Singer Songwriter | How to Write a Song, Make Music, Song Lyrics, Music Theory, Singing Lessons

Are you wanting to express yourself freely through your singing voice, but feel restricted or confined within a box of ‘shoulds’ and ‘supposed to’s?’   Do you wish you could find your unique sound without feeling stuck in the trap of trying to sound a certain way rather than just being yourself?   Today I want to share with you the greatest vehicle I’ve found for unlocking creative freedom as a si...

Today we’re talking about what you actually need to make music as a singer songwriter.     Before you are actually out there living the dream ~ whatever form that takes for you, whether it’s singing at a local open mic night or touring with a band or recording your songs or creating for the sake of creating, expressing yourself, or simply making something you’re proud of… these are 3 things you ac...

Ever stopped yourself from practicing singing because you worry about what the neighbors (or the people who live with you) might think?   Ever found yourself “whisper singing” because you’re afraid of singing full voice? (“What if someone heard me singing?”)   If being heard is something you are yearning for but something you’re afraid of at the same time… you’re not alone.  There is a quote about...

Today we’re breaking down the key components of a creative singing practice that will support your vocal and artistic development as a singer songwriter.   I want you to LOVE your singing practice.  I want you to feel lit up when you go to warm up your voice and sing through your songs, so we’re weaving in our signature dose of creativity and PLAY as I walk you through a typical practice session....

Does it ever feel like pulling teeth when you go to practice singing?   Do you go out of your way to find anything and everything else to do EXCEPT actually sing?   What is this repelling force that we come up against as artists whenever we're faced with actually doing the work of our craft?   If you've ever struggled with "making" yourself sing, then you know all about today's topic.  We're shini...

Vocal technique isn’t everything.     Vocal warm ups and exercises and drills aren’t everything.     Hitting all the right notes with the most beautiful tone quality and with the most well-coordinated breath support isn’t everything.     Vocal technique is just one piece of the puzzle.  That’s why in this episode, I’m going deep into why it’s so important to nurture the WHOLE voice, the WHOLE inst...

Do you worry about how your creative work will be interpreted or what other people will think of the songs you write?  If so, you’re not alone.     These questions arise in artists of all kinds:    Will I be misunderstood?   Will it hurt someone?   Will people judge me?   Will they misinterpret what I was trying to say? Is it too much? Not enough?      It’s a very vulnerable act to express yoursel...

Are you a singer who wants to write songs and make your own music, but you don’t play an instrument?  Maybe you’re feeling held back by your minimal or lack of instrumental skills and musical knowledge ~ but singing & songwriting just keep calling your name.     I know the idea of learning yet another new thing can sometimes feel like too much… and maybe you JUST want to sing…    So in today’s...

Are you struggling to find time to work on your music?    In this week’s episode, we’re going to explore this elusive concept of time and how we can realistically make this whole singing / songwriting thing work in our ordinary, everyday lives.     Between caring for loved ones, kids, a spouse, aging family members, a household, our work, whether that be a 9-5, freelance work, full time, part time...

If you've ever struggled with starting, finishing, and following through with a creative project, this episode will give you 5 lessons to keep you moving through the creative process ~ start to finish ~ so you can bring your creative ideas to life as a singer, songwriter, artist, and musician.   Whether you’re having a hard time starting or having a hard time finishing that creative project that’s...

Are you sick of tedious vocal exercises and traditional vocal drills?   When you’re trying to get back into the flow of singing, moving through the typical vocal warm ups can be a real barrier to entry.  You just wanna get to the fun part… but you know it will feel better and sound better if you warm up your voice first.  Besides, you want to work on improving your singing voice and you know vocal...

You probably know that you have a gift.  Perhaps you’ve been told you’re talented.  You’ve likely been praised for your singing voice.  Even if you’ve been too shy to really share your voice and so you haven’t received this kind of feedback, the fact that you’re here tells me you just innately feel a deep desire in your heart to sing… so there is a natural affinity for music and singing planted wi...

