Judy Rodman - All Things Vocal Blog

Training & insights for stage and studio singers, speakers, vocal coaches and producers from professional vocal coach and author of "Power, Path & Performance" vocal training method. Download All Things Vocal podcast on your fav app!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Songwriter Voice vs Performance Voice... Do You Know The Difference?

I work with a lot of songwriters, and I love helping them deliver their songs through their voices authentically. To do that, you have to know the difference between your songwriter and your performer voices- which are NOT the same thing. Here's the short answer:

Songwriter voice is internal. Performance voice is external. 

What do I mean by that? The longer answer...

Songwriter voice is a communion internally with yourself. You do it while in the act of writing or rehearsing the song. Performing that communion is an action for the benefit of someone else! There is a great deal of difference between the two as far as your vocal technique goes...in the use of your body- in your "body language", which changes your breath and your throat configurations.

If the lyrics you're singing are most authentic when directed to yourself... you have to be a bit schizophrenic. Try the following exercise:

Stand or sit in one chair and have another chair across from you. Imagine you are in that opposing chair. Sing to the person sitting in that other chair, and make that person feel the appropriate emotion.

Even if we were doing a Power, Path and Performance phone lesson with me, I could tell if you were doing this properly. I could tell where your breath was coming from, where your hands are in space, if your eyes and face were engaged and how open your throat is. Your audience can, too... even though they won't make those specific assessments, they can tell if you're really "with them" or just keeping it to yourself.

Songwriter voice... to get it "out there" -- even if just on a worktape -- you have to turn it into performance voice! Have you experienced these voices? Your comments always welcome.

Flood Notes... 

Are you near NYC? Another concert -- this time in New York City -- is being organized to support flood victims this Friday... My friend Cassandra Kubinski gives the details (thank you and all your friends for this, Cass):

Nashville In-The-Round Flood Benefit Concert featuring Josephine Ancelle, Christina Lea, Cassandra Kubinski, Craig Wilson
Date: This FIDAY, May 28th,
Time: 8pm
Venue: THINK COFFEE (248 Merser St in NYU area)
No cover, but donations from $1 up are encouraged... as much as your heart wants to give... any donation will help!

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