Lecky-Springer Music Studio 

Need an Effective Vocal Warm-up Tool?

Sunday, April 3, 2022 by Karen Lecky-Springer | Vocal Tips

By far, the most common question I get in the studio from parents and students alike is: What is your favorite way to warm up effectively?

The answer is quite simple; SOVT (Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract) exercises. SOVT exercises are a fancy way of saying that you are singing with the mouth partially closed. 

Some of my Favorite SOVT exercises include:

• Singing through a straw, like this SOVT Straw (use code: KARENLECKYSPRIN for 15% off)(affiliate link)

• Lip Trills

• Tongue Trills

• "NG" hums- think of the word "siNG"

Why do SOVT exercises work?

SOVT exercises relieve pressure off the vocal folds, thus allowing the folds to vibrate more freely with ease and with less effort. 

When the lips are closed, or partially closed, back pressure reflects off the lips and back to the vocal folds. This creates a balancing effect on the folds from above (back-pressure from lips) and below (air from the lungs).

What is Straw Phonation and Why is it My Exercise of Choice?

Simply put, Straw Phonation is singing with a straw in your mouth and focusing the sound through the straw. 

The benefits of Straw Phonation are almost immediately noticeable. 

• It FEELS easier to sing! This is a result of the reduced impact on the vocal folds due to the acoustic energy (positive backpressure). Compare Straw Phonation to doing exercises in a pool; there is less impact and stress on the muscles while still allowing them to stretch.

• Less Vocal Fatigue. As the vocal folds abduct (open), positive pressure in the vocal tract pushes the vocal folds apart. As the folds adduct (close), negative pressure in the vocal tract pulls the vocal folds together. Think of giving someone a push on a swing at the exact right moment. When the two pressures in the vocal tract line up with the opening and closing of the vocal folds, it's as if the folds are getting a stronger "push" on the swing without having to "pump" as hard. 

• Aids in finding proper RESONANCE. Studies show that the use of SOVT exercises, like that of Straw Phonation, increases the formants in the 2500-4000HZ range- also known as the "Twang Region." This range is known to facilitate easier, more resonant singing. SOVT exercises help singers more efficiently find the "Singer's Mask" 

How to Vocalize with a Straw

Just as little as 15 minutes a day is all you need to maintain ideal vocal health. Use this tool as a warm-up, cool-down, and even to "reset" the voice after excessive use or when ill. Remember to try different lengths and widths of straws to find an optimal balance of backpressure. Ensure that your lips are firmly sealed around the straw and that no air is escaping through your nose (you can plug your nose to check if air wants to leak out). 

• slides and glides from any pitch- low to high; high to low; or rollercoaster slides (low to high, to low, to high, etc.)

• octave leaps

• arpeggios

• scales

• simple melodies

• sing sections of rep through the straw

• punch a hole in a styrofoam cup and stick the straw through the hole. Then press the opening of the cup to create a seal around the mouth and sing your rep on text in the cup. I LOVE doing this!

• vocal fry through the straw

  
  

Can't find a straw?

If you can't find a straw, try one of these other SOVT exercises:

• MMMM

• NNNNN

• NNNNGGG

• ZZZZZZ

• VVVVVV

• DDDJJJ

• Lip Trills 

• Tongue Trills

Take a moment this week to sing through the most challenging passage in your current rep. Try it again, but this time using a Straw. After a few repetitions of the passage with the straw, go ahead and try again without the straw aid. You should be able to sing the passage with more vocal freedom, less effort, and a more resonant tone.

Happy singing!

Unearth Your Vibrato

Friday, October 8, 2021 by Karen Lecky-Springer | Uncategorized

As Halloween draws eerily near, I find myself eager to share one of my favorite exercises for "finding" one's vibrato in nearly every lesson. One of the creepiest figures of Halloween, the ghost, has one of the most "natural" vibratos and students have fun imitating them in our warm-ups.

What is vibrato? Generally speaking, vibrato is a quick oscillation between pitches. The voice will subtly and quickly vibrate between two pitches of close proximity.  Vibrato is one of many tools a singer has in their toolkit to add color to their sound palette. Commonly found in the classical bel canto style, singers of all genres will benefit from understanding how to create this vocal effect.  Musical theatre students will access this technique when singing golden-age musicals, or even adding a quick sparkle of vibrato after singing a sustained straight-tone note at the end of a powerful phrase. Singers of Jazz and Pop also utilize vibrato for varying effects.

Although most of us can hear and distinguish straight-tone singing (maintaining a constant sound/tone without oscillation of pitch), many singers find that their vibrato remains elusive. Excess tension, or possibly inconsistent breath support often suppress the voice's ability to vibrate. Working to free up this tension takes time, but I am here to share with you one of my favorite exercises to help you "find" your vibrato.

