Receiving advice from others who have experienced more than you can be helpful and rewarding. However, people can sometimes give their advice and opinions, even when it’s not needed or wanted. Unfortunately, many of these statements that you’ll read below are still told to myself and other musicians, even long after we’ve earned degrees and gained much valuable experience in our chosen profession

1.”Oh you sing? How fun!”

This is one of the most off-putting statements I get. A lot. It seems harmless, but it’s followed by “I didn’t know that people actually went to school for music.” Some people assume that music doesn’t require as much discipline or work as an engineer, athlete, or doctor. A musician keeps learning long after everyone else has established their full-time or part-time careers. That’s part of the fun.

2.”You’re too old to get your career off the ground.”

This one is entirely not true. There are plenty of musicians–and other people in other professions for that matter–who have started their careers and become very successful when they are well into their late 30’s, even 40’s. There are all types of music for everyone and tons of different career options involved or related to music, so it is never too late to achieve your goals.

3.”Don’t go to school for music.” 

I remember when I was back in high school, getting ready to graduate and looking for college music programs. There were many people telling me that studying music would make me lose my artistic edge, change my tastes, or even change my voice completely. My tastes have changed and my voice changed, but I believe for the better. Studying music helps you to understand it better by teaching you how to read and write music, exposing you to musics that you might not necessarily be exposed to if you hadn’t gone to school, and begin your network of musicians that could lead to rewarding music experiences, gigs, and career opportunities. Going to school for music was the best thing that ever happened to me.

4.”If music is your profession, you need to go to school.”

This is another one that gets under my skin. Unfortunately, some people think that music, or being a musician, isn’t considered a “real job.” The only way they think you can make any type of decent money is through becoming a music professor. Although I, myself, am going the route of becoming a music professor, I don’t believe this statement to be true. There are plenty of musicians who gig on a consistent basis or have private students, and are very successful and happy. Like I said before: there are many different career paths that a musician can choose from. It all depends on you.

5.”Music teachers/professors are disillusioned, musicians who didn’t make it.”

This statement and notion is entirely misguided as well. Although there are some professors that I’ve met who seem to be very bitter about their careers and are not very pleasant individuals to interact with, there are plenty who are “doing it” in my opinion. These professors teach either full-time or part-time and still gig and travel, participating in their own meaningful, musical projects both inside and outside of the classroom. Making generalizations based off of a few sour apples gives the rest of the population bad ideas about certain professions.

Many of these people who say these things mean well and most of the time, they are just misinformed. However, it could give potential future musicians and/or companies or programs a slightly slanted view of music and being a musician. For those who have encountered situations similar to this should understand that, again, every person has their own life path so whether or not you choose to make music or try being a professional musician shouldn’t be dependent on the opinions or advice of others.

What kind of advice or statements have you heard in the past in regards to music or being a musician? Was it helpful or hurtful? Leave a comment below!

I wanted to talk about something that I’ve had issues with since I first started singing. It’s something that many people, musicians or not, deal with, but I see it manifest in many different ways, not only with students, but with fellow musicians.  Self-doubt can be a serious obstacle; something so potentially debilitating that it can cause problems on a physical level. Singers especially can suffer from self-doubt, causing the throat and rest of the body to tense up, literally cutting off sound, making you forget lyrics and phrasing you’ve practiced. Many musicians miss out on great musical opportunities when they doubt themselves–not hitting that high note in a phrase, not playing that solo the way you wanted, or not introducing yourself to that person who could potentially get you more gigs. I’ve always said that singing, along with playing other types of instruments, is 80% mental, so it’s good to recognize certain behaviors that might not be so beneficial to you not only as a musician, but as a person.

Behavior Related to Self-Doubt

1. Comparing yourself to others.

Gauging where you’re at as a musician and person based on someone else’s accomplishments or proficiency level isn’t realistic. Each person has their own set of goals, their own musical preferences, and their own life path. You should always compare yourself and what you’ve done to who you were, not someone else.

