Yes, even the late, great Michael Jackson took singing lessons from a voice coach, and his name was Seth Riggs. Michael Jackson, though talented, was known for making sure to always properly warm-up and train his voice before he performed, much like many famous singers you know. Their voices don’t just “happen.” The most famous singers out there realize the importance of vocal health.

But, what is vocal health, really?

The Riggs’ Vocal Studio is well-renowned as “Singing for the Stars” where you would be introduced to what is called ‘Speech-Level Singing.’ Basically, it’s a way to keep the voice healthy and warmed up consistently not only for singing but for anyone who uses their voice frequently, so they don’t ever have to strain or hurt their voice. If you want to get serious about singing, vocal health should be a priority for you.

Anyone who uses their voice a lot should practice proper vocal health, not even just singers, but this reaches even public speakers, teachers, and TV hosts, who also practice keeping their voice healthy. This is so that the voice continues to be in good shape, and you have fewer bouts of losing your voice, straining your voice, or worse, damaging your vocal cords.

When the Voice Becomes Problematic

Usually, you can tell when your voice is having problems. If the pitch or tone of the voice draws more attention then what the singer is singing about, that’s a sure-fire sign that you’re having issues with your voice health. One of the best ways to address keeping your voice healthy as a singer is knowing when to identify that it’s NOT at its best.

Here are a few causes of vocal issues:
Built-up mucus in the throat due to sickness or cold
Dry air and no lubrication in the vocal folds
Overuse or misuse of the voice – this could be due to too much use or doing things like screaming, cheering loudly, or repeated throat clearing/coughing.
Acid reflux build-up
Swollen or stiff vocal cords

Vocal Health Solutions

You should know that there are many ways to treat vocal issues, and if you are very concerned about your voice you should always seek the advice of a doctor. Some of the best ways to help with keeping the voice health are outlined below:

Take Voice Lessons

One of the best ways to make sure you are practicing healthy vocal technique is simply by taking singing lessons. If you are serious about singing in any way, you need to be studying with a voice coach. For example, if you’re an aspiring Broadway actor living in the Big Apple, you can take private NYC-based singing classes to learn proper vocal health and master singing techniques rooted in how to stay healthy as a singer.

Speech-Level Singing

Seth Riggs stresses that one way to do this is through his method of Speech Level Singing, which is an absolute refusal to reach for any pitch. The larynx needs to stay on the general level of where you speak, that way you are never straining your voice. This is a really great technique for those who feel that they need to always be reaching out of their range. It is much more beneficial as a singer to stay within your healthy, comfortable voice range.

Stay Hydrated

It sounds simple enough, but it is very important to your voice that you keep the vocal folds lubricated. Cold water, warm water, that part doesn’t matter. The hydration is what is important. You will strain your voice if you continue to sing without proper lubrication. And, this probably goes without saying but it is also worth mentioning: Don’t smoke. In any way, shape, or form! Educate yourself if you really need to see what smoking does to the voice.

Rest Your Voice When It’s Tired

Another important part of vocal health is also remembering to take “vocal naps” when necessary. You know your voice best; when you feel that you are straining too much or maybe you feel a cold coming on. You can tell when your voice has been overworked. Be sure to practice some self-care and let your voice rest. And that means no TALKING as much as no singing, too! Don’t think that just because you’re not singing means you can still use your voice – vocal rest means to rest the voice completely.

Do Vocal Warm-Ups As Often As Possible

Yes, if you’re a singer, you have to warm up. You can’t just jump into singing without stretching a voice, a lot like stretching before you are running. Think of it as that type of a warm-up, but for your singing. Seth Riggs helped Michael Jackson to be “all the way open” in this warm-up session, so he knew how essential it is to make sure to do these vocal exercises before singing at full voice.

Singers Have To Work At It

You don’t just get lucky enough to have a great voice. Those who have the singing talent have to consistently work to keep their voices in its best shape. Lady Gaga collaborated with a voice coach for over six months for just one performance. If you know that you want to perform on a stage, know the work that needs to go into it.

Singing is fun and entertaining, but it is also a job and your voice is a tool that is just as important to keep in good shape, just as you would for your legs or your arms. Don’t neglect it, take voice lessons with a trained professional and be sure to continually practice keeping your voice healthy.

© [TRAVELARIUM] /Alamy

Do you still sing the classic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”? Then, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that this song found its origin in Smithtown only. Smithtown always had a deep connection with music. Music is its heart and soul. As a resident of this town, you must be experiencing this day in and day out. Like others in your neighborhood, if you also aspire to become a famous musician someday, then start learning piano. It can be a great starting point for you. A piano can be a simple musical instrument, but its techniques need proper attention and grasping.

