Find Your Voice
Course Curriculum
Module 1 – Vocal Explorations
WARM-UPS
1. Stretches
In this first session we cover an important basic - warming up with physical stretches as we sing through ‘Swing Low’ to demonstrate technique.
2. Humming warm-ups
We discover the gentle power of cord connections with humming exercises and introduce sirens with lip bubbles to encourage a steady breath flow.
3. The ‘ng’ hum
By using the ‘harder’ resonances in our head, we add another tone to our warm-up hums that helps your vocal sound travel further. Welcome to the ‘ng’ hum.
TECHNIQUE
4. Vocal Range
How high or how low can you sing? In this session we will look at tried and tested techniques to secure and extend your vocal range.
5. Vocal Tone
We have the joy of celebrating YOUR vocal tone in this session while exploring the sound palette of other vocal colours available to you. We’ll use the song ‘Sing to you’ which has a Latin vibe so you may want to bring your salsa moves too!
6. Vocal Flexibility
In this session we will work to improve vocal agility. Not only how quickly you can move from note to note but how to do this with freedom and accuracy.
7. Diction and Enunciation
With tongue twisters and working on consonants and vowels, see how the beauty and power of diction can sharpen your song performance.
BREATHING
8. Breathing
One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is ‘why am I always running out of breath?’ Join me as we walk around one of the ‘power-houses’ of our voice. We’ll look at tried and tested techniques from exploring three different types of breathing to blowing up imaginary balloons.
9. Vocal Stamina
If you often ‘run out of breath’ when singing then dive into this session with me as we explore how to extend our breathing capacity. With useful exercises and singing through ‘Sun Will Rise’ this session will help to increase your stamina.
EMOTION
10. Singing From the Heart
By asking questions about the song and exploring 4 key emotional expressions we take a journey into singing ‘once more with feeling’. Using the song ‘Love Surrounds’ and including an ‘on the spot’ demo from me, we’ll find the way to plot the emotional path of songs we sing.
PRACTICE
11. Practice Makes [Part 1]
How we enter the stage, look around the room, engage with the audience takes practice.
I was often told ‘to’ practice, but not ‘how’ to practice. Here we explore how to rehearse the specifics from breath control to vocal tone, so that, as far as it lies with you, you need never be unprepared for a performance again.
12. Practice Makes [Part 2]
How to practice effectively without singing a note is the intriguing content of this second ‘Practice’ session. Using our imagination we can visualise specific moments of our performance, from how we stand to how we hold eye contact with the audience, from how we use ‘thinking time’ or prayer and how to avoid ‘fiddling’
VOCAL CARE
13. Vocal Health and Well-Being [Part 1]
I have learned, from painful experiences in the past, that I need to take better care of my voice. Our voices are quite resilient but they also deserve proper care and attention whether that is using a 3L water bottle or being aware of ‘self-speak'. Join me for a session full of story and troubleshooting advice concerning your vocal health.
14. Vocal Health and Well-Being [Part 2]
Picking up from the previous session we look at two sometimes neglected but highly important elements of Vocal Well-Being.
1. ‘Dealing with Stage Fright’ and
2. ‘Singing through a cold’.
Find out how my ‘stage props’ can help with clearing nasal congestion, and how to deal practically with performance anxiety.
15. Singing Free
So, our final video session combines a ‘wrap up’ of vocal health with a look at what you’ve accomplished over the course.
We finish together with the encouragement to ‘Sing, and not be afraid’.