2. Doubting whether you can do something just because it seems hard.

Just because you may not be able to do something now, doesn’t mean you won’t be able to do it down the road. I’ve seen many musicians pass on great musical opportunities because of this factor. For example, I have the worst time trying to make lead sheets or charts because I’m not very good at music theory. However, I try not to let the fact that I’m not good at making charts now keep me from transcribing some really great music because I know that with enough practice, I will eventually be proficient.

3. Not being able to let yourself try and fail.

This one sounds really scary and it is, but it is the most beneficial in the growth process of being a musician. This one also ties in with #2 because when you try something, you are bound to mess up–you’re learning. You have to be willing to put yourself in uncomfortable situations and possibly fail because from those failures, we learn what mistakes were made and how we can improve for next time. Plus, the next time it happens, it won’t feel as scary or horrible because you’ve already experienced it before!

Ultimately, we have to learn to enjoy the process; not just the destination. Don’t take yourself too seriously–the main reason why you started doing music to begin with was because it was fun. Learn to relax and enjoy the moments of uncertainty (being randomly called up to sing at a jam session or learning a song for a gig at the end of the week). Some of the most beautiful musical moments result from randomness and mistakes.

Do you have any modes of thinking or behaviors related to self-doubt? Have these behaviors or thoughts hindered your performance or practice? Let us know in the comments below!

I have a feeling that I might have already written a post similar to this before–or a post related to this–but I have been noticing some annoying habits of vocalists lately. Though these might not necessarily be related to your health, or be considered the “typical” bad habits of vocalists, these bad habits could potentially be detrimental to your reputation as not only a musician, but as a professional.

1. “The Flakes”

I have encountered this with not only many of my vocal students, but other musicians as well. Students will plan and confirm that they are coming to lessons, but cancel at the last minute, or not even show up at all. Same for fellow musicians–they will say they can rehearse or play for a gig and either not show, cancel and/or find a better paying gig. This is detrimental because it makes others think that you are not reliable or responsible. Teachers and fellow musicians lose out on money and all lose out on a potentially rewarding musical experience.

2. Not Practicing

Whether for an actual paying gig or a fellow musician’s recital or project, I’ve seen vocalists repeatedly show up, having not prepared or practiced. Practicing, either for your vocal instructor or fellow musician, shows that you respect them enough to invest in whatever you’re working on with them and that you respect yourself enough to want to improve your abilities, bringing your best to the table.

3. Not Being Supportive of Other Fellow Musicians

Music, like any other profession, can be very competitive. While we hustle to get gigs and advance our careers, we as musicians tend to forget why we started doing music to begin with: to connect with people using music. When you see a fellow musician being successful, you should appreciate and congratulate; not say anything negative behind their backs. When we support and look out for each other–giving a gig to a more qualified musician or attending an extra rehearsal for a friend–we help build each other up. This is a great way to network, building great personal and professional relationships.

4. Not Trying to Sharpen Your Musical Theory Skills

I have been guilty of this one myself, numerous times, because my music theory skills aren’t that strong. However, not trying to improve your skills can potentially hinder your musical career. The more theory you know, the more you are better able to create the type of music you want to create. You are also able to make yourself more marketable as well–a vocalist who can arrange, compose and play piano is more likely to get a job than a vocalist who can only sing (depending on their past experience).

5. Not Trying to Contribute More During Rehearsals

I’ve witnessed several vocalists who were leading a band do this. Not having the confidence to contribute your own musical ideas or suggestions to a band for a project or performance can keep you from growing as a musician. When you speak up, you assert yourself as an actual creative part of that group and you sharpen your leadership and team working skills.

Although these issues don’t have anything to do with vocal technique or performance practice per se, these are still things that any vocalist needs to keep in mind when building their music career. I hope these tips help you to better yourselves as musicians and people.

Do you have any other bad habits that vocalists or other musicians do? Leave a comment below!

Recently, I’ve come across several people (both musician and not) who have told me, “Oh you sing?! I’ve been wanting to learn how to sing. Teach me how to sing like Beyonce,” or “Can you make me sound more like him/her?” I’m always left not knowing what to say because on the one hand, these individuals want to learn how to sing–meaning learning how to breathe, have proper posture, produce an efficient sound, etc.–yet, they are clearly wanting to sound, stylistically like someone else, an aspect of singing that is different from vocal technique. To be fair, some instructors use these names conversely, making it hard for new singers to find an instructor who fits their specific needs and goals. This confusion has led me to want to clarify the difference between a voice teacher and a vocal coach.

