3 Tips for Voice Projection

3 Tips for Voice Projection Suzy S. No mic? No problem! Sing loud and proud with these voice projection tips from Broken Arrow, OK voice teacher Adia P Growing up on the stages of community theater, I probably heard Project your voice! more than Curtain! or Break a Leg!  Its a little intimidating at first, but between nonstop practices and a healthy fear that all my hard work would be wasted if no one could hear my lines, I was projecting like a pro in no time. It may sound complicated, but projecting your voice is just another way to say, speak up. We do it naturally, without thinking, almost every day. When I am helping my students to project their singing voice, I often have them practice attempting to get someones attention. To do so, we raise our voice to capture the attention of our target. For example, Hey you! or Wait, you forgot your..! They quickly learn that it is fairly easy to do in fact, they project almost effortlessly. But is projecting in speaking the same as with singing? The answer is yes. I often joke that to project in song is to speak up in melody.   In the classic sense, project means to throw or thrust forward. In singing or speaking, it means we are controlling the volume of our voice, clearly and distinctly, in an effort to be heard at a greater level. It is less of a skill to be taught, and more of a method to be practiced. In fact, most of our difficulties with projecting have more to do with confidence than lack of ability.  Insecurities about your voice, or overwhelming concerns about what others will think about your sound can get in the way and cause you to shrink back. This is not always an easy fix, and often takes consistent practice and work with your coach to get your confidence level where you need it to be. But I’ve found that these three quick practice tips have helped my students master projection and get one step closer to achieving their vocal goals. I hope they help you too! 1. Find your focus. In practice, give yourself a target object to direct your voice toward. For example, a wall, window, or object on the other side of the room. Youll notice when you give your voice an aim, you will project naturally. 2. Fill the room. Always sing with enough clarity and volume to fill the space that you are in. This will help you control the level and intensity of projection you need to give. A small studio or recital hall will not require the same power or support needed to fill a large theater or concert hall;   note where you are and project accordingly. 3. Forget the fear. Since your sound comes from within, confidence struggles can greatly inhibit your ability or even willingness to sing out. But dont let fear have the final say. If there is something about your voice you dont like, focus in and work with your coach to get stronger and more proficient. Always believe in your ability to make a sound worth sharing. Adia P. teaches singing lessons to students of all ages in Broken Arrow, OK. Adia specializes in vocal/stage performance, beginner-intermediate singing, sight-singing, musical theater and audition preparation and performance. She joined the TakeLessons team in October 2012. Learn more about Adia, or search for a teacher near you! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Matt McGee

5 Factors to know when you ask When is it time to go - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Factors to know when you ask “When is it time to go - Introvert Whisperer 5 Factors to know when you ask “When is it time to go? If you’re sitting in your office bored, ticked off or feeling down you may be thinking it’s time to go.   BUT, you’re not sure.   You are rationalizing staying because there is one more great thing you can contribute or you feel obligated in some way.   We all go through this kind of mental tug-of-war at one time or another.   Knowing when it’s the right time to give yourself permission to move on is one of those big life changers and with it comes anxiety. There are some indicators of satisfaction that you can examine that will help you make that decision. Let’s review some of them to help you move that decision making along. Salary â€" I’m almost embarrassed to mention money. Not because “it shouldn’t matter”, it’s because I know it isn’t one of the top 3 issues. I mention it first because everyone does and I want to get it out of the way. What you are paid as it turns out are not the top 3-5 satisfiers for your career.   It is something, however. If it is out of line or doesn’t pay the bills it is a big DISsatisfier and you do need to move on.   If your pay is appropriate for the job you do, area you live in and meets most of your need, then you’re probably doing fine and this isn’t a big enough deal to make you leave. Boss â€" This one is the big one. The person that you immediately report to is the number one top item that will make work life great or bad. You don’t have to love this person or even be buddies but you do need to respect this person and feel that it’s mutual.   Also, you need to be realistic about this person.   Bosses will never be perfect.   They are like the rest of us; they have bad hair days and also have their own quirks.   The question you need to ask yourself is: “Can I be successful doing work with this person in the picture?” Job Content â€" This is all about the kind of work you perform. You need to feel like you have the skills, talents, and background to perform the job. At the same time, you should feel like you can make a contribution and grow.   Job growth is not necessarily about being promoted.   It is learning new tasks, taking on new responsibilities and making new contributions.   The content of your job should be something that continuously stimulates and interests you.   If you have reached a point where everything is pretty much the same, you need to move on before it impacts your self-esteem. Work environment â€" This is both the physical space you do the work in and what is in the environment such as people, building and location. You can have a great job, great boss but have to commute 2 hours each way. Your life is potentially impacted too significantly. You may like the job but the environment you are in is too toxic because of interoffice relations.   The people you work with could be your source of dissatisfaction and you may not even realize it.   We form friendships and alliances with the people we spend so much time working with.   At the same time they may feel freedom in complaining and pointing out all the things that are bad.   This will have a negative impact on you.   You need to examine this situation and determine what you can control and what you can’t.   At the same time, you need to determine if you were to design the perfect work environment, would it be like this? Something else â€" If all the stars are aligned and the items listed above are all working well enough for you, you may be tugged by “something else”. The something else could be a lifelong dream of being a nurse or something completely different than what you’re doing today. The something else could be a deep desire to move and live somewhere other than where you are today.   It’s ok to give yourself permission to move toward something as opposed to away from your current career.   This category of “something else” may turn out to be your calling Life is too short to spend too much time working at a job situation you don’t love and doesn’t nurture your soul.   Your career should feel shamefully fun and more like an avocation.   Making a decision like this can be tough but it is not a sign that you’re doing the wrong thing.   It’s tough because it is a big part of how you spend your life.   It’s tough because you want to make sure you enjoy the next thing.   It’s tough because it’s a change. Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today! Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.