Phil Holmes Vocal Coaching

05/25/2024

Attention High School Students: Do you have fall auditions? You made the top choir at your school and expectations are higher? Don't waste the summer months take voice lessons and use the time to improve your voice. I offer lessons online and in person. PM me here or text 616.540.2545 and we will schedule a time to meet.

08/11/2023

Have you been thinking of improving your singing lately? If so, I am looking for clients like you! Call or text me at 616.540.2545 today for a free consult. I look forward to hearing you soon.

01/17/2023

A good read about one of my teachers and friends, George Shirley. Enjoy!

African American Tenor George Shirley has a story to tell. Today he shares it with us in conversation and in performance.

12/30/2022

Congrats to The American Hotel System on their new recording contract!! I'm so proud of these young people and their hard work!

We are honored to announce that we've signed with SONO Music Group with distribution through Universal Music Group! 🤯🤯🤯 2022 has been filled with such incredible heights and this is the cherry on top of an already amazing cake! New music coming in 2023 ❤ Read More: https://bit.ly/TAHSonoMusic

12/03/2022

Hi Friends!

Today, I would like to wrap up the vocal practice discussion with a fourth tip. By way of reminder, here are the first three.

1. Know your WHY (what's the purpose/goal of your practice)
2. Know your WHEN (schedule your practice and guard the time)
3. Know your WHERE (the specific place where you will practice)

And finally, know your "what." What are the specific things on which you will work during your rehearsal. If you are a singer in an academic setting (conservatory/school of music), this question is easy to answer because there is a built-in sense of accountability (voice lesson, jury, recital, concert/show, etc.). However, the real world offers a different rhythm for most of us where there are more competing interests, responsibilities, and opportunities that can so easily pull us away from getting alone and doing the work. This is where the first three tips are helpful. If your "why" is crystal clear and you are driven to be at your best vocally then you will prioritize your "when" and do whatever is necessary to get to a helpful "where." What will you do when you get to your rehearsal space?
If you do not have a routine, here’s what I would suggest for a half-hour session.

1. Warm-ups – (stretching the vocal apparatus and assembling the voice) 7 minutes
a. Body stretches
b. Breathing exercises
c. Lip or tongue trills – ascending and descending
d. Ascending “ng” vocal glides (interval of a 3rd or 5th) at 50% volume starting C3 (B,B,T) or C4 (MS,S); 1-5-1 or 1-3-1; take as high as comfortable
e. Descending “ng” 54321 at 50% volume; begin around G3 or G4 descending then up by half step; take to past
f. “Mum” exercise – ascending by half step with this pattern 1-3-5-1111-5-3-1 (keep “mum” mum and avoid letting the throat close the vowel to mom or mam); volume is 60%
2. Strength, technical, and flexibility exercises – 8 minutes
a. “ee,eh” vowels on 5 note scale at a quick tempo (ee,ee,ee,ee,eh,eh,eh,eh,ee) at comfortable volume; begin where comfortable in chest and take into head voice as high as possible; “ee,ah” can be used once the voice transitions to head voice
b. “zee,eh,ah,o,oo” descending (pattern is 555554321 so the descent is on “oo”), begin A3 and A4 and take as high as comfortable (goal is homogenous vowels)
c. “I see how it works” “I say unto you” (1-1-5-3-2) starting on D3 or D4; start with “I see how it works” and switch to “I say unto you” once clearly in head voice
3. Repertoire – 15 minutes
a. Work whatever song(s) you are preparing
b. Be clear about the origin, the backstory, and the message of the song(s) (is the song about someone, to someone, both, etc.); start deciding how you want to communicate the text and how the music serves the text
c. “Divide and Conquer” by mastering the tune first; avoid putting words with the tune if you the song is new to you; be picky about pitch accuracy and identify what and where the technical difficulties of the song are for you (take those portions to a vocal coach if you cannot overcome)
d. Work to memorize words separately by speaking the words in rhythm; write words out on paper or 4x6 card (very helpful for visual learners)
e. As music and lyrics start to gel, then put both together in rehearsal
Final Thoughts – record, record, record. Whether taking a lesson or practicing, record your rehearsal. The recording will help you remember what worked well and what needs work. If you are studying voice, having a recording will help you hear your instructor’s helpful insights, corrections, and help chart your vocal growth.
These are a few ideas I have for you as you identify your “what.” The suggestions are not comprehensive and change with the needs of each singer. But I hope there is something of value for you here. If you have any question, please feel free to post here or PM me and I will do my best to be helpful. If you have better suggestions or things that have worked well for you, please feel free to share your knowledge and your wisdom.
I hope you have a great weekend. Sing with joy always!
Phil

12/01/2022

Hi Friends,

I hope all is going as you wish this week.

Today, I want to share another voice practice tip with you but first, let's review some tips from prior posts.

Tip #1 know your "why." Know the specific purpose or goal that practicing will help you achieve. Doing so will make your time focused and productive.

Tip #2 know your "when." When will you practice each day? Failure to plan is a plan for failure. So, schedule the time to get alone with your voice and guard that time well. After your purpose is clear and you have prioritized your schedule to practice, please consider the place where you will work on your singing. This leads us to today's tip.

