Ep 1: Introduction
1056 - Jun 2021
In this first episode, we’re introduced to Katie Agresta and her vocal studio. She talks about her background in singing, and what inspired her to pursue her profession.
Ep 2: The Ins and Outs of Breathing
1130 - June 2021
Breathing is something we all do, so why is it so important to breathe correctly for singing?
Ep 3: The Process of Warming Up the Voice For Singing
1208 - June 2021
Warming up the voice for singing is very similar to an athlete warming up to play a sport. As singers, there is a lot to consider and a lot to do. Before you even begin to sing, there are other things that really should be handled first. So, singing is not really where you start.
Ep 4: A Step by Step Approach to Memorizing Music
1289 - July 2021
In the vocal training system that I teach, there is an approach that allows you to prepare and memorize your songs by taking the songs apart and by first separating the lyrics, the melody, the tempo and the rhythm. This approach allows you to thoroughly know a song from the inside out.
Ep 5: Communicating is A Singer’s Job
1354 - July 2021
When you step out onto a stage to sing, or stand up in front of a choir, or you are recording your voice for an album, or you are rehearsing a song for a performance, your job in all these circumstances is to communicate the stories of the music that you are about to sing. Your job is to tell the story of the lyrics.
Ep 6: Singing: The Judgmental Mode vs. The Free Energetic Flow
1429 - July 2021
The state of being in the moment of singing that allows for the Free Energetic Flow of energy to happen, is a state of being that is free of judgment.
Ep 7: Techniques for Developing Breath Velocity for Singing
Episode 1491 - July 2021
Unlike speaking, singers have to sustain sound over varying lengths of time. While some phrases are short, some musical phrases require very long breaths. The amount of breath and the speed of the breath that is being exhaled while you are singing a phrase of a song, is referred to as Breath Velocity.
Ep 8: The Charismatic Performer: What Does That Mean and How Do I Get More Of It?
1546 - Aug 2021
The Charismatic Performer is the one who you are compelled to watch. It is that specialness that emanates from a performer that makes you pay attention even when you don’t care for the kind of music they perform. Or perhaps they sing in a language that you don’t understand… but yet, you cannot take your attention back to yourself until they are completely finished.
Ep 9: Understanding Head Voice, Chest Voice, High Notes, and Low Notes Through the Science of Acoustics
1641 - Aug 2021
There are so many terms that apply to the voice. Although you are always using the Larynx when singing, many options are available to color and alter the sound in a multitude of ways. Just think of the many sounds of languages around the world.
Ep 10: Preparing for your Performance
1706 - Aug 2021
I’m someone who likes to be very prepared for being on stage. I like to lay out a plan for my singers depending on what they are going to be singing and how ready they need to be. They need to have a plan to work towards the performance. And that plan is not one size fits all. It has to dance and change to accommodate all the multiple factors that live performance is.
Ep 11: Practicing Yogic Breathing Techniques to Heal Your Voice and Enhance Your Singing
1767 - Sept 2021
Why would a singer want to include Yogic breath work for their singing? Well, the simple answer is because of the tremendous results they provide.
Ep 12: Stage Fright: How It Can Be Relieved, Managed and Healed
1811 - Sept 2021
Three things are necessary for the person who is afraid. First, they really have to have a strong desire to overcome the fear that they have. Second, they have to be patient and persistent. And Third, they have to let go of any timeline associated with this journey. After that, they need to be guided with a loving hand and taught that performing need not be a terrible experience.
Ep 13: When Not To Sing… Timing Is Everything
1897 - Sept 2021
There are actually many times when singing is not really advised. Some situations are because of health related issues and some of them have more to do with the timing when you should sing and when you should wait or just simply stop singing.
Ep 14: Helpful Hints For Having a Successful Recording Session
1996 - Oct 2021
There are many details involved in making a successful recording of your voice. We are going to focus first on how a Singer can prepare for a recording session before you even begin to think of recording your voice. I am not going to cover many of the technological things involved as they would better be explained by a recording engineer or a producer. I am going to focus on the singer and on where to begin.
Ep 15: Understanding and Managing Stress for the Singer
2031 - Oct 2021
Singers and Performers have their own levels of stress to deal with, and due to the multiple demands of a Singer’s job and the need to do well and sing well and, for many, perform at a professional level, it is really crucial to have an individual understanding of how to deal with the impacts of stress upon yourself. It pays to really understand yourself and how your body, mind and spirit interact with different levels of stress as it shows up in your life.
Ep 16: Strategies For Using Different Types Of Scales For Different Situations
2078 - Oct 2021
Although there are seemingly a limitless amount of different patterns and scales and melodies that one can learn and use for singing, there are actually only 3 different types of melodic patterns in all of music.
Ep 17: Positioning Yourself In The Singer’s Marketplace
2120 - Oct 2021
Long before you brand yourself, there are many decisions you'll have to make. With so many different kinds of singers in the world, this can be confusing. You'll need to define who you are as an artist. In this episode, Katie poses the questions you'll need to answer in order to define your positioning.