Hi from Arkansas
PandaMom
Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 7
Hi, there,
This is Lam from Little Rock, AR. Just bought the complete course + pro pack + weekend warrior. I am so eager to get started!
All my life I've loved to sing, but was never able to sing well. (Like, when I wanted to join a choir in grade school, they didn't want me.) So, I was content to sing in the shower only. Then I got married, had kids, stayed home, and when I turned 33, I discovered my high notes, which was exciting. I started screaming Phantom of the Opera, Queen of the Night, and blowing whistle notes, not knowing I was developing an extremely tight throat. Over the next year, it got so bad that I lost my voice for a week, and even after I was able to speak and sing again, my throat was so tight I could hardly take a breath without hurting.
That was ten years ago. I've been working on my voice since. SLS(the popular online course) was the first method I looked into, and it did make me realize my larynx was too high, but all those vocal exercises didn't work for me. My voice was already tight and nasally, and all those nay nay nay just made it worse, so I stopped after a week. Then I hired a voice teacher locally for a year and a half. She did point out my area of tightness, but she provide me with ways to solve my issues, so that was frustrating on both of us. (Plus she sang classical and musical theater, which I love, but I like to sing other styles too.) Since then I have been working on my voice on my own. I've read a lot of books on singing, joined singing forums, and tried out other online singing courses.
I think I have made some progress in eight years. I've worked on relaxing my jaw, my tongue, my throat, my neck, my hyoid, my digastric, my SCM, my clavicle, my rib cage, my diaphragm (I am a massage therapist, so I know my body parts). I can breath without hurting (it's amazing what comes natural to anyone is a major hurtle for me...). I can sing without hurting, as long as I don't belt with my chest voice...but I love to belt! And then my throat hurts ALL THE TIME when I speak. I don't know what was wrong. After all these years of working on myself, shouldn't my throat be relaxed by now???
Then yesterday, luck would have it that I came across KTVA forum, and I went on to watch Ken's vids. The vocal ability of Ken and his students blew me away. The whole open-throat approach just makes so much sense. I tried Ken's Lah-Ah-Ah exercise. It was late at night and I had fried my voice for the day trying to belt, so I was not doing the Ah's very well. So I just gave up and went to bed.
Lo and behold!
When I woke up, an amazing thing happened. I was able to talk to my husband (actually "talk" was too mild a word) without hurting. It's like my voice was resonating in a different place, like something just opened up. It was so weird. I tried singing a few notes, and then a few songs...my breath seems to flow so much easier and I don't need to push like I usually do. Oh by God's grace, I think I've finally found the Holy Grail!
So, this morning, I went ahead and ordered the whole deal. Would have done the Gold package if I could afford it, but this will be plenty for me to work on. Today happens to be my 44th birthday, so I reason it's a birthday gift to myself. But in fact, I didn't need to justify my purchase. I deserve it. After so many years of frustration, it's about time to find something that works.
Sorry for the long post. Just overly excited. Can't contain myself. I love this forum, love seeing everyone's progress, and can't wait to be part of it.
Love,
Lam
This is Lam from Little Rock, AR. Just bought the complete course + pro pack + weekend warrior. I am so eager to get started!
All my life I've loved to sing, but was never able to sing well. (Like, when I wanted to join a choir in grade school, they didn't want me.) So, I was content to sing in the shower only. Then I got married, had kids, stayed home, and when I turned 33, I discovered my high notes, which was exciting. I started screaming Phantom of the Opera, Queen of the Night, and blowing whistle notes, not knowing I was developing an extremely tight throat. Over the next year, it got so bad that I lost my voice for a week, and even after I was able to speak and sing again, my throat was so tight I could hardly take a breath without hurting.
That was ten years ago. I've been working on my voice since. SLS(the popular online course) was the first method I looked into, and it did make me realize my larynx was too high, but all those vocal exercises didn't work for me. My voice was already tight and nasally, and all those nay nay nay just made it worse, so I stopped after a week. Then I hired a voice teacher locally for a year and a half. She did point out my area of tightness, but she provide me with ways to solve my issues, so that was frustrating on both of us. (Plus she sang classical and musical theater, which I love, but I like to sing other styles too.) Since then I have been working on my voice on my own. I've read a lot of books on singing, joined singing forums, and tried out other online singing courses.
I think I have made some progress in eight years. I've worked on relaxing my jaw, my tongue, my throat, my neck, my hyoid, my digastric, my SCM, my clavicle, my rib cage, my diaphragm (I am a massage therapist, so I know my body parts). I can breath without hurting (it's amazing what comes natural to anyone is a major hurtle for me...). I can sing without hurting, as long as I don't belt with my chest voice...but I love to belt! And then my throat hurts ALL THE TIME when I speak. I don't know what was wrong. After all these years of working on myself, shouldn't my throat be relaxed by now???
Then yesterday, luck would have it that I came across KTVA forum, and I went on to watch Ken's vids. The vocal ability of Ken and his students blew me away. The whole open-throat approach just makes so much sense. I tried Ken's Lah-Ah-Ah exercise. It was late at night and I had fried my voice for the day trying to belt, so I was not doing the Ah's very well. So I just gave up and went to bed.
Lo and behold!
When I woke up, an amazing thing happened. I was able to talk to my husband (actually "talk" was too mild a word) without hurting. It's like my voice was resonating in a different place, like something just opened up. It was so weird. I tried singing a few notes, and then a few songs...my breath seems to flow so much easier and I don't need to push like I usually do. Oh by God's grace, I think I've finally found the Holy Grail!
So, this morning, I went ahead and ordered the whole deal. Would have done the Gold package if I could afford it, but this will be plenty for me to work on. Today happens to be my 44th birthday, so I reason it's a birthday gift to myself. But in fact, I didn't need to justify my purchase. I deserve it. After so many years of frustration, it's about time to find something that works.
Sorry for the long post. Just overly excited. Can't contain myself. I love this forum, love seeing everyone's progress, and can't wait to be part of it.
Love,
Lam
Comments
(Today is my wife's birthday, too. Happy Birthday to ya!)
Yes, you deserve it. You are going to look back on this day as a turning point in your life. When things first really started to click...
With your background in singing and trying to sing, you will see that it all really started to make sense when you set all of that stuff off to one side and started doing it like Ken explains. It really does work, and you are at a great time in your life for your singing to start working for you at last.
It will take some time, and a lot of practice, but if you do what Ken says, it will all come together. We'll help.
It's so nice to hear from you and it will be great hearing your progress and seeing you grow as a singer!
All the Best!
Bob
I am going to record a couple of songs to post in the demo section just to see what you think I need to work on. It will be a gauge to my future progress. I do expect a lot of time and effort, as I have so many bad habits to break. It's okay. The end result will justify it all.
Thanks.
Lam