good, make some changes. Because, if this condition is unchanged, it can become a permanent condition as we age.

For Singers, Speakers and Actors, it is even more critical that the body perform good posture. It is not only for the prior mentioned important reasons; it is also because it is more difficult to breathe properly when our abdominal cage is compressed and not erect. Try this. To breathe correctly, you should know that the style of “belly breathing” is the correct one. This is when your lower abdomen is extended when you inhale oxygen. Try to do this with slouched posture. You will find that you can’t extend your abdomen as far. If you straighten up, you will be able to. As you will learn in my book “Singing and Speaking on the Edge of a Grunt,” the amount of oxygen we breathe in and the position of our abdomen prior to coordinating our abdominal muscles to expel the air in a controlled and power manner is probably the most critical aspect of singing of speaking properly.

Let’s first define good posture.


Do you remember the old technique that was used by models to work on their posture as they were told to walk while balancing a book on their head? The truth is that this "old" technique is still a "great" technique. Try it. Stand in front of a full-length mirror, put a book on your head and try to stand and walk. It’s a real challenge, isn’t it? While you are doing this, look at how your body responds and creates good posture. Don’t you look great? Sure you do. The trick is to file away this memory into your subconscious so that it becomes an automatic way of presenting yourself and not a conscious way that you always have to think of. That can only be accomplished through dedicated practice.

What is good posture?

Posture is the position in which you hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities.

Proper posture:
1) Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly.
2) Helps decrease the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in arthritis.
3) Decreases the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine together.
4) Prevents the spine from becoming fixed in abnormal positions.
5) Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy.
6) Prevents strain or overuse problems.
7) Prevents backache and muscular pain.
8)Contributes to a good appearance.

What contributes to bad posture?
1) Bad attitude
2) Obesity
3) Depression
4) Lack of Confidence
5) Pregnancy
6) Weak muscles
7) High-heeled shoes
8)Tight muscles; decreased flexibility
9) Poor work environment
10) Poor sitting and standing habits

Let’s review the negative aspects of performing poor posture.
1) You look ill
2) You look depressed
3) You don’t appear confident
4) You do not appear approachable
5) You look shy

Let’s review the positive aspects of performing good posture.
1) You look confident
2) You look happy
3) You look approachable
4) You look healthy

Correct posture is obviously a very important part of presenting yourself. Think of all the things we do that will be affected.

1) Talking with your boss or co-workers with personal power.
2) Speaking to one person or a group with confidence.
3) Singing or performing in general with confident energy.
4) Standing or walking with confidence.
5) Communicating to others that your are approachable.

And what does it cost you to receive all these incredible benefits? Nothing! It is entirely free. But, it will take a lot of practice and hard work to change old habits.

I hope that you will begin today to improve your image with such a simple thing as improving your posture.

For more information, watch my latest YouTube video on Correct Posture by clicking here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgoQ9S2O8kU


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Jonathan Morgan Jenkins
http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com

Independence as a Singer, Public Speaker, Actor, Music Student, Instrumentalist or American Citizen is Critical for your Success.

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Quality Microphones, Podcasting, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

One of the most incredible founding principles of America is the achievement of the Independence of the individual. As Vocalists or Instrumentalists, we must also become independent through proper music education and use of the latest technology to improve our musicianship.

This month I want to put some “Practical Feet” on an issue that I feel very strongly about. One of the most incredible founding principles of America is the achievement of the Independence of the individual. Have you ever heard of The Declaration of Independence? Unfortunately, there are many young people today that do not know what this document is, let alone what it means. Further, schools are becoming more and more a place to indoctrinate children about the latest Social Engineering Experiment and not teach them those important skills that will ultimately help them to become independent and productive members of society that will have the skills and confidence to visualize and solve the future challenges the world delivers.

