Vox Matrix Vocal Studio and Artist Consulting Company

05/27/2021

If you love helping others, you prefer their success to yours. You step back, allowing them to shine. ♥️

05/27/2021

When you mentor others, your goals align with theirs. You step back. Their success is yours. ♥️

04/27/2021

I have long been puzzled by an observation: I noticed that singers get the critique “You’re a little flat” much more often than “You’re a little sharp.”

And I’ve wondered,

“Why the heck is that?”

After all, if you’re going to make a mistake, it seems just as likely you’d make it one direction as another - right?

But even when people are singing at the lower end of their range... it’s more common for them to go flat than sharp.

I finally realized why:

You see, every room has a certain amount of compression... i.e. pressure from the air. And it’s not always the same as the amount of compression which exists in your head.

To “hear” this for yourself, put some headphones on. Then start playing a song through loudspeakers in the room you are in, and at the same time listen to the same song in your headphones.

When you slowly pull the headphones away, you’ll notice the music sounding flatter than before. This is because of the level of compression in your head.

The exact same thing happens when you sing. The more you sing into a sound, the more you tend to build compression in your head. And since you hear your own voice through vibrations in your head, this means that the singing you hear will sound sharper to you… than it does to your listeners.

Just like that song sounded sharper when you listened through your headphones... than it did when played through the loudspeakers “outside” you.

Ever since smartphones became a thing, there’s actually a much more efficient way to overcome your natural bent toward singing flat.

Record yourself singing on your smartphone, play the recording back to yourself, and adjust your pitch accordingly.

By doing this, you are essentially adjusting your pitch from your listeners perspective, rather than your own. Thus helping you correct pitch discrepancies more quickly.

Yes.

It will be hard to listen to yourself at first.

Always is.

And at times you may want to plug your ears and scream, and throw your phone to the ground, and smash it to bits, as you wonder, “how did that awful sound come from me?”

But do it anyways.

Few things will help your pitch more.

And your future audiences will thank you. 🙂

04/14/2021

I’ve been watching Morgan’s career since he burst onto the scene and have been impressed with his ability to capture his audience and deliver to them consistently. I knew early on he would skyrocket to the top. Why? Besides songwriting talent, a cool bad boy vibe, and a voice that hooks you instantly, he is teachable! The most important trait in the quest for success. He’s made some big mistakes this year, he’s faced the consequences, and he’s learning to “man up”. He’s learning patience leads to growth. He will be back - and dominate. Mark my word.

04/05/2021

For anyone whose insecurity or stage fright is hindering their singing career… PLEASE read this ☝️

Being afraid to get on stage, struggling to catch your breath, overthinking your every move, not knowing what to say… those things can ruin a performance.

Stage fright is normal, but it doesn’t have to be a problem or hindrance. The nervous energy can instead be used to ramp up your performance with powerful stage chemistry and charisma. If this is an issue you struggle with and need guidance on, please dm me about a session I’ll be teaching soon on the subject!

03/05/2021

A year ago this week, Nashville was reeling after several tornadoes tore our city apart. Local songwriter, Melinda Edlin, posted this song she had written after her family survived because her husband laid on top of them while their house blew apart. I called her & asked for the rights to the song for a new group I was putting together from Idaho called 3 Odd Summer. The pandemic had just begun. The resulting video was completed with us quarantined in 3 different states. It was a project of love and gratitude from our hearts to this city, our country, and our neighbors, reminding us that we will “Never Forget This Fight”! United we stand, divided we fall! May we never forget that we are our brother’s keeper. ❤️❤️❤️

2020 has been a tough year for everyone...But if we all stick together, we can get through this fight.Choose love.This beautiful song was written by Melinda ...

