When I was a new aspiring singer, I was completely clueless about gear. I started a band with other musicians who, fortunately, had a PA. But I showed up for my early gigs with some no-name junky mic that someone had gifted me when I was still a teenager. And I hadn’t developed my singing chops back then. Glad I don’t have any live recordings of all that! But a better mic wouldn’t have been a plus only for those gigs. Mic’s are a plus for practicing.

When I was in college, there was a certain amount of snobbery toward singers who practiced with amplification.

Actually, there is all kinds of snobbery regarding all kinds of categories of music education. But I’ll refrain from going off about that for now.

The argument was that a singer should learn to project without needing amplification. That it was a crutch. But this was just another excuse for some musicians to thumb their noses at other musicians. Nose-thumbing is rampant in music ed circles. But wait, I’m not going to go off about that now. Singing with gear is not a crutch. It’s a tool for success. And one I highly recommend.

Being that I recently moved out of a three-bedroom house and into a two-section RV, I am no longer as gear-rich as I once was. Practicing without my PA and mic has reminded me of how important and useful gear is, even for practice. Here’s why:

1. Without amplification, singers are more likely to oversing when they practice. I recently shared a quick video about what I call the Two Volume Equations. In that video, I recommend switching your mindset from being “louder” to creating a “thicker” sound. This is much easier to accomplish with amplification.
2. You can’t practice mic technique if you’re not practicing with a mic. Adjusting your distance from the mic to fit the mood of a line or to not blast out the audience on certain words is a must. As well as something as basic as keeping the mic in front of your mouth, which many new performers don’t do. Also how you hold the mic, taking it in and out of the mic stand, etc… are all performance skills you want to grow comfortable with.
3. Amplification desensitizes you to the sound of your voice. Most singers who are new to singing with a mic don’t like hearing themselves back so clearly. If you ever hope to share your voice with the world, even if it’s just friends around the campfire, you have get accustomed to the sound of your voice. You will begin to like it, even! But you have to get to know it first.
4. Want to expand your upper chest voice? Practice with a mic and PA. There’s a reason why singers who regularly gig in louder bands tend to grow stronger and stronger upper chest voices. The combination of the volume of music that you can let loose inside, and the ability to sing “thickly” instead of “loudly” because of amplification, makes chest voices grow. It just does. No matter how many of the snobs, I mean faculty, from my old college say it shouldn’t be the case, it is. 
5. Fun. Singing with gear is fun and reminds you to enjoy singing. That’s it. No need to further explain, correct?

So, what does all this mean for those of you who don’t have gear? Put it on your Things To Save Up For list. Or write a letter to Santa, if that works for you. It doesn’t matter if you ever plan to sing out. Gear will help you experience the joy of singing progress.

(Originally posted July of 2013)

Are you feeling stuck and unexcited in a creative area or project that used to bring you joy? – Maybe in your life in general? It happens to the best of us and no, it isn’t caused by a lack of ability or worthiness. What is the cause? Well, that will take some investigation. Here are some questions to get your detective work started:

