How to survive four hour marathon gigs
Not everybody wants to pursue the path of marathon gigging, but for those with a deep love of music and a desire to share it, it can be a great way to get paid for doing what you love. Read more.
singing tips
The many roads to an authentic vocal style
From deep-throated, battlefield rumbles to pure, soaring tenor lines, there are many different ways to be an effective and powerful rock ’n’ roll singer. Find the direction that works for you, your instrument, your band, and your music. Don’t forget that there are many roads to delivering powerful and authentic vocals in rock and beyond. Read more.
Modify the drums (and more) when a venue pulls the plug
Last week, Echoes published an article about my unexpectedly unplugged and unamplified live music performance at an outdoor festival. The entire band had to make adjustments to accommodate the requirements of the gig – and drummer Rob Mitzner, in particular, relied on a setup he’s customized just for such circumstances. Read more.
Gigging without electricity – how we made it through the show in the park
I had thought that, even though the gig was outdoors, we would have no problem plugging in amps and instruments. Many parks have outlets tucked away inside lamp posts and maintenance buildings, accessible for public events. As we moved closer to the date, we discovered the city would not in fact turn on the juice. Read more.
More thoughts on delivering great rock vocals
Rock singers are the rebel children of the musical family, and they sound like it. They do everything “wrong,” i.e., scream and use the voice in ways that are, traditionally, used in other places, like the battlefield or the bedroom. But there’s a lot more to rock ’n’ roll than whether or not you have grit in your voice. Read more.
How to deliver great rock vocals — and stay healthy doing it
Matt Kramer made his name as the lead singer for the band Saigon Kick. The son of an opera singer, he’s an expert educator and vocal coach as well, and teaches at his Miami-area studio Kramer Voice Company. Here are some singing tips and strategies for great rock vocals from the master. Read more.
How and when to use falsetto in R&B vocals
When it comes to vocal technique, Fields recommends keeping a round mouth and keeping the sound from coming purely out of the nose. “If you can create the sound in the back of your throat, combine that with the air in your chest and get resonance in your nasal cavity, you’re good. It’s almost like singing under water.” Read more.
How to sing R&B and deliver great vocals in the studio and on stage
Want to learn how to sing R&B and deliver great vocals? Singer and producer Alvin Fields gives advice on choosing material, delivering vibrato, and owning your riffs. Read More.
Set goals for your vocal lessons
So you’ve decided to take voice lessons and you’re anxious about your first lesson, wondering what to expect and how to prepare. Here’s the good news: this isn’t an audition! Take a deep breath (you’ll be doing a lot of that in your singing lessons), and focus on these seven tips to prepare for your first voice lesson. Read more.
Singing tips for vocalists in any genre
Updated December 2019. Over the years, we’ve posted articles that include advice and insights for vocalists from every genre. From recording tips to video warm ups, from vocal health care tips to production tricks, we’ve covered a lot of ground. Here are some of our more popular posts collected in one place. Read the posts.
Vocal exercises – Vocal warm ups for your upper register
Daniel Ebbers, voice instructor at the Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific, shares insights and vocal exercises in our video series for vocalists. In these videos, he explores the upper register of a student’s vocal range and summarizes our four-part series. Read more.
Vocal exercises – Vocal warm ups for singing to connect breath, vibration, and resonance
You wouldn’t see a top athlete compete without going through a set of warm up activities, and if you are a vocalist, you need to do the same kind of preparation every time you sing. Professor Daniel Ebbers has been training singers for more than twenty years, and in the following videos he explains the benefits of warming up and takes us through a series of vocal exercises. Read more.
Elevate your vocal performance: focus on rhythm and intention
In a standout vocal performance, how and when you release a note is just as important as the way you attack it. On the keyboard, whether I’m playing jazz, rock, or anything else, I try to keep this idea in mind. Time after time, I’ve found that one of the best things I can to do to help a song lock in is to be mindful of both ends of every note I play. This is also true for a vocal performance. Read more.
Stop shredding your vocal cords
Ever wonder why stars have issues with their vocal health? Does it happen to everyone eventually? It’s not inevitable, but it’s highly probable you will have vocal problems if you don’t learn to use proper vocal care. Your voice is an instrument inside your body, and how you treat your body will reflect upon your voice. Read more.
8 Ways to Improve Your Vocal Health
The state of your body affects your vocal health, so vocal care must extend beyond your vocal cords. Aerobic training and yoga can improve vocal health Read more.