MAY 2011

ENERGY!!!

I’ve previously written about my “Five ‘C’s’, Vocal Continuum” ™ Commit, Crisply to the Coordination (as I’ve given it) to gain Consistency which will give you Confidence to Commit, Crisply ... ad infinitum, growing and getting better at it, the more you practice the concept. But ... there is one factor that must be considered “if you want the boat to float!” and that is ...  the ENERGY with which you approach the initial Commitment.

It is very timely given the fact that the NBA finals are in its second round–the Lakers are one down to the Mavericks–to bring up a basketball metaphor. Click on any pro playoff game and watch the action at the free throw line. You will notice that the opposite team has the advantage of being closer to the basket on each side and further ... remember that they cannot cross the line until the ball leaves the shooter’s hand. Watch closely how all those toeing the lines become as “tightly compressed springs” in anticipation of that release and their efforts to get the rebound. Watch the explosion of “instantaneous explosion of effort ... ENERGY” as they spring upward and vie/fight for the rebound. You’ll see about the same in college ball and to a slightly lesser extent in high school ... but there is never any doubt that these guys/gals came to play.

It was the same feeling I had at every first entrance of every phrase I ever sang on stage ... and, as I grew in my craft, my work at the piano with a coach/accompanist grew stronger and more focused, more energetic as my voice filled out and began reaching its potential. Truth be told, being a natural singer I always had the advantage of “I didn’t know there was another way to do it!”

In the week just passed, everyone who came in for a session received a refresher course in what his/her job is ... whenever you open your trap to make a sound; make the best sound you can, Crisply hitting the center of the first vowel growing through smoothly to the center of the next vowel ... ad infinitum and ... don’t anticipate the diphthongs or consonants ... consider each of them as being on the beginning of the next syllable.