KATalyst Voice Lab

Happy to report that KATalyst Voice Lab is back in full swing! No matter where you are in the world, if you've ever wanted to sing, contact us! KATalyst Voice Lab is adding ONLINE voice mastery to our craft! We're excited to coach via Zoom/Skype to work with you NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE! We meet you at your level! Interested? We'd be happy to talk about the plan with you!

Summer months tend to be quiet for singers in choirs. Choirs tend to run with the school year right? If you were to stop during those months, your reentry into singing in September will undoubtably be rocky. Some ways to stay vocally fit during off months or during injury time...... Practice. Not all practice has to be singing out loud but that is best. Heres what were talking about. Engage in a community project in the summer like Summer Chor or even a church choir. That will keep you vocally nimble. If thats not for you, consider that the voice is a set of muscles. The biggest being the BRAIN . Use it like injured atheletes do when they cant run. Game tapes!!!! Run parts with rehearsal recordings or even YouTube videos. Watch other groups for ideas. Exercise the brain. Stay engaged. Another idea, get a group of friends together and KARAOKE! Hopefully this post is striking some ideas for you on how to stay engaged. When September rolls around youll be staring out of the blocks running in the right direction. Most of all, HAVE FUN!!!!

In the past two years, this coach (Dr Titze) - and his simple yet revolutionary technique - saved this singer's voice. It was not uncommon for me to lose my voice at least once a month. 3-4 years ago it got so bad I had to go to the ENT to check for nodes! No nodes thankfully but I had strained the voice box to the point that I needed to take a step back from my full voice and relearn.... Perfect timing when I was introduced to this....... Learning to vocalize through a straw, I retrained my brain on how to breathe for singing and how not to push too much air. As a result, I now I rarely lose my voice (not once in 2 years) and yet I never seem to run out of air between breath marks either. It's not just the act of breathing through a straw alone... You must VOCALIZE through the straw as well. (aka, sing your notes). Your instrument is like any other muscle group. It needs practice. Practice all movements as if it was "game day". Gain muscle memory. Be sincere and impeccable each and every time.

How to practice when you're "too busy"? That became crystal clear to me that keeping my voice warm even if I'm not singing or performing is required for your voice to stay in shape. Your instrument consists of muscles. Those muscles need to be worked out every day, often. So how do you do that along with a massively busy schedule? The weekend was a perfect exercise in practicing when I was purging. (House purge that is).... While I was locked in the voice lab and reducing our footprint (by donating stuff), I put on my rehearsal recordings on the iMac in the room. While I was sorting, I sang away. I used all of my tools to sing my best while doing something else. Every run I did was a performance run. "Do all the things". Luckily I was working by myself so it was easy. If others are around, consider putting in the earplugs and turn on the tunes. If you don't feel comfortable singing out, no worries. Mouth the words in performance mode - always. Tell the story with your attitude and get that 'dude in to muscle memory. Even if you don't emit a note, you're still rehearsing. Every run improves your story if you are dealing out your 100% performance. Believe in your work habits and know that they will serve you on performance day. YOU GOT THIS! Even though the Lab is under construction for the moment, keep your muscles active! Can't wait to hear you next!

The Voice Lab is unavailable until July 15th at least. It's ALL GOOD! Promise! Keep practicing your homework and let us know how we can meet you at your place instead of the lab in the meantime. ... Change is good - ALWAYS!

Be kind to your voice and it will be with you to enjoy for the rest of your life. Celebrate World Voice Day today.Be kind to your voice and it will be with you to enjoy for the rest of your life. Celebrate World Voice Day today.

You dont usually hear people talking about staying hydrated during the winter months but here it goes.... Our bodies dont necessarily give us the Im thirsty cue in the cold months. Our voices still need to stay lubricated especially during carol season. ... Cold water is good but warm water with lemon or herbal teas are also excellent. If youre already dealing with voice loss, consider making a singers tea. Honey, ginger, apple juice, apple cider vinegar and a tiny hint of cayenne in a pot on the stove on low heat. Drink slowly. It keeps too in the fridge for a quick rewarm at another time. Have another cup of water a day and think about your vocal health. Wishing you all the best of this holiday season. Harmonious greetings for the New Year!

Back to school week is in the books (or will be shortly). Kids activate their brains at school right? Why don't we take up that challenge as well at this time of year. I challenge you to go out and do something that engages your mind. No, it doesn't have to be taking voice lessons! But that certainly would qualify. Reading music as well as learning melodies uses other parts of your brain that you probably use during your daily life. It involves expression, storytellin...g, and stamina even! Why not seek out a choir or some other social group? Even if it's just to get out of the house for one night. Even if you don't JOIN. Just like getting your body to move, I encourage you to move your BRAIN. Humans don't thrive in a vacuum right? We are social animals. We help others who need help. As the weather turns darker, we tend to move indoors and in to smaller spaces. Many of us move into our own boxes exclusively. S.A.D. takes hold. I challenge you to seek out an engaging, social environment to stimulate your mind. Your mind will thank you. Ping me to discuss!

Vocal Health during the upcoming Air Quality Advisory... It sounds like the smoke is returning to Metro Vancouver as the winds have shifted again. This is affecting a lot singers. Reduce the strain on your voice if you can like talking. If you're rehearsing at home usually, try blowing bubbles (singing your part) through a straw into a glass of water instead of traditional singing practice. ... Also, to keep that voicebox gunk in check, the go-to remedy at the lab is carbonated water. Drink it slowly. Let the bubbles do their magic as gravity takes its course. Adding a little lemon oil is our favourite. Go forth and make your voice heard!

September is almost here! What a great time to learn about you inner instrument! Click "Learn More" September is almost here! What a great time to learn about you inner instrument! Click "Learn More"

VOCAL FREEDOM! Interested? Click on LEARN MORE!VOCAL FREEDOM! Interested? Click on LEARN MORE!