Monthly Archives: June 2013

Want to learn on your own?

Want to learn on your own?

If you’d rather not hire a coach but want to learn and study on your own, here are some fine resources.

 

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Singing Exercises For Dummies, with CD
Singing Exercises For Dummies, with CD
by Pamelia S. Phillips
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Singing For Dummies
Singing For Dummies
by Pamelia S. Phillips
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Singing
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Singing
by Phyllis FulfordMichael Miller
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The Voice Book: Caring For, Protecting, and Improving Your Voice
The Voice Book: Caring For, Protecting, and Improving Your Voice
by Kate DeVoreStarr Cookman
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Singing for the Stars: A Complete Program for Training Your Voice (Book & 2 CD's)
Singing for the Stars: A Complete Program for Training Your Voice
by Seth RiggsJohn CarratelloR. J. Miyake
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Set Your Voice Free: How To Get The Singing Or Speaking Voice You Want
Set Your Voice Free: How To Get The Singing Or Speaking Voice You Want
by Roger LoveDonna Frazier
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Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer (Vocal) (Berklee Press)
Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer (Vocal) (Berklee Press)
by Anne Peckham
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Songwriting For Dummies
Songwriting For Dummies
by Dave AustinJim PeterikCathy Lynn
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Vocal Technique - A Guide to Finding Your Real Voice: Book with Two CDs (Essential Concepts)
Vocal Technique – A Guide to Finding Your Real Voice: Book with Two…
by Dena Murray
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Music Theory For Dummies, with Audio CD
Music Theory For Dummies, with Audio CD
by Michael PilhoferHolly Day
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The Contemporary Singer: Elements of Vocal Technique (Berklee Guide)
The Contemporary Singer: Elements of Vocal Technique (Berklee Guide)
by Anne Peckham
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Alfred's Teach Yourself to Sing (Book & Enhanced CD)
Alfred’s Teach Yourself to Sing (Book & Enhanced CD)
by Karen Farnum Surmani
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Vocal Strength and Power: Boost Your Singing with Proper Technique and Breathing
Vocal Strength and Power: Boost Your Singing with Proper Technique…
by Dena Murray
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I didn’t do to well in my ‘music theory class’ at college and don’t know that that is essential to a life of ‘singing’ or ‘music making’ unless you want to ‘compose a symphony’ maybe.  But Exercises and some direction can’t hurt in your quest to sing.

Alfred’s Teach Yourself to Sing (Book & Enhanced CD)  is just right for the do-it-your-selfer.

So follow your impossible dream like Don Quixote ( The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha).  And get out and ‘Start Singing’.

Catch you next time.

Jay

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Church music

Church music is a big topic but maybe some insights will come your way by my touching on the subject.

During the Renaissance, much of what we classify as classical music was church music, written for church services by church organists and the like. Bach for instance, Even Handel got into religious music.

If you want to learn to sing in a choir, church choirs are a good place for beginners, You generally don’t audition, you must just be willing and attend and try. And it doesn’t cost anything but your time. All the choir directors I’ve seen in church are very good and musically trained. They can help you along.

What about church music? It’s uplifting, inspiring in fact and helps make life joyous.  Last night, I was really tired but recorded a song and after singing I felt much less weary.

The church hymnal is a great resource for a singer even for home use.

Let me give some examples.

In the July 2013 Ensign magazine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has several articles about what music can do for people.

One lady from Nebraska wrote about how she is helped through the dreaded chore of dish washing by singing. “I don’t dread the dishes as I once did. I..even..look..forward to..”it(so she can sing hymns).

There are three more short articles there pages 32 and 33 with other experiences of how singing hymns can be of value in our lives.

Humming, whistling, singing hymns can bring a spirit of beauty and peace and love to our lives all week long.   The gospel singing folks on karaoke sites online are proof of that.

My mother sang while doing the dishes, washing clothes and through out the day. Her singing and my father’s developed a love for song in me. On a day like today, when the light of God fell on all the world in a wondrous glow and I was blessed with a long sought for modification of my loan with the bank, my heart felt like singing praises to a benevolent God.

Church music can change a child’s out look for a life time. Is that bad? No! Here is a famous example. David Foster tells about boy’s choirs, Andrea Bocelli, and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir :

this has the start and intro on it:

https://youtu.be/ekU7fHgjsGs

This has the end on it:

https://youtu.be/59Q12UepdNA

Now that was lovely, wasn’t it?    The Lord’ Prayer with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is in this collection ‘Heavenly”   http://lnkd.in/6te-zE 

 

Does a particular denomination have a monopoly on good church hymns?

