Date sent: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 14:01:13 EST
Subject: Re: bad habits WAS imitating singers
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

chris,
a lot of guys in bands think of long notes as being held rather than
continually produced. one goofy, yet effective, way to find out if he thinks
this is to try the following; have him hold a rubber-band vertically in front
of his face. instruct him to continue to stretch the band while he is singing
a phrase, releasing it when he takes a breath and then stretching it for the
next phrase (those sturdy, blue rubber bands from the post office work best).
like your first attempts to rub your stomach and pat your head, it is
unlikely he will do something something different with his voice than he is
doing with the rubber band. the rubber band will either mirror what he is
doing with his voice and he will stop stretching the band on a sustained
note, or, he will pay attention to the rubber band and the holding of the
note will release and turn into something nicer. if he does the former, you
can make him pay absolute attention to the rubber band and have him stretch
it through the note. the next step, if all this crap works, is to alternate
'with' band and 'without' band imitating the feeling of 'with' band, or,
imagining himself as a big, blue rubber band or whatever. if his jaw tension
continues, you can get a whole bunch of rubber bands and shoot them at him
until he loosens up.

mike