Sound Advice from Monica
When it comes to the freedom, beauty and strength of the voice, I’m always panning for gold. I like to gather nuggets of wisdom from my beloved teachers, colleagues, students, books and my own vocal practice and experimentation. If someone teaches me something, I’m always judicious, trying it out, clarifying the instruction and checking its value before passing it on. All the lessons I’ve taken through the years have led to many “ah-ha” moments and ultimately have informed my vocal philosophy. Here is a sampling of my teaching philosophy as expressed in my lessons with my students.Sound Advice #41 – Does Knowing the Anatomy of Singing Matter?
Last week I double-checked everyone taking voice lessons with me in my Marin County studio on whether he or she understood what goes on in the body when we sing. I was generally relieved with [...]
Sound Advice #40 – To Learn or Not to Learn New Songs
Recently at the beginning of a choral rehearsal I was music directing, one of the altos, when I said we were going to learn a new song, said: “Can we just sing through it! It’s [...]
Sound Advice #39 – Losing The Singing Spark
Sometimes an adult who takes singing lessons with me in Marin says she hasn’t been practicing because she hasn’t felt like it. I must admit that there are many times when I have felt the [...]
Sound Advice #38 – Is There an Optimal Physical “Form” for Singing?
When I was taking singing lessons in college, I took a few lessons from a teacher who asked me to tuck my pelvis and lift my rib cage before singing. I remember thinking at the [...]
Sound Advice #37 – Singing While Playing An Instrument
Musicians who come to take voice lessons with me are not just coming to learn to sing better. They often want to sing well while playing their instruments, too. Although it’s great fun to play [...]
Sound Advice #36 – Recognizing and Accepting Your True Gift
If you are a music lover who decides to take singing lessons, you are embarking on a wonderful journey. You start down a path of the heart to the core of communication. There is nothing [...]