The truth about America, especially in our past, is that this freedom has created a country that has been in existence for only a little over 300 years that has become the leader of the free world. May I remind all of us where the greatest inventions were created in the last 150 years have come from? The Telephone, Radio, Television, Film, Electronics, Computers, Aircraft, Appliances, Recording Equipment, Cars, Trains, Water Dams, Space Travel, Construction, Defense, Medicine, etc. The list goes on and on.

Why is this? It is because people have the freedom to visualize their dreams and are aware that once they do, they will have the freedom to improve society and profit by them. In contrast, lets compare the failed political philosophy of Communism. When the State owns you, controls you and tries to play “Daddy”, the human spirit has little incentive to grow and dream. That is why, in my opinion, we should always be wary of political social agendas that want to “provide all the needs of everyone.” This type of thinking only benefits the egos of those who want to implement such destructive political agendas. They do not benefit the individual because once you indoctrinate people that “the Government will always take care of them,” they will begin to lose their incentive to become an individual success. This thinking unchecked and not defeated will eventually destroy the principles of freedom that have made America great. It is good to remember that Socialism is nothing more than Communism Light!

We see this happening in the social structures of our families. Because parents want to be “their children’s friend” or ignore them altogether and have the “nanny” raise them, children enter the real world with little or no skills to be Independent. No wonder they end up wanting to live at home, homeless, on drugs, etc. This is because many parents have completely ignored their duties as parents. A parent’s job from a child’s birth is to make that child fully functional and independent by the time they are legal adults. Trust me, the goal cannot be reached by being a weak parent and only becoming a child’s “friend.” As any “real” parent knows, children will fight boundaries but will thank you in the long run when they grow up and see that you have prepared them to function in the real world.

At this point you are probably wondering about the “Practical Feet” for musicians that I promised in my opening sentence. One of my major goals as a Music Educator for 26 years has been to teach all my students to become independent musicians. For instance, when I teach voice, I avoid clichés like, “Sing in your High Voice,” of “Sing in your Chest Voice,” and not give anyone the practical connection to those statements. You can click “here” and get a Free Preview of my Ebook where I discuss this in Chapter 2. (sign up in the column to the left) I still continue to be amazed at the Vocal Students I inherit from other teachers or Music Programs that have heard the word Diaphragm but have very little or no understanding “what” it is. They are told to “sing from their Diaphragm” without any practical explanation about what that means. One of the first things I teach all my students is the parts of the body that make the voice work. I believe, when I teach them not just “what” works but “how” it works, they will not only perform independently once they leave me but they will also be able to teach another these important principles.

Further, I sell very inexpensive recording studios at my web site. (Click Here to see it) Why? Because an important part of becoming an independent vocalist or instrumentalist is being able to “hear” yourself perform. How else can you obtain an honest rendition of your efforts? Does this not make sense? Of course it does. And, when you can, you have become Independent. And when can depend on nobody else to achieve your goals, your ability to improve will be empowered. This should be a primary goal of any musician.

The truth is, when brave men and women were founding this country, they did not look to a government program to assist them or ease their pain, they had to figure out a way to survive and improve their life. Through this effort, many incredible inventions came forth. These are the efforts that built America. As musicians, we must embrace the information and technology that has been given to us through the diligent efforts of others and use them to become Independence Musicians that can teach ourselves and another. There are few greater services to mankind than to make the decision to pass along important skills to others with a giving spirit.

Now, let me share with you a few resources that you can find Free Information or Musical Tools.
Here is a site where I get almost all my MP3’s and it is Free in its basic service plan. For a cheap upgrade, you can get better service. Since it is a music sharing service, there aren’t any Copyright problems. I have found numerous tracks of obscure music here. Further, you can find many Karaoke Tracks, as well as Video, Documents, Images and Programs.
http://www.limewire.com/download/version.php

A forum filled with Free Vocalist Information
http://www.vocalist.org/index.html

Another resource is Yahoo Groups and Google Groups where you can find Free Information on Numerous issues.
http://groups.yahoo.com/
http://groups.google.com/grphp?hl=en&tab=wg

If you are a Karaoke Enthusiast, here are a few good links.
http://www.freekaraoke.com/songdir/
http://karaokeboogie.com/
http://www.karaokescene.com/



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Jonathan Morgan Jenkins
http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com

Music is one of the most powerful natural laws or forces in the universe.

