Payoffs for bad vocal technique

We do things for reasons. Singing badly is no exception to this psychological fact.

A useful tool in changing a behavior habit is to discover the "payoff" bad behavior is getting you, and then finding a better way to get that payoff met.

Take cigarette smoking.
We don't do it to give ourselves lung cancer. We do it for positively perceived payoffs. One big one: it seems to take stress away. But here's the truth: Cigarettes are ultimately counter-productive for minimizing stress. In effect, it lies to us. The stress and worry caused by range and tone-limiting changes in your voice, the weak immune system that allows you to get sick for that career gig, and your growing lack of stamina for reaching your life goals the ultimate shortening of life itself- far outweigh the addictive fix of a cancer stick.

OK! We identified a major payoff for smoking... now let's find some stress relieving substitutes:

• some great nutrition (simple protein, vitamins, minerals and herbal supplimentation that de-acidify you also calm nerves), and consider getting tested to discover your individual needs,
  
• some breathing exercises (a proven calming tactic),
  
• possibly some interim drugs (no, not cocaine :<) such as nicotine "patch" to deal with cravings,
  
• some oxygenating physical exercise (also stress-diminishing),
  
• some wise human counseling (talking with a therapist and/or wise friend who can offer you encouragement, incentive and accountability).
  
• some knowledge- about what smoking does, how it is really possible to quit no matter how "hooked" you seem to be.

Before you know it... you're chewing on carrots, washing all your stinky clothes and wondering how on earth anyone could ever want to light those horrible sticks up anyway! (there's nothing like a reformed smoker:)

So what are some payoffs for bad vocal technique? Let's identify a few:

• To hit that high note
• To hit a low note
• To carry a long note
• To hit pitch more accurately (a big payoff for session singers)
  
• To communicate passion
• To sing over the live band volume
• To talk so you're heard in a noisy club
  
• To please the studio producer who keeps asking for "more, more, more"
  
• To please the judges who want so see something over the top

Get the picture? These are all worthy payoffs. But here's the truth: Bad vocal technique will make every one of these problems worse... and if they do momentarily seem get you to a goal, the limitations and damage they will cause your voice will far outweigh the momentary strain-fix. A vocal career can and frequently is cut short by the wrong solutions to these payoffs.

Some substitutes to meet these vocal payoffs:

• Find out how to balance breath support and breath control... maximizing the size of the "vocal channel" while eliminating over-blowing air against vocal cords.
• Learn to set-up and follow-through to make high notes as strain-free as middle notes.
  
• Use the right posture for hitting low notes.
• Learn how to use your hands to help you sustain a long note smoothly
• Learn how you can balance breath, open throat and communication to have surgically-precise pitch with perfect tone color to match the emotion.
  
• Discover how to mix a good middle voice instead of straining, pushing chest voice as high as it will go (i.e. the contest singer misguidedly pushing Martina McBride Mercy Me, Switchfoot or Christina Aguilera pushed from chest... argh!!!!)
• When in the vocal booth ranslate the word "more" into "richer".
  
• Find out how to incorporate your face, hands, legs- your whole being- into communicating passion that moves the heart, but does not strain the voice!
• Get your speaking voice assessed- every time you speak, you practice vocal technique!

My suggestion: if you need to make payoffs like this, get some vocal training. There are many ways to train, such as getting free lessons from reading blogs like this, investing in wise vocal training products, taking personal lessons from a coach you trust, or a combination of strategies. It can also be helpful to have real vocal producer with your production team in the studio. Kudos to all my precious students and clients reading this- for your dedication to true vocal excellence!

Bottom line:
To change bad vocal habits, you have to learn new ones that actually meet your payoffs even better. Or you WON'T change. Practice solutions for real and lasting vocal goal payoffs until they are habits - instead of letting counter-productive strategies drive vocal payoffs into foreclosure!


For info on Power, Path & Performance vocal training products, go here
For info on Power, Path & Performance personal lessons, go here.
For info on my production services, go here.

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What does a recording studio producer, vocal producer, vocal consultant, vocal arranger, music director DO?

I was asked to clarify what a vocal producer did recently, and did it mean the same thing as a vocal arranger. Here are some services available for recording projects and live performances that may interest you and help you define, find and hire what you really need:

RECORDING STUDIO PRODUCER
Like a commander-in-chief, this is the over-all point person you choose to get your project recorded. You will negotiate a flat fee, an hourly fee and/or for "percentage points" of the sale of your project.

Among the duties this person assumes are -

• Consulting with you about what you want in a final product, as well as helping you understand the process and the costs involved in the kind of project you choose.
• Assessing who you are as an artist, what your current vocal and songwriting ability is and whether or not you need to increase your abilities with a vocal coach and/or do some co-writing before recording to give you the results you need for your goals.
• Choosing or helping you choose the best songs for your project and obtaining any necessary licenses for those final songs.
• Doing pre-production such as: discovering best keys, tempos, instruments and background vocals (bgv's)
• Choosing and booking dates for the studio, engineers, musicians & bgvs.
• Producing the instrumental tracking and the vocals for the songs, or enlisting the services of a vocal producer or consultant.

Here is a site with some more great info on what a producer does.

VOCAL PRODUCER:
This is a member of the production team, who may or may not also produce the instrumental tracks. The vocal producer's job is to get the very best recorded vocal of which a person is capable. This involves not only helping the vocalist sing with good technique but also deliver the song in the most authentic and emotionally compelling way possible, so as to cause an emotional response in the listener.

Most of the time, the vocal producer will produce several vocal tracks of the singer and then with the engineer, will "comp", or choose the best of, the tracks for the master lead vocal.

VOCAL CONSULTANT:
This is an in-studio vocal coach who is present to coach the recording artist with any problem areas he or she is having with what the producer is asking. In this case, the vocal consultant is not the active producer at the talkback switch - just standing by ready to help when problems occur.

BACKGROUND VOCALIST or "BGV":
Also known as "BACKING VOCALIST", this person sings a vocal arrangement behind the lead singer. It is a specialty field in professional singing which requires absolute excellence in blending, intonation, subtle tonal color changes and the ability to exactly mimic the recording or live singer's articulation, style and tone. Sometimes an artist does his or her own background vocals if they are good enough at hearing "parts" to do it, but even then it is best to decide if that same voice is what is needed or if a different voice would add necessary texture to the resulting sound.

VOCAL ARRANGER:
This service is most often associated with background vocals. Unless the project is very complicated, a vocal arranger can usually quickly create the arrangement at the recording session, and is in fact usually the VOCAL CONTRACTOR who suggests and calls the background singer(s) after consulting with the producer.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
This service is for live performances, including musical theater productions. This person is not only in charge directing not only vocal but also instrumental performances.