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New topic for Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy vocalists: Setting Goals - give us your input!

NigelNigel Administrator Posts: 138
Dudes and Divas!

We're starting yet another topic of discussion that we will eventually be including in the course itself.

Setting Goals


We want to better serve singers who join KTVA by giving real and practical information to apply to their own journey.  There are plenty of other courses out there that promise to turn you into David Coverdale or Whitney Houston within six months.  We all know this is not possible and this is ONE of the reasons KTVA gets so many disgruntled SS/SLS vocalists joining us.

We'll be implementing the following bench marks:
  • Immediate and on-going results and breakthroughs
  • Six months
  • One year
  • Two years
If you are someone who got into KTVA a year ago or longer and have been applying yourself according to how Ken Tamplin teaches, then you KNOW what progress FEELS LIKE.

We know that every voice is different and everyone's goals are different - some want to win American Idol, others want to replace Mick Jagger and some just want to sing the National Anthem without choking.

So, that being said, we want to implement a couple of simple and universal benchmarks/goals that everyone can aspire to, so you can actually measure your progress.  REALISTIC goals.  Goals that start at the six month mark.

We all know how great the How To Sing Better Than Anyone Else course is, especially if you are really into singing and are motivated, we are surrounded by great people who experience incredible breakthroughs pretty soon after starting the course.  And if you stick with it, the breakthroughs and the improvements in your singing voice are NEVER ENDING.

Let us know if YOU have set any goals for yourself and if you reached them - or if you want personalized help in setting goals.

Sing on!

Comments

  • Ken TamplinKen Tamplin Administrator, Moderator Posts: 446
    There are many different types of singers in the KTVA forums at many different stages on their vocal journey. From advanced to people just getting started.

    We want to be part of that journey and help you realize your goals so we thought it would be a good idea to start this thread and set mile markers for that progress.

    We welcome your input and look forward to what makes motivates you to sing and where you are looking to take your voice with setting realistic goals for yourself.

    As you look back you will be amazed at your progress as you put in the time with quality information and we are excited to help you get there!
  • mivisonmivison Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 191
    ive  been with the program a little more then a year. i slacked off the last 3 months.I sure can tell it! i would like to be able to sing Diary by Bread and hit the F#4 note(1:38 min) in that song with good tone in 6 months. some of you all have hear my first  go at it.
    https://www.box.com/s/4boe6mtihmtecgqh59fh
  • sspatricksspatrick Enrolled Posts: 1,278

    Hey Mike,

     

    I already hear a lot of improvement in your voice.  Great work.  I think your goal is totally acheivable.  You are using a lot of air in your tone, maybe try to clean that up get that bright lah tone just like the exercises.  Sing the whole song keeping that forward. bright tone. Also, double up on your support especially when you get to the F#4.  You are hitting the note pretty well right now, however it is with more of a head voice/lighter tone.  Keep at it and I think you will achieve this goal in less than 6 months!!  great to hear from you again.

  • KokonuhtKokonuht Member, Enrolled Posts: 658
    Whoa Mike! There's really a difference if you compare the two samples :D! Great work!!
  • ulrichulrich Enrolled Posts: 53
    My goal is to let the rest of the world see, hear and feel the music that keeps transcending through my limited human system and pass on as much as I can without getting in the way. That applies to playing guitar as well as singing, or whatever I might be doing really....
  • ulrichulrich Enrolled Posts: 53
    @Bob "I want to be able to let my feelings flow through song, and bring my audience with me on a ride through whatever the song is meant to be and more." I just wanna add that we most naturally started doing this from the moment we sang your first note, even screamed the first time as a baby....good to remember :))
  • ulrichulrich Enrolled Posts: 53
    @Bob Where is the "love" button? 
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    edited December 2012

    Here it is:

     

    :^)

     

  • LukeLuke Enrolled Posts: 17
    edited December 2012
    I want to be able to belt powerfully, and then be able so sing soft and beautifully whenever I want. (soul / hard rock)
    I want to get a hold of this mixed voice I haven't quite the grasp on yet.
    i want versatility.
    above all, i want to perform live without doubting my abilities, and really give any audience the feeling i wanna convey. Really suprise people who thought i could never sing worth anything

    I've been doing KTVA for almost a year, and within this time I've seen great progress.
    I'm looking forward to even more progress down the road.
     
