Liz Tapia | Dark Beauty | CD Baby

Liz Tapia | Dark Beauty | CD Baby

Vocal Tips by Lori Frederics

Recently a student of mine, who is having difficulty making a healthy sound admitted to me that she does not listen to singers and music in general. Instead, she just attends her choir and sings. This explained to me why she is having such trouble figuring out how to use her voice well.

The number one thing that a person needs to develop a healthy singing voice are good tonal models. Listening to great singers feeds your mind and your ear.  If the only other singing you hear is the mediocre or poor singer standing next to you in your choir you are in trouble. Listen to singer's singers, the artists that professional singers consider to be great.

Music is an art, and great artists must influence your work. Thinking of music as a participation sport, the way many do, does not lead to good singing. Listen more than you sing when you are learning, because in order to learn something, you must "take in" information. It does not take extra time to ad music listening into your life. you can do it with your ipod while you exercise or on your stereo when you make your bed or drive your car.  

Happy listening.

Vocal Tip of the Week! By Lori Fredrics

All singers should be in good aerobic condition. An aerobic exercise is one that aims to improve your body's oxygen system. Many different kinds of exercises that are performed at moderate levels of intensity for extended periods of time can be considered aerobic. Stair climbing, rowing, cycling, swimming and skating are all examples of aerobic exercises. I put on music when I use my air climber machine and sing through a set of easy dance pop music. Singers today are often required to sing and dance at the same time, so why not add that to your training? If you don't run out of breath after a half hour of singing during exercise then you know that you can sing and dance on stage without a problem, and  singing while standing still should be a piece of cake. Happy and healthy singing to you all.

My Big Screen is BIGGER than Yours! Guest Blogger Jeff Lutz

I got my big screen not that long ago. That's the new thing, right? Got to have a big screen. Soon, I think entire homes will just be one big giant screen. Every inch of bare space filled up with television! Because you can't eat dinner without watching TV. Can't go in the shower without watching TV. Can't be sending a text message while simultaneously typing this Hub article without watching TV.

The other day I was driving to the mall watching TV through the back window of the van in front of me. Whenever I go through intersections, I suddenly realize I'm now on TV being watched by another guy watching TV while I'm watching TV. It's like I don't want somebody watching me watch me while I'm trying to watch them. You know what I mean?

And, of course, you got to have Hi-Def TV. Can't just have Def anymore. No way. Def is out! Don't want to be caught dead with just Def! Actually, it's a little known fact that it's called Hi-Def because the better the picture quality and bigger the screen the higher the likelihood you'll actually go deaf watching it.

I love some of the advertising campaigns for these new TV's. "The picture is so clear you'll feel like you're right in the middle of the action." I don't know. When I'm watching a football game, I don't want to be right in the middle of the action. I don't want to be standing there with the quarterback's hands up my butt, tickling my crotch. No, let's keep that action on the screen. I don't want any part of that action. And really who wants to be in the middle of any action? Hello. That's why I'm on the couch. Watching TV!

Of course, this type of advertising only really applies to sporting events. It doesn't exactly work with news. "Wow, that was great! It felt like I was right in the middle of that double homicide! I'll watch the rest of the news but I'm going to have to get the blood out of my shirt first."

Technology is out of control these days. I was just getting used to the DVD, now all of sudden I have to figure out Blu-ray. It's really getting to the point where they can just put 3 letters together and it'll sound like a new technology:

Tech Nerd: Yo, you get the new CVR?

Me: What's that?

Tech Nerd: Have you heard of DVR? Digital Video Recording? Well, this is CVR - Combustible Video Recording. If someone finds the porn you recorded - the whole system just bursts into flames!

Me: Wow! How much? 

My Big Screen is BIGGER than Yours! Guest Blogger Jeff Lutz

I got my big screen not that long ago. That's the new thing, right? Got to have a big screen. Soon, I think entire homes will just be one big giant screen. Every inch of bare space filled up with television! Because you can't eat dinner without watching TV. Can't go in the shower without watching TV. Can't be sending a text message while simultaneously typing this Hub article without watching TV.

The other day I was driving to the mall watching TV through the back window of the van in front of me. Whenever I go through intersections, I suddenly realize I'm now on TV being watched by another guy watching TV while I'm watching TV. It's like I don't want somebody watching me watch me while I'm trying to watch them. You know what I mean?

