All Things Vocal Blog & Podcast by Judy Rodman: August 2022

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!

Monday, August 22, 2022

An Artist's Job - by Salem Jones


NOTE: The audio player should appear below, if not, please click on the title of this post and go online to hear. 

Listen & subscribe on iTunes ... on Spotify ...  or anywhere else

Salem Jones is one of the best female rock singers and songwriters on the planet. She is also my friend, and a few weeks ago she posted some really deep food for thought on her patreon page. I found it so relevant and relevant for the times right now that I asked her to share it for All Things Vocal, and I'm grateful she said yes. Listen to her voice it on the podcast, or read it below.

******************************

Guest post by Salem Jones:

An artist's job is many things, but at the deepest level, it's to balance. Sure, it's a calling to express and to draw awareness but ultimately the deepest goal is to balance. It's not to be "revered", to be "famous", to be "known", fawned over or wealthy. (That's "celebrity", a whole different animal.) As for being a rock artist, something that I've been my entire life...Rock is a thundering proclamation. It's the circus, a loud lightning-lit dance, an explosive spectacle, and there can be purpose in that. But we are living in a time when the world is quite the crashing spectacle itself, a cauldron of growing confusion & chaos, and an (rock)artist's job - the aforementioned deepest job that we have - is to attempt to balance that.

So now is not the time for screaming hardcore displays of death, fear, and destruction, or any attempts to break physical sound barriers with one's own perceived might. Now is the time to step into being a fulcrum and to find and listen to our inner silence. To let the heart guide us to whatever needs to come out in service. When the world is roaring with chaos, and we are present to being a balancing fulcrum, chances are the sounds that we will bring through will be atypical to what we have brought through in the past. Don't fear that.

Hear the sounds of the ego dissolving. Be vigilantly silent, ever still. Just be. Let the inner worlds speak to you - perhaps through you if they choose - as if your life depends on it. If service to the needed balance is to come through you, it will. Be present to it. For it. Be nothing so that you can be everything you came to be, whatever that is...

********************************

Consider joining in the discussion at All Things Vocal Facebook Group!

Labels: , , , , , ,

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Chat with Roger Ryan - Storied Producer of Music for the Soul

 

          Roger Ryan's incredible career stories light up the room - and they're true!!

NOTE: The audio player should appear below, if not, please click on the title of this post and go online to hear. 

Listen & subscribe on iTunes ... on Spotify ...  or anywhere else


Roger Ryan is an 8 time Grammy, Dove nominated, and Juno Award-winning producer with a ton of top-tier experience. His work as singer, songwriter, performer, arranger, producer and director has spanned a wide range of genres. Directing multiple choirs and small groups, his talents have taken him around the world; Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, the Fiji Islands, Vienna, Germany, Milan, the Ukraine, Hungary, the UK and Moscow and more.

More about Roger

  • First Music Director for Gospel diva, Cece Winans
  • Musician with country artist Wynonna Judd
  • He did arranging and production for Reverend Shirley Caesar (known as the Queen of Gospel)
  • Written and/or arranged music for various recording artists such as: Yolanda Adams, Alvin Slaughter, and others.
  • Was invited by actress Ashley Judd to play for her wedding in Scotland
  • Toured Europe as a vocalist with the acclaimed group Take 6
  • Did live performances with artist such as (Just to name a few): Whitney Houston, Faith Hill, Michael W. Smith, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Earl Klugh, Kirk Whalum, Denise Williams, Amy Grant, Kenny Rogers, Fred Hammond, Jackie Velasquez, Crystal Gale, Karen Clark Sheard, Anointed, Desmond Pringle, the Blue Notes.
  • Go to his about page and you’ll find a long list of his some of his work through the years from performing at the White House to arranging and Directing Duke Ellington’s Martin Luther King Celebration, featuring Della Reese.
In addition to all this, Roger has lent his considerable skills to local church ministries, like Minister of Music for Grace Pointe Church. He's a skilled music teacher and has conducted music and producer workshops in several cities. In the early 90’s he founded his production company, After Touch Music, which is where I met him as he and I were working with the same new artist. He is currently involved in numerous recording projects, creating ever more music for the soul.

Roger's Links:

  • https://www.rogerryan.net/
  • https://www.instagram.com/producerroger/

Prefer to watch? Here's the video of our interview:


And finally...
Got a thought? Join us at the Facebook page for the blog/podcast/vlog!

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Monday, August 1, 2022

Costly Speaking Voice Mistakes

 

Watch the video

This lesson is also available as audio on All Things Vocal podcast. 

Listen & subscribe on iTunes ... on Spotify ...  or anywhere else

This blogpost contains one of the video lessons from my online video vocal training course ‘Speaking Voice Technique’. Watch it and you may identify some important changes you should make in the way you talk. Why change?

Speaking with great vocal technique can make all the difference in the sound and health of your voice, and in the responses you get to what you say. Speaking without good technique can cost you... vocal fatigue or strain (or loss), lack of listener attention, and can even affect the success of your job or career. And singers... your speaking voice can get you into more vocal trouble than singing! So check out this lesson 'Speaking Voice Mistakes', and see how you may be limiting or wearing out your voice when you talk.

You can get all 13 lessons at www.SpeakingVoiceTechnique.com.

HURRY: Do it by Friday and use the code LAUNCHSALE at checkout for 30% off! 


Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,