Why I Love to Sing?

To All Who Read This,       You are PRECIOUS to Me and Vital to Our World!   Happy Holidays to Each of You!   I Celebrate Christmas, the Birth of Jesus, and the Joy of “Santa’s” Gifts Around the World!   However, Whatever YOU Celebrate, I Pray It’s Mind-Blowingly Amazing, Relaxing, Joy-Filled, and Wonderful!   Happy Chanukah!   Merry Christmas!   Happy Kwanza!   HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017! Blessings to All of You!   May All Your Dreams Come True! Cathy Riso December, 2016

         Most people think a song is a finite thing, sacred almost.   Many of my students even imitate the singers who originated the recording of a particular song.   I always try to tell them that those singers are already being paid to sound the way they do, so the record companies are NOT gonna pay any other singer to sing the song exactly like the original singers.   A song is a kind of PICTURE, on the one hand BUT I like to think of a song as the PAINT FOR a picture!   When you have paint, there is not ONE picture to paint; the resulting picture can be ANY style, ANY tempo, ANY rhythm, and/or ANY pattern.   The ONLY “absolutes” for a song are restrictions that the composer (s) imposes on them such as the melody, lyrics, and/or chord structure.   However, even these elements can be “adjusted” with the introduction of chord substitutions and/or vocal “riffs”.   For example, most of us have heard a few of the Super Bowl performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner” but I think

I just wanted to let everyone know it’s still not too late to order Vocal Exercise CD for Christmas gifts!   Each CD, depending on the focus, is between 25 minutes and around 45 minutes.   You can order one of the CDs I have already completed from the list below or contact me for a more specialized Vocal Exercise selection.   The list below is available for immediate shipment; the specialty orders may take a couple of days.   I hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday season.   If I can make it even more special with a selection of CDs, please email me at get2cathy@aol.com .   Here’s what I have so far: ·       Female Vocal Exercises ·       Extended Female Vocalises ·       High Voice Female Vocalises ·       Male Vocalises ·       Male Vocalises II ·       Falsetto Male Vocalises ·       Travel CD for Females (to use when you are in your car, on a trip, on the way to an audition, anything) ·       Travel CD for Males ·       Beginner Vocal Exercises (when yo

People often ask me if they have to be BORN with a GREAT VOICE or if they can LEARN to have a GREAT VOICE?  Soooooooo, the answer is YES and NO.  YES, you ABSOLUTELY can develop a pretty wonderful, solid, pitch-based tone.  This requires WORK: consistent, focused, deliberate work.  If you are dedicated and driven, you CAN learn to sing and sing WELL.  BUT where the NO comes in…you CAN’T necessarily find that “it” that people talk about, that blows everybody away.  I know I’m supposed to tell you otherwise but there are definitely things that CANNOT be learned like the “Magic” in a sound.  I would be lying to you if I said that I could TEACH you that “Magic”.  THAT has to come from inside of you.  I can teach you all the Vocal Technique, all the Vowel Modification, all the Breathing, the Placement, EVERYTHING, BUT only YOU can bring the FIRE!  Anything worth doing is worth doing well!  I’d love to help ANYBODY who REALLY wants to be a singer AND is willing to WORK, to invest time and en

            I’ve been talking a lot about Vocal Ranges, Vocal Registers, and Vocal Types.  Now, I want to put a little more “flesh” on those bones by providing you with some more definitions describing Vocal QUALITIES.  i’m not talking about whether a voice is “good” or “bad” but being able to describe and understand different, specific aspects of a voice that make it distinctive from any other voice.  Each of these characteristics can be learned, practiced, and utilized in order to create unique sounds for explicit purposes.  Years ago, my husband and I worked for the Pioneer Corporation who produced thousands of karaoke tracks.  I’m not talking about singing karaoke but creating the “sound-alike” tracks which people then mimic and sing to.  I once had to imitate 17 different voices in days, voices from Ella Fitzgerald to Dolly Parton to Whitney Houston.  In order to facilitate this feat, I had to study the original performances and then, intensely study and replicate the voc

         Okay, I PROMISE this entire post is all about Vocal types with no more interruptions.   For ANY of these types, don’t forget you still HAVE to warm up appropriately.   It’s also very important to realize that just because you are PRIMARILY one Vocal Type, this doesn’t mean you can’t also sing in other categories as well.   For the purposes of choral music, voices and music are divided by only four, distinct Vocal Types:   Soprano; Alto; Tenor; and Bass.   Within these parts, there are occasionally further subdivisions but these are not referred to as Contralto, Lyric or Dramatic, Spinto, or any other specific subgroup title.   Choral music is much more about vocal ranges within a piece of music, as opposed to Vocal Types.   As a performer from college years on, I had a large range, which meant I could sing Soprano, Alto, or Tenor in choir, kind of go wherever I was needed.   It can even be good for you to sing in different vocal parts to stretch your voice, and to w

    Those of you that study with me know I’m all about building a “toolbox” for your voice.  If you’ve been reading the earlier blog posts, you should already have lots of “Breathing Tools”, “Vocal First Aid Tools”, “Vocal Register Tools”, “Self-Esteem Tools”, “Vocal Practice Tools”…LOTS of different and varied devices, tricks, tips, exercises, and disciplines.  NOW, we’re going to talk about “Types of Voices” and their potential, approximate ranges.  I will start at the LOWEST vocal type and move up.  Voice classifications are only always used for Classical and Choral music, but they are very useful for: choosing song keys; general information; understanding Vocal Color and Texture; and understanding your voice with regard to other voices, as well as the different ways to produce those sounds.     First, let’s look at a few definitions:  tessitura; timbre; vocal weight; and passaggio.   These are very specific terms that have to do with your voice, so they are important to understand.

         How is it possible to prepare for a performance EMOTIONALLY?   All the voice lessons, breathing practice, articulation exercises, WHATEVER, will NOT prepare a performer ENTIRELY for any performance.   The Brain is THE most powerful and essential organ in our bodies.   We tend to believe the Brain is only for THINKING but, not true; it tells your Lungs they need air, your Circulatory System to circulate blood, whatever commands you need for moving muscles or swallowing food or anything else.   It ALSO controls your emotions BUT you can learn to control, re-direct, or, at least, temper the effects of those psychological conditions.   Our minds tell us we should be nervous or frightened in front of an audience.   Our throats seize up; our legs won’t work; sometimes, we can’t remember lyrics or think to even breathe.   Therefore, you need to make a plan for PROACTIVELY dealing with your EMOTIONAL state as well as prepping your voice.   One of my favorite “preparations” is