Kate's Voice

And what does that song say about what is important to you?  That’s the question we ask when we are working with groups in our community based theater program, Team Cabaret.   It has turned out to be a great question.  You see we believe that we choose songs because they speak to us about who we are.  It’s amazing how you can be singing a song half-mindedly and suddenly realize you are singing words that describe exactly what you are feeling or what has you worried!!  The other day, I was feeling bit overwhelmed and noticed I was humming “Crazy.”  Hmmmm.

So imagine the fun I had looking at a post on Yahoo Answers where the asker asked, “What are lyrics that mean a lot to you?”     All the answers were lyrics that the answerers related to their own lives.  And on www.fanpop.com,  the question was asked, “Do song lyrics mean a lot to you?” and 89% of the readers voted, “Yes, of cource (sic)!”

For some of you, this is a no-brainer.  But it’s also something I love to fool around with.  When someone tells you that they have a favorite song, find out what it is and ask them what part stands out for them.  You’ll get some insight into that person!  Meanwhile, what is your favorite song to sing in the shower?  (For some help with this one, check out “Singing in the Shower,” on Facebook.)

When I have a health issue, the first place I go anymore is online.  You are probably the same way, and we can all make our doctors crazy,  just like that episode of House where the patient kept going online to ask for help when he didn’t get the answer he wanted from the staff at the hospital.  OR perhaps we can actually help ourselves.  But sometimes, the internet seems like a wild land of uncharted territory.  Where do you go?  Who do you trust?   So this post is about where to go online to find out more about your voice and what to do if you have problems with it.

First of all, of course, I suggest you search the archives of my blog, read my book,  or just contact me by commenting here.  I know.  I know.  Those would be my first choice, but it would helpful to find out about others. So here you go with some of my favorite online resources for vocal health and vocal power:

1.  This website has a lot of great information on how the voice works and what problems you may encounter.     http://www.voiceproblem.org/

2.  If you don’t live in Southern California, so you can’t study with me, look for a teacher who teaches Speech Level Singing.  My own former teacher, Seth Riggs is the genius behind this technique and you will find someone good if you start there.

3.  The National Institute of Health has some great information for people with communication disorders, including voice and hearing problems.  You might want to check this out if you simply have a tendency to sing out of tune.  The interdependency of the ears and voice is quite important. The NIH also has important statistics on vocal health.

4.  And speaking of that interdependency, to learn more about the fascinating work of Alfred Tomatis, a pioneer on the effect of sound on the brain and a huge proponent of humming (we like that!!), there is a website focused on his work.  In addition, the Rocky Mountain Learning Center offers a program to help you use his methods for your own well-being.  Very cool!

5.  If you want to learn more about how others sing, one of the best places to go these days is YouTube.  You can watch pros, amateurs, singing lessons, and even a discussion using a model of a larynx.  There are also surgery videos, so go for it and if you find something interesting, please let us all know about it!!