Voice Lessons
in Blackwood, New Jersey.

     Voice training has been the hallmark of Musically Speaking for over thirteen years. Musically Speaking has trained literally hundreds of singers many of which are professionals in the music business including: Brian Bortnik of the band “Octane”, Chrissy Conway of the band “Zoe Girl” and Dez Childs of the band “Release”.  Each student is treated as an individual with his or her own specific strengths and weaknesses, as no two singers can fall into the same regiment of instruction.

      
     On the first day of training the voice student is given a thorough examination of their vocal instrument analyzing areas of tone, strength, range and delivery. An exercise c.d. is then created during the session that covers the sections of their voice that are in need of attention. The student is also given a choice of over one thousand karaoke style vocal tracks to choose from by their favorite artist for vocal coaching.  The student is then  encouraged to practice both the exercise and song portions of their c.d.  throughout the week. During the next session, the student will be exercised according to their practice c.d. Corrective suggestions will be given to enable the student to reach particular goals designed to better control their voice. During the lesson the student will also perform their song and detailed notes will be given to underline sections in need of improvement.

     At the completion of a song (on average, the songs are concluded within 4 to 6 weeks) the student will be given the opportunity to record their song in our state of the art digital recording studio, all of which is included in the monthly voice lesson payment. This gives the voice student the ability to truly hear those areas in need of improvement as well as sections that have already been improved upon. The recordings are also an excellent way to document the overall growth of the singer and leaves out all of the guesswork of their month-by-month progress.

     The critical goal towards our voice students is to impart knowledge. We believe that the voice student themselves should become their own voice teacher. The act of singing has been estimated to be around 98% psychological. And with this basic truth it becomes obvious how important true understanding of the science of voice is, rather than the bland and weak analogies given by many who claim to be “instructors of singing”. Understanding how the voice works is parallel to how well the voice functions.

Tone- (The quality of the “sound of the voice) Improvement of the treble, mid-range and bass frequencies of the vocal tone. This is achieved through the direct control of the root of the tongue and lifting of the soft palate.

Diction- Understanding and applying knowledge of the English 14 vowel sound system as well as correct articulation of English consonants. This enables the vocalist to know “what to sing” when singing

Range- The ability to sing high or low is not a gift for the select few. All singers have the ability, through correct instruction, to belt high or sing comfortably low as heard in their favorite performing artist

Breathing- Vocal fatigue, cracking, trembling notes, and straining are all side effects of improper breathing. The vocal student will be instructed in proper inhalation (diaphragmatic and intercostal) as well as controlled exhalation. These two principles ensure that the voice will be smooth, strong and free to deliver the lyrics effortlessly.

Vocal acting- The similarities between a film, television or theatrical actor and a fully developed singer are great. When a singer delivers a set of lyrics it is identical to a script- containing characters, time placement and an overall story line. Delivering the story in a believable manner draws the listener into the song and helps make the performance interesting and memorable. The vocal student will be educated in both vocal emoting as well as stage presence.

Style and Ornamentation- the concept of style has always eluded explanation. What makes one singer different from another has been a topic of discussion since the foundation of voice training. At Musically Speaking we have always modeled the singing voice after the speaking voice (thus the name “Musically Speaking”). Because everyone has there own style of speech, it is a good starting point to an original singing voice. Another useful way to help develop style is the implementation of vocal ornamentations such as vibrato, scalier dynamics, note bends, breathiness etc. These are just a handful of tools a singer can use to decorate the voice to his or her liking. All of these ornamentations can be developed through the practice of specific exercises given throughout their training

 

EXCLUSIVELY AT MUSICALLY SPEAKING STUDIOS:
 

     We offer high quality Voice Lessons for $25 per ½ Hour.

     After you master each song you learn, we create a recording and give you a copy on a CD that you can cherish forever.

"Musically Speaking's Recording Studios is a fully equipped studio providing professional recording services. Our Studio is designed to give artists and bands a relaxed, affordable place to record with outstanding sound, at a fraction of the usual recording studio costs. When you take vocal lessons you are ultimately getting the services of our recording studio for FREE."