Thursday, May 30, 2013

Plan for Long Notes: An Effective Technique to Gain Vocal Control

How long is your note? Well you’ll be amazed to learn that the shorter your note the more likely you are to take insufficient breath; and the more likely you are to get really lazy; and if you bundle all of the above to describe your performance? Well, mediocre is as good as it gets! When you’re walking down the road to a corner shop just a few yards away, you’ll take your time about it. But if you had to walk a mile, you’re likely to put in a bit more effort. The same goes with singing, well, that’s if you’re a lazy singer and can’t be bothered to hold a note properly. In this short article, I’m going to show you how THINKING long-distance (even if you’re only singing a couple of words) is the best way ever to correct your projection and control.

To begin with, sing a four-word-note…let’s say you sang the words “we are the world” from the Michael Jackson-penned classic. Listen very carefully to how you sound. Did you run out of breath at the word “world”? Well, if you did, then that illustrates my point. You only had four words to sing and so you simply couldn’t be bothered to take enough breath and what suffered was your vocal quality in that rendition. Simple! It couldn’t have sounded great and I wouldn’t imagine anyone would want to listen to that. SO: how do you fix this? Take in lots of breath and make sure that by the word “world” you haven’t run out of breath so that even if you were to extend the word “world” for a while longer, you could.

This happens a lot with students attending private lessons in my studio. It’s so typical. So if you’re in that boat, trust me, you are not alone. The solution is as stipulated above. If you tricked your brain into thinking this-is-not-the-end-of-the-note, you’ll likely use a lot more control to hold that note. Your brain is very powerful. It can prevent you from adapting to new ways of doing things. Singing is the one place where the brain is to blame for your lack of success. This is another topic altogether, but the facts are clear as day, that if you allow your brain to pull you back, it will. What you need to learn to do is to trick your brain into conforming.  

In summary: How would you describe your voice? Would anybody actually enjoy listening to you sing? A pertinent question, I’d say. You really need to take a closer look at yourself, first. If you don’t like what you sound like, don’t expect anyone else to. It’s not rocket science. It’s plain and simple fact. Now let’s take a closer look at WHY you don’t sound great. One of the most recurrent performances by my students in my studio EVEN after voice training…is the hollow, bland, boring, displaced, uninteresting, sing-like-you-used-to-before-training type of vocal. The question is? Who is to blame for this lack of adapting-to-change? Well, I’ll tell you this for nothing. It’s your brain. Yes, your brain doesn’t want to move on. If you’ve had the training, the voice will have moved on, but your brain may still want to hang on to the past. For some slow learners that come to my studio for voice lessons, this happens all the time. So don’t be surprised at this shocking statement. In my observation, in such cases, my students will be doing the scales perfectly at this point, but the minute you take them out of that environment and ask them to sing a song: typically, it’s like they never went through voice training. Ever! That’s when tricking the brain by planning for long notes is one of the most effective ways to gain vocal control and to rectify your situation. It works every time and only takes a minute if you concentrate. So the next time you figure you’re sounding crap, trick your brain into thinking long-distance.

To find more handy singing tips and articles on this blog, run a search for Letters from a Vocal Coach and or Singing Lessons. BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks. And if you're based in Dar es salaam, you may buy and pickup your vocal training package from the Joett voice studio in Oysterbay for ONLY TShs 35,000/=.

You are the instrument, learn to sing like a pro!



JOETT
Vocal Coach & Author
Private Singing Lessons
Letters from a Vocal Coach
Learn to Sing with Joett Vocal Training CD 
BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks

Download Joett tracks from iTunes, Amazon MP3, TuneCore.
Buy Joett CDs from A Novel Idea Bookstores Dar, Zanzibar, Arusha.
Nationwide CD distribution via Joett Music (Airtel Money, TIGO Money, M-Pesa).
Follow me on Twitter
Become a fan on Facebook 
Follow Joett On Facebook  

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Learn to Sing with Joett Vocal Training CD On Sale NOW

Hello everyone! My Learn to Sing with Joett vocal training CD is on sale NOW. At last! The CD, exclusively marketed and distributed by Joett Ltd via direct marketing, was officially released May 16th and goes on retail May 20th 2013. Anyone that wants to purchase the product may obtain contact information from my blog...right here at joettmusic.com (see header for contact info); or from any issue of  Advertising Dar.

The training program runs for ONE HOUR and covers all of the major scales exercises to help give you the foundation you need to become a better singer. You will do exercises that are accompanied with my voice to prepare you, and then you will repeat these exercises with ONLY the piano and YOUR voice. Make sure you listen well. If you're singing way above key (which is common), go back and work your way down to speech level by simply speaking it before you sing it. And I'll be on hand to advise you. Call/SMS or whack me a quick email. I'd love to hear from you.

