be aware of your body

📌PERFORMING STRATEGY WHILE SINGING 🎤🌹 🎤Season 1 Episode 2. BE AWARE OF YOUR BODY 🎤 While moving on stage can help, you want to make sure you're aware of your body. In order to help yourself navigate turns, try doing something called spotting. This means you focus your gaze on something off stage, like a member of the audience. This can help keep you grounded in the moment and prevent you from losing track of yourself in the excitement of the movement. You should also focus on what your body is doing. Strive to be aware of your hands and face as you sing. Avoid distracting gestures, like playing with your hair or picking at your fingers. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

incorporate spontaneity wisely

📌PERFORMING STRATEGY WHILE SINGING 🎤🌹 🎤Season 1 Episode 1. INCORPORATE SPONTANEITY WISELY 🎤 It can be fun to add a bit of spontaneous movements on stage. People may get tired of watching someone simply sing. Try to add a few fun moves to your routine, like pacing on stage or gesticulating with your hands. You can try walking and then changing direction every time the speaker has a new line. This can help show you're moving through thoughts on stage. You can also try moving your hands to the rhythm of the music. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

combat stage fright

🎶 SINGING ON STAGE TECHNIQUES 🎤 🎤 Season 1 Episode 4. COMBAT STAGE FRIGHT 🖌 It's perfectly normal to feel stage fright when singing for an audience. There are steps you can take to combat this sense of stage fright. Prior to taking the stage, do some exercise. Go for a walk or a run. Do some stretches. Exercise is great at stress reduction. Pose questions for yourself before each line that ask about the line's context. This is a trick that allows you to pretend you're answering an individual's questions instead of singing to a big crowd. If you're feeling insecure, remember any compliments you've received for your singing in the past. This can help fuel your passion and keep you focused on stage. Take deep breaths. Practice deep breathing on stage in order to make sure you have enough energy to sing. This can also help calm your nerves on stage. Breathe deep into your stomach over your chest. Momentarily tense your muscles as you breathe in, and then relax them as you breathe out. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

use the microphone wisely

🎶 SINGING ON STAGE TECHNIQUES 🎤 🎤 Season 1 Episode 3. USE THE MICROPHONE WISLEY 🖌 How you sing into the microphone can affect your sound on stage. Make sure you sing into the microphone in a way that produces a desirable sound. Hold the microphone by the shaft instead of the head, as not to muffle the sound. If you're singing at a lower frequency, sing close to the mic. If you're singing louder, or in a more booming voice, keep your head away from the microphone. If you don't like the sound you're getting, try switching the angle slightly. This can help tweak the sound just slightly. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

think about your audience

🎶 SINGING ON STAGE TECHNIQUES 🎤 🎤 Season 1 Episode 2. THINK ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE 🖌 You should also think about your audience as you sing. Try to feel the energy in the room. If you're doing praises an audience who's getting excited, you should play to that energy. Sing with more charisma and intensity. If you're doing a ministration to an audience who are quiet and watching, try to tone down your delivery slightly. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

keep the song meaning in mind

🎶 SINGING ON STAGE TECHNIQUES 🎤 🎤 Season 1 Episode 1. KEEP THE SONG MEANING IN MIND 🖌 When you go up on stage, think back to the song. Remember the song's meaning before the music starts. Ask yourself a few questions about the song to get yourself in the proper mindset to perform. Who is the speaker in the song? What is he or she thinking? Where has he or she been? Where does he or she hope to go?Who is the song for? Is the speaker singing to a generic audience, or is this song directed at a particular person? For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

rehearsal in front of an audience

🎤 HOW TO SING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE 🎶 🎬 Season 1 Episode 5. REHEARSAL IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE🎤 Feedback can be a great way to prep yourself for a performance. A listening audience can provide you with tips and advice on where to improve. It can help to choose people who are not afraid to be constructively critical. You want to sing to someone who's willing to give fair feedback. Do not select someone who's overly positive or overly negative. You should also pick someone who knows something about singing. If you have a friend or family member who sings as well, this could be a great person to listen to you perform. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

memorize the lyrics

🎤 HOW TO SING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE 🎶 🎬 Season 1 Episode 4. MEMORIZE THE LYRICS🎤 One of the most important aspects to a live performance is making sure you remember your lyrics. If you're nervous, it's easy to slip up and forget a line or two. There are a lot of tricks you can use to memorize lyrics quickly. Focus on one verse at a time. Trying to memorize the entire song in one sitting will be too stressful. It can help to walk fast as you recite the lyrics. Reciting the lyrics quickly, with quick body motion, forces you to say them without thinking. This can help the lyrics become an automatic response. Focus in on the lyrics you typically forget. There may be a certain pattern, and being aware of this pattern can help you remember when to focus more during a performance. For example, you may have pronoun issues. You may have a tendency to say "I" and "me" instead of "you." Try to be conscious of this as you proceed to sing for an audience. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

learn about the song writer

🎤 HOW TO SING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE 🎶 🎬 Season 1 Episode 3. LEARN ABOUT THE SONG WRITER 🎤 This can help you better understand what the song may be about. If a writer has knowledge of a certain information or history, for example, knowing this brings a lot of added context to a love song. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