Tip #3 know your "where." Where will you practice your singing each day? The space(s) in which you practice can make a huge difference in how you sense and hear your voice. I use the word "sense" because I teach my students to rely on sensing their vocal sounds first. Without getting overly technical, sensing the sound means that the singer is aware of the correct posture, the respiratory process used for singing, the onset of the tone, and the acoustic vibrations in the body when singing. After gathering this information, the singer senses whether or not or to what extent their sound is free and appropriately focused. Some teachers refer to this as functional singing. Either way, being aware of how you produce sound is the primary consideration regardless of song style. Second to sensing the voice is hearing your sound. Does your singing space provide the necessary accurate acoustic feedback of your singing?

In my years of teaching, I am amazed at the places and spaces singers choose to rehearse. My primary space is a large finished basement in my home with a piano, music stand, and mirror. For others, their space is their car, living room, garage, or practice room at a school of music, or church sanctuary, and others practice in their one-room apartment whether their neighbors hear them or not. I've also heard of opera singers in New York practicing in the subway tunnels. Every space will have its pros and its cons. But If you want to grow as a singer, you must visit that space or spaces daily.

Ideally, an appropriate rehearsal space will have privacy, a pitch source, a mirror, and be acoustically live enough to offer some auditory feedback. Note: for those whose only practice space is their car, please find an additional space to practice. Consider a space in your home, a fine arts building at a local college, a room at a church or synagogue with a piano, or a friend's house. The point I'm trying to make here is you need to get off your rear and get your legs under you. How you sense your breathing (support) while seated is not the same as when you are standing. So, consider finding a rehearsal space where you can stand while sensing and hearing your sound.

The development of your singing voice deserves some small but intentional sacrifices. Knowing your why, when, and where will go a long way toward helping you achieve greater singing ability which will allow you the privilege of adding value to the lives of others.

I wish you well today. Sing with joy always!

Phil

11/29/2022

Hi Friends!

Today, we continue our discussion on how to practice singing. We started with knowing your "why." Why do you practice singing? Trying to improve a technical aspect of your singing voice? Preparing for a singing engagement? What is the point of your setting intentional time aside to practice? Once you know "why" you are practicing, the next thing I recommend singers determine is their "when." When will you practice?

You and I both know that if you don't schedule your "when" then other people and situations will take up that time. Once our most precious gift of time is gone, it's gone forever. To prevent this tragedy, I recommend that singers review their monthly calendars and look for small blocks of availability (15-30 minutes) daily and a few times daily for singing practice. Once the time is scheduled, it is now sacred and must be guarded. Singers who really want to improve need to develop the necessary muscles to say "no" to competing interests and opportunities. This practice is called boundary setting. For those who are easily distracted or can't say "no" to others, this habit will take time to develop. However, once it is developed and singers are practicing regularly, growth, achievement, and opportunities will follow.

So, knowing your "why", and establishing your "when" are crucial to your singing success. Tomorrow, we will look at your "where" and why this matters in vocal development.

Wishing all good things to you. Sing with joy always! - Phil

11/28/2022

Happy Monday, dear friends!

I hope you had an enjoyable holiday filled with life-giving people and moments.
One of the most common challenges in singer development is how to practice the singing voice. As a young teacher, I assumed that every voice student knew how to practice. Towards the end of each lesson, I would say things like, "you need to practice this" or "go practice." While most students figured this out quite easily, there were others who struggled. Those that struggled weren't lazy but simply too inhibited to ask for guidance. They simply did not know where to begin. Now, I make sure my students know how to practice singing because teaching them how is part of my curriculum.
This week, I will post some thoughts that I have shared with my students regarding the art of practicing the singing voice. These are some thoughts I have but you may have thoughts as well. Please feel free to share what you think and what has worked for you.

Here's my tip #1 for successful singing practice. "Know your 'why.'"

What is the purpose/goal that drives you to prepare your voice? Is there an upcoming singing event you're working towards? Are you trying to overcome a vocal issue or further develop a technical component (e.g. balance registers, increase range, breath/tone coordination, resonance, etc.) of your singing? From my experience, having a specific reason to practice helps to provide the necessary motivation you will need to make practicing your voice a priority in your busy schedule. So, before you begin, know your "why."

Tomorrow, I will share tip #2.

Sing with joy always,
Phil

11/21/2022

Happy Monday to you, my dear friends!
As you contemplate how you will use your voice this week, please remember that your vocal folds consist of five layers made of muscle, cartilage, and mucosa. The soul that influences and informs your voice has many, many more layers. If you want to sing with freedom, consider taking time to engage in soul care this week. By doing so, you are also caring for your voice.
Sing with joy always! - Phil

11/08/2022

One of my favorite opera tenors is Bruce Ford. His rich lyric voice is renowned for handling the most difficult of arias from composers like Mozart and Rossini. The mastery of his instrument is truly extraordinary. Listen to his voice soar in this technically difficult Mozart aria.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzQkiC-bn_o