Welcome to the RVR Blog
Check out the articles below to view my latest thoughts on singing-related topics.
Choosing the best microphone for your singing ability
Choosing the right microphone for singing can make all the difference in your performance and recording quality. Whether you’re a beginner stepping onto the stage for the first time, an intermediate singer looking to upgrade your gear, or a seasoned professional refining your setup, selecting the right microphone is crucial. This guide will help you understand the most popular microphone types …
Choosing the best microphone for your singing ability Read More »
Funko Pops: A unique kind of memorabilia for die hard rock and metal fans
Remember the thrill of collecting stickers, trading bubble gum cards, or amassing Star Wars action figures as a kid? That same excitement has come roaring back with a modern twist in the form of Funko Pop figures. These highly detailed collectibles have taken the world by storm. Whether you’re a music fan looking to celebrate …
Funko Pops: A unique kind of memorabilia for die hard rock and metal fans Read More »
Sensory receptors: why and how your brain might be giving you bad singing advice
Have you ever wondered why some singers seem to effortlessly connect with their voice, delivering smooth and captivating performances, while other singers sound like their singing is full of tension and strain? Or maybe why some people quickly master new skills while others, despite their best efforts, seem to make little or no noticeable progress? If …
Sensory receptors: why and how your brain might be giving you bad singing advice Read More »
Talent vs. reliance on AI: The future of singing and music production (part 3)
In the rapidly evolving world of music, technology often brings both excitement and controversy. The rise of AI-generated voice models is one such development, igniting debates about creativity, authenticity, and the future of human artistry in the music industry. This blog delves into whether AI is a groundbreaking tool that will elevate music production or …
Talent vs. reliance on AI: The future of singing and music production (part 3) Read More »
How sinus issues can impact your singing and how to manage them
Every singer, whether seasoned or just starting out, will likely encounter sinus-related issues at some point. These issues can strike at the most inconvenient times, sometimes just before a big performance. Understanding how these problems affect your singing and how to manage them can make a significant difference in your vocal health and performance. In …
How sinus issues can impact your singing and how to manage them Read More »
The dangers of AI in the music industry (part 2)
Three weeks ago I posted a prophetic article warning of the very real danger that major label record companies would encourage their artists to succumb to AI voice cloning technology. My worst fears have now been confirmed. In a groundbreaking move that blurs the lines between human creativity and artificial intelligence, Universal Music, the world’s largest …
The dangers of AI in the music industry (part 2) Read More »
Bruce Dickinson: The voice of Iron Maiden
Bruce Dickinson, the legendary frontman of Iron Maiden, is an unparalleled figure in the realm of heavy metal, celebrated for his exceptional vocal talents and enduring influence. From his electrifying stage presence to his resilience in overcoming challenges, Dickinson’s journey epitomizes rock ‘n’ roll excellence. His famous catch phrase, “Scream for me _!” (inserting the …
How to overcome writer’s block for songwriters
Singer/songwriters and instrumentalists often have no shortage of creative ideas. The initial lyrical or musical idea can be peppered with potential, but the challenge is then to take that gem of an idea and write consistent material to develop it further. Inspiration can often be fleeting and hard to grasp. You could be in the …
The practice hump: How to get over it and unleash your inner rock star
Practice is the cornerstone of improvement for any singer, yet many of us struggle to make it a consistent part of our routine. In this article, we’ll explore common reasons singers avoid practice and delve into why cultivating a positive mindset towards practice is crucial for achieving rapid vocal results. Top 10 excuses to avoid …
The practice hump: How to get over it and unleash your inner rock star Read More »
Spotify’s new royalty policy: Screw over emerging artists
Spotify’s recent overhaul of its royalty payment system has sparked concerns among emerging artists about the potential implications of these changes. While initially appearing reasonable, a closer examination reveals deeper issues that could disproportionately affect young musicians. Under the new policy, tracks on Spotify with fewer than 1,000 streams annually will no longer generate royalties, …
Spotify’s new royalty policy: Screw over emerging artists Read More »
Sounding the alarm: AI’s chilling grip on creativity in music
As we plunge deeper into the murky depths of AI’s integration into music creation and production, the warning cries grow louder, echoing through the halls of artistic expression. While AI dangles the seductive promise of revolutionising music, its insidious influence threatens to strangle the very essence of human creativity. The deceptive promise of AI in …
Sounding the alarm: AI’s chilling grip on creativity in music Read More »
Get ready to flex your vocal muscles with RVR Vocal Gym!
