SingOperaNowEbook

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SingOperaNow! http://www.singoperanow.com

Copyright2010AllRightsReserved

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TableofContents Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………..3 Chapter1–TheSingingMindset EverybodyCanSingWell……………………………………………………………..4 Relaxation……………………………………………………………………………………4 NervousHabits…………………………………………………………………………….6 PersonalIssues…………………………………………………………………………….6 Chapter2–Posture Feet……………………………………………………………………………………………..8 Hips…..…………………………………………………………………………………………9 Chest……………………………………………………………………………………………9 Shoulders…………………………………………………………………………………..10 Head………………………………………………………………………………………….10 Arms………………………………………………………………………………………….11 Chapter3–Breathing ……………………………………………………………….12 Chapter4–VocalProduction Larynx………………………………………………………………………………………..14 Onset…………………………………………………………………………………………15 Mask………………………………………………………………………………………….16 Vibrato………………………………………………………………………………………17 Chapter5–Auditions&Competitions ……………………………………..19  Chapter6–FindingAGreatTeacher ……………………………………….21 Chapter7-MusicSchools …………………………………………………………22

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Introduction

DidyouknowthatYOUhaveagenuine,operaticvoice?Iknow whatyou’rethinking:“Youhavetobe bornwithit.”Right?Nope! Everybodyhasthesame‘equipment’andtosaythatyouhaveto be‘bornwithit’tosingislikesayingthatyouhavetobe‘born withit’towalk.Weallhavelegsandweallcanwalk. Weallhave

voiceboxesandsoweallcansing!

Singingisatechnicalsubject:I'mtalkinghugetextbooksand enoughphysiologydiagramstofreakoutamedstudent!

Butlet’sbereal ,youdon’twanttoreadthroughallofthatstuff andIdon’tblameyou–it’sboring! Youjustwanttosing! That’s whyI’vecutallthefatandcoveredonlythe essentials thatyou needtoknowtobeginsingingbetter today !RightNOW!

Whetheryou’reinmiddle/highschoolormiddleage,inachoiror ashower,thisbookwillshowyouhowtodevelopanoperatic voicequicklyandeasilywhilelovingeverymomentofit!

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Chapter1–TheSingingMindset

[EverybodyCanSingWell]

Everysinglehumanbeingcanlearntosingwell. Thatdoesn’t meanthateveryone’svoiceisgoingtobeasbeautifulas Pavarotti’sbutitdoesmeanthat withpropertechnique

everybodycanproduceahealthy,free,resonantsound. That meansYOU!!

[Relaxation]

Insinging,relaxationiskey.Learntoobserveand feel yourbody andunderstanditslanguage;itwillalwaystellyouwhat’sgoing on.

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Alotofpeoplehavevarioustensionsandittakestimeand patiencetoretrainhowyourbodybehaves– butit’stotally

doable!

There’snosuchthingas complete relaxation.

Rememberwhenyoufirstrodeabikeandclutchedthe handlebarswhileyourwholebodytenseduptryingtolearnthis newandscaryskill?Thenyoufinallyfigureditoutandrelaxed. Youhavetomake somesortofmusculareffortoryou'dfalloff thebikelikealimpnoodle!Butnowthatyouknowwhattodo- youreffortisminimal.It’sthesamewithsinging: findthe

minimumamountofeffortrequiredtoachievethegreatest result.Lessismore!

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[NervousHabits]

Weallhavethem…Theybetrayouremotionalstatesandlevelof comfort.Whetheryourockbackandforth,fidget,twiddleyour fingersorplaywithsomethingtooccupythe“silence”ofarelaxed body,therearereasonsforit.Iencourageyoutoexplorethem. Alsorememberthat anervoushabitisjustthat-ahabit! You candevelopconfident,calm,relaxedbodylanguagesimplyby payingattentiontoitandcorrectingituntilitreplacesthe old  habit.

