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Who is
Elissa
Weiss and where is she
performing?
What happens
in a lesson or workshop?
Here are some
exercises
you can try at home.
How to practice
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comments
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GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICING
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Practice every day, even if you
only have time to warm up. Exceptions: DO NOT PRACTICE if you
have a temperature over 100, or if it hurts.
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Prepare mentally first. Put the
cares of the day aside.
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Stretch your body.
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Take some slow breaths, observing
the path of the breath as you inhale and exhale.
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Find good posture.
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Warm up your voice.
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How to work on a new song:
Read the words out loud as a poem.
Read the words out loud as conversation.
Read the words out loud on the rhythms of the song, keeping the
meaning.
Sing the notes on a neutral syllable like “la”, “na”, “do”, or
whatever is comfortable.
Look at the musical terms on the sheet music, and make sure you
know what they mean. If it’s not a classical song, decide
whether you agree with the markings.
Think about what the song means. Do you understand every word,
every sentence? You can’t sing a song with meaning if you don’t
know what it means.
Memorize the song. Write the words on a card that you can refer
to.
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If you get tired, stop for a
rest. Never push beyond physical comfort.
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If you are very tense, try other
positions. Sing while lying down, or leaning against a wall, or
sitting (with proper posture). Stretch your arms. Walk around.
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