Today I spoke at the Granite Young Parent's Graduation - a program supported by the Salt Lake Soroptimists.  So inspiring!  These are young women who are either pregnant or have a child and they graduated from High School today!  Good for them.  I spoke on 'Divas Decide!' - deciding on a goal, committing to it, and having the courage to see it through.  They earned their Diva Status!

Nothing in life is easy, and I am proud of these young women who had a lot of challenges, but still completed their high school education.  I wish them all the most success!

Don't Sing Like a Trumpet Player

I recently worked with a man who had played trumpet all his life.  He had bought my book From Shower To Stage….7 Easy Steps for Singing Like A Pro!, and when he got to the breathing section he hit a snag.

When you sing, you have to have a soft belly, and essentially breathe from the diaphragm, allowing the tummy to be relaxed.  He was so used to making his stomach tight, and pushing out the sound while playing trumpet, that it was a major adjustment for him to breathe with a soft belly.

If there's any tension in your body there will be tension in your throat.  In the Lawrence Vocal System you let all that tension go, relax the tummy, relax the jaw, relax the throat, and just allow your unimpeded voice to flow out.  It's that simple!

But most of my students have to do a lot of work on letting go of past conditioning, both mental and physical.  They have to learn that the way they used to sing no longer works, and they have to be open to adopting a new way of approaching their vocal production.  Their willingness to let those old habits go will speed their ability to sing easily without strain or stress.

So if you used to play trumpet and push your sound out with a lot of force; if you used to support your tone by pushing your stomach out; if you used to make your voice louder by putting more pressure on your throat; just know that those are old destructive habits that no longer serve you. Let go of the idea that you have to sing like a trumpet player. There is a better way!