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Acting in Plays, Singing/vocal technique question: how do i sing louder?

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Expert: - 12/20/2008


Question
Im relatively young for a singer, and its almost as if my voice has a free spirit. :) Some days i can go high as a soprano, and others i can only sing alto. why is this? also, i have trouble making my voice louder. i sing in a church choir, and singing softly is not good for me. any suggestions?

Answer
Hi, Abby –

Thank you for the question.

I have no idea what you mean by "relatively young for a singer".  Shirley Temple made her film and singing debut at 3 years old.

My job as a professional vocal coach is to determine your true vocal category, i.e., soprano, mezzo-soprano, etc.  Once that is established, the training begins.  Singing "louder" comes from working-out your vocal range through a series of complex scales.  Sopranos and mezzo sopranos have notes in common, but the breadth of their vocal range differs as does the material written for them.

Change your concept of "singing as high as a soprano" to demonstrating your competition-ready soprano solo in public, specifically in front of an audition panel or an audience filled with the local critics in Row A.  Putting your concerns into this context helps to answer the question.

Also, bear in mind that most church choirs are dependent on those who are willing to show up for regular rehearsals, weekly services, during summer vacation and special Holidays – like this week.  Right?  It often happens that the more flexible (and braver) singers are moved from section to section to balance out the sound for whatever material is being performed.  The goal is to blend.  A soloist's goal is to soar above the ensemble and the accompaniment.  And to be asked back for another – hopefully, paid – performance.

Again, that ability comes from acquiring the specific skills pertaining to your vocal category.

I am a professional singing teacher and vocal coach in San Francisco.  To book an appointment, contact me through Craig's List – http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/lss/963598344.html
I am also the fine arts critc for SanFranciscoSentinel.com.  All my articles and interviews provide a link to my personal e-mail.

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Sean Martinfield

Expertise

I am a professional vocal coach in San Francisco. In addition to answers from a previous web site (Askme.com - where my "tag" was "VocalCoach") I have published over 2000 responses related to vocal training - particularly as it relates to Musical Theatre and Opera. I have 24 years of experience as Personal Trainer to singers and actors in the San Francisco Bay Area. I sang professionally for 20 years and know what it means to live the life of a musician. I can determine your voice category, i.e., Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Alto Belter, etc., and how to broaden and strengthen your range. Need an audition song for a Broadway Musical? I will give you suggestions that are appropriate to your vocal category and to requirements specified in the audition notice. I have also created a vocal methodology, "The Belter`s Method". It will enable those in Musical Theatre to practice more efficiently because it focuses on the demands of professional performers as well as to those auditioning for school and community productions, and as University and Conservatory performing arts majors. If what you want is a better voice and more control over your career moves and choices, contact me. Also, as the Editor of SanFranciscoSentinel.com, it is my privilege to review productions at the San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, as well as Broadway National Tours booked into San Francisco's Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theatres. I also review works by A.C.T (the American Conservatory Theatre) and Magic Theatre. I cover select films, tributes and retrospects, and various international film festivals – particulary those booked into The City's opulent Castro Theatre – including the LGBT Frameline Festival, International Film Festival, Silent Film Festival, Jewish Film Festival, etc. For private vocal instruction, I can be contacted through SanFranciscoSentinel.com. Look under: Seán Martinfield, Sentinel Editor and Publisher.

Experience

As a vocal coach, I work primarily with singers and actors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. My students range from absolute beginners to working professionals, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. The vast majority of my clients come to me through recommendation. I know how to identify any singer's vocal category, i.e., soprano, tenor, alto, baritone, etc. I know how to muscle-up every singer's vocal range and to expand it beyond conventional definitions. I have developed a vocal methodology for those who want to know how to belt, THE BELTER'S METHOD. As a singer who spent half of his career doing Bel Canto, I know that classical or Italian methodologies do not work in Standard American music. Bel Canto cannot be "adapted" to meet the needs of contemporary American music, including the demands of the Musical Theatre. There are a number of major components to my work as a vocal coach. The first is to identify the client's vocal category and to strengthen and maximize the vocal range accordingly. Then it's about teaching a reliable vocal workout that will enable the client to gain better control of their musicianship. That includes scale work to expand the vocal range and to improve placement, breath control, and diction. Then we work on material for the audition portfolio, the immediate job or assignment, a recording session, etc. My task to is to better equip singers and actors who are hoping to or relying upon their performance skills and vocal endurance to maintain a career in the Performing Arts. My clients regularly appear in cabarets and musical productions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Some have worked in New York and gone on National Tours. For more information, Contact me at: Broadwaybelters@yahoo.com

Education/Credentials
San Francisco State University – BA in Theatre Arts; graduate work in Theatre, Philosophy, and Comparative Reiligion. Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley – Graduate work in Ethics

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