  • DavidGDavidG Pro Posts: 65
    One of my goals is to find out which goals are realistic for me, and to understand the time-frames involved (realistically - so as to maintain morale). For example, my speaking voice seems to be in the same register Ken Tamplin's, but there's no way I can hit the high B that Ken can hit at the moment! -  I'm wondering how long it might take to build my voice from my current high note (about an octave lower) Obviously I know that it depends on my input but some guidelines would be really helpful...Excuse my ignorance, but I don't even know how long it took Ken! I'm new here so all of this may be common knowledge I guess (I haven't read all the forum posts yet!)
  • NigelNigel Administrator Posts: 138
    These are all really good responses, thanks everyone!

    We'll be incorporating "setting goals" into this forum, on the website and at least a webinar, in order to inspire you to reach them.

    As you can see from some of these posts, it can a challenge to even "declare" a goal verbally, I'm sure you have visions and dreams in your mind, but you have to be able to declare them out loud (even if it's only for yourself to hear) in order to get on the path to achieving them.  Declaring your goals out loud will set off a chain of events, the first being that you actually "hear" your own goals and you will instantly recognize your own voice and get a feeling of whether you are clear about your goals or not.

    Next will be taking actions to get on your path to achieving your goals.

    Setting goals as a (new) vocalists should entail short-term and long-term goals.  If you are new to singing and one of your goals is to sing in front of a million people, you might want to make that a long-term goal. Singing on pitch could be a short-term goal.

    As trivial as that sounds, actually setting small goals initially - and then achieving them - will absolutely propel you in the right direction to achieve the big ones.

    The great thing about the How To Sing course is that you have three volumes full of "achievable goals" which you can apply to all of your singing.

    Anyway, thanks very much again for all of your input - if you have more to add, please do so - your contributions to this forum most definitely motivate others.

    Nigel
    KTVA
  • My goal within 6 months I want to have endurance, perfect support, no tension and I should be able to do my set 20 times and still go for 21. A little exaggeration but if I can do the set 4 times back to back no mistakes vocally then I think that goal will have been reached. Overall my goal is to be at a professional level of singing as well as keeping the moto of not being content so that I can strive to become better in every way that I can. I feel that the moment you are content with how you play or how you sing is the moment you stop being a student to music. Also I want to be confident in myself vocally that is probably the number 1 goal I have. There has been countless times I have been put on the spot and choked cause of my lack of confidence to a point where I would just avoid that conversation unless I am about to perform.
  • jpachecolmjpachecolm Enrolled, 2.0 PRO Posts: 40
    I want to achieve the breakthrough that I've so coveted. I want to be able to perform without being self conscious of my ability. I want to let what comes out when I'm practicing or singing by myself out so that others can hear what I'm really capable of doing. I want to be continue to get better at singing and playing guitar at the same time. To get past any "choking" off of notes as they get higher.
  • TrineTrine Enrolled Posts: 269
    edited January 2013

    I have two very concrete goals:

    1. To develop strong support

    2. To be able to sing in the call register, doing it like Bob says:

    "Remember, to get into your call register, it's just like when you shout out to your girls to come home. Now just add a little bit of mad to it like you know they can hear you, but they won't come until you sound like you MEAN IT!"

    I will measure my progress with the song "Weak" with Skunk Anansie, which is very challenging in terms of support, and requires that I sing in the call register.

    For anyone interested, this is how it sounds BEFORE: https://soundcloud.com/simmot/weak-24-01-13

    AFTER will follow.

    Trine

  • SimonSimon Enrolled Posts: 33
    Short term goal (next 6 months lol) -> to be able to sing well in the 5th octave (to about E5) and also erasing any vocal break/yoddel.
    Long term (till I die lol) -> VERSATILITY!!! To be able to sing any song just like Ken does! And to improve my voice to become the best version of me!!
  • dingodingo Enrolled Posts: 119
    I want to stick with singing on a daily basis.

    I want to have great support

    I want to have perfect pitch

    I want the precision of Karen Carpenter.

    I want to walk on the stage and let it rip with no fear.

    I want to make people cry and laugh.