[Personal Issues]

Everybodyhasemotional/psychologicalissues; factoflife! The sooneryoudealwith yours,thesooneryoucanmoveonto productivepursuits .I'mnotapsychiatrist-whydoIbringthis up?Because themind-bodyconnectionisHUGEforasinger! A

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singer'sbody ishisorherinstrument andanykindofpersonal issuescanandwillaffectyoursingingandmentalclarity.I've foundself-helpbookstobereallyvaluableforsortingoutmy "stuff".They'recheap,effectiveandempower youtoovercome yourproblems,yourself.Noticethatgrowingrequiresyoutostep outsideofyourcomfortzone.Learningtosingwilldefinitelydo that...enjoytheride!Ok... Lesstalk,morerock!Here’sthe

goodstuff!

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Chapter2-Posture

Thesenextchapterscorrespondcloselytothevideolesson.For thequickest,bestresults,considerpurchasingacopyofthevideo lesson.Readingaboutitisonething,seeingandfollowingalong istakingittothenextlevel!

Thefirstthingweneedtodoistogetyoustandingcorrectly.

[Feet]

Standupinfrontofafull-lengthmirror.Ifyoudon’thaveone,  justobserveyourselfcarefully.Plantyourfeetshoulder-width apartorwider(whatever’scomfortableforYOU…that’sagolden rule!)

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[Hips]

Next,swivelyourhipsbackandforth. Feelwherethetopofyour

bodymeetsthetrunkofyourbodyandlineupthetopand bottom.Ifyouswivelthehipstoofarbackyou’llbebentforward andfallingover.Toofarforwardandyou’llfeelapinchinyour lowerbackandafeelinglikeyouwanttofallbackwards.(Find whereit’scomfortableforyou!)

[Chest]

Pretendthere’sastringconnectedtothemiddleofyourchest andthatit’sliftingyourcheststraightup. Thisisaboutwhere youshouldholdyourchest.Toolowandyou’llfeelyourribs collapse(they’reconnectedtothebreastbone!).Toohighand yourshoulderswillpinchandyou’lllookpuffedupandsilly!Find ahappymediumthatfeelscomfortableforyou.

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[ Shoulders]

Consciouslyrelaxyourshoulders.Checkuponthemfrequentlyto makesuretheyareatease.

[Head]

Swivelyourheadslowlyineverydirectionandfeelwhereitsits evenlyandinbalance. Youshouldbelookingstraightahead.

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[Arms]

Yourarmsshouldhangfreelyatyoursides.Youmayfeel awkwardatfirstbut itwillfeelnaturalsoonenough .Theideais thatyourbodyisopenandexposedandallthepowerofyour beingcomesoutinyourvoice. Allowyourselftofeelvulnerable;

itwillleadtogrowth.



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Chapter3-Breathing

Putyourhandsonyourlowestribs. Pretendlikeyou’rebreathing

intothefloor andnoticehowyourribsmoveupandoutslightly. Onceyouhavetakenyourbreath,noticethe‘position’ofthe spacebetweenyourchestandhips.Thisistheareaofyour

carriageanditshouldremaininthisslightlyelevated,out-of-thewaypositionaslongasyou’reproducingsound.Asyouexhaleair duringsinging,maintainyourcarriageinthisposition.Whenyou breatheoutandrelax,it’sfinetodropthisbackdown.

 Allow airtorushintoyourlungsratherthanforcingit.

There’sverylittleyouhavetodotogetalow,deepbreath. Just

relaxandletithappen. Morebreathisnotnecessarilybetter.As youprogressyouwilldevelopintuitionaroundwhentobreathein musicandhowmuchbreathtotake. Takeonlyasmuchasyou

needtosingaphrasecomfortably.

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Makesurethatwhenyouallowairtocomeintoyourlungs,you don'theaveyourchest.Yourbreathingshouldfeellikeyou're fillingyourlungsfromthebottom-upNOTthetop-down.

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Chapter4–VocalProduction

[Larynx]

Putyourhandonyourthroatandswallow.Thestructurethatjust movedupanddowniscalledthe larynx(pronouncedleh-rinks).

Toachieveafree,resonantvoiceyoumustkeepthelarynxina low,stationarypositionduringsinging. Thereareafewwaysto dothis:

Keepingyourhandonyourthroat,takeabreathinthroughyour noselikeyou’resmellingsomerosesattentively.Youwillnotice yourlarynxdrop.Keepingyourhandonyourthroat,yawn.You willfeelyourlarynxdrop.