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Quality Microphones, Podcasting, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

Music is arguably one of the most powerful natural laws or forces in the universe. We spend billions of dollars every year to own its latest expressions that are created by musicians all over the world who access its magnificent power. Since we may take music for granted or may even consider that “we” are responsible for its power, maybe it is time that we reconsidered music in the light of universal reality.

Music has been an important part of my life since I can remember. If I wasn’t listening to my Grandfather sing baritone in the Lutheran Church Choir, I was listening to my Mother sing folk songs with her guitar in the early 60’s.

When my parents opened a music store in San Clemente California called the Maria Del Arte Music Center and, eventually, the adjoining Four Muses Folk and Rock club, I learned to play a few chords and helped form a surf band, The Exceptions, with three or my buddies in 6th grade.
During High School, I was your typical hippie type who played a lot of rock, grew my hair long and avoided the High School Music Program and traditional forms of music as much as possible. My only exception was to listen to the “Grand Canyon Suite” by composer Ferde Grofe. Grofe composed this marvelous collection of Programmatic Music after he visited the canyon. Each arrangement paints a musical picture of the title to each song. The first being ‘Sunrise.’ If you can find the piece directed by the late Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, this is the best recording I know.

Anyways, once I decided to take on the challenge of a formal music education, it became very apparent that there was a wide gap between the ‘Educated Musicians’ and the ‘Non Educated Musicians.’ The later like myself were, for the most part, just ignorant and didn’t know what we were missing if we had only taken the time to learn some music theory. Many of the “Educated” musicians developed an “ego” about their classical musical tastes. You would think that some of them actually created music!

It is when I got to college that I realized how far apart the two sides were. I found that many “educated musicians” had their nose in the air and looked down upon ‘pop” music and the “uneducated” people that wrote and performed it. Further, when you analyze the music programs in most High Schools, they normally only cater to more traditional forms of music like choir, band and orchestra. What about all the kids that would rather play in rock bands? Are they not also musical students seeking to increase their abilities? Of course they are. But, because they do not fit into the “music program mold,” they are not considered of any artistic value for the most part.

I am not at all inferring that a proper music education is not absolutely essential to becoming a talented musician. I work with young people in my studio constantly that I sometimes have a difficult time convincing of the importance of music education since many of them feel they are “gifted” and therefore do not require any further knowledge. No aspiring musician should ever have this attitude. What I am saying is that music is such an incredible natural force that all who study it should be in awe of its beauty and power and humbled to be at its feet. For any of us to have an ‘ego” about it or preach that or our musical tastes are far superior to others are, in my opinion, misguided.

How dare we as mortals to even attempt to dictate to such a powerful natural law as music how that it should be expressed. It is like the seagull dictating to the hurricane where it should make landfall.

To further explain, here is how I view art, more specifically in this discussion, music. Whatever your belief system regarding how the earth and the universe came to being, we all must admit that the powerful forces we experience and enjoy called Music and Speech, came with the creation or evolutionary package. We did not create them; they have always existed as forces in the universe. They are no different that the natural laws of Gravitation, Light, Magnetism, Mathematics and Electricity to mention only a few.

We may analyze a piano and conclude that tonality ceases at the end of the keyboard. These “88 keys” are only a few notes that sound within our limited range of hearing. Any Dog knows that! Isn’t it possible that the keyboard continues in both directions to infinity? Hard to imagine? Did you know that recent discoveries by the Hubble Telescope have located “Billions” more Galaxies? Where do the universe and the musical scale end?

These questions are important to consider, as I believe we must humbly revere the wonderful and powerful forces of Music and Speech. We do not own them but they are a creation that has been here since the beginning of time. And when we realize this, then we can tap into these powerful creative forces. Service, gratefulness and humility always open the door to the secrets of, arguably, the most powerful forces on earth!