Hey there, fellow vocal virtuosos! Are you ready to turn up the volume on your singing skills? If you’ve been looking for a fun, motivating way to take your vocal game to the next level, then you’re in luck because we’ve got something exciting in store just for you! Introducing RVR Vocal Gym – your …
Get ready to flex your vocal muscles with RVR Vocal Gym! Read More »
Rob Halford (Judas Priest) – A Tribute to Five Decades of Rock and Metal Mastery
Robert John Arthur Halford, born on August 25, 1951, is more than just a name; he’s an icon, a force of nature, and the embodiment of heavy metal. Known worldwide as the “Metal God,” Rob Halford has left an indelible mark on the music industry, particularly as the lead vocalist for the legendary British heavy …
Rob Halford (Judas Priest) – A Tribute to Five Decades of Rock and Metal Mastery Read More »
Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) – One of the most influential rock and metal singers of all time
This post is continuing to pay tribute to the greatest rock and melodic metal singers of all time. This time, we’re going to be featuring the man who famously sung about the “youth gone wild”. I am of course talking about the one and only Sebastian Bach, most famously known for his role as front …
The career highlights and vocal challenges of Jon Bon Jovi
This is a new series of posts that serve as a tribute to some of my favourite singers and songwriters. These are artists within the rock and metal genres who I consider to have made giant contributions to changing the musical landscape as we know it. These artists are collectively responsible for spawning hundreds of …
The career highlights and vocal challenges of Jon Bon Jovi Read More »
Why collagen matters for singers
Collagen serves as the foundational support system for our bodies. It is crucial for maintaining the health and flexibility of connective tissues, cartilage, and joints. For singers, collagen plays a particularly vital role in the strength and quality of their vocal cords. Understanding collagen, the vocalist’s ally Vocal cords rely on collagen for structure and …
Ozzy Osbourne
This post is a tribute to the one and only true Prince of Darkness and his incredible contribution to the world of rock music that almost single-handedly inspired the creation of the heavy metal and other black metal genres. Off stage, Ozzy (as he’s known to his adoring fans) stutters and struggles to string together …
Why do some older rock stars lose the ability to sing high notes?
Today I’d like to answer the question: “Why do some older rock singers lose their vocal power and ability to sing high notes?”. We’ll also cover some steps you can take to reduce the chance of this happening to you. The simple answer is that usually between the ages 50 and 60, the micro-muscles that …
Why do some older rock stars lose the ability to sing high notes? Read More »
Attenuated earplugs: The key to protecting your hearing while practicing music
As a musician, practicing is an essential part of honing your craft. However, the noise level of your instruments can lead to permanent hearing damage over time. That’s why attenuated earplugs have become an essential tool for musicians who want to protect their hearing without sacrificing the quality of their practice sessions. What are attenuated …
Attenuated earplugs: The key to protecting your hearing while practicing music Read More »
The pros and cons of steaming your vocal cords: What you need to know
As a singer, your vocal cords are one of your most important assets. Taking care of your voice is crucial to maintaining your vocal health and ensuring that you can perform at your best. One popular method for caring for your vocal cords is steaming. While steaming can have many benefits, it is important to …
The pros and cons of steaming your vocal cords: What you need to know Read More »
Tinnitus: Understanding its impact on singers and musicians
Tinnitus is a common condition that affects millions of people around the world, including singers and musicians. It is characterized by a persistent ringing, buzzing, or humming sound in the ears, which can be distracting and even debilitating in some cases. In this article, we will explore what tinnitus is, how it affects singers and …
Tinnitus: Understanding its impact on singers and musicians Read More »
Vocal conditions and how to prevent them
Hi everybody, this post is a must read for any singer, public speaker or any profession that relies on the effectiveness of their voice to make a living (like school teachers, drill sergeants, executives or salespeople). If you regularly experience vocal discomfort, a loss of voice, pain or an inflamed throat when singing or screaming, …
The benefits of warming up your voice
Sometimes the most professional, big time singers are the worst at following a structured warm up routine. The benefits of warming up your voice prior to your singing practice, rehearsing with the band, recording in the studio or of course performing live are undeniable. It’s the goal of this post to help you learn from …
