Author Archives: Susan McAllister-Bee

Which is better….to be a great singer or to be an interesting singer?

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Well, I’m sure not everyone is going to agree with me on this one. Let’s start by defining what I mean by “great.”  By great, I mean “perfect.” I mean close to perfection, as in singing “properly.”

In my humble opinion, a pretty voice is sometimes boring.  

A pretty voice sometimes lacks the surprise and edge that comes with doing to our vocal cords, what we are not suppose to do! Does that make sense?

I love it when I hear a great singer bend the rules and stretch the boundaries.  But here is the trick. A great singer knows when he/she is going beyond “perfect”. In fact, they are risking their voice for that very reason…..to be interesting. A great singer who is interesting………..now there’s the ticket.

Being a great singer comes first.

Being a great singer who is interesting will outshine everyone.

So you want to be a singer?

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It doesn’t matter what your age is right now. If you want to be a professional singer, then you need to get out there and sing! Every performance you do will give you insight and experience that cannot be learned anywhere else. Singing in your basement is not going to cut it. Now is the time to reach out and decide you are going to sing in public. But, how?

One option is forming a band. You need to be clear on your style and genre. If you want to be lead singer in a band then you need a dummer, bass player, and typically a guitar player and/or a keyboard player. Find out where you can play for free. Lots of events would love free music! Rehearse enough material to do one or two sets and go out and just do it……over and over and over. There is no better teacher.

If a band is not your cup of tea then consider backing tracks. There are lots of sites online that sell great tracks. One site I like is Karaoke Version. Put together 8 to 12 songs and go out and do it! You will need a small PA system. Any reputable music store can set you up with a quality microphone and a small speaker system that will provide a great professional sound. Again, I suggest finding a small bar setting (such as in a restaurant) that would love free entertainment! This is a great way to practise your act, and not be in your basement!

So what is holding you back? Now is the time to pick that line-up of songs and get to work. Sure you may need your “cheat sheets” when you first start your “gig”. But, trust me, after weeks of singing the same songs, you can throw away those lyrics and truly be a professional singer! Good luck!

Were you labelled tone-deaf?

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Teachers have learned a lot from the previous generation. We have learned that one of most detrimental things that can be said to a child is that they sound bad and they can’t sing. These children grow up into adults who have never experienced proper pitch matching in a song, and therefore have never really experienced the true joy of singing. They have been labelled tone-deaf.

Many children who have trouble singing on key are children with deep or lower speaking voices. Music played in elementary school is generally written in a key that takes the song up to and over high C. This can be challenging for children whose speaking voices are lower because their speaking voice is further away from their head voice.

When encountering a child who has trouble with pitch, it is necessary to first put songs in the key that is close to their speaking voice. This is where singing starts….at speech level. Then raise the key of the song by semi-tones with careful attention to the pitches that start getting higher than A above middle C. This is where their speech level must adapt to get the correct pitch. Do simple 5 tone scale exercises with them, and make sure they match the pitch. Give them lots of praise when they find the coordination that is necessary to find those pitches. Let them know when they are doing it correctly, so they know what they have to do …. over and over and over. Once they memorize the feeling of singing in their head voice, they will have much less trouble matching pitch.

The same theory goes for adults who have trouble matching pitch.  An adult needs to find the right teacher who can help retrain the vocal cords to stretch out and thin as they go higher in pitch. It will probably take longer to retrain an adult than a child simply because an adult has been in the habit of singing off key for much longer. Their vocal cords have not been experiencing the coordination necessary to match pitch and sing higher pitches.

Finding your head voice…..

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This is such an important topic….. the head voice.

I have two singing students currently age 9 and 10 who have great pitch and love to sing. The problem is they came to me not ever having used their head voice. They’ve never mimicked or experienced their head voice. They’ve avoided the entire range about their first bridge. Needlesstosay, the only songs they want to sing are from artists who sing below their first bridge such as Taylor Swift. This can be severely limiting and unfortunate to a young singer.

Children need to be taught to experience their light, babyish, high voice at an early age. This can be done by mimicking the sound of a bird or a train whistle. Children with a high speaking voice have an easier time because they are already close to their head voice. However, girls and boys who have a deeper speaking voice, usually because they have slightly shorter and thicker vocal cords, may have a more difficult time. It’s usually this type of singer that gets “stuck” in their chest voice.

Another thing to watch out for is the child who frequently has a hoarse or raspy voice. It’s highly likely their vocal cords are damaged from either poor speech habits, frequent loud talking or yelling such as at a hockey game, or possibly from swelling in the larynx due to health reasons. These children usually have trouble finding their head voice as well.