    I don't think that is asking too much.
  • Long term - To push my voice to the best level I can attain

    Short term -- to be able to sing without sounding terrible 
  • zani_jayzani_jay Pro Posts: 34
    edited July 2014
    My short term goal is to sing with bright tone and good pitch and stamina plus expand my range Six months-have better tone and support 0ne year-sing beautifully and expand range 2 years-be an excellent singer
  • earwiggerearwigger Pro Posts: 14
    My goal for the near future is to keep adding strength and range (topping out at d5 chest/mix now) and to safely add grit so I can sound like Chris Cornell without destroying my voice. I have total faith in this course to keep going WAY beyond these areas of growth. Ken is the coolest for giving out all the tools in his chest! The sky is the limit.
  • BeginnerJonBeginnerJon Volume 1 Posts: 9
    One thing that would help me is an understanding of how far I could take my voice if I really applied myself.  Something like, 'you could sound like Michael Buble' (or Bob Dylan ;-). 

    I started out a few weeks ago sounding like a drowning cat when I sang, and I'm amazed by the amount of improvement I've seen in my voice...to the point that my wife commented, 'wow, I love your voice.  Where did that come from?'

    I really have no idea what my long term goal is because I've always assumed there was not much hope for me.  
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    edited July 2014

    @BeginnerJon,

    What a difference a real vocal method makes, when applied and practiced!!!

    Where you can expect to go has a lot to do with where you start out, how much time and concentrated effort you put into the program, and your physiological makeup.  It also has to do with how far you are willing to push the envelope and challenge yourself to grow.  

    You will learn that your preconceived limitations may have already been surpassed. 

    You are in many ways only limited by your own will to persevere.  The further you choose to go, the further you will go.  It takes a lot of effort and practice, but you may be capable of far more than you previously believed!

    To answer the question "Where did that come from?"  I say, from within YOU!

     

    Bob

  • ceanseerceanseer Pro Posts: 11
    Well, my goal is to sound really bright. I want quality notes. I found out that playing acoustic guitar helps me hear and hit notes. I want to be able to recognize every note I hear. That's my current goal.
  • kirkbrogerskirkbrogers Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 6
    My goals are simple. My Ultimate goals are:

    Get to a C6.
    Get Perfect Pitch.
    Be able to sing with confidence in front of people.
  • JoshuaJoshua Member, Enrolled Posts: 108
    Good to see that your goals are reasonable @kirkbrogers!


  • SteveKSteveK Pro Posts: 556
    Get great diaphragmatic support. Maybe a 6 pack. Lol.... Hey it could happen :p

    Master the Ah oft ook who.

    Get a great sounding c5 I can hit when I want.

    Eventually hit a c6 to be able to sing Faithfully in key.
  • kaulferskaulfers Pro Posts: 300
    edited August 2014
    Double post--removed.
  • cblaircblair Pro Posts: 13
    Just started yesterday and of to a WAY better start then I thought. Trying to get three lip roll down right now but the basic vowel scales I've been making pretty well. Can't really do it in the sift tone because I've just never been a quiet kind of singer but that could be a goal. I've always been a rocker kind of person so I'm hoping to get a good solid Rock and distortion in my voice within 6 months as well as be able to connect the pillar so I feel it's coming up in scales smoothly. Without any break in my voice. I am a former smoker and I do use a value l vapor right now but working on quitting that as we speak so there is no limit to my voice right now :smile:
  • Day 1 here. I'm looking for consistent power and tone through g#5/a6 (right now I can consistently hit f#5, but not always with dazzling power and/or tone and it tires me pretty quickly). Be able to safely add grit, particularly to lower stuff (like b4-b5).
    And just to understand my voice better, generally. Make it my life-long partner on a fascinating journey.
  • finley.jfinley.j Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 30
    I'm way new to this, I haven't even gotten all the way through all of the videos, much less a daily practice routine set down; however, I have listened several times and worked with the first 10 videos of Volume #1 and I'm amazed at the potential I see.

    My goal is to just be able to sing and want to be heard ... sounds like a horribly small goal, but at this point that's it. I've been playing guitar for years as an accompaniment... all along wanting to just play and sing...

    So.. here is for holding out hope!
  • Furious_PhilFurious_Phil Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,421
    edited February 2017
    I've been at it for a little over 2 months, and while I have some pretty outstanding improvements, I know I have a long way to go till I can fully and consistently get the power to the pavement.
    On top of it all, I've got to play guitar while I sing, so there is a pretty high price right there, as we are a power trio -_-
    For this year, I want to finish phase 3 and integrate the new methods while abandoning the old... and get more comfortable doing that and become more consistent in my vocals... A final note would be that I want to still have lots of vocal firepower after rehearsals and performances.
  • CaraCara Pro Posts: 3
    FIRST things FIRST:
    Ken Tamplin, thank you!!