1. What specifically about this brings (or used to bring) me joy? This is the first and most important question. I can remember struggling through musical projects as a college student, thinking in the back of my mind that I was just lazy and/or not as talented as the other students around me. You see, it was a love of songwriting that had led me down a musical path in life. Had I asked myself this question while still in high school I might have recognized that what I really loved about songwriting was lyric writing, or writing in general, and I may very well have gone on to study something in the realm of English. Had I done that, I most likely would have been more successful in my creative projects, since joy is an important component of inspiration. If you’re feeling stuck, maybe your creative goal needs tweaking, as mine once did.
2. Am I taking too long for this project? Yes, creative projects need time and attention but too much time – I mean, spending endless months or years – on a single project can be a inspiration killer. Around 2004, I completed an album of original songs. Then I decided that the production needed to be better, so I spent a couple of years tweaking and fine-tuning tracks, adding parts, etc… By the time the CD was done (which was a long tedious journey) I was no longer interested in the songs and never did anything to promote the album. Creativity needs to keep flowing, constantly moving forward. Yes, put time and energy into doing your best work now. Then put it out there and move on to the next project.
3. Are past so-called failures scaring me out of completing this project? If you’re pursuing a creative life, whether as hobby or career, you want to know the name Eric Maisel He is a creativity coach and author of many books about staying productive and unblocked (his website). An extremely useful perspective that I learned to from Eric Maisel is this: When you choose to live a creative life you’re choosing every aspect of a creative life. For example, choosing the life of a novelist may mean that you have to write fifteen books in order to have three published. So, when book number two isn’t picked up by a publisher, instead of seeing that as a sign that you have no talent, see it as a natural part of the life you’ve chosen and go write the next one – it could be the one that gets picked up. Or, let’s say you’re having a bad month financially speaking because you didn’t sell as much artwork as you’d hoped. Again, this isn’t a sign of having no talent. This is a sign that you’re living the life of an artist. There will likely always be months when you don’t sell a lot of your work. A lean month is confirmation that you are living life on your own terms (and hopefully you have a backup plan in place for such occasions).
4. Do I really want the process or am I only interested in the outcome? As a vocal coach, I’ve had many new students share their dreams with me. “I want to be a contestant on American Idol,” has been a common one. As lessons progress, though, some of these students begin to slip. They don’t do their homework, cancel lessons and make all kinds of excuses. One student justified her lack of effort by saying that she didn’t believe she needed to do vocal exercises to keep her voice in shape (??). It isn’t enough to love the idea of a creative skill. You have to enjoy the process of mastering that skill. If you don’t enjoy the work that goes into a certain creative project, if little signs of progress don’t excite you, than you should re-read the first question, answer it carefully and adjust your creative dream accordingly.
5. Am I in 100%? Another thing I learned from Eric Maisel is, don’t wait for inspiration to lead you to your workshop (so to speak). Go there ready to work and invite inspiration to join you. Being 100% committed to your project means you show up every day, whether you think you feel like it or not (I recommend a morning time if possible, before the day has stolen away parts of your brain). Create a workspace you enjoy being in (candles, music, a great view, etc…) and go there every day, even if for only thirty minutes. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health…
6. Am I doing this for myself or to prove something to others? This is a tougher question than it seems. Our creative projects give our lives meaning and we all want others to see the value in that meaning (and put their money where their mouths are to help us pay our bills). But choosing a creative project should ultimately be about you. It’s your passion being fulfilled, your skills being honed, your knowledge of a discipline and the related business aspects that are increasing. If you’re putting 100% into growing in all these ways you will progress no matter how much “success” each individual project brings. The CD I mentioned earlier, the one I never promoted, invited some negative feedback from people in my life. Yet, the project brought me work in later years in the form of an artist grant, as well as knowledge and experience that I’ve also since benefited from. If you know you’re on track with your creative projects but people around you have a different opinion about it, screw them. Their voices in the back of your mind will only taint your creativity. They don’t understand the steps involved in living a creative life but you do, and that’s all that matters.
7. Is there too much pressure on my creative projects? Yes, you may be living a creative life for you and yes, I said “screw them” about people who may judge you. But you still have to take care of the business of your life. If your safety, well-being, security, etc… all depend on the success of any one project, you have put yourself in a very difficult and tenuous position. As artists we tend to focus on how we will handle and enjoy our successes. But, as I said earlier, a creative life has natural and inevitable ups and downs. To succeed all around you need to know how to enjoy the ups and get through the downs. For some that means a reliable side job, for others, a supportive spouse. It could mean living in a rented room instead of a two bedroom apartment. If you “have to” succeed for the sake of paying next month’s rent, you haven’t set yourself up for success. Restructure your life to take all that pressure off of your creativity, and give your creativity the time and space it needs to grow.

I spend a lot of time posting singing tips, vocal exercises, and other advice regarding being a singer, but I haven’t talked much about gear. So, let’s do that now.

This is for newbie (or wannabe) performers who have limited or no experience with stage gear.

When I was young, I completely neglected the concept of gear. My thoughts and energy (and projected fears) centered around learning lyrics and just generally hoping to not stink at singing during my performance. In my twenties, I did some cafe gigs – just my keyboard and myself singing originals. I plugged directly into an old practice guitar amp using a crappy mic some relative had gifted me that, if memory serves, had no brand name.

It wasn’t until a few years later when I started gigging with more experienced musicians that it occurred to me to reconsider my gear. And now, I regularly meet aspiring singers who also forget to consider such things.

Think about it…

I spent countless hours and other resources honing my singing and playing chops only to send my voice through crappy sounding gear. I didn’t even use reverb! Mission defeated.

Don’t do what I did.

I was reminded of my gear-neglected past one Saturday when my duo at the time, Uptown Boogie gigged at a Greek restaurant in Naples. We used standard stage mics and went through a Mackie mixer with onboard FX and into a couple of Peavy speakers. This isn’t a super high-end setup, but it’s a solid system, unlike the cheap mic and practice amp of my twenties. With this system, all the work I did preparing for the gig was worth it.

We did lack in one area, though. The small space we had in the corner of this restaurant made setting up a monitor nearly impossible. A monitor (for those of you who don’t know) is a speaker (or ear bud) that you use to hear the music and yourself as you perform. Because of where we had to fit it, we had to keep the volume down to avoid feedback. This made it almost useless.

As is often the case when a singer can’t hear herself, I started the gig by over-singing. This is never good, not for your voice and not for your show. But I caught on early and whenever I needed to hear myself better, I stepped forward so I could hear one of the main speakers. Not ideal. And kind of a rookie mistake not planning our monitor situation better.