Of course not.  To show an example, in a state prison in Oklahoma, the Baptist chaplain uses the LDS hymnal for all of his services.

Sunday is just a day away but you can start singing hymns anytime. How about right now.

Catch you next time.

Jay

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Heavenly Choirs

Some very fine singers have joined the heavenly choirs since January 2013.

In April Edna Mae (Deanna) Durbin (Read about her in other posts)

Singer Slim Whitman. Whitman died Wednesday, June 19, 2013 of heart failure in Florida. He was 90. Whitman’s career began in the late 1940s, and his tenor falsetto and ebony mustache and sideburns became global trademarks. They were also an inspiration for countless jokes thanks to the ubiquitous 1980s and 1990s TV commercials that pitched his records.   (Slim Whitman is gone but your can still hear him sing. http://lnkd.in/samWZr  )

George Jones, the peerless, hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times and regrets and peaked with the heartbreaking classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” has died. He was 81. Jones died Friday, April 26, 2013.   (George Jones died this past April but his voice lives on http://lnkd.in/xCccPC   )

Richie Havens, who sang and strummed for a sea of people at Woodstock, has died of a heart attack Monday, April 22, 2013, his family said in a statement. He was 72.)

Chrissy Amphlett, the lead singer of the Australian rock band Divinyls whose hit “I Touch Myself” brought her international fame in the early 1990s, died at her home in New York City on April 21, 2013. She was 53 years old.

Annette Funicello, singer from the “Mickey Mouse Club” and films died at the age of 70 on April 8, 2013. ( Watch a video of her’s at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8RDjxjJdbw   Very silly.  You can buy a DVD collection of films with her at:     http://lnkd.in/nz77Qv   )

Opera singer Rise  Stevens  performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York  in “Carmen.” Stevens sang with the Metropolitan Opera for more than 20 years spanning the 1940s and 1950s, died Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at her Manhattan home. She was 99. Hear her doing a Jerome Kern favorite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOLxo3NX8dg                         here’s a DVD of her work http://lnkd.in/ufZEut  

Singer Patty Andrews, the last survivor of the three singing Andrews sisters, who has died in Los Angeles at age 94. Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, at her home in suburban Northridge of natural causes, The Trio was very popular. Hear them again… http://lnkd.in/_DeGr7 

Singer Patti Page. Page, who made “Tennessee Waltz” the third best-selling recording ever, has died. She was 85. Page died Jan. 1, 2013, in Encinitas, Calif.    Those heavenly choirs have been getting some fine singers lately. Hear Patti any time you want just get this collection of her works http://lnkd.in/p2kKq2 

Janie Thompson died.June 1, 2013 at age 91.

Who was she? Read and listen at the link below.

Cherilyn Eagar posted a tribute to Janie Thompson.
I’d not heard her version of “I’ve been everywhere” for many years and hers covers the world.
I thought you be interested in listening.
The video is embeded in this page.
http://cherilyneagar.com/2013/06/tribute-patriot-music-legend-janie-thompson/
Have a good day.
Jay

ps Cherilyn posted about a tribute to Bobby Engmann of the Leterman too.

http://cherilyneagar.com/2013/06/utahs-stars-tribute-lettermens-bobby-engemann/

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See, singing is fun!

I’ve been watching some videos on FaceBook.

And some show just how fun singing can be.

So here are some links to people having fun making music singing.               I’ll throw in some comments as I proceed.

First two girls, two cups, two voices making their own music equal good.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=381080588673786

Don’t need expense instruments to accompany your singing endeavors, now do you?

Now here Will Smith and friends on BBC make music with mics and then more.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=389140661201112

This Father is starting his son early having fun a hummin’ and a strummin’

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=630118053684482

Next Adam and Sam use a guitar and two fine voices as instruments to sing for a friend.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151572882970210

On Tuesday, the 11th of June, I was telling stories and singing at Anasazi Valley west of Ivins, Utah to 4-H students from southern and northern Utah and two adult male leaders. After me and a seventeen year old Indian story teller were done, a lady named Kathy came with several basket of instruments. She passed the  instruments out to everyone there and taught us how to make music with them.  She played an Indian Flute while two played drums, one had a thunder cylinder, two rain rattles, one a wooden frog and stick, and the rest had rattles.  For novices, the sound turned out to be very good. And all had fun. And the group was even taught an Indian round dance to their own music later.

Let’s have a little contest and see which one of the above videos you readers like the best.                                                                                       Just name each selection and rate one to four.

Listen and rate please in the comments. I’ll tabulate the results and let you know on the 20th.