It is amazing to me how many children and adults have poor speech quality in their voice. The singing voice starts at speech level, so if a voice is muddy and unclear when talking, then it’s going to be muddy and unclear when singing.

Hopefully this article has raised some awareness for parents. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

It’s All Child’s Play….

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Learning the music language does not have to be tedious and difficult. In Music for Young Children, the language of music starts as early as 2 1/2. We use many ideas to reinforce new concepts such as singing and games and puppets. There is no memorizing required because the students are exposed to these concepts repeatedly, week after week. It simply becomes a second language.

The founder of the program, Francis Balodis, has the fundamentals and building blocks of music education laid out perfectly for each student to achieve success in music, year after year. Yes, it is a piano lesson, but it is much, much more. Children who have graduated from the Music for Young Children program go on and explore many other musical interests with ease. Their sight-reading and rhythmic skills are well developed. Their ability to play ensemble and listen with other musicians has already been engaged.  

Did I mention that this starts at age 2 1/2? These students graduate around the age of 9 with their Grade 1 piano exam and Preliminary Rudiments exam. That’s right! These kids already know intervals, their circle of 5th’s, and rest replacement. Their friends at school who take piano lessons have never heard of the circle of 5th’s. This is because the preliminary rudiments exam is not required until you reach Grade 5 piano.

The Music for Young Children program helps develop your child’s musical aptitude to the fullest. Children can enter the program at any age…there are multiple entry levels that are age-appropriate. Music for Young Children is celebrating 30 years this year. There is no better program in the world for your child to develop all the skills necessary to go on and have a full and happy musical life!

Speech-Level Singing … Taking the High Road

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During one of my last posts I talked about Brett Manning and Seth Riggs and this wonderful singing method called Speech-Level Singing.

Today I want to talk further about how this technique is going to change the lives of many singers in the future.

This world is constantly moving forward in ideas, creations and inventions. This is happening at an incredible rate now with our current technology and ability to communicate to everyone all over the world. The educational system cannot keep up. Gone are the days that schools can teach you the “latest” information on a given topic, and that is certainly the case with singing technique.

Singers of the future may actually find it detrimental to their voice to study vocal technique in university. Think about it. Why do we go on and study voice at university? Is it for the prestige so we can put those initials after our name? Is it so we can get a higher paying job? Is it so we can become a vocal teacher? There are many good reasons to go to university and study voice. You will certainly achieve a wealth of information about the history of singing and music in general.

Unfortunately you may not learn about Seth Riggs and Speech-Level Singing (SLS) at university. You will learn about the Bel Canto technique which is what SLS is derived from, and other classical forms of voice, but not SLS. It will take years for SLS to reach universities. In the meantime, singers will continue to graduate from universities and teach voice the way they were taught by their professors. This has been going on for centuries.

Here’s the thing. Most singers, not all, but most singers no longer want to just sing classical music. For a singer to get a job in music theatre or on broadway, a classically-trained voice is not always what the producer is looking for. This is why I say it could be detrimental to go to university for voice. I don’t think singers, in general, realize the implications upon entering university at the age of 19 or 20.

Why I Chose Seth Riggs…

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I’ve been training and teaching voice for many years. I’ve always found it fascinating why some people can sing sooooo beautifully and others have such trouble, with or without vocal coaching. Some people are just born with the freedom and ease of singing more than others………….or are they?

I first came across Speech-Level Singing and Seth Riggs when looking online for more vocal information. Seth Riggs’ “Singing for the Stars” was the best thing I ever found. Here is a technique that finally makes sense. No more manipulating your face, your body, focusing on your diaphragm and breath, but rather a technique that simply gives the vocal cords a good work-out. Very much like going to the gym. Finally exercises that take you through as much as an octave and a half of your vocal range in ONE SCALE. Now this makes sense. Flexibility and ease getting from your chest voice to your head voice in one scale EVERY TIME.

This was the first time I’d ever heard of “mixed voice”. Again, what a concept for a pop singer! Speech-Level Singing that uses a strong chest voice in the “mix” is what most singers are looking for these days. We all want to have a powerful, strong voice that can sing on and on and on…..

I’ve since joined the Seth Riggs organization and will be certified Level 1 this year. I continue training weekly with master SLS teachers all over the world. Seth Riggs, himself, cannot teach everyone. Instead, he has hand-picked his teachers to teach SLS to the world at large.

If you have the opportunity to take Speech-Level Singing lessons from a certified coach, you will not be disappointed. The CD’s and book are only so helpful without the feedback of someone who can tell you what your voice should be doing. We all have habits that stop us from freeing our voice through the bridges (breaks). Only a real-life coach can help you learn what your tendencies are. Then, the CD’s and book really make sense.