Further, we have all been given an instrument that, not only creates speech, but also performs a wide range of musical pitches. We call this marvelous instrument the larynx or voice box. Just like man learned to fly from observing and analyzing birds, original man must have learned of music and speech from experimenting with his personal instrument.

With music, the created language of musical notation is our best effort to be able to communicate, understand and organize that, which already exists. I say this because some people may not consider such truths and believe music to be created by man. That is no truer than man creating flight. We only discovered the “natural force” that was and is by watching birds fly.

Further, Music is found in every known culture, past and present, varying wildly between times and places. Since all peoples of the world including the most isolated tribal groups have a form of music, scientists conclude that music must have been present in the ancestral population prior to the dispersal of humans around the world. Consequently known performance of music may have been in existence for at least 50,000 years.

Another important aspect of music that proves its flexibility to individual creative thought is that a culture's music is influenced by all other aspects of that culture, including social and economic organization, climate, and access to technology. Further, the emotions and ideas that music expresses and the situations in which music is played and listened to is also influenced by culture. To further explain, the natural law that the structure of music is based upon does not change and the arrangement of notes and chords is completely flexible to adjust to cultures.

To me, that is why music as art form is more desirable that let’s say, a painting. If we looked a painting from the Renaissance time period, we would only be able to experience it from just viewing it. But, if we have a musical composition for the same time period, we can perform it again, bring it to life and manipulate it by varying the tempo, volume, articulation or many other variables. In essence, the music comes alive again. What a miracle! We can actually experience the “thoughts” of Beethoven or Mozart in a living and fresh way.

In conclusion, my vision for writing this article is to remind all of us who write, perform or just enjoy the incredible miracle of Music that we must respect how music decides to express itself through all creative minds that access its universal power. We may not like the artistic expression or “style” that we hear. That is a matter of taste. For instance, we may not all like milk or beef but we can certainly agree to respect the cow for its important contribution to the food chain. So it is with the created natural law of music.

So if you are a “pinhead academic” or a “naive punk rocker” get over yourself and learn everything you can about music with an open spirit and a humble heart. Music deserves that kind of respect.

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Jonathan Morgan Jenkins
http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com

Vocal Training. Singers, Public Speakers, Actors and All People must Communicate Clear Diction

Vocal Training Warrior: Vocal Training, Voice Lessons, Singers Voice Lessons, Speakers Vocal Training, Actors Vocal Training, Home Recording Studios, Quality Microphones, Podcasting, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises, Clear Diction Exercises, Vocal Training Videos, Vocal Training E-books.

I propose a New Years resolution that will definitely change your life. I want you to learn to sing and speak with powerful and clear diction. Read on to accept the challenge!

Proper Diction is one of those subjects that is often misunderstood or ignored completely due to complete ignorance or cultural aversion. Yet, the mastery of performing powerful and clear diction is critical to how you present yourself as a competent citizen and educated professional in a highly competitive world.

The truth is, you can drive the greatest car, live in the biggest house or wear the finest clothes, but if you mumble your words and think talking in “cultural slang” is “to cool to get real and change” then your first impression with people will always be less than you probably wanted.

It is like a person with bad breath, dirty nails, soiled and wrinkled clothes or body odor. People will always remember these things about you and not the “flashy lifestyle.” Your presentation is very important and exercising proper diction should be high on your list of personal development goals.

One of the challenges in America is that, because we are such a melting pot of cultures, the overall “American Diction” has become very sloppy. Isn’t it true that you wish you had a dollar for every time you had to ask somebody, “Can you please repeat that?”

Let’s read the “official” definition of Diction.

