Helpful hints from Anne Peckham

On Sunday I was lucky enough to get along to the morning session of a seminar with Professor Anne Peckham who was visiting Queensland from the Voice Department of Berklee College of Music.

Like so much to do with singing, most of the good stuff is common sense but it never hurts to remind ourselves of what a good healthy voice should be able to do. She suggests every singer make sure they can:

• produce a sound with soft onset

• maintain an easy and clear head register

• sing staccato

• sing a slow and controlled crescendo and decrescendo

• sing without excess tension in the extrinsic muscles (those on the outside of your neck).

She also spoke about the importance of the cool down after a lengthy practice session or a performance. Her suggestion (and I agree) is that the cool down doesn't need to be long - 5 to 15 minutes is plenty. It only needs to use a limited range (this is not the time for developing your super high or low notes) and should include lip trills and slides.

Have a look at the Gentle Start category of Warm Me Up for some appropriate exercise ideas and put yourself together a Cool Down playlist so next time you can cool down at the touch of a button.

Keep singing!

Vicky