Introduction To Module Two: Your Body Is Your Instrument
Transcription
Every body on the planet is unique. And that means that every human voice is unique as well. What makes your voice different from everyone else's? Face structure, bone and muscle density, your age, whether your neck is long or short — all add up to a voice that is unlike any other. And that's just the physical part of you. Your life experience also affects the way you sound. Where you were born, what language you grew up speaking, all of the experiences that you've had contributes to who you are as an artist. Your artistic potential is made up of the unique physical, mental, and emotional parts of your being.
In this module, we're going to focus on the physical. It's the foundation of your musical life. You need to learn everything you can about how your voice works. Your artistry and your vocal health depend on it!
Why? The wonderful yet challenging thing about being a singer is that you are both the artist and the instrument. Everything your body experiences affects your voice, including the air you breathe, what you eat, the stress you feel, and the amount of sleep you get.
Because your body is your instrument, you’re a technician as well as an artist. What does it mean to be a technician? Here’s an example: Let’s say that you want to learn how to play the trumpet, but your trumpet is all dinged up and has sticky valves. In order to make music with it, you’ll need to have it repaired by a trumpet technician. As a singer, it helps to know how your body functions so that you can fix things on your own or get some help when you need it. When your instrument works, it's easier to learn how to play it, and focus on your artistry.
But learning how to sing is different from learning how to play a musical instrument. Because you can't see your voice, how you feel the parts of your body that create sound are everything. In other words, you can see how I position my hands on the piano, but you can't see what position my vocal cords are in when I sing. You have to learn how your body feels when you make a particular sound, and then memorize it. That process all takes place inside of you and is easier when you can visualize what's happening.
So that’s what this module is about. In it, you’ll learn how your body works to produce sound, and what you can do to ensure it sounds it’s best.
Here's what you're going to learn:
The Science of Sound
We’ll begin by taking a look into The Science of Sound. It's an important place to start, and I'll tell you why when we get there.
Your Body Is Your Instrument:
In Section Two: Your Body Is Your Instrument, you'll learn how breathing, support, the vocal cords, resonation, and registration work. I'll also share my favorite go-to vocal exercise. It's easy to do and safe for the voice no matter what condition it's in.
Whole Body Warm Up For Singers
In Section Three, you'll learn a Whole Body Warm Up For Singers that you can use to loosen up, energize, and center yourself before you practice, rehearse, or perform.
Vocal Health
Section Four is all about your Vocal Health and how to maintain it despite some of the physical challenges you'll face.
We’ll also take a look at:
What to look for in a voice teacher
When to seek out a health practitioner or cancel a performance
And how singing contributes to your well-being physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Are you ready? Let’s begin!
