I am very proud to say that August, 2015, will see the release of three more tracks by Helen Coleman… A favourite Jazz Standard made famous by the legendary Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan, and performed in the style of a swinging Blues shuffle. This has been so much fun to record! Just wait for the […]
WAV files versus mp3
To mp3 or not to mp3? … a valid question. Recently, I read a very good article on this subject. It was an interview with Neil Young, a veteran musician, and I am going to insert the link for it here as my blog on this day. I wholeheartedly agree. As Musicians, most of us spend […]
Six Rules for Success
The Six Rules for Success. The link is a very good video which outlines six rules for success. The first day I watched it, I was inspired by it, not only because I am an Equestrienne, but because it applies to every discipline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEBjnRREowg “Never be afraid to fail” Sometimes, we fail, and through persistence, […]
“One Day” is “This Day”.
In the past months, I have written various blogs about singing, and vocal problems, but on this day, I am writing about a different topic. That topic is “today”. Yesterday, overwhelmed by sadness, I deleted the telephone number of three people from my phone. One lost to cancer, one to an accident, and one to age. Deleting their […]
My Recordings
My Recordings, scheduled for release July 2015. I am very pleased to announce that this coming month will see the release of three songs recorded at Ghostgum Studios, Audio Engineer, David Quinn. Contemporary Classical duet Soprano – Helen Coleman Baritone – Steve Beck Piano/Arrangement – Daniel Philippe Queensland Virtuosi String Quartet. Two Jazz Standards in Slow Blues style […]
My Journey with Thyroid Cancer
“Read from some humbler poet, Whose songs gushed from his heart, As showers from the clouds of summer, Or tears from the eyelids start; Who, through long days of labour, And nights devoid of ease, Still heard in his soul the music Of wonderful melodies. And lend to the rhyme of the poet The beauty […]
The Vocalise.
What is a Vocalise? The vocalise has been used for warming up, and for training the voice, since the mid eighteenth century. Jean-Antoine Berard’s 1755 compilation L’art du Chant includes a selection of songs without words, pieces chosen for their value as exercises to assist with the establishment of sound vocal technique. The vocalise is always sung […]
Vocal Fatigue and Hoarseness part 2. Hyperfunctional Phonation.
HYPERFUNCTIONAL PHONATION Hyperfunctional phonation is a term used to describe the process whereby too much is demanded from the laryngeal mechanism. The resulting sound will be tight and strained, or strident. If used persistently, it will almost certainly result in vocal problems which may require medical intervention. Causes of hyperfunctional phonation The primary cause […]
Vocal Fatigue – Symptoms and Treatment.
Singers are athletes, and must approach their craft with the same mindset. Vocal fatigue is among the most debilitating conditions that can affect singers, however, little is currently known about the actual metabolic mechanisms of vocal fatigue, and because of the very nature of this condition, it can be difficult to accurately diagnose the cause. […]
Choosing, and singing with, Pianists, Accompanists, or a Repetiteur.
Practising Technique, Rehearsing. Warm up Exercises, Scales, and Vocalises. One of the most effective tools for a singer is a quality (preferably acoustic) piano or keyboard for home rehearsal. It is invaluable for “checking” notes in a piece that is being studied. If it is an acoustic piano, the instrument must be kept tuned to concert pitch at all times. […]
