Master Vocal Instructor Provides Tips And Insights For Anyone Wanting To Learn How To Sing

It can sometimes be intimidating to learn a new skill or take on a new hobby. You have to invest your time and most importantly your mind into something foreign. Currently Local Masters offers a variety of courses that pairs you up with one of our seasoned instructors that helps you learn the right way in whatever your trying to get better at.

In this instance, we wanted to help enlighten beginners on some tips, tricks, and words of wisdom when it comes to learning how to sing. Many people have come to us with great questions and we wanted to get some of them answered with a master vocal instructor, Judy Rodman. She is a well experienced vocalist and we had a chance to pick her mind. This is what she had to say.

Key
(LM) – Local Masters
(JR) – Judy Rodman

(LM): How long have you been a professional vocal instructor?

(JR): I’ve been a professional vocal instructor for about 20 years.

(LM): What first got you into singing and being a vocal coach?

(JR): I did my first professional vocal session at 17 years old, invited to do a national jingle by my choir director. That turned into a 50-year professional vocal career which is still going. I began to teach when a session singing friend asked me to help her hit a high note she was having trouble with on a background vocal tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Her faith in my ability to diagnose and fix vocal issues started me on a quest to learn why certain ways of singing and speaking worked and didn’t work. I did tons of research and networked with other teachers and doctors, and eventually developed my own experience-backed three-pronged vocal training method I call Power, Path and Performance. My main client is the professional or career-aspiring speaker or singer.

(LM): Do you have to be born with a voice for singing or script-reading for voiceovers?

(JR): Absolutely not. I actually love training beginners; it makes me a better teacher. And some of my beginners have gone on to find success in commercial vocal fields. It does of course help to be born with vocal ability, many times because of a parent or other ancestor who had vocal ability. But some gifted people are lazy and sometimes the less gifted vocalist goes much farther because they put in the work. The hardest issues to overcome are pitch and/or rhythmically challenged singers. But as long as you can hear and speak, you can learn vocal technique that can make a substantial difference in your vocal ability.

(LM): What general benefits do you see from taking an online course or an in-person lesson from an expert?

(JR): All voices work the same way, but all vocalists are also unique in their strengths, weaknesses and best ways of understanding the corrections and suggestions of vocal training. You can train your voice with a good packaged course from a master teacher, and many people successfully do. That said, working in person or online with that expert teacher can help you improve faster than studying on your own. This is because an expert and intuitive instructor can diagnose your individual issues and customize their teaching and exercises to your particular needs.

(LM): Is there a certain food/liquid diet that you take in order to keep your voice optimal and clean?

(JR): There is no substitute for water. I use and recommend diluted pineapple juice for students to combat throat tissue dryness or irritation when they rehearse and perform. The active ingredient is the bromalain enzyme in the pineapple juice. Dilute 1 part juice to 3 or 4 parts water to keep the pineapple juice from causing acid reflux.

(LM): Do you lose your voice for singing as you get older?

(JR): At 66 years old, my range is bigger than it’s ever been. My resonance is richer, too. As long as we stay physically healthy and regularly use our voices with great technique, I see no reason to lose the voice due to age.

(LM): What are some basic tips in preparing your voice for recording a song?

(JR): Many of the following steps can be skipped if you’re just recording a worktape or demo, but for important vocals you must think like an athlete.

Be especially sure to drink enough water for days before your session; it’s not enough to start the day of. Also get enough sleep, physical exercise and clean food that doesn’t cause excessive phlegm for you.
I recommend a trip to your vocal coach if you have one, uncover any vocal gremlins in the material and figure out the fixes. If you haven’t yet recorded the instrumental track, you should have your coach weigh in on the best key and tempo for each song.

Rev up your vocal stamina by warming up and singing full voice with great technique for at least 4 days, preferably a week, before your session. Practice longer then you’ll actually need to when recording, but don’t push or strain your voice. It should feel better, not worse, the day after each practice.
Attend to the physical: If you’re tight, get a shoulder massage the day before your session. If you use a chiropractor, it helps your voice to get an adjustment the morning of your session.

The day of, chill out until it’s time to sing. Then know to whom you’re singing, what you want them to know. Position yourself at the mic for optimum breath control, go into that movie scene and sing your message!

(LM): What are a few basic steps and tips you can share for people just starting out in their singing careers?

(JR): To have a successful career in music you need to do two things extremely well: Musical art (singing, playing, writing) and Music business (marketing, promotion, networking). Find trustworthy and current sources to study what is currently working in music business. Understand the nuances of good networking… be a squeaky wheel but don’t become a nuisance.

Never sign a contract, or indicate verbally that you agree contractually, without running it past an attorney who specializes in the field of entertainment. Each time you get a chance to show your wares (sing or speak), do it like it’s the most important performance of your life… no matter how few or many people in your audience.

Realize it takes a village to have a music career. When forming your network or joining others, always consider how you can benefit the one you’re reaching out to. What is the win-win in each situation? Why should this hit songwriter co-write or perform a round with you? Why should this manager or label be interested in you? Why should this club book your band? If you try to give more than you get, you will develop a reputation that will further your career in real and lasting ways.

(LM): What are some of the biggest hurdles that singers have to overcome?

(JR): One hurdle all successful singers have to overcome is that of career-stopping vocal strain and damage. If you are serious about your singing, a great vocal coach should be one of the top things on your list of necessities. You don’t have to break the bank to take lessons, but should at least have a coach you can touch base with between tours to keep your vocal health from being sabotaged by your vocal success.

(LM): Is it too late to learn how to sing professionally if you are a grown adult?

(JR): It depends. If you have great songs and are a natural communicator, you may indeed find professional success by learning some vocal technique to enable vocal ability you’ve never had. I have worked with those who have done it. However, if you’re really starting from scratch with serious pitch, rhythm and/or communication issues, you can learn to sing for the joy of it, but a career is probably out of reach.

If you are interested in singing and are located in the Nashville area, make sure to reach out to Judy Rodman.

Local Masters currently offers a variety of courses in your local area online and in-person. If you are wanting to take a lesson in singing, make sure to sign-up today. Local Masters will pair you up with an experienced instructor who will provide custom lessons that will improve your natural abilities and focus in your new hobby.