AboutChuck Expertise I am a professional musician, I can play by ear, I arrange music write music, teach music in the public school system, and teach privately. My father was a school music teacher, and I have written three volumes for teaching beginning string players, taking them from scratch to high school level. I have performed in a local production of Music Man (musical) with celebrities John Davidson/Susan Watson and have my masters degree in education. I retired from the classroom in 2004 with 38 yrs. experience-now still substituting for music- and writing arr. for my cello trio(with two audio cd's and one dvd of a performance)
I have directed church choirs and am principal cellist in our local community orchestra. I really love to arrange music for the groups I perform in and sing and have music in my life every day. A day without music, is a mistake, like having a day without sunshine.
Experience Employment history: I have been employed by our local school district since 1967 as a music teacher from grades 1-12 Organizations: I play cello principal chair in the local community orchestra, and sing in a chorus,and perfom in a barbershop quartet
Education: My early life in high school and college was summer workshops in choral conducting with founder of Westminster Choir College (N.J.) Dr. John F.Williamson (in Who`s Who in Music) and summer workshops with Robert Shaw in San Diego Grad. of Sacramento STate Univ.and masters from Univ. of La VErne, ca
Awards: awarded the Bank of America award in my high school senior year for music
Question Hi. Well how to start.. I'm a high baritone, 16 years old, and I used to sing, but never really got into it until last year. The problem is I can't sing with my diaphragm. It's like, I know the feeling (the push of your stomach) and I can sort of breath through it, but I can't get the breath to really come out there while singing. It's hard to explain. I've been trying to exercise it but it doesn't help when I sing. If you have any advice I could really use it. I'm starting to get discouraged. If you need anymore information just email me.
Answer Donald:
This is a very good question, especially for any, and all singers. The diaphragm is the controlling force behind the good tone, the expression of the voice, and the ability to BE IN CONTROL.
If you get control over your breathing, you'll have control over your singing. Holding a tone for a long time is an exercise to work on. The average singer can do 5-10 seconds of holding a tone. Better singers can hold 20-30 seconds of tone quality. The best singers work on holding a good tone for 45 seconds or more-.
There are some answers online already about how to take a breath and hold it, -that would be good for you to read / copy down, from others who have written in about this concern. Basically you are filling your container (lungs) with as much air as you can, so you have to make the container large enough to hold the air, when it COMES IN AS YOU OPEN UP (THROAT, and airways)EXPAND your ribs, lower your diaphragm (push out your stomach) and then learn to let it out slowly as you sing,- (like letting the air out of a balloon top so that you can make tones ).
There are many good singers in the ALLEXPERTS panel, and they'll all be able to give you good advice. My father was a professional singer, and I have learned from the best of the best, - and the BEST ADVICE I can offer is that you find a reliable voice (male) teacher in your area and start with that-. There is no better method in music that to learn from a person - one -on -one- who can WATCH WHAT YOU DO, LISTEN TO YOU SING, and then take that information to mold your tone, breathing, and control into a performance singer.
Thanks for your question, keep asking- there is a ton of information out there, charts, exercises, physical knowledge, acoustic information, health and food advice, and a LOT OF EXPERIENCE TO GAIN singing in a qualified manner every day, - sing every chance you get, even driving in the car, listen to the singers who exhibit the tone and style you wish to copy, and sing as they do. I have 4th grade kids at my school (I'm a public school teacher) who have done just that, and they can sing like their idol ( a cappella)with all the same sound as the 'star'. They can do it, so can you.
chuck (glad you are searching, there is more to glean- ) :-)