What’shappeningisthatyourtongueismovingbackanddown anddepressingthelarynx.Alotofpeoplecansimplydroptheir larynx.Getinafrontofamirrorandtrythis.Ifyoucan’tdothis

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yet,usethesemethodsuntilyoucansimplyloweryourlarynxon command.Avoidjammingitdownforcefully.Simplylowerit untilitiscomfortablysettled. 

[Onset]

Thewayyoubeginasoundiscalledyour onset.Therearethree differentkinds:hard,softandbalanced.Youwantthebalanced onset.Here'showtodoit.

Pretendlikeyourbabynephewistryingtoputadirtytoyinhis mouthandsay"uh-uh!"Doitacoupleoftimes.Nowdoit slowly.Whatyou'refeelingisyourvocalchordsopeningup quicklyandpoppingjustalittlebit.Thisisanexampleofthe hard

onset.

Nowpretendlikeyouwanttoannoyyourfriendbybreathing garlicbreathonthembysaying"ha".Dothiswithoutanysound

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atfirst,thenaddalittlesound.Itwillsoundbreathy.Thisisthe

softonset.

Thebalancedonsetisinbetweenthesetwoextremes.Keep doingbothandtakingawayoraddingairandpressureuntilyour soundcomesoutwithoutapopandwithoutbreathiness.

[Mask]

Closeyourmouthandhumatanormalvolume.Youwillfeela distinctbuzzinthenasalareaofyourface.Thisareaisyour

mask.Playaroundwithhowmuchbuzzyoucangetgoinginthe mask.Youwanttofeelvibrationinthisareaatalltimes.Agood teachercanhelpyoudeterminehowmuch‘mask’isappropriate. Toomuchwillresultina"nosey"soundandtoolittlewillresultin ahootyquality.

Certainvowelslendthemselvestoresonanceinthisarea.“Eeh”

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asin“Me”,istheeasiestone. Youwanttomaintainresonancein

themaskoneveryvowelatalltimes. Thiswilltakesome practicebecausesensationsinthemasktendtobeelusive (especiallyforyoungsingers).But…you’llgetit!

Keepingthesoundinthemaskgivesita‘point’whichhelps singingin-tunedramaticallyandbrightensthetone.

[Vibrato]

Vibratoisaperiodic‘beat’inthesoundduringsinging. Itisthe

resultofgettingyourbreathcontrolhandled,tensionminimized, larynxlowandsoundinthemask! Listentoafewfamousopera singersandpayattentiontotherelaxedconsistencyofthe vibrato.

Itmaytakesometimetodevelopaconsistentvibrato,particularly ifyouhavesomebadvocalhabitstogetridof.Bepatientand

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workwithacompetentteacheranditwillcome.Onceyouhaveit you’llwonderhowyoucouldhaveeversungwithoutit!  Vibratocan’tbetaught,assuch.Butit canberecognizedasbeing vibratoornot-vibrato.Thisisyourprocessforacquiringvibrato:

1. Listento(payingparticularattentiontovibrato)andemulate world-classoperasingers 2. FollowGoldenRulesatalltimes(larynxdown,soundin mask,carriageinelevatedposition) 3. Experimentwithaddingvibratoand“spinning”thevoice. Themoreyouplaywiththesesensationsthemoreintouch you’llbewithwhatfeelsandsound“right”andwhat doesn’t.

Youwon’tnecessarilyknowwhenyoufinallyhaverealvibrato untilyou’vehaditforawhile.Thisisoneareawhereateacher’s continualguidanceissupervaluable.

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Chapter5–Auditions&Competitions

Whetherauditioningforroles,solos,schools/universitiesor singingincompetitionsthesamebasicprinciplesapply.

Learnyourmusic very well!Spendconcentrated,interruptionproofedtimemarking,analyzingandpracticingyourmusic.If workingwithanaccompanist,makesureyouagreeaboutthe interpretationandbediplomaticyetfirmifyouthinkthey’re playingtooslow,fast,loud,soft,etc.