AD-LIBBING

SUBJECT OF INTEREST>>>>} AD-LIBBING (your production) Question--> Is ad-libbing something that singers can just do or not do? Can it be worked on directly? Can people improve? ★The answer to the last two questions is a resounding yes! What is it? ‘Ad lib’ is short for ‘ad libitum’, being Latin for “at one’s liberty”. It’s where singers make up spontaneous melodies with “woahs” and “yeahs” or snippets of lyric inspired by the song itself. It’s generally done over a whole section of a song such as a chorus or coda (end section). ☆★It’s a standard feature of a lot of different styles of music and therefore a lot of lead vocalists need to be able to do it. Develop Your Ad-Libbing As with every field, there are people who are just naturally good at ad-libbing and don’t need to work on it. However, for others, practicing ad-libbing can form part of a regular vocal practice program and also be included in vocal coaching sessions. Here are some suggestions: 1. Do your homework. Listen to and learn from the masters of the ad-libbing world. Analyse the ad-libs of the singers who inspire you. 2. Learn your scales & modes. The key ones to learn are the Pentatonic scales, as many ad lib lines are based on these. 3. Jam, jam, jam! Get together with other musicians and jam (i.e. improvise). You can test run lots of ideas; some may work, some may not and that’s fine, it’s all part of the learning process. You can also improvise by yourself along with backing tracks. **If ad-libbing makes you a little nervous, start with short, basic ideas and let them become more complex as your skill builds. ♥♥Finally, the more regularly you turn on the ad-libbing ‘tap’, the better at it you’ll get. GOD BLESS YOU. TUNJIFORTRESS.

study the song

🎤 HOW TO SING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE 🎶 🎬 Season 1 Episode 2. STUDY THE SONG 🎤 Performing a song is more than just hitting the right notes. You want to know what a song means so you can deliver the lyrics with the right resonance. As you prepare for your performance, strive to learn about the song. Think about the speaker behind the song. How does the speaker feel and why? You can look into the character's history. A song with a more abstract narrator, however, the information you have about the singer is limited to the song. Read through the lyrics and try to analyze what's happening emotionally. How does the narrator feel? Why? For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

practice

🎤 HOW TO SING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE 🎶 🎬 Season 1 Episode 1. PRACTICE 🎤 The only real way to successfully perform is practice. In the weeks leading up to your performance, make sure you make time each day to practice. If you've rehearsed well, you'll do a better job the day of your performance. Incorporate practice time into your daily routine. Take an hour or so to practice each day,Challenge yourself a little more with each practice session. At first, you may sing while reading the lyrics on the page. As you continue to practice, try to rely more and more on memorization alone. To study your stage presence, try singing in front of a mirror and studying your facial expressions. You can also record yourself singing and play it back to yourself. You can identify any weak spots and focus on those in another practice session. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

Godly Principles and convictions

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUPS/UNIT BREAK UP 📌 🎶 Season 1. Episode 5. GODLY PRINCIPLES AND CONVICTIONS 🎵 Hmm, the last but not the least Reasons Why Gospel Music Groups Break Up is when everyone in the group has different Godly convictions than others. Its tricky because people don’t talk about it much. Lets say one member is devoted to attending church services and giving and committed in church, but another member of the group isn’t or doesn’t give much value in it like the former, that may cause a problem. In another case, when some one in the group isn’t available to pray or study Gods word with the team, then theres a problem brewing. This is because a gospel music group has a focus to minister in songs to edify people or inspire and lead them in worship, this involves spiritual fervency. When a part of the group sees another as spiritually lacking or pulling their spiritual growth back, that sets the group for the fall. COUNSEL > >: Pray together, study together and be actively involved spiritually as a group. Allow the group to grow with you involved so that you may be able to minister and fulfill your call. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