Just as I did back in my twenties, I had been so caught up in making sure we were prepared musically that I didn’t put enough thought into how we’d use a monitor in that small space.

I share this with you now, not because I enjoy admitting it, but to try to be helpful.After all, we are all human. Annoying as that sometimes is…

So, if you’re a newbie (or wannabe) performer, you want to understand what a singer needs to perform her or his best. Here are the four basic necessities you want to be sure you cover as you plan:

• Quality Microphone
• PA (the speaker system)
• Monitor (to hear yourself)
• Reverb (or other vocal effects)

Before you can choose gear that’s right for you, there are a few things to ask yourself:

• What size rooms will I be gigging in? Smaller rooms are easier to fill with sound. Big rooms with loud dance music will need a more powerful system.
• What kind of volume do I expect to create? Again, how much power do you need in your PA?
• How many instruments will be going into the system? If you’re starting with just you on guitar and singing, do you hope to add musicians over time? If so, look for a system that has the number of inputs (for each instrument and mic) that you’ll need. A quality PA system will be your biggest expense. You want to try to find one that will fit your needs for some time.

Examples…

Below, I give you some examples of gear that might work for you. But I’m not a gear-head (and you don’t need to be one either), so I encourage you to explore other options. Read lots of reviews and get feedback from people who know about gear before making purchases.

The mic is probably the easiest purchase.

You can get a decent stage mic for a minimal investment. The industry standard in stage mic’s is the Shure SM58. They run about $100 and are good for small or big/loud shows.

If you’re planning to stick with acoustic or quieter gigs and you want to go higher-end with your vocals, the Neumann KMS 105 is my favorite mic ever. But it comes at a relatively hefty $700 cost (and it requires something called phantom power in your PA). 

The PA is your biggest investment.

In a nutshell, a PA consists of a board/mixer you plug instruments and mics into, and the speakers the sound comes out of. An extremely popular system that many acoustic singers use is the Bose L1 ($1000). Performers set it up behind themselves to use it both as the main speaker and a monitor. It has two instrument inputs (1 mic, 1 guitar/keys) and doesn’t have built in reverb.

Around the same price point is the Fender Passport Venue. This system has built-in reverb, six instrument inputs (4 mic, 2 guitar/keys), and phantom power (for condenser mics like the Neumann I mentioned above). I have an older version of the Passport and my built-in reverb isn’t the greatest I’ve heard, but it is waaaaaay better than no reverb. There is a less powerful version of the Passport called Event, with 5 inputs (4 mic, 1 guitar/keys), reverb, and no phantom power. That one runs about $700. Any Passport system will require speaker stands.

If you want to keep it simple and more budget-friendly, you can try a system like the Behringer Europort ($480). This has six channels and built-in reverb. It also has an mp3 player if you use backing tracks or want mood music for between sets.

You don’t have to buy a prepackaged system. Uptown Boogie uses a Mackie PROFX8V2 mixer (with built-in effects, like reverb. $220) and a couple of Peavey powered speakers. Speakers like ours can run from $300 to $600 for a pair. If you do your research, you can combine a good quality mixer and speakers for less than the cost of the Bose L1 or Fender Passport. But keep in mind, you’ll be humping a lot of gear. One of the perks of the other two systems is their ease of portability. Especially the Bose.

Monitors.

Many solo and duo acts use systems like the Fender Passport with one speaker facing the audience and the other facing inward, acting as monitor. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether that works for you.

If you want both speakers facing the audience then a personal monitor is super important. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise (some instrumentalists just don’t get it!). You need to hear yourself, preferably WITH reverb. In-ear monitors are great, but expensive (can be between $400 and $1200). If you’re on a budget, save the big purchase for your PA and try a more affordable monitor option, something like the Nady PM-200A Powered Personal Stage Monitor ($190). It’s small, effective, and you can get an adapter to attach it to a mic stand for around $10.

Reverb.

Many mixers and PA systems come with reverb built in. If not, you’ll want something like the TC-Helicon Mic Mechanic ($150). You plug your mic into it, and then plug it into your mixer/PA.

Keep in mind that setup and breakdown times are best kept short. The more separate components you have, the longer it will take. That’s why a lot of folks choose a portable PA system with reverb and simply turn one speaker toward themselves. But I encourage you to do more research to find what’s right for you, and read lots of reviews to see what other users have experienced.

The most important thing I want to impress upon you in this post is that Sound Matters almost as much as honing your craft matters. That means your mic matters, your speakers matter, reverb matters, and being able to hear yourself matters.

Good luck in your research, and let me know how it goes!

I’ve been in quite a few bands over the years.

Right after college, I gigged as a solo original act in a cafe I worked in. Over the following decades, I sang and/or played keys in cover bands of all different sizes and makeups – from duos to a ten-piece wedding band with a horn section.

