Voice Lessons Emerson How-To (1)

8/10/2019 Voice Lessons Emerson How-To (1)

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Your Voice Lesson - What Does It Look Like?

Lessons take place in room 15 on the 4th floor of the Paramount. Please wait on the bench in thehallway before your lesson. I am always aware of the time and will come out and get you for your lesson.

Please do not knock on the door or be looking in the window during the previous student’s lesson.

Please bring your questions and the week’s observations to each lesson. I will always begin by asking

you to report on how your practicing is going, if you sang in class and what happened, how things went inan audition, etc. Please share vocal questions that may have been raised to you during your classes so Ican help you work through them. Then, we’ll go over where you are with rep and what we need toaccomplish during that day’s lesson.

Unless we’ve planned otherwise, you do not need to arrive warmed up. We will explore exercises

(tailored to your needs) to both warm you up and to practice particular techniques. Exercises will beginsimply (lip trills, humming) and progress thru more complex acrobatics, depending upon your current

needs and level. This is a necessarily repetitive process. Be patient...there’s a method to the madness.

We will then move on to working on repertoire you are preparing. I will help you make the technical

connections from your exercises to your songs, and vice versa. While you are singing, I will ask youmany times to articulate what you are feeling or thinking that makes something work (or not work) so that

you can eventually develop your own physical and personal vocabulary for good singing. THIS is thething that will become yours and can always take with you, no matter where you are singing.

Lesson time is to be used for jury repertoire and preparation; your audition preparation/cuts (for inside oroutside of Emerson); vocal technique for repertoire assigned for classes; roles you are learning; and other

items particular to your vocal study, as they come up.

Sometimes, I will invite other students to come into the room to hear what you’re working on and givefeedback. This will become normal before you know it.

What to Bring to Your LessonYour rested, healthy self and voice

Your questions and observations from your prior week of practicing and singingA pencil and notebook

A recording device (phone is fine) to record your lessonComfortable clothing that allows you to stretch and move (no perfumes/colognes, please!)

Your organized music in a 3-ring binderYour warm-up sheet (I will write this out/add to it during each lesson)2 copies of your music, once repertoire has been chosen (one for me, one for you)

---reading lyrics off of your phone is not the same as having your music with you------do not bring music that is i llegible or has the bass line cut off, etc.---

Emerson College - Voice Lessons - Sabrina Learman 617-817-5677 Fall 2014



Weekly Practice and Preparation

What we do during lesson time, physically and vocally, and the order in which it unfolds, reflects how youshould spend your practice time. Always fully warm up, with an eye on technique, before singing

repertoire. An hour of practice, five days per week, is likely sufficient. One day per week to plan on beingon the quieter side is a luxury I’d advise you to strive for. In the end, the more frequent practicer wins

over the singer who tries to cram it all into a big, long session. This is because you are trying to build

good habits and understand concepts through repetition.

Listen to your most recently recorded voice lesson soon after your lesson - and perhaps multiple timesduring the week between lessons. Note my feedback, and try to remember how things felt as you were

exploring your voice. It’s important to remember that the sounds I may be most excited about might notseem “beautiful” to you; but perhaps they are the most relaxed or easy, the most well-placed, etc. They

probably sound different from the sounds you would make while on stage singing a song. However, thesesounds can hold all of the ingredients for great singing, and that’s extremely important. That’s often what

I am listening for. I ask you to trust my ears and to stay patient and open-minded to get the most out oflistening and practicing.

When first engaged in voice lessons, and especially with a new teacher, you may find that things workmuch more easily during lesson time than they do when you’re by yourself in the practice room - that’s

normal. So, at first, think of your practice sessions as vocal experimentation time, and banish frustrationfrom the process, as it has no helpful role. It may help you to listen to your recorded voice lesson just

before practicing.

During your practice, you might be having trouble comfortably singing a certain note, or maybe you’re

hitting a wall with a concept you’re trying to understand. Get creative about how you might approach thisin a different manner, and try some new things. But don’t beat it to death - let it go, and jot down a

question or observation for us to explore in your next lesson. By the same token, when you discoversomething that works for you - maybe it’s singing a particular note on a particular vowel, doesn’t matter -

be sure to let me know. Just as important as the things you may not yet understand.

Not all practice has to be vocal. Looking at your music while imagining how you will sing and recalling

what we have discussed in your lesson can be effective as well.