And, of course, you got to have Hi-Def TV. Can't just have Def anymore. No way. Def is out! Don't want to be caught dead with just Def! Actually, it's a little known fact that it's called Hi-Def because the better the picture quality and bigger the screen the higher the likelihood you'll actually go deaf watching it.

I love some of the advertising campaigns for these new TV's. "The picture is so clear you'll feel like you're right in the middle of the action." I don't know. When I'm watching a football game, I don't want to be right in the middle of the action. I don't want to be standing there with the quarterback's hands up my butt, tickling my crotch. No, let's keep that action on the screen. I don't want any part of thataction. And really who wants to be in the middle of any action? Hello. That's why I'm on the couch. Watching TV!

Of course, this type of advertising only really applies to sporting events. It doesn't exactly work with news. "Wow, that was great! It felt like I was right in the middle of that double homicide! I'll watch the rest of the news but I'm going to have to get the blood out of my shirt first."

Technology is out of control these days. I was just getting used to the DVD, now all of sudden I have to figure out Blu-ray. It's really getting to the point where they can just put 3 letters together and it'll sound like a new technology:

Tech Nerd: Yo, you get the new CVR?

Me: What's that?

Tech Nerd: Have you heard of DVR? Digital Video Recording? Well, this is CVR - Combustible Video Recording. If someone finds the porn you recorded - the whole system just bursts into flames!

Me: Wow! How much? 

Vocal Tip of the Week by Lori Fredrics!

Singers, do you have an important performance, audition or recording session coming up? In order for your voice to be in it's top shape, you must be rested. That means do your heavy rehearsing ahead of time and  only practice or vocalize  lightly the days before your performance.

The vocal cords themselves are muscles which can fatigue, and the larynx is a complex organ with muscles, joints, ligaments and all sorts of moving parts that work together very precisely. Beyond this, the vocal mechanism is a  a very special case because human body tissue, with the exception of the vocal cords, was not designed to vibrate. The vibrating of the cords make them swell up due to edema if you over-use them, and then they don't work properly. The voice does not get stronger, short term, from use but weaker. Smart singers save their voices for the big events. Think of major league baseball pitchers, do they try to perform on less than the optimal amount of rest? Of course not! They would not be in top form and might even injure themselves, and singers are the same.

How much rest is needed? Only experience will will tell you. It depends on your individual voice and what repertoire you are singing. But err on the side of caution. Once you have over sung the genie is out of the bottle and your voice is at a disadvantage.

So be prepared, learn your music ahead of time, rest up and sing gloriously, when it counts most!

 © Lori Joachim Fredrics

Pepper Guy Says:  "Great tip Lori!"

Weddings are like Football Games with Cake! Guest Blogger - Jeff Lutz

Weddings are supposed to bring 2 people together as 1. Yet, the whole process splits people apart. As soon as you walk into the church you got to choose sides. I'm rooting for the groom. I hope the groom wins! Oh, here comes the ring bearer. He's on the bride's side. Boo! Hiss! Boo ring bearer!

Depending on the type of ceremony, you got to know the different cheers. Jewish Wedding: Hava nagila, hava nagila, have 2 nagilas they're very small! Catholic Wedding: God to the left, God to the right, up and down God. Snoop Dogg's Catholic Wedding: Give it up for the G-O-double Dizzle! 

At the reception, the bride drops back to throw the bouquet and all the girls go long. ALL the single women want it. They fight like jackals for it! The guy throws the garter. All the men back off like it's laced with anthrax! Inevitably, the 7-year-old ring bearer recovers the fumble because he just doesn't know any better.

For a guy, watching your friend get married is like watching Joe Montana's 49ers move up and down the field on the Detroit Lions - any Detroit Lions team. It's brutal! "What are you thinking? Oh, come on! Not the chicken dance with the bride's dad! You're better than this!" Hell, the guy getting married doesn't even want to be there! If a guy could get away with it, he'd already be at the reception getting hammered as his friends relay the signals in from the press box. He'd have a cardboard cut out on the altar, just constantly nodding, waiting for the girl back at the hotel.

While the girls, of course they're a bit mesmerized by the whole Disney like atmosphere, the Super Bowl pageantry. But, when it comes right down to it they'd rather be playing in the big game than watching from the sidelines. They're staring at their girl friend as she walks down that aisle thinking, "How is she getting married before me? How is she getting married before me?"

Finally, at the end the guys are like, "Congratulations! (you poor bastard)"

The girls are like, "Congratulations! (Bitch!)"