PRICE TShs 35,000/= and as mentioned in the red sticker on the publicity flier, I've included the following with this package: FREE 30-Minute Voice Assessment & Advice. FREE Joett CD Single with Backing Tracks...in fact, you're getting 3 singles. I Could Never Live (Without Your Love)/Heaven Said/Color Me Beautiful. Terms and conditions apply. You'll need to make an appointment to visit my studio in Dar es salaam for that consultation, AND you'll only qualify IF you bring along the ORIGINAL Learn to Sing with Joett vocal training CD.


To find more handy singing tips and articles on this blog, run a search for Letters from a Vocal Coach and or Singing Lessons. BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks

You are the instrument, learn to sing like a pro!



JOETT
Vocal Coach & Author
Private Singing Lessons
Letters from a Vocal Coach
Learn to Sing with Joett Vocal Training CD 
BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks

Download Joett tracks from iTunes, Amazon MP3, TuneCore.
Buy Joett CDs from A Novel Idea Bookstores Dar, Zanzibar, Arusha.
Nationwide CD distribution via Joett Music (Airtel Money, TIGO Money, M-Pesa).
Follow me on Twitter
Become a fan on Facebook 
Follow Joett On Facebook  

Mwalimu wa Kuimba Aachia CD Ya Kujifundishia Kuimba

BUSINESS TIMES WALICHAPA KWA LUGHA YA KIINGEREZA TAREHE 16/5/2013: Jifunze Kuimba na Joett CD Yazinduliwa Joett, mwalimu wa kuimba na jaji katika kipindi cha TIKISA kinachorushwa ITV, ameachia CD ya kujifunzia kuimba ijulikanayo kama Jifunze Kuimba na Joett. Mazoezi hayo ya kuimba ambayo yalianza kurekodiwa mwaka 2010 na kumaliziwa Machi 2013, yanamchipuko wa singo yake I Could Never Live (Without Your Love), ambayo iliachiwa mwaka 2010/2011. Joett aliandaa mafunzo hayo pamoja na mpiga kinanda mahiri Luigi Tamburi, ambae miaka ya nyuma alikua mpiga kindanda wa concert jijini New York, Marekani. Joett, ambae singo yake mpya Color Me Beautiful inamahadhi ya miondoko ya disco la miaka ya 70, alisema, “Nilitaka kuandaa mafunzo ambayo ni kamilifu na yanayotumia irabu pamoja na mashairi kwenye mpangilio wa kujifunza kuimba. Kwa kawaida mafunzo ya kuimba hutumia irabu. Lakini mimi nilitaka kutengeneza mpangilio ambao una mashahiri pia, ili iwe rahisi na haraka zaidi kutumia ujuzi huo kwenye wimbo wowote”. Maelekezo kwenye CD hiyo ni kwa lugha ya Kiswahili na Kiingereza.

“Naamini huu utakua mchango wangu mkubwa wakukuza vipaji hapa nchini ili vijana wetu waweze kujiendeleza katika fani hii,” alisema Joett. “Kwa kutumia mazoezi haya katika miezi michache iliyopita, nimeweza kurekebisha sauti za wanafunzi wangu kwa urahisi zaidi,” Joett aliongeza.

Kwa lugha ya Kiswahili na Kiingereza, Joett huandika ushauri kuhusu maswala ya kuimba kwenye blog lake joettmusic.com, na baada ya kuachia hiyo CD ya kufundishia kuimba tarehe 16 Mei 2013, Joett yuko tayari kusaidia jamii kwa kujibu maswali na kutoa ushauri kuhusu maswala ya uimbaji, kupitia vipindi vya redio na televisheni vya hapa nchini Tanzania.

BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Vocal Coach Releases Training Programme

PUBLISHED IN BUSINESS TIMES 16/5/2013 -- Joett, a Tanzanian vocal coach and judge on ITV’s dance competition series TIKISA Let’s Dance, has released a vocal training program aptly entitled Learn to Sing with Joett. Recorded in part, back in 2010 and completed in March 2013, the voice training program was inspired by his 2010/2011 comeback single I Could Never Live (Without Your Love), around which the vocal exercises created by Joett in collaboration with former New York concert pianist Luigi Tamburi on Piano are based. Joett, who’s latest single Color Me Beautiful rekindles the disco era of the 1970s said, “I wanted a program that practically hit two birds with one stone. The lyrical content of this training program prepares one to easily duplicate this formula to perform any song, without having to relearn how to apply the scales in training to actually singing a song, because they’ll have already done it in lyrical context with the program. In recent months, using the program on my students has enabled me to fix a multitude of vocal flaws. And now I’m releasing the product to the public so that anyone that wants to learn to sing can.”

