By singing on stage in front of other people, you will gain the confidence you need and also keep you inspired to keep pushing yourself and learning new material.

Open mic nights generally will include a number of people that are also learning to sing or improve their singing and you will find heaps of support.

So what are you waiting for? Find yourself a local Open Mic or Jam Session, pick a song or 2 and have a go.

A: Depending on what’s causing it, singing with a sore throat can be catastrophic. I tell my clients, “if it hurts to swallow, don’t sing!” Conversely, if it’s a mildly soar throat, consult your doctor (it’s a good idea to find a good ear, nose, throat specialist in your area and build a relationship with him) and then use your best judgment. Dry air, singing abusively, and viral/bacterial infection are some of the more common causes of a sore throat. Some people just wake up with a sore throat every day of their life. I’ve found that the majority of those people have acid-reflux, which means they are burping up stomach acids while they are sleeping or sometimes even while they are awake. For most, however, this happens in the night, so they may be completely unaware of the problem. They then wake up with a scratchy, raspy voice and a sore throat. There are numerous web sites directed to the problem of reflux. Let me recommend a couple:

Because a dry throat is often a sore throat, consume two to three quarts of water every day. I actually drink up to a gallon or more a day. If you live in an arid climate, sleep with a humidifier next to your bed and try to warm up your voice in the shower. The moisture is an incredible help for your voice. Also, learn to breathe in through your nose as much as possible. This will help moisten the air before it reaches your cords.
The next concern is vocal abuse. Some of the causes are singing too high and too loud for too long, screaming, yelling at a football game or concert, talking at the top of your voice in a noisy crowd, breathing cigarette smoke (first- for second-hand), doing voice impersonations that are extreme or that cause strain and talking or singing with a raspy, manufactured sound.Whenever my throat is sore from vocal abuse I try to get some vocal rest, drink plenty of liquids, and then rehabilitate my voice with gentle exercises like humming, lip bubbles, and tongue trills.     Keith Urban – Singing Lessons with Brett Manning

If you get laryngitis and your tone starts to ‘skip’ or ‘cut out’ in the middle of a sustained note, you really want to get serious vocal rest. Most of all, ALWAYS consult your physician if things don’t clear up rapidly. By this, I mean, if you get a sore throat in the morning and it clears up by noon and doesn’t come back (this occasionally happens to me) then there’s usually nothing to worry about. Otherwise, call the doctor, because if this condition is medical and you don’t get help, no amount of vocal rest will help. I personally prefer herbal immune system remedies, but do what works best for you.

Q: Aren’t voice lessons like pulling teeth? Every lesson I’ve had was a miserable experience where I was criticized for every little “wrong” thing I did.

A: You are so right. Unfortunately, most voice teachers are still training their students to look and sound like classical singers, using techniques that have nothing to do with developing a contemporary sound. That’s why students who don’t enjoy older styles of music often find voice lessons frustrating and fruitless. Brett Manning will never stifle your unique sound and style. In fact, the Singing Success Program provides tools and techniques that will allow you to sing with more style. Besides, who wants to listen to someone who sounds like every other “proper” singer?

Q: My voice cracks as I sing higher. Is there any way to get rid of that little break in my voice?

A: What you are experiencing is a “disconnect” between your chest voice and your head, or falsetto, voice. The way to connect these two voices is to develop an ability to blend these two in what is known as the “mixed” voice. This is taught in detail in the Singing Success Program, but there is an exercise that you can try right now.

First, sing up to where your ‘break’ occurs. Now drop down a couple of notes and sing in a whimpering voice with the word “nay” and gently climb up in you range. If you keep a slight crying sound you’ll notice the tone climbing behind your soft palate and settling more into your head voice. All this should happen without breaking. Obviously, it is very difficult to teach this without your ears being employed in the process, but you may still want to give it a try.

Q: Can I improve my tone quality?

A: Tone quality improves when the correct musculature is engaged in the singing process. Feel underneath your chin with your forefinger and slide it inwards to the point where your neck meets the muscles under your chin. Now swallow. Notice how your larynx (Adam’s apple) raises up and the muscles under your chin tighten up as you swallow? These muscles that are engaged in the swallowing process are opposed to those engaged in the singing process. The use of these muscles while singing creates a myriad of problems that can take years to correct if left unchecked. For good tone quality, you must learn to sing without the outer muscles of the larynx. Doing so will set free your natural voice, drastically improving tone quality and ease of use. Naturally, the Singing Success Program contains techniques that will help you do this.

Q: Is it really possible to teach style?

A: Until now, there really has not been a comprehensive system of teaching vocal style. There have been scales played to reflect certain genres, such as the Blues Scale, but that’s really not enough. Brett Manning worked with hundreds of brilliant vocal stylists to co-develop training techniques based on their various skills. Using these techniques you can develop style skills so prolific that you’ll be able to reinterpret any song you wish into a unique masterpiece. Think of it this way: As a singer, you are the artist and the final “painting” is up to you. Brett Manning’s style training just gives you more colors to work with.

Vocal Tips with Coach Chris Keller

Click Here For more details on Brett Manning’s Singing Success Course

Vocal Tips with Coach Chris Keller

Click Here For more details on Brett Manning’s Singing Success Course

Brett Manning and Taylor Pay.

Click Here For more details on Brett Manning’s Singing Success Course

Brett Manning helps Hayley Williams of Paramore warm up in the studio.

Click Here For more details on Brett Manning’s Singing Success Course

The exercises proved very effective for Brett’s own voice and every singer he taught them to. These techniques truly made singing as easy as speaking.

Building on those simple foundational exercises, he began to experiment and innovate, filling in the “gaps,” testing new techniques for effectiveness as he went. He eventually formulated lessons for teaching vocal tone and style, and incorporated the older exercises into his own innovative method.

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Brett has become a master teacher and one of the world’s most sought after vocal coaches, largely because of his uncanny ability to “see with his ears,” and instantly invent exercises that get astounding results.

He teaches voice in his Nashville studio to singers of all genres, both the undiscovered… and “the best of the best.” He is also a Judge/Mentor for the new CMT music television reality show, “Can You Duet.”

His client list contains winners of the world’s most prestigious vocal awards, including the Doves, the CMA Awards, and yes, the Grammies. Despite having an incredible five octave range himself, Brett continues to claim “my students eventually out-sing me!”

Brett has a unique perspective on the novice singer, “beginning students have the unique opportunity to build their voice free of any bad habits.” In fact, it was his love for amateur singers that, after a decade of teaching private lessons, inspired Brett to begin offering vocal seminars and workshops around the nation.

Brett is known for his fun, encouraging demonstrations, showing how even “brand new” singers can experience immediate improvement in the range, ease, and quality of their voice.

Audience participants are awestruck when, often in less than an hour, Brett adds a full octave to their usable range. It’s something you simply must see to believe! (When you get a chance, check out the clips in the Free Stuff section.)

Brett now spends most of his time doing private coaching for professional singers and those aspiring artists fortunate enough to be within easy reach of his Nashville studio.

Unwilling to give up on his passion for teaching singers of every type, regardless of their skill level, geographical location, or professional aspirations, Brett needed a new way to make his incredible teaching methods available to everyone.

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