03/03/2021

Most of the up and coming artists I work with don’t actually understand how they will be paid through streaming royalties. Nor do they grasp how the deck is stacked in the superstars’ favor on most streaming platforms. In order to get the most exposure possible, your songs should be available for purchase from all the major streaming platforms. It’s not rocket science that emerging artists need to consistently find new fans anywhere and everywhere. I encourage all developing artists to add SoundCloud to their streaming portfolio. It’s the first streaming platform to truly level the playing field for Indie artists! 🙌🏻🙌🏻

Introducing fan-powered royalties, where independent artists get paid more when dedicated fans stream their music.

05/26/2020

Soooooo many things I can say about this fabulous performance. One of the most desirable qualities in a voice is establishing "ring" in your tone. This essential quality makes your voice memorable, defines its parameters, and propels it dynamically through space. This is a lovely example.............

NEW - Loren Allred - Never Enough (The Greatest Showman) - An Intimate Evening with David Foster - Great Performances - PBS - November 30, 2019 See Loren All...

05/08/2020

05/06/2020

Today we are using social distancing to avoid transmission of a virus. I'm always looking on the brighter side to find a positive way to spin something into good! So.........

As long as we are 6 feet apart, this is the perfect time to learn to have your voice resonate from a distance. What??? Speaking or singing effectively is not just people 'hearing' what you say. It is also a physical connection. Invisible sound waves should come out of your mouth and vibrate to the person or people you are speaking/singing to. Those waves are felt by the body, enter the ears, and get processed by the brain. We speak more than we sing, and people don’t normally speak loud enough or have enough control of the air, to make their sound travel far enough to reach people at a distance. Most people communicate as if the person is mere inches away from them, like the cellphone we hold.

NOW is the perfect time to learn how to send your voice out farther! 6 feet to be exact. In doing so, you’ll learn how to create an amazingly strong, resonant, beautiful voice that moves people emotionally! How? Because they FEEL more sound. Why do we turn our speakers up in our car or at a party?!?!? Yep.

Here’s how to do it:

Use diaphragmatic breathing, and only speak while your stomach area is coming back in. That will send more air out of your mouth, carrying the sound father away from you.
Tell yourself to speak louder. You have 6 feet to fill, so boldly speak or sing out!

Get used to using your voice to connect more with people. They want to hear from you! Practice what I’ve suggested above, and turn social distancing into social connecting.

05/06/2020

The beauty yet congruity of diverse musical styles is one of the reasons music is an ever evolving art form. A fresh take on an old classic breathes new life into a tune for a new generation to discover. Elvis recorded many of his tunes here in Nashville at RCA Studio , including “It’s Now or Never”! How many knew that the tune borrows heavily from the Italian aria “O Sole Mio”? Like magic, opera transforms into a rock and roll ballad ❤️

When Elvis Presley first recorded at the RCA studio in Nashville that would later be known as RCA Studio B, in June 1958, he was already in the army. In October he would leave for Germany and he would not return until his discharge in March of 1960. The goal of the June ’58 session was to stockpil...

05/01/2020

“You’re Probably Singing The Wrong Lyrics” - As a vocal coach, one of my jobs is to teach artists clarity in singing. It’s surprising to most listeners to learn that pristine vocal clarity is a multi layered approach not easily “fixed”. It’s often funny to recall songs that you misheard lyrics on and compare them to the actual text. However, as a professional singer or band, the ability of the listener to understand every word is of paramount importance! The Young Rascals’ #1 hit “Young Lovin” is rated #333 on The Rolling Stones’ 500 greatest hits of all times despite having phrases that most folks misunderstood. Yes, I agree that it’s a classic deserving of its rank, despite all. I’ll admit also that I’m guilty of singing this classic tune (incorrectly) at the top of my lungs. And guess what? I had a blast doing it 😃😉😂

source: atlantic
“Good Lovin’” features some of the most misheard lyrics in music history, with many people reporting that they hear lyrics about loving a turtle. Fortunately the lyrics have nothing to do without falling in love with an animal.

The Young Rascals · The Young Rascals · Song · 1966