Diction
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diction, in its original, primary meaning, refers to the writer's or the speaker's distinctive vocabulary choices and style of expression. A secondary, common meaning of "diction" is better, and more precisely, expressed with the word enunciation — the art of speaking clearly so that each word is clearly heard and understood to its fullest complexity and extremity. This secondary sense concerns pronunciation and tone, rather than word choice and style.
Diction is divided into two types: Denotation is the literal meaning of a word. Connotation is the attitudes and feelings associated with a word.
Diction has multiple concerns; register — words being either formal or informal in social context — is foremost. Literary diction analysis reveals how a passage establishes tone and characterization, e.g. a preponderance of verbs relating physical movement suggests an active character, while a preponderance of verbs relating states of mind portrays an introspective character. Diction also has an impact upon word choice and syntax.
Diction is comprised of eight elements: Phoneme, Syllable, Conjunction, Connective, Noun, Verb, Inflection, and Utterance.

Don’t you hate some of these “High Brow” definitions?

Now it is time to discuss some solutions to our “Diction Dilemma”. First, let me remind you of something very familiar to you. The English Language when it is actually spoken by the English. That’s right, our former landlords across the Atlantic Ocean. Most people like to hear the English speak. Their diction, for the most part, is very clear. Proper diction is a part of their culture. I like to watch news reports from England. You will see somebody, for example, that looks like they came from India (there is certainly a strong accent in this culture). But, when they open their mouth and start speaking, they speak very clear English, the accent and all! This fact demonstrates great hope for anybody who wants to clean up his or her diction. If someone from India can completely change how he or she talks then anybody can.

There are many aspects of diction that can be discussed that need improvement. I thoroughly discuss these in the chapter on Diction in my e-book, Singing and Speaking on the Edge of a Grunt. I will attempt to simplify one of the obvious ones: Improper use or complete lack of Consonance.

The Consonances that get neglected the most are the ones at the ends of words. For instance, we may not pronounce the D in Made, the T in Flat, the K in Park or the CH in Latch. Go ahead and test yourself. Find something to read and read it out loud. You are probably like most people and you do not make the effort to pronounce these consonances. When you do not, your speech is sloppy and run together. We are so much in a hurry these days to get from one end of the sentence to the other, we forget about what we are saying. Then, we get irritated when someone requests that we repeat ourselves. Somehow it is their fault and not ours. Am I hitting any nerves? Good!

One important reason why Consonances are so important is simple physics. Lets take a Consonant like T. It does not matter if it is at the beginning of a sentence or at the end, the performance is the same as is its importance. Perform the Consonance T. You will notice that the tip of your tongue touches the back of your top teeth and, after you build up some air pressure, you let it all go and hence we have a T. The important aspect of this is that it is what I call an “explosive Consonance”. When the air pressure is released, the “explosion” moves a lot of air molecules a longer distance than if we just said the vowel “aw”. This being the case, the T will travel farther in the air. Therefore, it will be heard at a greater distance and your diction will be more powerful. If you are an actor on a stage all by yourself performing a monologue, the back row will be able to understand what you are saying more clearly. And if that is true then those closer to you will definitely understand you. This is always the result that clear diction will provide.

In private practice, one way I coach vocal students to accomplish this is to “get in character.” Simply pretend that whomever you are speaking to, act like they are all hard of hearing and your message is very important. When you do this, you will find yourself moving your lips, face and jaw to try to make your diction also clear by the actions of your body. I would say most of us have tried to speak to someone very hard of hearing or had to communicate across a distance with our facial expressions when we had to be quiet. This exercise will bring your body diction to its optimum potential. Add the clear Consonance to the mix and your will become a clear communicator every time.

To conclude, practice reading your Lyrics, Speech or Monologue slowly and with clear and articulate diction. Take your time. The goal should always be not WHEN we get to the end of a sentence, but HOW we get there.

I hope you enjoyed the article on Diction.

I also hope that you will click on the links below for a FREE Diction Video Lesson, FREE preview of my Ebook and a FREE Holiday Newsletter.

Goodbye for now!

Jonathan Morgan Jenkins/Vocal Warrior

Check out my web site and Free opportunities to learn.

Free YOU TUBE Diction Video Lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCeFjCetvlw

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