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Vocal Technique - Coaches

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Get into the Groove 1

Mastering rhythm may be your secret to fantastic vocals –says Daniel Borch

As singers vocal coaches and singing teachers, we often focus on reaching high notes, increasing volume and control, safe singing techniques and vocal effects –but seldom really address rhythm.

Yet rhythm contributes hugely to the creation of fantastic vocals.

Most people can hear when a singer’s out of tune, but not everyone can point what was wrong or what is right when it comes to rhythm.

I believe that most of us can FEEL when the singing is great and when that happens the phrasing is always well timed.

What You’re Aiming For

Singing with rhythmical freedom and confidence increases your chances of getting your message across to the audience—whether that message is the lyrics and/or a musical feel or groove.

You want to be totally in control of your musical presentation through changing rhythmic patterns.

And you want to be free to place your timing exactly where you want it: before or after the beat, shorten/lengthen notes or mixing straight with triplets –whatever you need to make your vocals come alive.

This means that your vocal work needs to move beyond the basics of singing in pitch or increasing range.

This is why I want to devote two weeks of my “residency” with you to the rhythmical aspect of your singing.

Today we will deal with timing and next week, in part 2, we are going to work on “ghost notes”.

Make Friends with A Metronome

As for all rhythmic training the metronome is your best friend (and sometimes, your worst enemy!)

You can sing on the beat, before the beat or after the beat – it’s all up to taste and intention but it should always be a choice and not up to musical limitation.

Here’s an interesting fact: it takes 12 milliseconds for the nerve signal to travel from the brain to the larynx.

In addition to this, humans perceive the note onset on the following vowel and not on the starting consonant – so words that start with a consonant will always be after the beat if you don’t put the onset before the beat!

Got it? If not, read that sentence again!

In other words, in a rehearsal situation you will often be behind the beat.

In the exercise below we’ll practise the feeling of being behind the beat.

In reality the differences are smaller than in this example but it will give you the idea of how it feels to be behind the beat/laid back.

Try This

Exercise – Laid Back

What I want you to do first is to feel where the beat is and to notice how the singers are intentionally staying behind the beat.

Then I want you to try doing this yourself. You may need to listen to it a few times to get familiar with the beat.

My Reactions To This Week’s Peer Review Vid

Johnson – We Gone Make It (Original)

Hi Johnson, you have a really nice voice. I’d like you to work on keeping your pitch and then, when that is more developed, it would be cool to hear you add that characteristic bluesy style. But I want you to “nail” that pitch first, otherwise it will end up being a bit too bluesy… ;-)

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From Practice to Performance


Songlike exercises are the the key for building your voice for the stage –says Daniel Borch

Hi everyone – I’m really pleased to be with you for the next 8 weeks, watching your vids and sharing some insights.

Today, I want you to consider using vocal exercises that are adapted to your own genre.

The traditional (classical) way of practising vocal technique doesn’t cover all the technical aspects that a rock, pop, or soul singer needs.

After all, the sound ideals of classical music are very far from > read more

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Your YouTube Vids -Top Tips


Get your on-line audience coming back for more –says Simone Niles

It’s been a privilege to be your vocal coach these past two months!

Over the past 9 weeks I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your videos and offering feedback.

Before I depart and hand the reigns over to Daniel Borch, here are my top 5 tips for all singers with posting on YouTube.

Get your choice right. Choose a song that you really love or can relate to and spend time preparing it. You’ll be more soulful if > read more

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NEW Coach in Residence: Daniel Borch


Is there anything our New Vocal Coach in Residence hasn’t done?

He’s a lead vocalist in several contemporary commercial bands, a recording artist and has been a regular vocal coach on Sweden’s ‘Idol’, ‘X-Factor’ and ‘True Talent’.

He’s also a top coach, holding a PhD in Music Performance.

We’re ecstatic to > read more

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Rev Up Your Passion

It’s time to get re-connected to your inner fire –says Simone Niles

When you feel passionate about something, it’s usually related to your values.

When you really value what you’re doing, it’s easy to feel passion.

But when you don’t > read more

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What’s Stopping You?

Pause for a moment.

Consider where you want to be with your singing and performing.

Now, ask this all-important question:

“What stops me”?

All answers to this question fall into 4 areas. Pick the one area below that feels most relevant to advancing your singing right now.

Then, I invite you to try out the solution proposed there.

Skill – Great performers manifest skill in > read more

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Out Of Your Comfort Zone


Being comfortable with our singing can be our no. 1 challenge -says Simone Niles

It’s great to feel comfortable.

But what kind of life would we have if we only > read more

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Reach That Elusive High Note


Re-think the way you approach notes at the top of your range –says Simone Niles

Do you ever find yourself striving to reach notes in your upper range that are slightly outside of your comfort zone?

These notes can come out > read more

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Be a Confident Performer


There are 4 qualities that all confident singers develop –says Simone Niles

Don’t think of confidence as an unchangeable quality you inherit in your genes.

Confidence is something that you can begin developing at any point in your life.

What it takes is a commitment to looking at your environment and experiences – and practicing some changes in your reactions.

Here are some ways that performers I work with become more confident.

1. Choose the Right Inner Voice
What about that voice we hear inside our heads? The one that says, “you’re not good enough” or > read more

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Connect With Your Material

Learning how to “be” the song is your highest calling –says Simone Niles.

I often ask my students this telling question:

If you went to two performances, one where the singer was technically exquisite, but demonstrated little emotion, or the other who didn’t demonstrate great control, but made something move inside them, which would you go back to see?

Ninety percent of the time they > read more

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