There is a lot of information online about Speech-Level Singing. Brett Manning has created an empire with his Singing Success package. Brett Manning was also a long-time student of Seth Riggs before the Seth Riggs SLS organization was started. Brett’s online videos are very helpful at understanding the aspects of Speech-Level Singing, and he has associates now teaching style along with the technique.

So, check out Brett Manning and Seth Riggs online. You can find certified Speech-Level Singing teachers at this website www.speechlevelsinging.com. All SLS teachers in the Seth Riggs organization must continue their training so that the true definition and benefit of “Speech-Level Singing” doesn’t become tarnished or changed. The method is set by Seth Riggs. It produces excellent results and should not be modified or manipulated with other exercises or methods. It doesn’t need to be. It is complete as it is. It works and it was created by Seth Riggs!

Why not leave your comment? Have you tried SLS? Will you in the future?

You can give some of your technique away to style….

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Once good technique is memorized by your vocal cords, then and only then, should a singer really “lose their technique” in a  song.  A good singer is one who has control of their voice.

A good singer knows their voice. They understand their chest, mix and head voice, and they know how to get through their entire range with ease and balance.

Test yourself….are you a good singer? Try a siren….start in your high voice and take it down to the lowest note you can sing while keeping the tone, the feeling and the vowel the same.

Brett Manning’s “Singing Success” OR Seth Riggs’ “Singing For The Stars”

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First, let me say I have both SLS products for about six years and they are both fabulous! However, neither can beat personal one-on-one SLS lessons with a coach to get instant feedback for your voice.

My goal with this blog is tell you about my experience with SLS (Speech Level Singing).

Let’s review — Brett Manning has an extremely successful SLS reputation. His online marketing is amazing, and my guess is his Singing Success CD/book program has outsold “Singing For The Stars”, but I have no proof of that.

Let’s review — Brett Manning was a student of Seth Riggs for many years. Brett Manning learned from the best. He has a spectacular voice and can demonstrate the whistle. My goodness!!

Speech-Level Singing teaching took a turn in about 1995 when Dave Stroud, a then-longtime student and friend of Seth Riggs, knew something had to be done to uphold the integrity of teaching Speech-Level Singing. It was Seth who created the exercises that make such great logic in the way to teach SLS.

The Bel Canto technique (beautiful singing) is still at the heart of SLS.  Seth Riggs has updated and simplified the logic of teaching voice, and made it easier for teachers to understand and thereby, get great results immediately from their students. You probably know that Seth Riggs is the master vocal coach of many great singers such as Michael Jackson. The list is long so if you want to know more about Seth Riggs, go here www.sethriggs.com.

Let’s be very clear that SLS has been the choice of many opera singers and musical theatre singers. This method is not just for country and rock singers. It doesn’t matter what style you sing because SLS is not about style. It has nothing to do with style. It has everything to do with balancing the voice through your entire range. If you must abuse the vocal cords during your concerts, then at least SLS can help you stay healthy and grounded in between concerts.

The world of SLS changed in about 1995 when Dave Stroud created an organization whereby teachers who want to teach speech-level singing need to “tested and approved”. This was a  huge undertaking but it has strengthened the method of “Speech Level Singing”.  All teachers wishing to associate themselves with Seth Riggs must now undergo lessons and testing from 1 or more of 7 SLS master teachers in the world. These are level 5 teachers who have reached this level with Seth Riggs. They are (in no particular order) Dave Stroud, Jeffrey Skouson, Wendy Parr, Kathy Kennedy, Greg Enriquez, John Henny and Spencer Welch. You can learn more about these teachers, and others at www.speechlevelsinging.com.

Well, that’s it for now. I will continue talking about SLS in future blogs, so stay in touch! I welcome your comments please!

What age should my child start piano lessons?

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It use to be that the recommended age for a child to start piano lessons was around 5 or 6. It needed to be an age where they were able to sit, listen attentively, and look at a music book for half an hour. Well, thanks to Music for Young Children, those days are gone. Now a child can start to learn the piano at the tender age of 3. We call these little guys “Sunshines”. Sunshines get to meet some very nice critters who live on the piano/keyboard.  They meet Dino the Dinosaur who lives in the dinosaur den, and they meet Fireman Fred who lives near the Fire Hall. These little Sunshines are making music with their friends in their very first lesson.

No longer does your child need to be able to read left to right before starting piano lessons. Instead, Music for Young Children teaches them to read left to right, and helps them get ready for kindergarten. No longer does you child need to sit on a piano bench for a half-hour. Instead, Music for Young Children lets your child explore the wonderful world of learning music with creative movement, rhythm instruments and singing.

The Music for Young Children program is celebrating 30 years this year. MYC  is taught all over the world. You can find a teacher near you at www.myc.com.