While I’m in England, enjoy this post from 2020 (I have an even greater appreciation of Billie Eilish since this post was written): ******** About 7 years ago, I was at Zumba at the Wisconsin Athletic Club, and I was not feeling all that motivated. I had a move coming up, I was packing, andContinue reading “The Unwitting Personal Trainer/Emulating vs. Imitating (Again)”
Tag Archives: Practice Strategies
Structuring Your Practice Time
Last week, I addressed my five points of vocal technique that I use for starting out beginners in my studio, which is reduced to the handy-dandy acronym, BRAAP™. Students who work with me receive vocalise sheets that they can draw from to set up their practice time. This is just to get them started, becauseContinue reading “Structuring Your Practice Time”
Practicing for Progress – Your Own Way
Today I wrote to a potential student’s mom about what to expect from voice lessons. And when I wrote about what I expect from my students, I wrote: Students are expected to practice at home to the extent they need to make progress. I don’t require proof of practice in writing or any journal –Continue reading “Practicing for Progress – Your Own Way”
The Unwitting Personal Trainer/Emulating vs. Imitating
About 7 years ago, I was at Zumba at the Wisconsin Athletic Club, and I was not feeling all that motivated. I had a move coming up, I was packing, and I was lonely, since both my dogs and my husband were out in Maryland. I noticed a young woman in the row ahead ofContinue reading “The Unwitting Personal Trainer/Emulating vs. Imitating”
Why I DIDN’T Sing – For Far Too Long
When I lived in Wisconsin, I spent about 8 years in a sort of vocal quarantine. I suddenly found my private studio taking up more of my time and energy, and I chose to stop seeking work in Chicago, where I’d been doing the bulk of my singing, and reduced my performing with professional choralContinue reading “Why I DIDN’T Sing – For Far Too Long”
Articulating your text: Could Siri understand you?
One thing I was thinking about yesterday – if I were to use voice dictation for a monologue or the text of a song I was working on, how well would Siri understand me? Would she spit back my text relatively close to how I intended it, or would it be gibberish? It might beContinue reading “Articulating your text: Could Siri understand you?”
What’s Your Intention?
As I recently wrote in an earlier blogpost, I’ve set up a fall practice challenge. Beginning this Sunday through December 15, my students (hopefully) will submit an online practice record regarding their practice habits for the week. (Please note that I’ve amended the form to correspond to the practice challenge.) The person who submits the most amountContinue reading “What’s Your Intention?”
Practice Challenge – October 1-December 14, 2018
I have decided to pose a practice challenge to my students. And to myself, as well. A year ago, I made a recording of some songs I had commissioned by local composer Garth Baxter on poetry in both English and Irish Gaelic. The date of the recording was August 10. So, beginning about 2 monthsContinue reading “Practice Challenge – October 1-December 14, 2018”
New Practice Checklist
This week, I put out a practice checklist, which was distributed to all my students as part of a welcome/welcome back packet. I had had a new student’s mom ask me about a structure of practicing, and I went back to a previous blogpost about practicing I’d written for some guidance. And I decided that,Continue reading “New Practice Checklist”
“Tools, not Rules”
I follow a fashion blogger whose site is called une femme d’un certain âge and recently, she had her colors and style done and it turned out she was wearing all the wrong colors and styles for her “type.” (I have to admit that the company who did her analysis was right – her clothes areContinue reading ““Tools, not Rules””