The Intelligent Vocalist

The creative mind can be a challenge to manage. We are constantly bombarded with new thoughts and ideas which can lead to overwhelm and project paralysis. In this episode, John shares how the power of habit can fuel you to greater success in your singing and musical endeavors. SHOW LINKS BestSelf Journal SHOW TRANSCRIPT (coming soon)

Teaching yourself to sing can be a confusing and frustrating experience. For various reasons, singers will try and go it alone, and while not often the best option there are ways to make the process more efficient and effective. In this episode, John gives his Teaching Triangle, the method he uses to stay on track when working with a student or practicing his own singing. SHOW LINKS For those of you who want to delve more deeply into the Teaching Triangle, you can get John's FREE three-part video series by clicking HERE.

Theoretical Physicist, David Deutsch breaks all goals into two steps. 1. It must be achievable according to the physical laws of the universe. 2. If it is possible, then it is merely a matter of acquiring the knowledge necessary to achieve it. It is not a time or resources problem - it is a knowledge problem. You can achieve almost anything if you have the right knowledge. In this episode, John breaks down how to define goals and then acquire the needed knowledge efficiently. Nothing is stopping you from your goals except for lack of knowledge. It's time to get your learning on!!!

We all hear about vocal health, vocal rest, proper technique. But what about your overall health? Is this something you have been ignoring? Is it something you are beginning to worry about? In this episode, John looks at his own health journey and what it has meant to him as a teacher and content creator. Better health does indeed equal better singing.

Humble thyself! Yep, it turns out ego and confidence not only makes you unpleasant on social media, but it can also slow your progress and learning. In this episode, John looks at how adopting intellectual humility and a growth mindset can be critical in rapid growth as a singer, voice teacher, musician, and yes, human being. Links mentioned in this episode: The Benefits of Admitting When You Don't Know: http://behavioralscientist.org/the-benefits-of-admitting-when-you-dont-know/

Mix is an often misunderstood term (as are most in singing). Singers often refer to mix as "something less than belt," but in this episode, John discusses how to take your mix into the world of intense belting without the usual vocal fatigue and danger. The acoustics of mix are incredibly fascinating and open up an understanding of a wide range of contemporary vocal possibilities. Episode Links: Ken Bozeman "Practical Vocal Acoustics." Dr. Ian Howell "Parsing the Spectral Envelope."

Drop your jaw! If you take voice lessons you have no doubt heard this command. You have even likely felt the beneficial effects of doing the jaw drop. Why does dropping the jaw help? And why do we often resist doing it? In this episode, John looks at the acoustic science behind dropping your jaw and why it is critical to vocal balance in the upper register. He also digs into why singers resist this and how it can be done wrong. A jaw-droppingly good episode - ok, sorry for that.

We all know the feeling. Our voice sounds great in the practice room, only to fall apart when we go to sing in front of others. How can we get the same confidence we feel when singing alone? How can we sing like no one's listening? This question comes from a listener of the podcast, and John gives his unique perspective on having a fearless mindset. The greatest gift of singing is in the sharing. Don't let fear and nerves keep you from bringing joy to others. Listen to this episode and get on that stage!

When you think of singers, Elon Musk usually does not come to mind. That's because Elon doesn't sing, at least not publicly. But the trailblazing founder of Tesla and Space X does do something amazingly well that we singers can learn from. Elon is able to break complex systems down to the most basic level, and then rebuild the system. We can apply this same thinking to our singing, working on vocal problems at their most basic level. If done correctly, this can lead to rapid development and breakthroughs. In this episode, John looks at Elon's system of "first principles" and how singers can use it to supercharge their learning and vocal growth.

Fergie recently got roasted for her performance of the National Anthem, setting off a social media frenzy of gleeful attacks. The fear is singers watching this will be afraid to take artistic risks as they could suffer the same fate. In this podcast, John gives an important pep talk on artistic courage and dealing with the inevitable haters and criticism. A must listen for all singers and artists.