The Explore Your Voice Show : singing lessons - music chat - performing

When songwriting it's important to vary the chord structures you use to support your melody. This episode we show with some examples how to take the same melody and use completely different chords. It fundamentally changes the focus and style of the arrangement and can open up new oppotunities for developing your melody. Example 1 uses the melody accompanied with just an Am chord. Example 2 uses 2 chords Am and D9. Example 3 starts the same melody on a different chord entirely with Fmaj7 to Dm7 to B Half dim to E#9,. Example 4 is a more complex variation starting Am, F# half dim, Em7, Ebmaj7. Then we go Am, F# half dim, Fm7 Em7, Ebmaj7. Near the end of the epsiode we also try another variation of Am to C.

We discuss how composing using a computer has encouraged us to use drum loops at a very early stage in the songwriting process. Sometimes this can limit us to composing just to the groove.Great songwriting help for singers, players and those involved in types of music performance and creation.

Final episode of season one - One of the most life consuming undertakings for a singer can be recording an album. There are many things to consider the most important of which is your songs. Its vital to have a close circle of musically sensitve people you can trust to give you constructive feedback on this process. There are benefits to being able to do the preproduction yourself but remember, music is best done by collaborating with other musicians. Find some good ones who can contribute to your success. Singing lessons podcast

After a long break we are back!!.Michael Oliphant, Kate Slaney and Roger McLachlan host the new Season of the EYV Show. We talk about the recording projects we've been doing, Roger discusses touring and we look into how albums are recorded currently. Michael talks about how his band Late For Breakfast recorded their new album and includes a bonus free track for listeners to download for a short time. Singing lessons and making music podcast

This is track 10 from the new Late For Breakfast album 'The Art Of Falling' - 'You Live You Love You Die' is available free to download for a short time. The whole album is avilable on iTunes

For singers, getting your pitch right is not like it is for most other instruments . There is no built in pitch reference like a guitar or piano. You actually have to have the pitch of the note in your head before you can sing it properly. Roger McLachlan demonstrates how the fretless bass is similar to the human voice and how he has to make micro adjustments to the pitch to keep the notes in tune. Singers must use this technique and understand that pitching is both a demanding but inexact science. Singing lessons podcast

After an extended break we are really back!!.Lots of stuff to talk about - musical things we have been doing,the business of developing your vocal performance, not merely reproducing the notes, useful techniques to make practice a musical experience instead of a chore. Singing lessons podcast

Learn how to pace your set. Breakdowns and crowd involvement sections can be really useful for resting your voice during a long set. Flexibility is important, you must be prepared to change your song order on the fly if the set is not working for any reason.

The key and the groove of songs must be carefully considered when writing a set to sing. Singing too many same key songs one after the other can make your set sound dull and lifeless.

How to make sure your voice is maintained in tip top condition in the studio and on stage. Your singing voice is not like other musical instruments - it is not meant to be used hour after hour without a break. Also an depth discussion on how to improve your chances at an audition. Singing lessons podcast

The practical secrets to writing a great working set for singers. How you pace your set with tempo is a critical element to keeping a dance floor happy or a listening audience interested.

Singing in front of people you know can be a nerve wracking experience and often hardened professionals dont enjoy performing to a room full of people they know well. When you are recording think about having as few people at the session as possible, just involve the people who need to be there. Singing lessons podcast

If you write and record your own songs then you will get a lot from this episode. Its important not to always write to your strengths but to challenge your weak areas too. A producers role is to facilitate your musical creation in the studio but you can also acheive this by building mentor relationships with other musicians. Singing lessons podcast

Recording yourself singing presents all sorts of challenges and if you are up for it, it can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Its much easier now than it ever used to be. Singing lessons podcast

The simplest form of recording is just done at home with one or two mics and a stereo recorder like a cassette, minidisk or laptop. Often you can get great results from this sort of setup if you are prepared to be patient and experiment. Singing lessons podcast