Well, last week’s Voice Coach Reacts video was such a hit, I decided to ‘react’ to Adam Lambert’s gorgeous rendition of “Believe”, a tribute to Cher at the 41st Kennedy Center Honors. Spoiler Alert: I LOVE IT!!! In my humble opinion, this version of Cher’s 1998 hit makes the original pale by comparison! Let me know what you think about Adam’s vocals and this luscious arrangement in the comments below.
TONGUE TENSION
Can we talk about tongues for a second? Ever the teacher, I can never resist the opportunity to educate! We shall see how it goes over in this video. What do you think? Does it work?
In this video I included a speed lesson at the end on tongue tension. There is a reason why I find Adam Lambert to be such a striking vocalist. He has incredible control over his instrument, both from a stylistic vantage point as well as his mastery of vocal dynamics. After watching this video, I think you will agree that a lot of this has to do with his ability to relax his tongue! Wowza!
Tongue tension is a big topic to cover in five minutes, and I just barely scratch the surface to keep this video short and the tips and techniques extremely easy with very low vocal impact required.
•Massaging up under the chin to get the root of the tongue to relax.
•Stretching the tongue (tip back into the throat, out of the mouth and down the chin, side to side, around, etc.).
•Singing scales on an “ng” sound to lift the back of the tongue up into the soft palate.
•Resting the tongue on the bottom lip and singing gently through your song on a simple, single open vowel like an “Ah”. You can also sing your entire song this way on the vowel sounds from the lyric!
I didn’t even get into articulation exercises to loosen the tongue like Jeanie Lovetri’s “Glay Glah” exercises. (Here is another video from The Naked Vocalists on this topic that will take your tongue to the next level of a workout, ha! Love them!)
There are so many wonderful exercises that you can do for tongue tension. This is definitely a fixable problem, but as with all things voice, YOU must do the fixing!
Now you know what to watch for and how your tongue needs to feel. Keep those tongues ‘flat and sassy’, people. 😂
KEEP IN TOUCH
A big thank you also to those who reached out and gave me feedback that you found last week’s content interesting and fun. I’ve received many suggestions from you on who I need to do a ‘Voice Coach Reacts’ video to next. Keep the conversation coming! I have many videos worth of content ideas that I am getting more and more excited about making. So, stay tuned. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and to the YouTube channel. I sure would appreciate it!
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Have a blessed week! Thank you one and all for your support! Let me know in the comments below what YOU thought of this version of Cher’s ‘Believe‘ and anything else you want to talk about.
Sue says
Adam is a treasure. I’ve been a fan and supporter for years, and it amazed me that so many people were stunned by his “Believe” performance! The man is AMAZING! What a voice and a charming personality to top it off.
christibovee says
Agreed. It will be fun to hear how he grows artistically in the years to come. With technique like his, we can rest assured he is here for the long haul. Love it. Thanks for your lovely comment, Sue.
Sylvie says
Hi, first, thanks for your spontaneous comment. I’m a French person who lives in Quebec,Canada. I’ve known as a big fan(but not a ‘creepy’ one) just a huge fan since the beginning she sang in public. She’s from Belgium but, she adopted Quebec as her adoptive Province and country.
She is well-known in French country but also in all Europe and so other country as USA.
She didn’t write ‘je suis malade’ it’s from Serge Lama a lyric singer very well known in France. She took it as her own because of a very hard seperation she had with somebody that was everythnig to her…that’s why she can do this. But also, she took lessons starting at 5 years old because she knew she was a singer and still takes private lessons to improve herself. She went in conservatory of chant also.
Lara is also an author, composer, interpreter… she wrote and sang the song ‘Broken vow that Josh Groban sang and i think Barbra Streisand too. She sing perfectly in English and 7 others langage because she’s at ease with langage.
She has a few CD in English that you can listen to if you go on youtube or on her website and buy…
She is one of the best singer in the world eventhough she would’nt really agree because she is very humble.
Has you can see, I truly love her has much people does in French world.
Finally, she is presently a coach at ‘la Voix’ in french has you must know ‘the voice’. Alson in Quebec. Everybody loves Lara because she express easily emotions and how people feels.
christibovee says
Lara is so blessed to have you as a fan. You are beautiful. Merci!
Mikaela Muhlestein says
I just finished watching the Kennedy Center Honors today. Linda Ronstadt was the recipient of one of the awards they gave out. I think she really deserved it. She is so strong battling Parkinson’s disease.
christibovee says
She is indeed. It is heartbreaking to see her body decline. She is a master vocalist and it is gutting that she can no longer sing. Lovely to hear from you. Thanks!