One of the typical challenges that learners in Smithtown usually face with this instrument is the use of both hands together. Often, people struggle with their left hand as it tends to be weaker compared to the right and hence, doesn’t allow smooth coordination. The fingers move slower than the right hand’s. Due to this, the chances of mistakes increase. But it’s very normal. One side of the human body tends to be stronger and sometimes bigger also. You have to identify the area of your problem. If you feel your left hand is not able to perform well, then follow a few suggestions to fix it.

Play a song with the left hand

Recall a song that is there in your memory, and you play it effortlessly with your right hand. If you know any such song, then try to use your left hand on the piano while playing it and keep the right hand away. It can sound to be an easy task. But using the left hand on the keys can be challenging, especially if you are not in this habit. At this time, your focus should be on improving your left-hand coordination. So, ignore bass notes and everything else. Your attention has to be on playing chords or whatever you played with the right hand. It would help if you did not use your right hand for at least 30 to 60 minutes.

© [Sergey Tolmachev] /Alamy

Play slowly

Not playing with the right hand can feel strange and awkward. However, you could somewhere also think that you don’t have to slow down your tempo just because you would be using your left hand. But you have to reduce your speed for accuracy and muscle memory so that you don’t go wrong with movements and placements. The tempo will naturally increase when you repeat the motions. Hence, don’t worry about it.

Try Hanon exercises

There are about 60 exercises that can help you strengthen your hand coordination, agility, power, speed, and more. These exercises got their name from Charles-Louis Hanon, who founded them almost a century back. However, these are still in use today for their effectiveness. Do these exercises with both hands. You may face difficulty with your left hand, but don’t give up. Practice each step with separate hands at a slow, comfortable speed. When it gets into your system, you can gradually improve your speed and add both hands too. Just remember one thing that you don’t need to rush. Even those who have mastered the piano don’t fully know Hanon exercises. They keep doing it over time.

Play, pause, and repeat

When you do exercise, you should take a break after it completes successfully. Remove your fingers from the keyboard and bask in the feeling of achieving it. After continuously repeating it, you will realize that your hands naturally move towards chords and melodies. It happens because your muscle memory has become better with practice.

Give some rest to your left hand

After working out with your left hand tirelessly, you should allow it to rest a bit. This break is crucial as it helps your muscles to become active and powerful. At the end of the practice session, you feel exhausted and may not get the desired result even after pushing yourself. But instead of getting disappointed, break from it for a while so that you can get back with full energy. When you start fresh, you will also notice how easily you have picked up things.

© [Design Pics Inc] /Alamy

If you want to do well in music, then consider joining a piano class in your area. You can search for “piano lessons near me in Smithtown, NY,” and get many options. Going to regular practice under the supervision of experts can come in handy in many ways. They can guide you about what is right and what is not from the beginning to help you build your skills on a sturdy foundation. Plus, they can also tell you about your strengths and weaknesses so that you can overcome any challenge with ease. Just make sure the school where you go for your lessons is reputable; also, it has received excellent ratings and reviews from previous students.

If you are new in the music industry, you have a long road ahead of you. There are so many details that you have to learn. Thankfully, the Internet is here to help you. You probably haven’t thought how something could be so meaningful. Take the guitar cable for one thing.

You can have the best musician and the best instrument out there. That doesn’t mean that everything will be fine. It takes more than that to succeed. You have to learn everything to know about them before you go to the store. If you want to, you could even learn how to make one for yourself here https://pedalboardplanet.com/make-your-own-cables/.

Where to begin?

First of all, you have to know the basics. It would help a lot if you already have some previous knowledge about instruments and wires. They are totally different areas. But you have to know something from these 2 to learn how the cables work.

Many experts will tell you to keep in mind a few things when going to the store. You have to decide between coiled or straight and acoustic or electric. Then, you have to think about shielded cabling. It would be quite useful to get a wireless device if you could.

What is shielding?

When choosing a cable, you will hear this word a lot. So, you have to learn its meaning. If you hear a lot of humming noises from your guitar, you don’t have proper shielding. It actually blocks any unpleasant and unwanted interference. It’s great if you already have a noisy apartment.

The difference between recording and performance

Before choosing the best guitar cable, you have to do some thinking. What will you use your guitar for the most? You can’t get a cord for performing on stage and recording. They are 2 completely different things. So, you will have to use different types of cord, after all.