The dangers of “go big or go home” mentality for singers
In my experience, singers fall into three main categories regarding the size of their voice: The first category are the singers with the above average vocal cord mass (thickness) and above average strength in their larynx mechanism. The second category are people with average sized vocal cord mass and average strength in their singing mechanism. …
The dangers of “go big or go home” mentality for singers Read More »
The diaphragm explained
Sting, the singer from the rock group The Police once wrote, “Every breath you take, every move you make, I’ll be watching you.” Every breath we take starts naturally by using our diaphragm. Human beings are born into this world with natural diaphragmatic breathing, and through various conditioning agents, i.e. nurture and nature, and through …
The passaggio explained – part 2: How to change from chest voice into mixed voice
In my last post, we discussed what the passaggio is and why we should always use it to help us naturally change vocal registers to provide us with the greatest amount of freedom and ease on our voice. In this post, I’ll explain the correct sensations that you should be experiencing so that you can …
The passaggio explained – part 2: How to change from chest voice into mixed voice Read More »
How to sing higher notes: Taking advantage of a narrower larynx setup
In our last post, we started to explore your vocal anatomy. ❌ Vocal myth busted! One of the biggest myths and misunderstandings that singers get tricked into believing (and it works against them) is that as you sing higher, or if you want to make your notes sound stronger, is that you need to stretch …
How to sing higher notes: Taking advantage of a narrower larynx setup Read More »
Getting to know your vocal anatomy
It’s no secret that some singers are just naturally born with complementary vocal anatomy parts that make connecting to the high notes an automatic function of their voice. We often refer to these singers as being “naturals”. However if you have read any of my columns before, or if you’ve browsed my website, you’ll know …
Singers Talk – Tips to make your songs more memorable with The AJ Sound
This time, the shoe is on the other foot. Watch AJ from The AJ Sound interview Paule from RVR about his top 8 songwriting tips. In sad trend in the majority of popular music these days is to put a large focus around the music and the song progression and to basically just write throwaway, …
Singers Talk – Tips to make your songs more memorable with The AJ Sound Read More »
Your motivation
It’s that time again to address the “vocal elephant” in the room. This post is for every singer that has been tempted, or is tempted right now, to give up on achieving their vocal development goals. Usually this is caused through lack of motivation. Bearing in mind that a life of singing and music is …
RVR Artist Spotlight – Aliz (Back To Eden)
This week’s spotlight focuses on an exciting up and coming talent with fantastic vocal DNA potential. Aliz, hailing from Melbourne, Australia is going to take Australasia by storm with his band, Back To Eden. Together, the band is going to carve out their own place within Australia’s music industry and I’m thrilled to be a …
The differences between a vocal performance coach and singing teachers
In my quest to understand everything about the voice, I have spent over $10,000 in purchasing off the shelf singing programmes. I have personally taken lessons with many different singing teachers, both locally and internationally over the years, in an attempt to discover the holy grail of vocal development techniques. My goal has always been …
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Muscle memories and how they impact your performance
It is possible to sing higher without straining. It is also possible to connect chest voice and head voice without sounding like you’ve entered a weight lifting competition! Our optimum performance is often determined by our muscle memory, meaning that if you’re a singer and you’re straining to sing higher in your chest and/or head …
Muscle memories and how they impact your performance Read More »
The sensations that you should experience for a correctly sung note
Hi everyone, this blog post is going to be short, sharp and insightful. Our subject for today is the sensations that you should feel when you are singing a note correctly in chest voice and head voice. The reason why we want to focus in on these sensations is that feelings are far more accurate …
The sensations that you should experience for a correctly sung note Read More »
The passaggio explained – part 1: The ins and outs of changing vocal register
Are you one of the many singers that has struggled to sing higher notes without squeezing on your vocal cords or applying excessive force to your voice? Yes, there is a better way to safely increase your vocal range without blowing out your vocal cords! Read on to find out more. First, we need to …
The passaggio explained – part 1: The ins and outs of changing vocal register Read More »
Screaming is believing!
