Author: akintsucrooner

Time to get clean. For realz.

1. My singing vowels need to be clearer.

2. I need to open my mouth more.

3. I can be sloppy when singing in other languages.

4. I spread too much on some high notes.

5. I’m a known vowel, consonants, and phrasing cheater.

But here’s the deal. I sing a lot and fancy myself a technically sound vocalist. I have come along way and have gathered a lot of solid singing tools.  I often put work in on language and style. So, this vet singer don’t need no stinking fundamental vocal advice anymore. Right? That would be a big WRONG. ‘Tis an “biggly” inaccurate statement which is regularly proven to me on a weekly basis.

Today, it dawned on me more than ever. Sometimes instead of booting up or shutting down my vocal PC, I am often lazy and just pull out the darn plug.  Alas my feeble attempt at control is thwarted when I face my vocal coach. He sees through my polished excess. I have been know to make the stank face or flash him non G rated gestures. I feel like I am being projected on an X-ray machine.

But, I shan’t hide behind my measley vocal tricks.  Over the past year, my coach and I have chipped away at some of my bandaid technique. I have carefully covered camouflaged challenges to avoid actually singing true Bel Canto.

Why do I want to take a short cut? Cuz Bel Canto technique is freaking hard. It has been know to hurt my brain. Of course, I am often highly perturbed when I listen back to my coaching and I hear exactly what my coach wants me to correct.  Our work is a little close for comfort which tells me that I am going the right direction

In the words of Snoopy, BLASTED FOG! I curse you Red Baron! In this case, I curse YOU, ye negative voices in my head that tell me I need to fake my vowels, tighten my jaw, and spread in my top passagio. You are lying, cheating thieves.  I liked living in la la land and blissfully ignoring bad habits, thank you very little. But I shall admit my wrongdoing. It is the first step to recovery.

I plan to edit my travels into a 12 step format to help me on those white knuckle, aphonic days.

For now, I am ready to get clean and make some essential adjustments. Always a work in progress while I’m above ground…..

#akintsucrooner

By E. Perryman

6.10.18

It is past time as a human culture to redefine the definition of happiness and success. These life goals have never been found as a result of fame, beauty, and fortune. We all host an inner emptiness regardless of station. Some people have an easier time than others filling their void. The trap of experiencing happy times is coping with the inevitable loss. The greater the joy, the wider the gap when life changes. And it always does.

1. Happiness is finding a laugh past our pain.

2. Success is having a purpose that gets us out of bed.

3. Happiness is unexpected joys.

4. Success is being able to find common ground with those of whom we disagree.

5. Happiness is seeing something new in another person.

6. Success is finding your spark.

7. Happiness is unmetered time.

8. Success is connections.

9. Happiness is finding desire.

10. Success is relief.

11. Happiness is living with our flaws.

12. Success is the energy to admit our wrongdoings.

13. Happiness is being ok when all is not right.

14. Success is feeling broken but still able to find empathy.

And from a personal point of view, success for my father (who didn’t always know his worth as a schoolteacher) was this cross left for him on his grave by a student from 47 years ago.

#akintsucrooner

MODERN SCARLET LETTER CRISIS

E. Perryman

6.8.18

For those folks reacting with disbelief over recent suicides, I have some thoughts to share. Unfortunately, as chemically balanced people cry out about how suicides need to stop happening and how they can be avoided, children and adults suffering are pushed further away, diminished, and marginalized. As we speak, the mentally frail cringe. These voices can’t call out and now will shrink back inside as a result of shame and fear for being weak and selfish. This historically redundant scarlet letter isn’t worn by the living. This demarcation is eternally embedded past the grave on the selfish people who took their life.

1. What kills a suicidal person isn’t an act of self; it isn’t them. How can you be selfish when you have no true sense of self? Unfortunately being blamed for “taking your life” adds insult to injury and perhaps insures that someone else will succumb.

2. The words “suicide” and “taking your life” are themselves judgmental. How do you take a life when you are unable to control your mental state?

3. Mental illness is treatable not curable.

4. People with a chemical imbalance aren’t always able to be “helped” by medicine or hotlines. Perhaps some people would rather live with temporary happiness over a lifetime of numbness and detachment. Terminally physically ill people face this devastating “choice” too.

5. How many “have everything” people around us do we make sure to check on? Who is struggling right next to us who we ignore because they have achieved material gains?

