“My philosophy for music performance is to bring the best version of yourself. The best that you have that given day. Every day is going to be different. We’re humans. We’re not robots. So allow yourself to bring the experiences that you have or the feelings that you have on that given day. And don’t be apologetic.”
How do I get a bigger sound when I sing? I know I have a bigger voice.
Yes, you do have access to a bigger voice!
This access requires an understanding of the physiology of the voice, with exploration to find the delicate balance between the consistency of the breath, efficient vocal cord sound production and the effective use of resonant spaces. This is the journey of vocal study.
First you understand the concepts, then you put them into your body (often easier said than done) and then when all is sorted, you repeat and repeat to create muscle memory of your new vocal habits.
Here’s one practical tip: open your mouth more when you sing, vertically! With big notes think cathedrals in your mouth space, and power up with a consistent breath. Add additional vertical space in the back of the mouth, like the beginning of a yawn in the midrange and up.
Patience and showing up daily is essential to create change in your singing. Celebrate the small wins along the way. When you feel and hear even the smallest vocal improvements in your practice, your trust in the process will grow. Enjoy the journey as well as your results along the way.
I get so nervous when I sing. I don’t feel good enough to even call myself a singer.
I feel your pain. I’ve been there. Imposter syndrome, stage fright, and nervousness are real things for a singer, artist, and performing musician. Here are a couple ways to address these challenges.
Remember that we are our worst critics and can easily fall into focusing on all our imperfections and inabilities. We forget to acknowledge the amazing things that we CAN do! Deep in our hearts, we must remember and believe that we are worthy of sharing the talent we have, whether perfect or not, and that we have what it takes to get the job done. Some performances will be stellar and others might not. Yes, we want to be amazing and want to be better, but we are enough.
You’re telling a story when singing a song. Even if it’s not your song, or your story, it needs to sound and feel like it when you’re singing it. We want to believe it’s your story. What is the urgent message? To whom are you singing this song? Your performance mission is to make people feel something, care, and be pulled into your story. Be vulnerable and sometimes willing to sacrifice a pretty voice for a vocal sound that serves the emotions of the moment. Serve the song, the story and the urgency of the message.
I have so much tension in my body when I sing. How can I alleviate the tension so that singing doesn’t feel so difficult?
First, preceed your singing with cardio to get blood flow throughout your body, then stretch - especially your back, shoulders, and neck.
Yoga is excellent for strengthening and stretching! Include chest openers to counter the forward shoulder posture many of us have from our sitting, and computer use. This will in turn help access your lower breaths.
Lastly, do vocal warm ups while in motion! Walk around the room. Shake out your arms one or both at a time. Shake a leg - one at a time! Choose your own movements while shaking or jumping or moving and keeping your vocal technique intact. The movement is a distraction technique to change your focus and allowing you to sing more freely!
With stories to share from the stage, tour and the classroom, Balic recognizes the uniqueness of each student and her curriculum design reflects multi-faceted strategies, serving the many types of musician artists. In 2017, College Magazine named Balic as one of the “10 Female Music Teachers That Inspire Us.”
A teacher since the age of 16, Balic has found immense reward in sharing her passion and contagious drive with her students. She guides each talent to find their Moxy, and as a result, create and attain opportunities beyond their own limiting beliefs. Balic’s students have performed with Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Julia Michaels, Post Malone and one of her outstanding students received over 1 million views in one week with their original music performance video on YouTube.
“The humanity of your life and what you experience can change the way you perform a song, and it can bring some very unplanned and amazing musical moments. So be open to it.”