I fell in love with music at an early age. I was very lucky in our house. My mother had the radio playing constantly in the kitchen. I was exposed to all kinds of artists from country singers, John Denver, through to Neil Diamond, etc. I would have been about 13 years old when I …
A Nu Way of Learning
In this RVR Singers Blog, I want to share some of the positive learning outcomes I have observed through working with my singers that have diagnosed, or previously undiagnosed learning challenges. In general people with learning disabilities are of average or above average intelligence. There often appears to be a gap between the individual’s potential …
Singers Talk – Sarah “Sassy” Spicer
Welcome to episode 2 of the RVR podcast series, Singers Talk! I met up with the lovely and talented Sarah “Sassy” Spicer to chat about which internationally renowned blues legend crowned Sarah with her nickname, “Sassy”. There’s plenty to stick around for as we get to know this talented artist. Hear first hand from Sarah …
Singers Talk – The AJ Sound
Catch the first episode of my new podcast, Singers Talk below. In our first episode, I met up with Arjun Bhat, better known as “The AJ Sound”, to discuss how to promote yourself as an artist and grow a global fan base through social media.
Mind Over Matter – Your competitive advantage
Introducing the RVR Mind Over Matter Programme Are you serious about rapidly removing all physical and psychological barriers that can impact on your ability to reach your maximum potential? The simplest definition of Hypnotherapy is: The combination of a state of trance (i.e. Hypnosis) with therapeutic suggestions which are designed to make changes to the …
The rights and wrongs of effective goal setting
What is effective goal setting? Fact: 90% of people that set exciting, substantial goals to improve important areas in their life fail miserably and quit on their dreams inside the first three months into their goal plan. Fact: 10% of people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, often coming from absolute poverty or struggling middle …
The psychology of singing
Singing is a highly athletic coordinated activity. Good singing is being able to sing seamlessly on pitch throughout the various registers of your voice with a consistent vocal tone and quality (while being able to choose the appropriate form of vocal expression and delivery style). Good singing technique can be described as learning how to …
Achieving Rapid Vocal Results: The power of positive mindset
As a vocal coach with over three decades of experience, I’ve had the privilege of guiding countless singers and professional speakers on their journey to vocal excellence. It’s inspiring to witness their initial enthusiasm and determination to achieve their vocal goals. However, what separates those who succeed from those who don’t often comes down to …
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How to transition from a theatrical singer to an authentic pop rock voice
As a vocal conditioning and performance coach. I regularly receive inquiries from singers that have found that the theatrical vocal style they have developed is now restricting their ability to sing other styles of music with full confidence. Many of these singers have become frustrated or concerned at been type cast ie as been …
How to transition from a theatrical singer to an authentic pop rock voice Read More »
Constrictor Muscles, The benefits of learning to sing without waking up your neighbours
This Rapid Vocal Results, blog addresses, the mechanics of how constrictor muscles work and how they can negatively impact on our vocal production. Very fitting for my first post for 2016, as it’s a big subject lots to tackle and its vital need to know info for every singer! Regardless of your current level of singing …
Constrictor Muscles, The benefits of learning to sing without waking up your neighbours Read More »
Turning a sterile performance into stunning. (Becoming a method singer)!
