Category Archives: Podcast
Episode 47 – What’s Keeping You From Your Singing Goals?
Theoretical Physicist, David Deutsch breaks all goals into two steps. 1. It must be achievable according to the physical laws of the universe. 2. If it is possible, then it is merely a matter of acquiring the knowledge necessary to achieve it. It is not a time or resources problem – it is a knowledge problem. You can…
Episode 46 – Your Health and Singing
We all hear about vocal health, vocal rest, proper technique. But what about your overall health? Is this something you have been ignoring? Is it something you are beginning to worry about? In this episode, John looks at his own health journey and what it has meant to him as a teacher and content creator.…
Episode 45 – Intellectual Humility
Humble thyself! Yep, it turns out ego and confidence not only makes you unpleasant on social media, but it can also slow your progress and learning. In this episode, John looks at how adopting intellectual humility and a growth mindset can be critical in rapid growth as a singer, voice teacher, musician, and yes, human being.…
Episode 44 – The Acoustics of Mix
Mix is an often misunderstood term (as are most in singing). Singers often refer to mix as “something less than belt,” but in this episode, John discusses how to take your mix into the world of intense belting without the usual vocal fatigue and danger. The acoustics of mix are incredibly fascinating and open up…
Episode 43 – Drop Your Jaw
Drop your jaw! If you take voice lessons you have no doubt heard this command. You have even likely felt the beneficial effects of doing the jaw drop. Why does dropping the jaw help? And why do we often resist doing it? In this episode, John looks at the acoustic science behind dropping your jaw…
Episode 42 – Sing Like No One’s Listening
We all know the feeling. Our voice sounds great in the practice room, only to fall apart when we go to sing in front of others. How can we get the same confidence we feel when singing alone? How can we sing like no one’s listening? This question comes from a listener of the podcast, and John…
Episode 41 – Singing From First Principles
When you think of singers, Elon Musk usually does not come to mind. That’s because Elon doesn’t sing, at least not publicly. But the trailblazing founder of Tesla and Space X does do something amazingly well that we singers can learn from. Elon is able to break complex systems down to the most basic level, and…
Episode 40 – Dealing With the Haters
Fergie recently got roasted for her performance of the National Anthem, setting off a social media frenzy of gleeful attacks. The fear is singers watching this will be afraid to take artistic risks as they could suffer the same fate. In this podcast, John gives an important pep talk on artistic courage and dealing with…
Episode 39 – How to Make Your Teacher Love Working With You
Skilled, in-demand voice teachers see a high number of voice students in a given week, all vying for their attention. With an extensive roster of students, there will always be those that make the teacher’s job just a little harder – don’t be that student! By being respectful of your teacher’s time and policies, and…
Episode 38 – Trust, but Verify
“Trust, but verify” might come from the Ronald Reagan era but it is certainly applicable today. The internet is a wonderful explosion of knowledge, and singing is no exception. The disruptive force of online content means anyone with a microphone has access to billions of followers – which is good….and bad. In this episode, John…