by Jennifer Hamady | Apr 5, 2021 | Articles
Sight reading is not as common of a skill as it used to be. While classical and theater singers still rely heavily on sheet music, commercial vocalists often learn songs by example and imitation. Jazz, pop and R&B instrumentalists work with chord and number charts...
by Jennifer Hamady | Feb 2, 2021 | Articles
A month ago, I got a call from a client I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. A lot had changed in her life since then, including that she’d recently sustained a vocal injury. Even though Marjorie had just been given the all-clear for us to work together, it wasn’t...
by Jennifer Hamady | Dec 13, 2020 | Articles
Thanks to a client’s generosity, we’ve had the opportunity to talk about phrasing and pitch through the lens of issues in her teaching studio. Here, we’ll delve into how our personal preferences– and external pressure– influence how we...
by Jennifer Hamady | Nov 12, 2020 | Articles
Recently, a voice teacher in China and I had a great conversation about three specific issues in her studio. In my last piece, I shared my thoughts and suggestions about Phrasing. Here, we’ll look at the second challenge a number of her singers, and so many of...
by Jennifer Hamady | Oct 28, 2020 | Articles
Recently, I was asked some great questions by a voice teacher and vocalist in China. After our session, I thought about the relevance of her young student’s issues for singers the world over and asked if she wouldn’t mind my sharing my ideas and exercise suggestions...
by Jennifer Hamady | Sep 26, 2020 | Articles
This article is for all of you songwriters out there who think you can’t sing. Of course, I disagree! Until we get the chance to work together, here are some tips for you. 🙂 Songwriting, for most of us, is a tremendously intimate experience. The magical...
by Jennifer Hamady | Jul 23, 2020 | Articles
For about a year now, I’ve been working with a songwriter, producer, and rapper– we’ll call him K– who came to me wanting to be able to sing on his own tracks. So much so, that on our first day together, he told me about his commitment to release an album of vocal...
by Jennifer Hamady | May 29, 2020 | Articles
I’ve always been a binge listener. I’m incapable of listening to music casually; any time a song comes on, my attention gets diverted and I lose myself in the world of it. The same goes for when I come across a new artist I like… I remember spending weeks immersed in...
by Jennifer Hamady | Mar 7, 2020 | Articles
Last week, I was in the studio singing background vocals on an Americana record. It was just like old times, except… it was much easier. A lot has changed since my recording and touring days. Marriage, motherhood, and a professional shift from performing to helping...
by Jennifer Hamady | Jan 28, 2020 | Articles
I met Bob Levey last month at a book fair we participated in together. A long-time columnist for the Washington Post, Bob recently turned his attention to writing books and is currently finishing up his second. I casually asked him how long the...