I've been tweaking my websites lately and uploaded a 'welcome' video on my Viva La Voice site. I had shot the video in Hawaii, and have learned a good videographer lesson.....don't shoot your video near rushing water!
I love waterfalls, the ocean, running streams etc., so I think I have a penchant for shooting my videos near these hazards! My Viva La Voice welcome video was shot in a gorgeous hotel lobby, but as you'll note, there's a lot of water noise. I hope it won't be too annoying to you all.
I like to shoot things on the fly....no preparation....just find a lovely spot, point, and shoot! I guess that's my signature....videos shot in interesting, beautiful places that aren't necessarily quiet or private. I think that's okay - that's me - informal! Enjoy!
Want to know about healthy singing, natural cures for nodules, Essential Oils for singers, public speaking, finding your authentic voice, the business of songwriting, all things performing-arts related? Get the real scoop from an industry expert who has done it all!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Advice from a Bel Canto Guru!
My dear voice teacher back in the 80's - Giuseppe Balestrieri - the man who saved my voice and career said:
"I don't teach 'voice'. I care nothing for the sound. I teach breath......breath and mind."
If you've ever studied Bel Canto singing you will know what that means.
"I don't teach 'voice'. I care nothing for the sound. I teach breath......breath and mind."
If you've ever studied Bel Canto singing you will know what that means.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Singers - Pitch Problems Solved!
If you're a singer who has been told you have 'pitch problems', my Lawrence Vocal System offers a simple solution! Take a look at my newest article on Muse's Muse in my Viva La Voice column on how to get on pitch and start singing with confidence!
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Muse's Muse Book Review!
Here's a wonderful review of my new singing book! Thank you Anastasia!
Book Review by Anastasia Karalekas for The Muse’s News.
"From Shower to Stage! 7 Easy Steps for Singing Like a Pro" by Beth Lawrence
www.vivalavoice.com
www.from showertostage.com
I’d like to introduce you to my new singing coach, Beth Lawrence, author of the book, “From Shower to Stage! 7 Easy Steps for Singing Like a Pro”.
Beth has quite an impressive bio. She has been studying singing for over 30 years, and the result is this gem of a book she has published to teach us her singing method, The Lawrence System. With this book, you will learn 7 simple steps to improve your singing, and help to correct anything you may have been taught wrongly in the past.
If you’ve taken singing lessons somewhere along the line, you may very likely have been taught wrong things, and therefore developed bad habits which have caused you to not enjoy singing as it should be enjoyed – joyfully! Beth accurately describes the most common mistakes taught by many singing instructors, and then tells you how to do it the right way.
The exercises in the Lawrence System force you to focus on things other than hitting the right notes, and before you know it, you’re able to sing notes you didn’t think you could, and without straining. The improvements come easily, but you do have to make the effort to practice the exercises, to replace old habits with new ones. If you have about 15 minutes a day, the end result will all be worth it. You’ll forget about producing a perfect tone, but rather focus on releasing your natural voice. And that’s when you find yourself wanting to sing, no matter who’s around… or whether you’re in the shower or not.
Relax… Beth’s method promotes relaxation, because, not only is it important in our everyday stressful lives, but it is also important to be relaxed in order to sing properly. Being nervous doesn’t help us do anything well, singing included. However if you relax, and know what you’re doing, you’ll sing like you never imagined you could. You may be hiding the next Beyoncé or Steven Tyler, (or fill in your own blank here) somewhere in there; and if not, that’s okay; the one thing you will certainly learn is to be confident enough in your ability to sing, and that’s really all some of us may be striving for here.
This book is not only about the ABC’s of how to sing. Beth gets you to involve your whole self – body and mind – in your singing. I found that these 7 steps were all I needed. The exercises are simple and effective. And you can practice them anywhere – in your car, in the kitchen while cooking, even when you’re in the shower!
Finally, you’ll definitely want to read this book more than once. I read it the first time, just soaking up all the information. Then I read it again, this time actually doing the exercises as I went along. And I'm not done yet. I plan to keep reading it over again until I no longer need to consult it, until all the information becomes second nature to me. (And then I’m going to lend it to a friend of mine who recently claimed she has the worst singing voice ever.)
This book comes with a CD for vocal exercises based on the Lawrence System. These exercises are so well explained, they’re not just there for you to mimic. In fact, before each exercise, Beth describes the exercise, she then explains the purpose of it, and then guides you along, sitting at her piano while you stand beside her.
I believe I have found the only singing teacher I’ll ever need. And I highly recommend her to you, too.
PS: Beth has a Viva La Voice column in The Muse’s News. Check it out at http://www.musesmuse.com/menu-columnists.html
Book Review by Anastasia Karalekas for The Muse’s News.
"From Shower to Stage! 7 Easy Steps for Singing Like a Pro" by Beth Lawrence
www.vivalavoice.com
www.from showertostage.com
I’d like to introduce you to my new singing coach, Beth Lawrence, author of the book, “From Shower to Stage! 7 Easy Steps for Singing Like a Pro”.
Beth has quite an impressive bio. She has been studying singing for over 30 years, and the result is this gem of a book she has published to teach us her singing method, The Lawrence System. With this book, you will learn 7 simple steps to improve your singing, and help to correct anything you may have been taught wrongly in the past.
If you’ve taken singing lessons somewhere along the line, you may very likely have been taught wrong things, and therefore developed bad habits which have caused you to not enjoy singing as it should be enjoyed – joyfully! Beth accurately describes the most common mistakes taught by many singing instructors, and then tells you how to do it the right way.
The exercises in the Lawrence System force you to focus on things other than hitting the right notes, and before you know it, you’re able to sing notes you didn’t think you could, and without straining. The improvements come easily, but you do have to make the effort to practice the exercises, to replace old habits with new ones. If you have about 15 minutes a day, the end result will all be worth it. You’ll forget about producing a perfect tone, but rather focus on releasing your natural voice. And that’s when you find yourself wanting to sing, no matter who’s around… or whether you’re in the shower or not.
Relax… Beth’s method promotes relaxation, because, not only is it important in our everyday stressful lives, but it is also important to be relaxed in order to sing properly. Being nervous doesn’t help us do anything well, singing included. However if you relax, and know what you’re doing, you’ll sing like you never imagined you could. You may be hiding the next Beyoncé or Steven Tyler, (or fill in your own blank here) somewhere in there; and if not, that’s okay; the one thing you will certainly learn is to be confident enough in your ability to sing, and that’s really all some of us may be striving for here.
This book is not only about the ABC’s of how to sing. Beth gets you to involve your whole self – body and mind – in your singing. I found that these 7 steps were all I needed. The exercises are simple and effective. And you can practice them anywhere – in your car, in the kitchen while cooking, even when you’re in the shower!
Finally, you’ll definitely want to read this book more than once. I read it the first time, just soaking up all the information. Then I read it again, this time actually doing the exercises as I went along. And I'm not done yet. I plan to keep reading it over again until I no longer need to consult it, until all the information becomes second nature to me. (And then I’m going to lend it to a friend of mine who recently claimed she has the worst singing voice ever.)
This book comes with a CD for vocal exercises based on the Lawrence System. These exercises are so well explained, they’re not just there for you to mimic. In fact, before each exercise, Beth describes the exercise, she then explains the purpose of it, and then guides you along, sitting at her piano while you stand beside her.
I believe I have found the only singing teacher I’ll ever need. And I highly recommend her to you, too.
PS: Beth has a Viva La Voice column in The Muse’s News. Check it out at http://www.musesmuse.com/menu-columnists.html
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