Keep singing.

 

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Who inspires you to sing better?

Some singers have studied the style and mannerisms of famous singers to help them.  I’ve read of some who were inspired to greater efforts and even greatness by those they looked up to.

One lady said of my singing “

I love how you make every song you sing your own. You don’t sound like any one particular person had an influence in shaping your vocal talent… you’re just Jay. And I really do love that! Love the way you sang this song too!

I read of someone who said that Deanna (Edna Mae) Durbin had inspired him.

So here are more Deanna Durbin films for you to own. Maybe she will inspire you. She does me.

 

Amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Deanna Durbin (Actor), Edmond O’Brien (Actor), Bruce Manning(Director) | Format: DVD
Price: $19.98
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Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack (Three Smart Girls / Something In the Wind / First Love / It Started with Eve / Can't Help Singing / Lady on a Train)
Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack
Alice Brady (Actor), Barbara Read (Actor), Charles David (Director),Frank Ryan (Director) | Format: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Price: $9.54
You Save: $17.44 (65%)
Sold by Paint it Orange and Fulfilled by Amazon.
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For the Love of Mary
For the Love of Mary
Deanna Durbin (Actor), Ray Collins (Actor), Frederick De Cordova(Director) | Format: DVD
Price: $19.98
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His Butler's Sister [VHS]
His Butler’s Sister [VHS]
Deanna Durbin (Actor), Franchot Tone (Actor), Frank Borzage(Director) | Format: VHS Tape
Price: $36.75
Ships from and sold by captain-ziggy.
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I really enjoyed all of these movies. In fact I’ve watched them over and over.

I’ll catch you next time.

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Lyric Poems

I wrote a book and some of the words are lyrics to songs I’ve written,

Poems and songs should rhyme  so this can be a help to some.

You can purchase the book on Amazon Kindle Edition:

“Under Red Cliffs” 

One lyric poem is now a song

“No Room for a Cow” @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV937yfhCYU

And hear “To The Right Be True”

 https://soundcloud.com/jay-beacham/true-true-to-the-right-be-true-by-jaybeacham

Its in the collection of Sing Snap songs just after “Act Naturally” and just before “Blue Velvet”  under the title “Sing Snap Original”.

There is a write up like this one below the video by Claudia Pletz.

There’s a photo of the cover, it’s a link to Amazon.

There is a video explaining the book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S8SfTlqLsc

Buy your copy today:

 email: beachamj82@yahoo.com 

 or send a check or money order for $20 plus $5 S&H to:

Jay Beacham
 85 East Center
Ivins, Utah 84738

Or  via  pay pal

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Les Thompson e-book Voice instructions.

Les Thompson wrote an e-book about developing the voice. Here are some excerpts I thinks will be helpful.

“I didn’t arrive on earth with a perfect voice … no one does! Our natural pitch is set at birth and other physical aspects are present for proper breathing and voice production. But there are influences from our parents and our social group that will affect the way we develop our speech and our voice.

(And remember, singing is just sustained speech. Do you have an urge to sing?)

... what’s stopping you?
Many may be telling you that you can’t do it, but the same people
would say that a 4-hour work week is unachievable as well.
….would beg to differ! However, you have to learn how to keep to the blueprint and follow the rules that work.
Therefore, self-motivation is the fuel that will drive your self-development, which in turn will propel you forward towards your goal…It all starts with you!

Motivation comes from within ourselves.
Others can prod and stimulate our journey along the path to achievements, but we have to be able to dare to dream!
I became a broadcaster and journalist by pushing aside my technical college qualifications and my then adequate salary in telecommunications at the age of 21—against a myriad of ‘naysayers’ strongly advising me not to follow my dream— to begin a radio career.
It’s a very important decision for anyone; to embark on an unknown, uncertain path that could substantially affect your future, especially if you have gained qualifications for something else and found that your chosen career is not fulfilling. For that reason, you need to become introspective—question yourself and become certain of what you really want from life.
Over and over again, I have found that people who enjoy what they do are the most successful in the long term. Hence, the most useful motivational advice for people of any age is dare to dream!
Self-motivation doesn’t end there; you must visualise where you are headed, imagining yourself in your chosen role and in reaching that goal. And be prepared to do that mental exercise every day until you have reached where you want to be. Then reset your goal for another few years.
Each time it’s essential that you plan the ‘how to’ steps in order to get to each goal that you set.
…..The first step is to practice using our diaphragm. ……the odd-looking skeletal muscle that’s located just beneath the ribcage and which will force our abdomen outwards when we breathe in deeply. This movement by the parachute-shaped diaphragm forces the air that we breathe into our lungs to power our voice as we breathe it out and speak.
It’s important to develop this method of breathing to produce enough air to produce our speaking voice.
Singers are taught how to use it to control their voices.
The basic exercise to train ourselves to use the diaphragm is as follows:
Standing straight, but relaxed, we first breathe in (inhale) deeply through our nose, placing a hand on our abdomen to feel what is happening to the diaphragm.
Breathe in deeply through your nose and you will feel the diaphragm pushing out your stomach.