A vocal coach is an instructor that focuses on musical style, performance tradition and practice. They help singers with things like diction, pronunciation (especially when the song is in a different language), melodic phrasing, riffs, melismas, and where to breathe throughout a song.  They also frequently suggest musicians or groups to listen to for the student to get a better feel for the genre or style and also suggest songs to add to the repertoire of that student.  Another key component that a vocal coach works with students on is the act of visualization and internalization of a song–aspects that really help you to almost “claim the song as your own.”

A voice teacher is an instructor who focuses more on the technical aspect of singing. They help singers with things such as breathing technique, learning and maintaining proper posture, becoming aware of and expanding vocal range, understanding the anatomy of the voice and how to sing more efficiently.  They teach how to utilize all of these different elements of technique in different vocal exercises that include scales and intervalic leaps or skips. Voice teachers usually have specific genres of music that they specialize in and have basic piano skills.

It is crucial that anyone out there looking to take vocal lessons do their research because many instructors cover much of the criteria listed above. Make sure to have a positive working relationship with your instructor as well because not only will this person help shape who you are as a musician and person, but you want to make sure that you enjoy your musical experience during each lesson. I hope that this helps to clear up some of the confusion that people out there may be having and that this helps you in picking an instructor more tailored towards your specific goals.

When having conversations with other musicians, I always hear them talk about their favorite drummer, horn player, bassist, etc., and why they love that musician. There are many different aspects  that make up a great musician–how they connect with the audience, performance-style, improvisation.  After being asked this question multiple times in regards to singers, I figured I would compile my own thoughts into a blog post for you guys.  This post can, of course, be read in conjunction with another post I wrote awhile back about different influences that have shaped me as a singer because what you admire most in your favorite musicians, tends to influence who you are as a musician.

1. A Powerful Voice. This one is really simple, but it is the most inspiring and attention-grabbing for me. A powerful voice that can fill up a theater or stadium (with or without a mic).  This can be achieved by years of study and practice, but sometimes some vocalists are naturally gifted with a big voice. Some singers that are great examples of this are: Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston, and Celia Cruz.

2. Rhythmic Timing & the Ability to Play with Rhythm. Singers that have a good concept of time and how to play with it definitely make for a more interesting, groovy performance.  When you feel the vocalist really “getting into it,” they start to improvise, making you more invested in the music. Great examples of this are: Ella Fitzgerald, Djavan, Joao Gilberto, Celia Cruz, and Oscar D’León.

3. Melodic & Lyrical Improvisation. These both tie in to #2 because when you play with the rhythm in a song, melodic and lyrical improvisation tends to follow since they’re all connected. Because of this, many of the singers mentioned above are also included in this section, along with Donny Hathaway and Erykah Badu.

4. Connecting with the audience.  Singers tend to naturally communicate with the audience better since the voice is such an immediate instrument that everyone has and uses on a daily basis.  Singers mentioned above have this aspect of connecting with the audience, but I haven’t seen a better example  of this than that of Gregory Porter and Celine Dion. Both have a type of charisma that may be practiced, but can’t really be emulated. The natural way that Porter communicates with his audience, both in song and speech, makes you feel right at home.

5. “Performer Appeal.” These are singers who put on a great performance–singing, dancing, costumes, etc. Many who think of this would automatically think Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson, but I actually think that Oscar D’León emulates this image very well.  I’ve seen live performances (both in person and on video) of Oscar dressed in costume, performing choreographed dance moves, singing and improvising, while playing bass at the same time.  He is truly, in my opinion, one of the last few great performers.

There are probably many other aspects to being a great, inspirational singer, but these are the things that I look for when watching or listening to a singer perform. These aspects have helped shaped me into the musician I am today and are things I strive to work on when practicing and performing.

What aspects do you think makes a great singer? Leave a comment below!