In the creative journey as a singer, songwriter & vocal artist, there are bound to be dry seasons of feeling depleted, empty, uninspired.  It’s almost like you’ve reached the bottom of the cup or your stream of creative energy has run dry… and you just have no motivation to sing, create, make music, write songs.   That’s why it’s so important to have a go-to plan for times like these so you ca...

Have you ever considered what the comparison trap is stealing from you?     If you’ve ever compared yourself to others as a singer / artist and come up short in your mind, then today’s episode will be the gentle nudge of tough love that you need to break free from this all-too-common creative block.     I’ll be sharing with you 3 reasons to stop comparing your voice to others ~ and revealing the t...

If you've been feeling disconnected from your voice and have spent some time away from music for one reason or another, this episode will help you get those creative gears moving again and reignite that desire in your heart to sing.   It can be so hard to dust off the cobwebs and start singing again when the distance between you and your art feels like it widens more with each passing day.  That's...

In the second part of our conversation about exploring songwriting as a creative outlet, I go deeper into what you need when you're getting started with writing your own songs.     Whether you’re a writer whose strength is in the lyrics, a singer who doesn’t play an instrument (or lacks confidence in your existing instrumental skills), a musician who plays by ear and wants to find your unique voic...

Have you ever felt the desire to explore songwriting as a creative outlet?    Whether you are just playing with the idea, wondering where to begin, or you've got notebooks full of songs and you're wondering what to do with this treasure trove of ideas, you're sure to find something of value in today's episode.    I went on a little bit of a journey here, sharing my story of the pivot I made over a...

Are you a singer who wants to make your own music and explore songwriting as a creative outlet?  Do you feel like you have songs inside of you, but you’re struggling to get them out for one reason or another?     Singing other people’s music is great and everything, but you have your own stories, your own experiences, your own feelings and emotions and concepts that you want to bring to life throu...

Are you longing to experience the freedom of singing and the joy of making music without all the technical stuff and the noise of the mind getting in the way?   As a vocal artist and highly creative person, you know that being free to express yourself and create for the sake of creating is a feeling like no other.  But it can sometimes get lost in the pursuit of mastery, of conquering vocal techni...

There are seasons of the vocal journey when we step away from the stage, lean into the silence, and spend some time away ~ whether we’re seemingly forced into it or we intentionally choose to take a break from performing.  And sometimes we even shut down our voice and stop singing altogether ~ I’ve been there.   If you’ve been in such a season, it can feel a bit intimidating to get back into it an...

In this episode, I share 3 simple vocal tips that will help you open your voice, find vocal freedom, and improve your overall tone quality as a singer and vocalist.  These are quick remedies to common mistakes that I see and hear singers making time and time again.  When you know how to bring awareness to them, they are actually quite easy to fix.     No matter where you are on your vocal journey,...

If you want to uncover your unique sound and find your artistic voice as a singer, there are 3 things that stand out to me as critical parts of the process.     In this episode, we dive into each of these 3 essentials as I explain why they’re important, how they help you get to the heart of your creative voice, and how to actually implement them in your life and practice as a singer, songwriter, a...

This one goes out to all the singing mamas out there, the musical mamas to be, the singers who also aspire to be mothers one day.     Can we just say… motherhood is hard!  It is both the most difficult thing I’ve ever done AND the most rewarding.    So what does all of this mean for your creative life, your music, your voice, your art?    Today’s episode is more of a candid, open conversation in w...

One of the best practices for opening your voice and creativity is Vocal Improvisation.  In today's episode, I'll walk you through what it is, why you should weave it into your singing practice, and what you need to get started.    At the end of our conversation today, I hope to leave you with a roadmap that leads you to creative flow and vocal freedom ~ one that you can take with you on an experi...

If you’ve ever considered yourself to be a perfectionist, then today’s episode is for you.     As a “recovering perfectionist” myself, who has learned to see the truth through the lies and who has found a way to deal with these tendencies when they inevitably creep in, I want to share with you some of the tools that have worked for me.     Because if you allow perfectionism to take over and infilt...