Hi everyone as a vocal conditioning and performance coach. I get to work with a lot of great singers of all ages and levels of ability. From absolute beginners to established recording artists and touring performers. One question that seems to come up regularly among my new students and also with new aspiring artists, is: …
Turning a sterile performance into stunning. (Becoming a method singer)! Read More »
How to perform, at your best during a singing competition or band audition
As an experienced vocal conditioning coach and artist development coach, I often work with singers of all ages and music styles to help these students to develop there performing voice so that they can successfully compete in singing competitions. In fact over the years I’ve worked with and coached singers from NZ Idol and XFactor …
How to perform, at your best during a singing competition or band audition Read More »
The #1 Golden rule for building a power house singing voice
Building a powerhouse connected singing voice. I’m a vocal coach that specialises in working with singers to help them strengthen and condition there voice to improve not only there singing technique but also their vocal power and (tone) and of course range. I thought I would share with you a golden rule that beginner, intermediate …
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Connected Voice “The vocal equivalent of Chasing the dragon”
The Connected Voice “The vocal equivalent of chasing the dragon” When I was a young kid growing up. I was hooked, on listening to my favourite rock, metal singers. I was always blown away by the power they had in there upper register, I mean these singers, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Brian …
Connected Voice “The vocal equivalent of Chasing the dragon” Read More »
I dont really sound like that do I?
Hi everyone, this blog is going to tackle the topic of how our hearing works and why our ears can trick us into thinking that our singing voice sounds better than it actually is! Hence the often heard exclamation “I don’t really sound like that do I”? If you watch TV talent competitions, I’ am …
Off the shelf singing programmes vs customised coaching, which one is right for me?
Hi everyone, as a vocal conditioning and strengthening coach. I often receive emails, from singers, that are struggling to stay motivated and have become disappointed or frustrated because there voice, is not developing as fast they want it too. These singers often ask me to recommend a good off the shelf “learn to sing programme” that …
Off the shelf singing programmes vs customised coaching, which one is right for me? Read More »
Perfect Pitch or Relative Pitch or close enough to it?
What is perfect pitch? Absolute pitch (AP), widely referred to as perfect pitch, is a rare auditory phenomenon characterized by the ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of a reference tone. What is Relative Pitch? Relative Pitch tells you how pitches relate to one another to …
Perfect Pitch or Relative Pitch or close enough to it? Read More »
The million dollar question, that every new singer wrestles with
Hi everyone. If I had a dollar from every new singer that asked me the following question. I would be a very rich man! “If I take singing lessons can you teach me to learn how to sing and sound like my favourite singer”? Okay here’s the no “BS” answer to that question. Your ability …
The million dollar question, that every new singer wrestles with Read More »
To shout or not to shout that is the question (Part 1) Vocal strain /over use
Hi everyone, as a vocal coach, I often receive email inquiries from all kinds of singers and business professionals, wanting to ask me questions about the most common vocal disorders that can affect a singer, or a public speakers vocal health. Welcome to the first blog article in a series i will be writting that will …
To shout or not to shout that is the question (Part 1) Vocal strain /over use Read More »
What age should my child begin singing lessons?
As a vocal coach I often receive inquiries from parents wanting to know what age their child should be before they start taking singing or vocal lessons? As you can imagine this is a bit of a contentious subject at the best of times. Some singing tutors are more concerned with securing additional revenue, rather …
The number one myth and misunderstanding about singing
Hi everyone, this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Regardless of your level of singing experience whether you regulary perform on stage or have yet to sing in front of an audience. Singers can get tricked into falling into the trap of pushing too much air past the vocal chords …
The number one myth and misunderstanding about singing Read More »
Why should I sing scales?
Hello everyone. Singers often roll there eyes at me when i give them scale exercises to sing for homework. In fact most singers regardless of whether they are a beginner or advanced or anywhere in between seem to have an aversion to spending their practice time singing scales, usually they prefer to sing songs by …
Can anybody learn to sing?
Hi everyone, welcome to the Rapid Vocal Results blog page. Here you will find great ideas and tips to both improve your understanding of how the voice really works, and of course how to reduce the time it takes to develop your performing voice. This is the first of a series of posts designed to give …