did you know?

It's really important to warm up before you start singing. I recommend some relaxing breathing exercises and gentle humming. Then pure vocal and bubble slides throughout your range. This really opens up up the voice and eases tension in the lips and eases the flow of air through the vocal cords while using strong support of the diaphragm and your abdominal muscles. Complete your warm-up before you start to sing.

Find a few songs that you love in the low part of your range or that are less than an octave range. you can sing along to a CD or not. After you've warmed up, pick one (or two) of these songs and sing them softly one time through using good breathe support. Once you've sung through the tune at least twice your voice will be ready to sing - provided that you're in good voice to begin with. If you're very tired, have a cold or your voice is strained in any way - warm up at least a full 20 minutes. Once again, it's really important to warm up before you start singing. I mean...it's really important to warm up before you start singing.

WELCOME!

A few weeks ago..I finally got around to something I've wanted to do for a long time. Start a blog on the voice. My ideas about it. Technique vs. expression, inside vs. outside music, band leadership, repertoire, Mike technique, CONFIDENCE, styles and most of all the unique tool of expression the voice is. How I came to understand and know what I do now and how much more there is for me to learn, hopefully along with you. I don't know how steady this will be. How frequent the posts. How geared the focus will be. What I do know is that I'll will write and include only what I believe to be true and honest.

The Visible Voice is just about that. Through our voices making our intentions strong, transparent and uniquely our own. We get to share a unique human trait that's universal at the same time. Half the world can carry a tune...well! Yet we're drawn to unique voices, in song, in speech, in content. We never tire of hearing someone sing, say, articulate the same old thing in a new way. That's the magic and that's what I intend to explore here. Getting to that place in you...