Cramming to memorize a song DOES NOT WORK. The brain won’t do it. And singing the song toyourself does not mean the song is memorized. Unless and until you have sung your song in front of

someone else, multiple times, and without looking at your music, including all dynamics, breath marks,etc., it is not fully memorized, trust me. This is about more than the words and the notes. Do a little bitevery day. For effective memorization of words, I recommend typing the text on one piece of paper, like a

poem. Double space it so that you have room to write notes in red above certain words - for example, tonotate a fermata above a word, or a breath mark where you perhaps forget to breathe. This one-page

method can encapsulate the song in a less overwhelming way than looking at five pages of music.

Repertoire - General

Repertoire will sometimes be assigned for you, particularly during freshman/sophomore years - or you

may be researching/finding it on your own. Often, we will be collaborating on this. Very generallyspeaking, you will probably start with somewhat earlier, “classic” repertoire and work through to contemp/ pop in some order by the time you graduate. Through your four years at Emerson, you will be studying

bringing more and more songs that are for your class work, unified/summer stock auditions, pop/rocksongs, roles you are learning, etc.




Repertoire - for Juries

When you first come to Emerson, the faculty is interested in your vocal progress, shown in both yourvoice and your body (how you use your instrument). Therefore, you will be presenting musically simple

repertoire, in a COMFORTABLE key (we can transpose songs to fit your voice), with an intelligent,relatable text. You get zero points for trying to sing complicated music, or music with a crazy range,

because it’s simply not the point. Each semester, freshmen will work on a ballad and an uptempo, and

the songs may be shortened for juries. It doesn’t matter if someone else in the school is singing the samesong that you’re working on, so just forget about that right now.

Getting Sheet Music

The Emerson library has a very good selection of music, and you can make copies there. (Learn how toshrink the size of the music on the copier so it all fits on the page! Don’t use music that’s been cut off,

etc.) In addition, I have lots of music available electronically.

How to request sheet music from me: If you’re looking for music and can’t find it, send me an emailwith the subject heading: “Music Request” at least 48 hours in advance of when you need it. In the bodyof the email, list the song title, composer and show. This format will allow me to get the music to you

quickly.

Sometimes, I’ll suggest you get in touch with another student who has the music so that you can make acopy. I expect you will help each other out with all due speed.

Learning Your MusicDuring your freshman year, I will help you learn rep you are working on, and I understand this is certainly

necessary if you don’t read music yet. This may continue a bit into sophomore year, but it is understoodthat you should be getting more independent in your music-learning by then. I do play the piano and can

often record accompaniment for you to practice with, but it may not be perfect, as my main training is invoice. During junior and senior years, your lesson time will never be used for learning notes and rhythms,

since you will be completely in charge of that. Your lesson time will then be used solely for vocaltechnique.

If you don’t read music, you should find time to learn this as soon as possible. And to be able to plunk outyour melody on the piano. Feel free to ask other students if they can help you with this. And, when they

do, be sure to buy them dinner...

Singing/Acting

I am your voice teacher (not your acting teacher). Although we will, of course, discuss the text of a songas it leads to dynamics and phrasing, it will be from the angle of your vocal technique and how you then

may choose to “color” certain words, where to breathe, when to use head voice, mix or belt, etc.Particularly during your freshman year, we will have more than enough to do regarding the beginnings of

what will eventually be solid vocal technique. That being said, when working on a song, you are requiredto know:

--what the musical about--composer + lyricist

--what the dramatic circumstances of the song in the musical are--what every single word on every page means, regarding both text and dynamic markings/symbols

Studio Classes

We usually gather for one studio class per semester as a “final” for voice lessons. All students in our

studio are required to attend. Each student sings material for juries or does a mock audition frommemory and dressed up, as a performance. It’s a great opportunity to share your work and get feedbackfrom other students. And to try out your newly learned technique, show off your progress...




Writing Assignments

---Song ResearchFreshmen and sophomores will write a paper each semester that is based on research on repertoire

learned for juries. The instructions for this will be sent to you later in the semester.

---Repertoire List

Once you have created a repertoire list, you will update it at the end of each semester. It is a catalogue ofall the songs you know and have sung, listed by year and style. It is a personal record-keeping systemand is NOT something you would bring to an audition. The instructions for this will be sent to you later inthe semester

Your Vocal and General Health

Your health is EVERYTHING. This cannot be overstated. It will be the reason you can dance, sing,study, and be present every day - through your years at Emerson and when you are in the professional

world. It is your job to be sure you are getting enough sleep and doing whatever YOU need to do toensure you are staying healthy. Start developing a health routine that works for you; get to know yourbody and the signs that you are feeling great - or that you may be getting sick Your health routine will

surely be different from that of your colleagues, but you simply must honor it. If the most talented personin the world is vocally fatigued or sick all the time, well....you get the point.

