EVERYBODY CAN SING® voice lessons

The studio of Elissa Weiss

 

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Who is Elissa Weiss and where is she performing?

 What happens in a lesson or workshop?

Here are some exercises
you can try at home.

How to practice

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GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICING

  1. Practice every day, even if you only have time to warm up. Exceptions: DO NOT PRACTICE if you have a temperature over 100, or if it hurts.
     

  2. Prepare mentally first. Put the cares of the day aside.
     

  3. Stretch your body.
     

  4. Take some slow breaths, observing the path of the breath as you inhale and exhale.
     

  5. Find good posture.
     

  6. Warm up your voice.
     

  7. How to work on a new song:
    Read the words out loud as a poem.
    Read the words out loud as conversation.
    Read the words out loud on the rhythms of the song, keeping the meaning.
    Sing the notes on a neutral syllable like “la”, “na”, “do”, or whatever is comfortable.
    Look at the musical terms on the sheet music, and make sure you know what they mean. If it’s not a classical song, decide whether you agree with the markings.
    Think about what the song means. Do you understand every word, every sentence? You can’t sing a song with meaning if you don’t know what it means.
    Memorize the song. Write the words on a card that you can refer to.
     

  8. If you get tired, stop for a rest. Never push beyond physical comfort.
     

  9. If you are very tense, try other positions. Sing while lying down, or leaning against a wall, or sitting (with proper posture). Stretch your arms. Walk around.