Anyone else feeling vocal strain during this dry winter?
The polar vortex can be rough on our voices, as can a four-hour cover gig schedule. Here are five tips that have helped me beat vocal fatigue over these last three years of full-time performing:
1. Warm-up before home practice, rehearsals, and gigs
While driving to gigs, I use Kate Hart‘s vocal warm-ups, religiously. Working with Kate during private lessons and using her warm-up CDs has been essential for maintaining my vocal health. If you have never had vocal lessons, and you are losing your voice at gigs, I encourage you to get some coaching!
2. Practice singing every day
It’s OK to take day off now and then, but becoming a weekend warrior will destroy our voices. Like exercising for sports, it’s essential to have a practice routine for singing.
3. Drink plenty of water
I drink a ridiculous amount of water before, during, and after gigs. I also ask for no ice in my water during gigs. Room temp is best.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol
I know, I know. Who doesn’t like to have a drink or two to loosen up during a gig? But honestly, I don’t have more than one beer on a normal day, and if I’m gigging three to five gigs in a row, I avoid alcohol completely.
Now, coffee’s my biggest vice! I drink too much caffeine, and I can tell when it gets the best of my vocal cords. I’m trying to supplement with more teas, often herbal lemon blends, in the morning, but that French Press gets the best of me.
5. Lower song keys to rest upper register
There is no shame in lowering a key half a step or a full step to give your voice a break on the upper register. It’s common to sing a song a half-step lower live than you might on the recording, especially when doing the four hour cover gig routine.
I bring a second acoustic guitar tuned down a full step for my solo, cover gigs that are four hours to allow myself some versatility of full open chords, and lower keys to help my voice stay strong.
Wesley reminds us about the success of practicing.
Do you remember that Youtube hit years ago, a video of a 5-year-old boy named Wesley, singing “Folsom Prison Blues” while playing guitar? Today, I was wondering what happened to that great player.
Guess what. Wesley’s 10, still playing and singing, and getting better and better and better.
Well, that reminds us to keep practicing, practicing, practicing. And the 10,000 hours rule? indisputable.
P.S. Kudos to guitar teacher Rob Hampton of Heartwood Guitar!
P.P.S. Someone in Nashville get Wesley an agent and record deal.
Two quotes for the songwriter today; and one tigerfish
I ran across two quotes that helped me breath a little bit and get working today:
“Going a day without creating something is like going a day without eating.” From Kalpna Patel.
“Don’t be afraid to write crap; it makes for good fertilizer.” Paraphrased from Pat Pattison.
This week, my songwriting group and I are trying to write songs around a common phrase I took from the news, “Tigerfish.”
I freaked out the group–and myself–when I deemed this odd word to be our week’s song challenge, and I worried my friends would jump ship! But I love what Camela tweeted later that day, “[G]et’s me out of my ‘normal’ influences. Pure awesomeness!”
@mikevial @Bob_Schneider I agree. Also get's me out of my 'normal' influences. Pure awesomeness! #PVSG
— Widad Music USA (@WidadMusicUSA) January 26, 2014
I think that’s what writing allows us to do, explore new ideas, places, identities and break out from our normal influences.
Whew! So about 15 of us are trying to write with the word Tigerfish this week. Kelsey Rottiers was one of the first to jump into a persona, and finish her song. I’m a few verses into a possible song, right now.
(It might turn into a kids’ song, as Chris Dupont jested about his own.)
@mikevial AAAH already struggling with tiger fish. Gonna write a kids album probably.
— Chris Dupont (@chrisdupont) January 26, 2014
7 Ways to Get People to Shows (Part 3: Events)
Ari Herstand’s article “7 Reasons Why No One’s Coming to Your Shows” has a great idea in the third point: make your shows events.
Doing this takes creativity and insight. What will fit your music, your personality, and your band’s interests?
I thought I’d share seven examples of turning a regular concert into an event that might inspire other ideas for you:
A. Folk the Police
Coincidentally, I’m attending this tonight! I love this idea. Folk acts do hip-hop songs. The event sells out the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, MI every year.
B. Tribute Shows
One of the favorite examples of this is Chris Buhalis‘s annual tribute to Townes Van Zandt at the Old Town Tavern in Ann Arbor every New Years Day. Chris does hours (like six to eight hours!) of Townes’s catalogue, including some Hank Williams tunes as well. No one does a better dedication to my songwriting hero than Chris, who knew Townes and had the songwriter on his own record.
Here’s other examples: Fusion Shows Summer Sing-a-Long events or Alejandra O’ Leary’s Beatles Tribute.
C. Punks vs Pokes
Mixing genres might seem risky, but many styles cross over really well. This punk – country night at Mac’s Bar in Lansing, MI is a cool example. Not only do punk bands and country bands share the same bill, they switch genres for a song or two during their sets!
D. Songwriter in the Rounds
This is a great way to offer a taste of multiple artists to an audience!
Check out this group of friends called the Yellow Room Gang or Ten out of Tenn! Plus, venues have made in-the-round events a part of their calendar, like Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, TN or Anderson Fair in Houston TX.
E. Shows for a Cause
Like Fusion Shows’s Chris Nance Memorial Shows or MittenFest’s fundraiser for 826 in Ypsilanti, music and philanthropy can create a great event.
F. Pair Shows with Food/Wine/Beer
Teaming music with food is another match made in heaven, and Kitty Donohoe has been doing this as The Wine Gypsy for a while in house concert format. If you are a cook, coffee fan, wine connoisseur, beer geek, why not create a concert around your two passions?
G. Cover Each Other
Bands trading shows are one of the best ways to get into new cities, but it’s sometimes it’s difficult to keep the fans staying for the whole show during three or four band bills. Try having each band cover a song or two of each other!
More tips:
- Part 1: 7 Ways to Improve Band Rehearsals
- Part 2: 7 Thoughts on Gig Frequency
“Thanatos at the Mall”
Nxy: “Have they become
desensitized to his news
of violence again?”
Erebos: “Marvel not!
I watch them talk, but hear their
steps of inaction.”
Hypnos: “Minds ignore,
but their bodies are never
immune to bullets.”
* * *
Written: January 25, 2014