    I have always loved music...I play piano, guitar, and sing.

    I have never been confident....musically speaking....until recently.

    What changed? -Transformation thru Christ...REAL healing...The Lord has been so gracious to me after years of physical and sexual abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, and homelessness...to name a few.
    I see my life truly has purpose, now...the purpose that God created me to have...that He created ALL of us to have.

    My hope is to continue to allow the Lord to speak to me and thru me as I simply enjoy life the way He always intended for us to enjoy it...glorifying Him with our life!!! I am blessed to be a travel nurse with many possibilities ahead. If I could do anything in the world it would be to become a motivational speaker and musician...as well as artist (did I mention I also just discovered a love and talent for drawing and painting?....we all have so many gifts and talents that we - so often - fail to discover!!

    I will be auditioning for The Voice in a couple of months. It is really going to be just for fun, but I do hope to share my testimony while there! You can hear a few songs I have done at my YouTube channel, CaraJWalking
    https://youtu.be/67DghpTK66M

    https://youtu.be/X5QNau_wUbM

    https://youtu.be/cWIX2TqG1IM

    You can, also, hear my testimony:
    https://youtu.be/0XN6_MxgXdk

    https://youtu.be/9leS5Z3l2BM

    I look forward to learning and sharing with you all!!

    Blessings
    Cara
  • badtimmy89badtimmy89 Pro Posts: 16
    Current goal is to finish the KTA disc set.
    6 months, have a strong and quality range
    1 year have some half way decant material of my own wrote
    2 years. be hanging with Layne Staley LOL
  • DeyanDeyan Pro Posts: 25
    edited April 2017
    I wanna be famous. I almost mastered beatbox... now i'm going to master the singing...But lets be realistic... first i will learn to belt my voice so i can have a much bigger register. I believe this will hapen quite soon but for mastering it i need like 4-5-6 months. I look up to Ken Tamplin. He is a good teacher. In a year or two i look up to more power, more range, more emotion, better songwriting and alien beatboxing combined with singing, base, lip rolls, drums etc..(not lip rolls from the course...check out NaPoM lip rolls) :D By the way Ken Tamplin's diaphragmatic breathing improved my beatboxing immediately.
    Thank you Ken Tamplin!
  • CherieCherie Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 122
    I am so inspired by Ken Tamplin's voice and also the KTVA student demos. Every time I watch a video I am just astounded by the exceptional quality of their vocals, their beautiful open, pure tones and the power! It really is incredible. I think to myself, "I want to sing that song that well!" If I can grow my voice to that kind of high level, whatever follows in my life will be just fine with me. Fame is not my goal. Lot's of people with poor vocals become famous. I know I would not be happy even if I were to become rich and famous for mediocre singing today. My voice is my priority in this adventure. I want artistry and vocal skills that can only sound magical with a mastery of singing ability. My goal for the rest of my life is perfecting and attaining those kinds of vocal skills. I'll work as much as necessary, never give up on this and find a way to get there.
  • finley.jfinley.j Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 30
    So after getting quite discouraged and just giving up I'm back.

    I'm taking this one day at a time with the following goal in mind, I don't even have any definite goals written down yet; however, I do know I have a plan.

    #1: Stay the course and practice daily
    #2: Continually record myself singing and playing, and review
    #3: Don't get discouraged.

    The only goal I can say for certain is that I want to Sing and Play, I love music, it's just part of me, although singing has never been my thing (except in my head). I need to sing, it's just part of me, it's just who I want to be.
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    @finley.j

    Sounds like a plan! :-)
  • RawDreeGoRawDreeGo Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 77

    Hahaha! Bob! "I want to be just like Ken Tamplin when I grow up!" That was quite funny!

    My goal is simple... I want to be able to sing like this guy :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dREKkAk628I

    Marc Martell is awesome!
  • saintveronicasaintveronica Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 14
    Day 1 of real practice. My goal is to be able to sing with a guitar and everyone I play for actually think I sound alright. I'm a counselor and use the singing and guitar to show people that it doesn't matter how you sound that is important. It's about having a good time. My other goal is to be able to do the lip drills. I've tried for weeks. No success. I've listened to Ken Tamplin on how it is supposed to be done and still can't get it.
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    @saintveronica,

    I had a lot of trouble getting my face to relax enough to let the lip trills work. I'm talking about YEARS. Then, all of a sudden, they started working. I figured it out. It was all me that was the problem, and being too tense. When you loosen up enough, you'll realize that it's all in how you let your face and lips go slack that allows you to find that balance where the lips will burble without tensing back up.