6. So by the logic of WHY did they do it, they had EVERYTHING to live for, I guess if you DON’T have everything, it’s more understandable to END your life and you are inherently less worthy. I reject this.

7. When has shame worked effectively with people? Doesn’t there need to be some healthy ego to take pride for living for others? Are you a martyr if you know you are martyring? How does that work if you feel like you don’t exist?

8. By all means, help people as much as you can but as in cancer, sometimes the disease takes over and hope is gone. We can only honor the lost and work with the living. If it is scary and unhinging for us as survivors, I can’t imagine how it must feel for those who cannot escape the pain.

#akintsucrooner

15 year old me: Dad, why do you have to sing in your opera voice all the time?

My 8 year old students today: That was kinda loud, Ms. Perryman.

——————

10 year old me: Don’t make me wear that outfit Mom, it’s too loud.

My 11 year old students: Well, that’s an interesting outfit, Ms. Perryman.

——————–

19 year old me: Mom, why do you pronounce that word so nasal and sing with your mouth like that?

My current 4/5th grade chorus now pronounces their Latin words very American, just like their teacher has been known to do (as seen on the comments below.) I also see them moving their neck around just like I do when I am checking for singing tension.

——————-

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree indeed. Even though I don’t have my own kids, I get to take a lot of kids under my musical wing every year. And now, not unlike the mannerisms I have inherited from my parents, I see some of my musical quirks coming out in my students.

This is why I got a special chuckle when the judges at our recent competition pointed out that the kids need to sound less American on their Latin (just like Ms. P) and they remarked of course about enunciating more of the diction (a familiar Ms. P pitfall.) A few years ago I fell off the piano bench (not sure why.) I yelled “keep going.” This last Friday a special soloist limped up to the mic with her broken foot because no broken bone was gonna stop her. A gal after my own heart.

So besides foreign language pronunciation issues, I present some of the challenges that I continue to tackle with my tough love opera coach who is thorough yet kind.

Today’s Coaching Takeaways:

1. Avoid the vague vowel temptation.

Translation: I sing fake vowels cuz I get scared and want to control my singing.

——————–

2. Give needed TLC for the necessary Rs and Ls.

Translation: Sometimes, just like Jan Brady, I forget to pay attention to my Ls and Rs.

——————-

3. Find more tacea oo and less vocal hammer.

Translation: I sing too loud and push certain songs. I need more oo in my singing.

——————-

4. Ain’t nobody got time for melisma pit stops.

Translation: I randomly stop for no good reason when I have to sing a lot of fast notes.

——————-

5. Remove singing boots on allegro ascending runs.

Translation: Like a bull in a china shop, I have been known to sing too heavy when I go up a fast scale.

——————–

6. Turn off antenna and put vowels into HD mode.

Translation: My Ah Ay Ee Oh Oo vowels aren’t always clear. I need to sharpen them up.

——————–

7. Avoid sounding like a chicken on notes less than a beat.

Translation: My voice likes to stroll. Bessie doesn’t move too fast. When a song calls for it, I need to make sure that I making a good sound no matter how quickly I have to sing.

#gratefulfortime

#akintsucrooner

THE NEXT DIMENSION

(Singer shepherding through the vocal passagio)

Singer passagio; finding the best passage between the heavy and light vocal registers…tis not an easy concept to impart to other singers. We are all so individual. And truth be told, a lot of singer language can sound nebulous and uber right brained. Sing with a dome through the shaft?

Say what? Don’t worry. This blog entry is G rated. The good news about yours truly is that I can be a singing sheep. My physical singing is less brain and more body.

In my dramatic soprano case, I have found my way through the upper break by narrowing vowels, not singing so open, finding my core ng sound, strengthening the head and chest, releasing my exhalation, singing on the interest of my sound, and less on principal sound.

The above paragraph works well for my vocal travels and makes my range balanced and upper and lower extension work efficiently.

But what say YOU, fellow singers, esp. ye exotic tenors? What has helped you sing successfully through your passagio so your high is free, exciting, and easy?

#akintsucrooner

Yep. This is a post about singing. We singing blokes have a strange language, indeed. And somehow throughout this strange world, we are able to find our best warble and sing on.

Since the 1980s, I have heard everything in my voice lessons from ping it into the mask to sing from your arse. And often these images actually do help with legitimate vocal pedagogy challenges e.g. finding balanced placement and sustaining efficient breath support.

Find your dome? Perhaps you need more space.