Length is significant here. If it’s too long, it will make the signal much worse at high frequency. It would help if you used a long wire for a recording session. There are some things you can change during the editing part. But you can’t change everything.

However, if you get to perform live, you need a longer cable. This is for your benefit. You will get to move more freely on stage. You will seem more natural. Imagine performing with a long cord. You will inevitably trip on it.

Should you choose a wireless option?

You probably see a lot of tech stuff that is wireless nowadays. You even have wireless headphones, keyboards, mouse, and whatnot. So, you also have to option to perform without a cable. This is especially good for those musicians that don’t want to be chained up on stage.

You will surely want to go for this option. But you shouldn’t rush. Many musicians have complained that the signal is too bad. You have to invest more money for it to sound better. So, maybe this isn’t the right choice for you.

Is there a difference between electric and acoustic?

There’s a big difference between an electric and acoustic guitar. But when it comes down to cables, they are basically the same thing. You can use whichever one you like. It would be best if you looked for high quality instead. That’s the most important thing.

Can you use your cable with a bass guitar?

If you have chosen to play the bass, don’t worry. You don’t have to pay for a brand new bass cable. You can use the one you already got. They are the same thing. One cord works for both guitars. Instead, you should make a difference between good and lousy cable brands.

What about the conductor?

You would need to know something about electricity actually to understand this bit. You would have to know something before you buy the proper cord for your guitar. The thing you should be looking for is oxygen-free copper and linear- crystal.

These are the most important words. Also, if you want durability, go for stranded conductors. They are so much better. But they also cost more money. In the end, it all comes down to how much you want to spend on equipment.

© [Dmitri Maruta] /Alamy

Recording your own songs, podcasts, or other forms of media no longer requires having to seek out a proper studio and rent it out. With commonly available technology, just about anyone can make a professional-quality studio right in the comfort of their own home, privy only to the rules set by yourself. That’s not to say all home recording studios offer the kind of quality their creators are looking for, however, it takes a good amount of preparation, as well as proper knowledge of how to best make an environment for recording sound if you want to pull this off. Here are just a few things you should keep in mind when making your home studio:

Location, location, location

The first step is to figure out where in your home you’re going to put this studio. You should prioritize rooms deep within your home to minimize how much effort you’ll need to put in to fully insulate the room from any outside noise. It should also be in a room that’s convenient, comfortable, and easy to be in. Other considerations include a high ceiling, as well as a little bit more room than you possibly expect to need. If you go with a room that’s sized “just right,” you might find yourself in hot water should any new materials come in that are bigger than anticipated.

© [Zoonar GmbH] /Alamy

Seal the room properly

Much like light, sound has a nasty way of finding its way into any area where there’s room for it. Your studio needs to be sealed both to keep outside sounds from leaking in, as well as your recording not being a nuisance to neighbors who might call in a noise violation. Vinyl sealing strips are a quick and easy way to seal all of your doors or other places where sound might leak out. Make sure you seal the room as best as you can. Soundproofing can be bought in large rolls to be affixed to your walls if necessary.

© [Dmitri Maruta] /Alamy

Purchase high-quality equipment

What separates a soundproof room from a proper studio is the equipment found within. You’ll need to purchase equipment designed for sound producers explicitly. For instance, your headphones should be able to replicate recorded sounds in as high-quality fashion as possible, on top of having a complete seal around your ear. What records your sound is also as important as what will play it back. High-quality microphones that remove unwanted noise while preserving sound quality are vital, plus a good set of monitor speakers. Much of what makes equipment worthwhile is explained on Home Recordio which might simplify some of the jargon you’re sure to face while purchasing. You can, of course, start small and work your way up as you learn what you need, but there’s a base level of quality you absolutely can’t avoid.

© [Dmitri Maruta] /Alamy

Conclusion

This is a place in your home that you’re expecting to get a lot of use out of, so that means during the planning phase, you need to do as much as possible to ensure you’ll actually want to be in that room, and that it will complete the tasks you want it to. Once the room is properly soundproofed, you’re ready to start purchasing equipment. At the bare minimum, you should be able to replay audio at the same level of quality that it was recorded. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for releasing media that just doesn’t play how it should on all devices.

Karaoke is a form of interactive entertainment developed in Japan. In this activity, a person sings along to a prerecorded music using a microphone. Usually, the music is an instrumental version of a popular song and is accompanied by a video showing the lyrics of the song. The lyrics to the songs are displayed so the amateur singer can sing along to them with ease. You can learn more from this article here.