Note: If this doesn’t happen, you’re not inhaling deeply; try again.
After you feel your stomach has extended, breathe out (exhale) slowly through your mouth
and you will feel your stomach return to normal. These effects are caused by the action of the
diaphragm below the ribs above the abdominal cavity. What it does is push enough air into
your lungs so that you can produce a rich voice as you speak, powered by that air in your
lungs. It must not be forced; if you do the exercise regularly you will begin to produce your
breathing and your voice in a totally relaxed, natural manner. This method of breathing
provides a resonant voice that is natural and pleasant to the ear. It does not really change the
pitch of a voice, but because it is full, it sounds somewhat deeper than a voice produced
from the throat area.

EXERCISE 1: BREATH CONTROL.
(The purpose of the exercise – which can be repeated through the day whenever you’re alone – is to learn how to breathe using our diaphragm so that we will speak our words and project them with sufficient breath to finish a sentence and to be heard clearly by people listening to us.)
Imagine how a person, who has just been running very fast and needs to speak immediately,
sounds. He is out of breath and as much as he wants to speak clearly his words are unable to
be understood because he is still gasping for breath.
So, like singers, we must learn to breathe using our diaphragm, the muscle that is located at
the bottom of the human rib cage. If we only use short breaths whilst speaking we end up
sounding as though we are speaking from our throats with no resonance to our voice.
The Exercise:
BREATHE IN DEEPLY THROUGH THE NOSE.
AND THEN COUNT OUT LOUD, AS YOU BREATHE OUT THROUGH THE MOUTH.
So here we go…
TAKE A VERY DEEP BREATH through your nose alone and feel your stomach swell.
Now, COUNT OUT LOUD THESE NUMBERS
SLOWLY AND DELIBERATELY, WHILE BREATHING OUT through your mouth:
1, 2, 3,4, 5,6,7,8,9,10
PAUSE VERY BRIEFLY & TAKE ANOTHER QUICK , top-up BREATH and continue
counting WHILE BREATHING OUT:
11,12,13,14,15
TOP UP WITH ANOTHER QUICK BREATH and continue counting WHILE
BREATHING OUT:
16,17,18,19,20
REPEAT this exercise ten times.

Find out what else Les has to teach by going to:
http://lesthompson.tv/

Media-Skills-Ebook2

Catch you next time.

Jay

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Kinda Down Tonight

I’m kinda down tonight.  So I’ve been listening to some great singers on SingSnap, an online Karaoke site. And it’s Friday, the day the new song opps come in, so I’ve found some good ones and recorded my versions.

I have 782 public recordings. But some of these folks have thousands of recordings and very good ones too.

Here’s the latest of my recordings http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/profile/recordings/b8fd804

But you can go back to November of 2010 and hear them all if you’d like.

My house is in foreclosure and just not enough money coming in so tonight I’ve escaped to this cozy spot.  Singing lifts my spirits.

While you are at SingSnap, give a listen to these two girls and two guys.   Many more are great but due to space here, you’ll just have to go searching.

Or better yet you can sign up and start recording.  You can record 100 songs for free then if you’re hooked you can become a paid member. Someone paid for my membership. That was sweet of them.

Beth is first with “How much is that Doggie in the window?”. She’s from Georgia:

http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/r/b069119b4

Next Brenda of Texas:  http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/r/b3a26a750     “Love, Love, Love”

Here’s Gregory Brown, a school teacher from North Carolina:  http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/r/c5968b7cc  “Bluer than Blue”

Last is Les Thompson of Australia and Europe where he operates Classical Tours:  http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/r/c07ea0d60                             “Along Came Jones” that was a fun one.

To Hear other recordings by these folks, click on the member name, you’ll be taken to their profile page, then click on the recordings button and you get to the latest recordings. You can see 10, 20, 50 recordings listed at a time and you can see recent  or songs by the years.

Go exploring and have some fun. Sign up and have more fun.

Catch  you next time.

ps.

You’ve gotta listen to Esthelle Kok from the Netherlands:  “What’s Forever For”      http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/r/bf9a31eec

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