Be absolutely sure to ask me any questions you may have about this. I will share with you the products

and routines that I find helpful, but I am not a doctor and will never tell you to take a medication - thatdecision is up to you.

Get a humidifier (warm or cold), and make sure you have easy access to items that work for you whenyou’re feeling rundown - or medications that you perhaps rely on for your personal health routine (maybe

it’s allergy medications, an inhaler, etc.). You likely won’t need to spend money on sheet music or othermaterials for voice lessons, but rather it should be used for your vocal health supplies. Make sure you

always have a little something to spend at CVS - they have everything there, from homeopathic remediesto conventional stuff.

Make-Up Lessons

Your voice lesson is an academic class. Make-Up lessons are for emergencies only (or for religious

holidays that are not already built into the academic calendar). No-shows, a trip out of town, an audition,oversleeping, etc. are not reasons for a make-up lesson. If you show up to your lesson late, do not

expect your lesson to run over the hour.

Illness and Planned Absences

All students have a list of contact information so that you can switch lesson times with each other whenthe need arises. The very minute you even suspect you might be getting sick, plan ahead to avoid

missing your lesson. Also, if you have an early lesson time, but you know you’ll be up very late the nightbefore on crew, you can plan ahead for that, too.

Do not show up to your lesson ill - particularly with a sore throat, having thrown up during the prior 48

hours or with a fever during the prior 48 hours. We are in a small room together, and it is assumed thateveryone will be respectful of this. I will live by the same rules in order to avoid getting you sick. If youhave a cold that is staying in your head (not dripping down the back of your throat and making your

hoarse), it is often fine to sing. If you show up to your voice lesson with a contagious illness, a sorethroat, or a fatigued instrument, you may be asked to leave. When in doubt about the state of your vocal

health, CALL ME so we can discuss. Sometime there’s grey area here.




How to arrange for a temporary lesson time swap in case of illness or emergency:

1. Contact the person(s) whose lesson time(s) you are interested in having for the week.2. The person you contact should respond right away - got that, people? (In other words, you’re all

going to need each other’s help at some point...)3. Once a swap is mutually agreeable, write an email to confirm, clearly noting all details, including

names, dates and lesson times affected, and cc me so I am aware.

4. If you are getting sick and have trouble making a swap or getting a response, you should email me,and I will step in. (But I’m sure you’ll help each other out so readily that no one will need to contact meabout this.)

5. Write the change in your schedule - if either party gets confused by the mutually agreed upon swap,

and you don’t show up at the appropriate time, there’s nothing I can do for you.

Communication

You must check your Emerson email account at least once per day. I communicate via email, sometimes

by text. My communications often involve multiple students with a response required from each personso that I can set something up for our studio. Please keep in mind that there are more than 30 of you andonly one of me; don’t clog the pipes.

I am generally quite good about quickly responding to your emails - therefore, if you don’t hear back from

me within a day or two, it might be good to check in to see if your email came through. And, no, I didn’tget your 2am email right away.

You are welcome to call me any time. 617-817-5677

Scheduling Your Voice Lesson Time Slot for Each Semester

Due to the one-on-one nature of voice lessons, they are scheduled individually around your already-

existing class schedule. It is extremely complicated to make the schedule work, and many factors aretaken into account when this puzzle is put together.

You voice lesson time must be assigned before you commit to non-required activities and classes, a workschedule, piano lessons, etc. Students occasionally make requests about a lesson time - I do keep these

in mind and try to honor them, but it’s simply not always do-able.

Some voice lessons are early in the morning. End of story. If you learn to be an early morning singer,you have a leg up on the rest of singing world. Just wait until you are in line at 6am in NYC for an

audition - you can call and thank me then.

Extra/Non-Required Vocal Commitments

You read about it in the handbook that you signed, so you already know that each singer’s voice requiresa different regimen of care in order for it to perform beautifully, every day. (Please review that

information.) Voices (and people!) also require down time and rest, not to mention planned down time ordays off for when you get a cold (and we all get sick sometimes). If you sign yourself up for extra vocal

commitments that are not required, you have just given away your resting time in advance, not tomention, in all likelihood, time that you could be practicing or studying. There is more than enough to do

at Emerson with your required work. Think about it, and be smart.

Summer and Singing

I expect that you will continue your vocal studies over the summer, either by continuing your practiceroutine on your own or by taking voice lessons. It is important that your summer voice teacher and I be

on the same page about what is right for you, so that you can continue to progress without gettingconfused. I am happy to help you plan this out. If you are local during any part of the summer and areinterested in continuing lessons, I teach out of my private studio each summer.


Voice Lessons Emerson How-To (1)

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