Visualize –usingallofyoursenses–ingreatdetailexactlyhow you’regoingtosingyourpieces. Themorevividlyyoudothis,

thebetteritworks. 

Breatheslowlyanddeeplyandrealizethat(alittle)nervousnessis normalandactually helpsperformance.However,thebetteryou knowyourmusicthemorerelaxedyou'llbe!

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Letgoofwantinganoutcome. Whetherit“happens”foryouor notismeaningless!Singingbadlyoncedoesn'tmakeyoualoser anymorethansingingwellmakesyouawinner.Thosearelabels thatonlymeanwhat youthinktheymean.Letgoofallthat. Becomeindifferenttotheoutcomeandyou’llfindyourself enjoyingtheprocess.It'scounterintuitivebutit'strue: The

differencethatmakesthedifferenceisindifference. 



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Chapter6–FindingAGreatTeacher

Agoodplacetobeginlookingforateacherisatthenearest universitywithaclassicalvoiceprogram.Preferablyfinda teacherofthesamegenderasyou.

Youwillwantateacherwho:

-Hassungprofessionallyformanyyears. Askforsome recordingsorademonstration.

-CommunicatesclearlyandeffectivelywithYOU. Thereare manycompetentteachersouttherewhoteachpoorlyorwhose teachingstylesmightnotjivewiththewayyoulearn.Thisisgoing tobeyourteacherforawhileandyou’llbepayinggoodmoneyso makesureyoucanunderstandthem!

-Isutterlyhonestwithyou. Ifyousensethey’drathersugarcoatthings,lietoyouaboutyourprogress(orlackthereof)and

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takeyourmoneyinaslow,frustratingprocessofamicable deception–keepsearching. Trustyourgutonthisone. You’llbe gladyoudid.

Meetnomorethanonceaweekandpreparequestionsand commentsBEFOREyourlessonand givefullattentiontoyour

instructorwhileinthelesson.

Everyfewmonthsorsogoforatriallessonwithanotherqualified teacher.Itwillraisenewquestionsandissuesandchallengeboth youandyourprimaryinstructortogrow.

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Chapter7–MusicSchools

Musicschoolsarenotforeverybodyandarenotnecessarytobea successful,competentmusician.If,however,youchooseto attendamusicschooloruniversitymusicprogramherearea coupleofconsiderationswhenchoosingwheretogo:

Theweightofyourdecisionshouldfallonthequalityofyour singingteacher. Meetwiththem,askthemquestionsandkindly askforabriefdemonstrationoftheirsinging.Askthemabout theirteachingscheduleforthesemester.Manyteachershave toomanystudentsintheirstudio,whichmakesithardforthem togiveyouthefullattentionyoudeserveandpayfor.

Milieu:Gosomewhereyouthinkwouldbeanurturing environmentfor YOU.Findaplacewithanatmospherethat agreeswithyourpersonalityanddoesn’tbringyoudown.Thisis aHUGEfactor...reallythinkaboutit!

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TakeItToTheNextLevel!

Reviewwiththisbookonceadayforonly20minutesof uninterrupted,concentrated practiceandyou will hear

tremendousresultsinbothyoursingingandspeakingvoice.

Ialsosuggestthatyougetthe SingOperaNow! Videolesson. Seeingmedemonstrateandexplaineverythingwe’vetalked aboutheresoyoucanactually followalong isreallythekeyto gettingtheoperaticvoiceyouwant. TodownloadtheVideo

Lesson,goto:

http://www.singoperanow.com/catalog

You’vemadethefirststepinhavingthevoiceyouwantwhichisa steptowardshavingthe lifeyouwant.Respect!

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Ifyou’vegottenanyvalueoutofthisebookwhatsoever,shareit withyourfriendsandfamily!

Emailit,reviewitonyourblogandfeelfreetoofferitfor downloadfromyourownwebsite.

Sharingiscaringandtheworldcouldalwaysusemorebeautiful voicessingingtogether.

Thisisworkiscopyrightedandlicensedforpublicuseunder CreativeCommonsAttribution-NoDerivs3.0.

Yoursinsong, VicDorfman