SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER SINGING
In Tim Falconer’s Bad Singer, Torontobased vocal coach Micah Barnes is the steadfast cheerleader guiding the tonedeaf author through years of singing lessons, like Maria Von Trapp without that snippy attitude. Barnes, a former singer with the Nylons whose client list includes Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany, sent us these five simple steps to opening up your body so you can really sing-g-g-g-g!
1. GET DEEP Sitting in a chair, imagine you have a balloon in your lower belly that you are filling and emptying with air. Practice breathing in and out while using your hands to squeeze your torso tightly just above the hip bones. This will provide the resistance you want in order to develop a deeper and fuller approach to breathing.
2. GOOD BUZZ Humming while manipulating and moving your lips around is a great way to create a vibration in the front of your mouth. It will tickle if you are doing it right. Try it with single notes first and then try humming and buzzing your lips through a song as you get better at it.
3. WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK IT Blowing through your lips as you sing notes is a great way to warm up the chords and loosen the muscle tension we all carry in our mouths and throats. Don’t worry if you can’t get this one right away, sometimes it takes practice!
4. THE FULL MILEY Sing through notes using “ma-a-a” but with your tongue out between your lips. You should feel a buzz on your lips. This will help relax the tongue and throat muscles so your sound is more open and free.
5. GO APE Another way to get rid of neck and shoulder tension is to sing an open “ahhhhh” with your head and shoulders falling forward while you bounce at the knees (called the “monkey bounce”). The idea is to loosen the muscular tension and create an easy, relaxed production of sound.
Micah Barnes teaches at Singers Playground (singersplayground.ca).