Sing in the snout position? Perhaps your sound needs to be more forward.

And my new favorite, compliments of my vocal coach Giovanni Longo? Avoid sausage singing.

Say what? As a recovering phrase breaker, I greatly needed to hear this from my vocal coach. If not kept on a short legato leash, I will quickly stray to the dark side of ABC (angular bel canto.) Yes, my singer pals, who haven’t dozed off yet, that was meant to be an oxymoron. As far as this Midwest US singer understands, a beautiful Bel Canto line is a fluid horizontal sweep. Not that I frequent this land as much as I should….

All of that to say, I caught myself using some of this wacky language with my public school 10 years olds today as we attempted to find more legato in their singing. They were highly amused when I asked them to stop sausage singing and actually seemed to kind of get what they needed to do.

So, I thank you for your patience, vocal coach Giovanni Longo. Just think, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

#akintsucrooner

#recoveringabc

Young Singer Inner Monologue

(Pre reader and travel fan days)

1. I’d better learn how to breathe.

2. Find your soft, for crying out loud.

3. Make sure you can hit the note.

4. Sing every note but make it smooth.

AARP Aged Singer Psyche

(Days of less surprises and more guffaws)

1. Find your core sound on an easeful inhalation and exhalation for best support.

2. Soft comes from a balanced sound that is integrated and released.

3. Notes are stretched and originate with a siren throughout the register.

4. Melodic lines and runs need direction, curve, and nuance for essential legato.

#findyourears #workinprogress #revolvingroadwork #learntillthedirtnap #absolutesareinabsolute #akintsucrooner

1. Any item that will create a breeze (I prefer phone fan attachments)

2. An extra pair of memory foam shoes for those humidity induced, feet impaired days.

3. A hair tie for non horizontal hair styling days.

4. Makeup removal wipes for easy removal of barometrically motivated, cascading blackened facial tears.

5. A non wrinkly, 💯 cotton, short sleeved top and bottom that can masquerade as a dress outfit should the need arise and thermometer demand.

6. Extra easily accessible beverages. Lemon propel ‘tis my libation of choice. Alcohol optional.

7. Extra undergarments. No explanation.

#akintsucrooner

My mom will vouch for this sentiment. I haven’t ever been too ladylike to her chagrin. ‘Twas not a phase. The phrase “like a bull in a China shop” suits me fairly well.

This “bull-itude” can include my movement as well as conversational skills.

So, when my Dad would get down on himself about never fully pursuing an operatic career and how he “settled” on being a school teacher, I would use my less than polished manner to say “What are you smoking, Dad? (He didn’t smoke.) I would say: “You have taught hundreds of students to love music over many years. Construction workers and plumbers can sing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas because of you. This is what it is about. Cut the crap.” He’d laugh and we’d carry on.

If he only knew that former student’s still reach out about him and a student from 1971 left a cross in his grave just last year.

My dad taught middle school music for over 30 years. He sang regionally and was a long time choir director and voice teacher.

As his often inappropriate and not always well behaved daughter (who gave him a run for his money,) I think of him daily. His life example was powerful. I was fortunate to have such a role model.

The pictures show him during his teaching career, at his final spring concert in 2000 (a year before his sudden death,) and a picture of my mom on a bench that she bought for the school in his honor.

The picture on bench is from last night’s spring concert at my father’s former school. On the bench with my mom is Veronica Hunt and Devin Johnston. Veronica is this year’s recipient of a vocal scholarship that my mom has offered since my father’s passing. Devin Johnston is Hauser Junior High’s new music teacher.

Last night, Devin kindly read a bio about my father before introducing my mom and announcing the winner of the Bruce Perryman Memorial Scholarship.

These are things that soften this often crazy tilt a whirl of life. ‘Will store for a rainy day.

#grateful

#akintsucrooner

I was material for great laughter tonight with my voice student. She saw my expression change similar to Tobey above while we were doing our breathing exercises.

It randomly crossed my mind that there should be a whole line of products marketed for women in their 40s and 50s who always get hot. I think there’s money to be made with the temperature challenged folk. There could be a plethora of fans to suit all outfits and devices, spritzers with various stream settings, cotton shirts with advantageous cooling cut outs, mood rings that tell you when you are about to flash, shirts with a pulley system that sprays water on you when your temp exceeds a certain degree……………perhaps called “FLASHY WOMEN💨 “

#akintsucrooner