    Then you teach yourself to find that relaxation, and bingo, there you go.

    Bob
  • Furious_PhilFurious_Phil Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,421
    I also find that hydration levels play a major factor in it.
    After a fresh swig of water, burbles are way easier to do... and you can even do that Jim Carrey barking St. Bernard skit if you want to :smile:
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    Yes, to the hydration. You sometimes need to lick your lips to moisten them or re-moisten them when doing lip rolls.
  • nmartineznmartinez Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 102
    I'd never say no to help setting goals; right now, I am trying to get a handel on what gting through the bridge feels like, and working on shaping the vocal tract with some of the exercises Ken does with Adam. I'm having varying degrees of success.
  • Ilona_RappIlona_Rapp Pro Posts: 4
    I downloaded the lessons, then went on hold. I am hoping to pick back up for my New Year's resolution. It should work, last time I made a resolution to sing, I was performing within the year. (though my bandmates moved away, and I am now on my own... I still want to sing, and believe if I am singing regularly, I will manifest a way to start another band).
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    @Ilona_Rapp

    Build it (your voice) and they will come.

    Bob
  • PotamotrygonPotamotrygon Enrolled Posts: 1
    Hey guys I just thought I would share my singing experience and maybe you could help me come up with some new long and short term goals.

    Ok, so here my story. I started with this course after I started studying music at uni this fall. I’m an classical guitarist and I wanted to take an major in classical music, however no one had told me that in order to study music at the university i was attending, you had to know how to sing. It has alot to do with how they teach ear training etc. Needless to say I was at a disadvantage. I had never sung in my entire life, but I managed to convince the teachers to give up me the time until the exams in Desember to prove that i belonged in class.
    So I started doing this course following it to the letter. I went completely straight edge, haven´t touched a drop of alcohol since August (I´m 24 years old, living on campus so that one was hard), are doing cardio workout 5 times a week to expand my lung capacity, follow meal plans that are suppose to keep your voice strong and did the exercises of volum 1, 2 times a day 6 times a week. Not only did I convince my teachers that I was determined to stay in class, I got an A on my singing exam as the only one in my class. I really can´t believe how much my voice has grown and the control I have over it now, but now I could use some new goals to work towards.

    I´m an alto and at my exam I was singing, everything from Beatles and David Bowie to jazz standards, however I prefer the more heavy genre like punk and hard rock. So maybe you guys could help me come up with a list of songs I could try and learn and maybe some technical goals aswell. Like being able to do all the exercises in volum 1 in chest voice (if that´s possible).
  • Furious_PhilFurious_Phil Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,421
    @Potamotrygon
    Magnifico!!!!
    Well, when you say you want to do hard rock "Safely", that doesn't really get touched on till Volume 3.
    So maybe a decent goal/milestone set would look like this:

    Goal #1 - Finish Volume #2 till it is no longer difficult
    Goal #2 - Work your way up to, and master Volume 3
    Goal #3 - Start to develop your safe vocal-fry,
    Goal #4 - Start to develop full-on distortion safely
    Goal #5 - Live performance
  • finley.jfinley.j Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 30
    So it's hard to believe that it's been a year for me, I totally dropped the ball on consistency and never really got anywhere. These past few weeks I've finally developed some good practice habits and refocused myself. I'm an instrumentalist and typically always spend time noodling on my guitar.... I have a new saying that really hits' home that has become my mantra.

    "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.."

    Its easy to wander away and lose track if your not thinking about the right things..Here is where I'm at...

    Short Term Goals:
    1. #1: Steady 5-6 days per week
    2. #2: Get to Volume 2 (I don't mean by rushing through #1, I mean by really spending the time on this, eliminating those spots, getting my support, Staying on pitch with notes within my range, understanding clearly, recording myself and getting some good feedback to know when I'm ready..
    2018: (Long Term)
    1. Get to Volume 3
    2. Sing and Play publicly
    3. Develop a Solid Solo Acoustic Set
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