Over the years, karaoke has evolved and it has become a big market all over the world and is estimated to be worth almost 10 billion dollars globally. It is used during parties and fun times with friends and families. It is even said that Japanese businessmen use it to woo potential clients. This shows just how much the Japanese people love it.

Karaoke machines may either be for general-purpose use like in bars, for professional use or for casual personal use. You even have some that are designed specifically for children. This machine can also be used as a PA system at a party, using it to make announcements and also to play music.

We can see that you can either enjoy karaoke in a public space or you can get your machine and sing together at home with your family or friends.

Factors to Consider When Making Your Choice

If you are looking to buy a home machine rather than go to a bar or karaoke booth, there are a lot of options to consider. Technology has becomes so advanced these days that you can now find home machines with great features that were previously only available on professional systems. All these mean you have more options open to you. We will now look at a few things to put into consideration as you make a decision on which one to buy. In the meantime, you can also see the full review of different machines on review sites.

Portability and Setup
Karaoke machines are usually easy to set up. They should ideally come with manuals that teach you how to assemble them. It is good to always check beforehand to know if this is so. Also, if you want to have one you can carry to a friend’s home or party if needed, or if you need one that you can easily travel with, you might want to consider its portability. If you do not mind disassembling and reassembling each time you need to travel or go somewhere with it, then most will be fine for you. Else, get one that is portable and easy to carry about.

The Song Source
Newer machines are designed to accommodate the growing number of different smart devices; iPods, phones, tablets, and mp3 players. You can either connect through an auxiliary cord, Bluetooth/WIFI or a docking station. Also, some come with the ability to play from CD+G players which basically play CD+G CDs. These CDS come with special recordings containing audio and a low-resolution video graphic of the song lyrics. In deciding which one to buy, check for the song source it supports. Be sure it is easily and readily available to you or that you are comfortable with it. See more of that here http://karaokeforall.com/home-karaoke-machine-buying-tips/

Display
Some karaoke machines come with built-in screens. The built-in screen makes your system standalone so you do not necessarily have to connect it to an external screen. A lot still comes with the ability to connect to an external display even if they have in-built screens so if you want the best of both worlds, you could go for one with such a feature. Having a connectivity option to an external screen can be important, especially when you have large gatherings and everyone wants to follow along with the lyrics. This will certainly be impossible to achieve on a small 7” built-in screen.

Sound Control
A karaoke machine should have different types of sound control. One very important control to have is the ability to mute the voice of the lead singer and just have the background music or instrumentals playing. There’s also the balance control that allows you to balance the lead vocal with your singing which can sometimes make it sound like you are doing a duet with the lead singer.

In addition to this, effects can also add some excitement. Examples include effects like echo which adds a resonance or echo to the singer’s voice, and a pitch control that helps to increase or decrease the song pitch. There’s the tone control which allows one to adjust the bass and treble sounds which are terms used to describe low and high-frequency sounds. When buying a machine, watch out for these features.

Recording
If you are someone who likes to hear how you sound later or you just want to relive the happenings from your party, you might consider a model that has an option for recording. Not every machine comes with this feature but the ones that do, come with a USB port and/or an SD card slot. You can record on memory devices while you sing. An instant playback feature allows you to hear how you are doing on the recording and you can adjust and repeat the song if there is a need to do so.

Speakers
Speakers are an important part of a karaoke machine. A lot of home machines come with an output of about 10 watts. For kids, an output of 5 watts is enough. Depending on how you intend to use it, you can buy a system that has speaker outputs. This will give you the option of connecting to external speakers when you want to use it in a large space or outdoors.


Power Options
Most of these machines are AC powered. That is, you plug them directly into a wall socket. Some portable ones though use batteries as an additional feature. If you are looking to use it where you are not sure you will get a connection to power it, you might want to consider if you need one that uses batteries.

Check out a guide to understand the different types of karaoke machines in this article here:

https://www.armchairempire.com/Reviews/best-karaoke-machines/buying-guide

Conclusion

As with buying any device or equipment, there is no one size fits all when purchasing a karaoke machine. It all depends on your needs, taste and the reason you are buying. Different machines come with different cool features so you need to take time to check out which features work for you. Also, check reviews and see what people say about the ones you are interested in.

Hopefully, after going through the different reviews and feedback, and after considering your needs, budget and other factors, you will be able to choose the one that is just perfect for you.