Ghostly Howls

Yes, I know it sounds silly, but in this exercise you will imitate a ghost:

• Start with the vowel [u] (as in "oo" or "who"). Make sure the tip of your tongue rests against the back of your bottom teeth for the entirety of the exercise
• Create a ghostly "oo" in the lower part of your voice and slowly slide up and back down over a few notes with a big, wobbly, sound.
• Keep sliding from your lower register up and down, gradually sliding (howling) higher and higher. 
• Eventually, "howl" a simple octave scale, feeling like you are merely sliding between each note. 

Many singers find it easier to access their vibrato with this exercise in the lower register, finding it fairly quickly. As you flip into head registration, be patient but keep pretending to be a ghost. The scarier and wobblier, the better!

Happy Halloween and enjoy spookily singing through the season!

Practicing 101

Sunday, August 8, 2021 by Karen Lecky-Springer | Practice

Practicing 101:

 

Balancing school, homework, music lessons, sports, shows, volunteer work, and family time can already seem a daunting task. Whether or not you love to practice, you can't forget to schedule regular practice sessions in your schedule. These sessions can be relatively short and effective- if you plan them right! 

 

How often and how long should I practice?

            There is no “one-size-fits-all” answer to this question, as varying factors all contribute to how you will schedule practice sessions; however, I can say with 100% confidence that more is NOT always better!

            Remember, your voice is made up of a series of muscles. Just like any other athlete, you have to build up strength in these muscles over time. You wouldn’t jump into a marathon (or even a half-marathon) without training for such a distance, right? The same can be applied to singing, and practice (training).   More advanced singers can practice for a few hours a day, but your average beginner may only be able to manage 15-20 minutes, or less, depending on the day. The key is to use your time effectively- have a system with clear goals laid out beforehand and you will make the most of these sessions.

            As a general rule of thumb, try to practice regularly- about 4-5 times a week. Just like athletes, your muscles benefit greatly from having a “recovery day” after use. If you make it a goal to practice at least every-other day, that should be plenty!  Take time at the beginning of each week/month, or whenever you set your schedule, to set time aside for practicing- AND STICK TO IT! Practicing should be attended just as any other appointment you have in your calendar. I know I do everything I can to make my monthly massages a priority along with my favorite Friday night TV shows- practice time should hold just as much weight on your calendar as those other highly coveted appointments. 

Beginners should try to fit in regular practice sessions of about 15-20 minutes of singing every other day at a minimum. At this stage, your voice muscles are not used to singing with proper technique. If too much effort is put in for too long, injury can occur- so keep it short, sweet, and systematic. I will lay out a practice system out for you shortly. 

Intermediate singers (those who have had a few months/year of lessons under their belt) can better understand when they are putting in too much effort while singing and have some tools at their disposal to correct or cease the strained actions. Depending on how your throat feels, and the intensity of your repertoire, you can aim for sessions around 25-45 minutes in length. 

Advanced singers (those who have studied for several years) have flexibility and the knowledge necessary to successfully practice for an hour without risk of damage to the vocal mechanism. Although you may want to sing more than an hour, be careful not to over-do it! Keep listening to your throat and trust that more is not always better.

 

How to Practice?

Each practice session should include aspects of the following 4 steps. How long you spend on each step depends on your skill level, as well as the repertoire you are learning.

 

This is the time to stretch your body- from your head down to your toes. Yoga, meditation, essentially anything that will bring your mind and body together is ideal. 

• Warm up (in this order):
  • Straw exercises
  • Other SOVT exercises (lip trills, tongue trills, [ng], etc,)
  • Diaphragmatic exercises
  • Sirens
  • scales/arpeggios- mid voice
  • range extension
  • vowel placement
  • messa di voce
  • flexibility/coloratura

• Song practice with attention to technique:

Depending on what learning stage you are at with your repertoire, you will want to use this time to learn notes/rhythms (using SOVT technique), dynamics, etc. before ever singing on the text. Take it one or two phrases at a time and focus on one technical element at a time. As each day goes by, slowly add in the text and pay attention to technical elements as it pertains to the language in which you are singing. 

            Have a few small goals in mind before you begin your session: What technique will you focus on? How many phrases of music do you want to learn? Do you have a memorization goal? You get the idea…These small goals will give you a sense of accomplishment and keep you from simply “shooting in the dark” hoping you hit some of the concepts your teacher touched on in that week’s lesson.

This is one of the most important steps to overcome performance anxiety and feel a sense of connection to the repertoire. For the last few minutes of each practice session- just SING! Don’t worry about technique, but just take time to feel the music, and tell a story. Think of the music, the lyrics, and let whatever comes, come! Don’t stop no matter what- come what may. It is in this important step that you remind yourself why you chose to sing in the first place.

 

Simply making the time to practice and having a goal-oriented system in place before stepping into the practice room will allow for you to practice more efficiently and effectively, leaving more time for you to stream your favorite TV show or head outside (to my favorite destination- the Theme Parks)!