The predominant lesson I’ve learned from these experiences is that your relationships with bandmates are no different than your romantic relationships.

There are honeymoon periods, good and bad communicators, personality and lifestyle challenges, and conflicts of interests. But don’t worry, there is also Mr./Ms. Right Musical Project out there. Even if you have to create it yourself.

It’s important to think of potential bandmates in terms of a romantic relationship. That’s not because you’re going to be married to them, but because personalities, lifestyles, and end-goals need to be in sync if you want your project to be successful.

I recently joined a project that was not a good match for me.

Granted, I was on the rebound. Another project that I had had high hopes for didn’t work out. As we humans sometimes do after a breakup, I moved too quickly into another relationship. Signs of dysfunction were everywhere, but I was slow to acknowledge and act on them.

In the video below, I share a little about the experience. But before I leave you to check it out, allow me to reinforce what I hope you get from this post:

Things to consider if you’re looking to join or create a musical project:

• Before you look for fellow musicians, be clear about what you are and are not willing to compromise on.
• At an audition, remember YOU are auditioning the BAND. Ask questions and don’t commit until you’ve had time to think about it.
• Know your strengths and what you’re willing to improve upon. Don’t let others decide your contribution or your goals.
• Let a project go if there are signs it’s not going where you hoped. Try amicably first, but do it either way.

Here’s my tale about the toxic project I just left. Enjoy!

Many a career has been undeniably boosted by reality talent contests like America’s Got Talent, American Idol, and the Voice. The ensuing attention and record sales are attractive. What singer wouldn’t want a piece of that?

With American Idol gone – although there is talk of its return – The Voice has become the contest many of my students dream of (as I write this, I have a student planning her final lesson with me this week before flying to Louisiana for her audition). I think they prefer it to American Idol because of the mentoring role that the judges take on. I prefer it because it’s a much more positive show than Idol, which reveled in displaying embarrassing first auditions and insulting follow-up critiques. There was no real value in Simon Cowell’s demeaning comments, except for in television ratings. As a vocal coach, I vehemently disliked his judging.

I worry sometimes about how many of my students set the Voice as their primary motivation. There’s nothing wrong with it, in a general sense. Planning an audition sets a clear goal with a deadline, and that’s always helpful for progress. And the audition itself is a great experience. My concern is that there’s an unspoken idea out there that the Voice is much more important than it actually is – as if making it onto that stage, or not, says something about a singer’s ability to become a career performer.

So, I thought I’d take a moment to share my thoughts on shows like the Voice. This isn’t to talk anyone out of auditioning but to level the perspective on how important these shows are. So, here are some things to think about if you’re considering a Voice audition.

The Voice (and others like it) is a reality show first and foremost.

Yes, it’s a singing competition, but’s a reality show FIRST. For example, if many twenty-somethings have been chosen to move on in the competition, and you’re a great twenty-something singer, they may pass you up because they want more older contestants. Your ability to sing is only one factor in consideration. How you fit their producing needs is another, sometimes more important factor.

The Voice represents a “box” for singers to fit inside.

The Voice has more variety of styles and performers than Idol did, no doubt about it. But it still holds itself to a certain ideal – a top-ten commercial pop ideal – that is only one type of singing. If you write your own songs, or do your own take on covers, or you want to start a Beatles tribute band, fitting into that ideal isn’t a requirement. Think about performers like Norah Jones, Ellie Goulding, and Lorde.  They’ve made careers out of singing, even without Christina Aguilera runs.

Successful careers are rarely fast-tracked.

Many of the folks who do well on the Voice have already gathered lots of experience performing. There’s no shortcut for this. If you’ve never sung in front of an audience (other than your drunk friends during Karaoke night), you’re not ready for the Voice no matter how talented you may be. These shows give the impression that people are working at Walmart one day and then magically become singing stars the next. Reality doesn’t work that way. Having talent is only the first step. Working to shape that talent is the next requirement. The other singers auditioning already have!

You don’t need the Voice.

In this airbrushed, auto-tuned world we live in, fame and fortune are idolized. The attention that “normal” people get on these shows feels validating in our imagination. But there are SO many other ways to reach for your singing dreams. If you want to go for it, go for it! But don’t for one minute think it’s your only choice, or even your best choice.

Remove your fame-goggles and take an honest look at your life.

There are so many ways to be a singer and performer. You can have a full-time job and gig with a band on evenings and weekends. You can form a full-time function band. You can be a studio musician while growing an online presence with videos of your originals. What fits you best? What works for the quality of life (relationships, responsibilities) that you need and want? Counting on the Voice to make your career is a little like planning for retirement by playing the lottery. Some people win, but most of us work jobs until we’re old. What’s the balance you want in your life as you go for your dreams? And after you reach them?