Unlike the Learn to Sing with Joett Booster Program which is actually based on a song and its scales exercises drawn from it, most voice training programs work around the vowel system. The advantage of Joett’s new program is that it also fully prepares the singer to lyrically deliver a song. “I’ve built the vowel system into this training module as well, with its lyrical format being its advanced progression. With instructions in both English and Kiswahili, I feel the program is very well rounded and crosses the language barrier. I hope that, with this, I will have made a much-needed contribution to developing local talent so that they too can improve their singing potential and realize their dreams,” said Joett.

Joett, who also publishes helpful singing articles in both Kiswahili and English on his blog at: joettmusic.com, releases the CD on May 16th 2013 and will thereafter be available to discuss and answer questions from radio listeners and TV viewers across the nation, appertaining to the art of singing like a pro. BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks                                      

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Singing Lessons: How to Smoothen Out Corrosive Vocals

This is a typical one. Insufficient breath and bad placement cause the corroded vocals you may be experiencing when you sing. I will elaborate on this. If you sense that your vocal chords actually hurt when you sing, and that your tone is strained and somewhat displaced, then you certainly ARE corroding your vocals when you sing. I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is why is it that when you speak everything seems normal, yet it is quite the contrary when you sing? Does it make any bit of sense to you that when you speak you’re alright and when you sing – suddenly, your vocals are all stressed out and worse yet, you’re hurting? This short article will offer tips on how to go back to basics, relax; how to stop panicking and stressing out your vocal chords; and how to get on with it--smoothly.

Insufficient breath flowing through your vocal chords as you sing is the number one stumbling block. You must have enough breath flowing through that area to coat the chords when you sing. How to fix the problem? Start by opening your mouth wide and just breathe out HAAAA. Make sure you’re not emitting any sound when you do this. Only release the breath. Now, once you’ve got the hang of this, repeat this exercise whilst adding just a bit of voice to it. Gradually increase your voice whilst ensuring that it stays SMOOTH—in that you’re not feeling any pain or corrosion in that area. Once you’ve struck the ideal balance, use that same balance when you sing ANY song. You’ll not only sound great, you’ll feel a lot better and more in control of what you’re doing.


To find more handy singing tips and articles on this blog, run a search for Letters from a Vocal Coach and or Singing Lessons.

You are the instrument, learn to sing like a pro! BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks            


JOETT
Vocal Coach & Author
Private Singing Lessons
Letters from a Vocal Coach
BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks             

Download Joett tracks from iTunes, Amazon MP3, TuneCore.
Buy Joett CDs from A Novel Idea Bookstores Dar, Zanzibar, Arusha.
Nationwide CD distribution via Joett Music (Airtel Money, TIGO Money, M-Pesa).
Follow me on Twitter
Become a fan on Facebook 
Follow Joett On Facebook  

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Learn to Sing Skyfall by Adele at Joett Voice Studio

Yes! British singer Adele won her first Oscar in the category of "Best Original Song" at the 85th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California on February 24.

But before accepting her more-than-deserved prize, the 24-year-old took the center stage to deliver the first (and probably last too) live performance of the theme song of the latest James Bond film, "Skyfall". It was MAJOR. Such a beautiful, and haunting rendition. The other poor nominees really didn't stand a chance with Queen Adele on the game. When receiving the Oscar award for "Skyfall", Adele was accompanied by song co-writer and producer Paul Epworth. Adele got emotional during her speech. Bless her! (Source: Direct Lyrics)
Well, the first time I heard the song was in a movie theater as I watched Skyfall. Riveting. I fell in love with the song and her immensely  powerful rendition. And you'll be glad to know, I've now acquired the backing tracks to both the original and piano versions of the song and, yes, I can teach you how to sing the song like a pro! Great fun!
You are the instrument, learn to sing like a pro!
JOETT
Vocal Coach & Author
Letters from a Vocal Coach

BUY Learn to Sing with Joett CD Online from TripleClicks             

Download Joett tracks from iTunes, Amazon MP3, TuneCore.
Buy Joett CDs from A Novel Idea Bookstores Dar, Zanzibar, Arusha.
Nationwide CD distribution via Joett Music (Airtel Money, TIGO Money, M-Pesa).
Follow me on Twitter
Become a fan on Facebook 
Follow Joett On Facebook