professional piano techniques tips

PROFESSIONAL PIANO TECHNIQUES TIPS      It's no secret that professional piano players use techniques that amateur piano players don't. So what else is new? Professional golfers use techniques that amateur golfers don't use (at least not very well), and pro ball players use techniques that sandlot and weekend athletes don't use or again, not very well. So it's not surprising that professional piano players have some tricks up their sleeves that the rest of us don't have. But that doesn't mean we can't try to emulate the great pianists. We may not pull it off as well as them, but we sure can have a lot of fun trying, and who knows? Maybe a few of us can actually learn these techniques well enough to win some admiration from our friends, join a group, play for our own enjoyment, or whatever. 1.Half-Step Slides- Every time you move from one chord to the next, you have the potential for a chord substitution through the simple use of half-step slides. You can slide up, or you can slide down, or even both, if you have the time. This one element alone can make your piano playing ever so much more professional! 2.Turnarounds- Turnarounds are chord progressions that occur at the end of phrases to keep the interest level up, so the song doesn't "sag" between phrases. learn at least half-dozen turnarounds that will keep you busy for years applying them to all kinds of songs,popular, gospel, standards. 3. Modulating-Different than transposing, this is the process of getting from one key to another key smoothly, without anyone hardly noticing the change. Once you understand the basic principle, it is very easy to do. 4. Altering a Melody To Create a New Melody- Did you know that many of the best pianists do exactly this when they "improvise"? People think they are making things up out of their head, when really they are playing the existing melody inverted, contorted, inside-out, compressed, and so on. 5. Inversions- Turning chords upside down in lighting-flash speed is one of the keys to a "pro sound." Not just triads, but extended chords, such as 6/9 chords and others. 6. Creating Original Chord Progressions- The boys and the girls are separated from the men and the women when it comes to ORIGINAL chord progressions. The stamp of professionalism is on anyone who can come up with a truly original progressions. But it's not that hard. 7. Echoes,Rhythmic, Melodic, & Harmonic- Probably the simplest way to improve your playing dramatically is through the use of echoes. Almost no one uses them as much as they could be used, and I have noticed recently that the masters such as Mozart, Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, etc. use them extensively, much more than the average pianist,does that tell you something? It can be used to build continuity in the rhythm, melody, and harmony of most any song. 8. Touch-Have you ever seen a pianist who had a nice "touch"? What does that mean? How can YOU get it? It has to do with fundamentals, but more than that, it has to do with mind-set and your way of thinking about the FLOW of the music. 9.Two-Handed Arps: "The Flowing River of Sound!" -- When you are able to arpeggiate chords with both hands at the same time, and those chords include 7ths and 9ths, you have a "flowing river" of sound. Few pianists can do this, and fewer can go up with one hand while going down with the other (contrary motion). 10. Passing Tones - Passing tones are any tones that are not in the chord, but "pass through" the chord to create a sensation of movement.

financial issues

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUPS/UNIT BREAK UP 📌 🎶 Season 1. Episode 4. FINANCIAL ISSUES 🎵 Every gospel music group needs to make sure they discuss and come to agreement of what happens to finances when the time comes and the invitations start coming. Money comes from events, programs, shows, record sales, deals, etc and with time the number keep growing and adding up and since there is no solid plan or legal structure, it becomes the cause of division. Who gets what share, who keeps it, what should money be used for, what shouldn’t it be used for, who is shown preferential welfare treatment over others, etc. This is the cause of Reasons Why Gospel Music Groups Break Up. In related occasions, the music company they work with, sows the seeds and lets one member think they are worth more money that another. Hence breaking them up for selfish reasons. COUNSEL>>: Get a solid structure or legal advice as the need arises and at the right time. Don’t let your music company or manager sow bad seeds in your heart by saying you are worth more payments than others. Talk things openly with your group. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

Fame and Spotlight

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUPS/UNIT BREAK UP 📌 🎶 Season 1. Episode 3. FAME AND SPOTLIGHT 🎵 Yes!, you know this one very well. In every group, in most cases, there is a lead singer who leads most of songs. And if its a band, there’s one instrumentalist that sticks out or maybe that player leads the rest of the band. The lead singer of a group or band is always seen as the leader and since he/she appears or take leads before others, he/she gets more of the spotlight and fame whereas the others get part of it (not all cases). When the lead singer, starts to think he/she sustains or keeps the music group afloat, he/she makes the rest seem like hired backups and not equal. This is a major reason to group breakups. Most times, other members of the group who want to express themselves more in the group or band aren’t allowed because the company thinks the lead singer is the face of the band or they are incapable of taking leads as the lead singer. This spells doom for the music group and if not resolved, thats it. COUNSEL>>> : Fame and Spotlight has no substance, when u get it, chew it as gum, spit it away and carry on with what you are doing. Make sure every member of the group is equally growing and participating to fullest potential. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

disunity within group members

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUPS/UNIT BREAK UP 📌 🎶 Season 1. Episode 2. DISUNITY WITHIN GROUP MEMBERS 🎵 Another reason for groups breaking up is largely to disunity and disagreement among the members of the music group. You have to understand that music groups are made up of people who are human and also growing daily, but not everyone communicates at the same level. In most scenarios, one member comes to conflict or misunderstanding with another and instead of resolving issues with love, both forms a clique and gets a part of the team on their side, and the rest to the other side. The group divides and disbands, and sometimes an overthrow of leadership is done and the group plunges into destruction. COUNSEL>>: As a music group, try to always pray for each other and openly discuss conflicts or disagreements so they can be resolved in love. Also note you can be right, but for the sake of the group’s vision, make peace so every one is great and unified to one goal. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

Career paths in music group

WHY GOSPEL MUSIC GROUPS/UNIT BREAK UP 📌 🎶 Season 1. Episode 1. DIFFERENT CARREER PATHS 🎵 Most music groups in these parts started out from choirs and music departments stemming from a need for more edifying music in church, fellowships and other reasons. And there’s an excitement when you just start a group to sing and minister, no pressures, just with that love in your heart for God and you just want to serve and help people worship God. But then reality sets in and they realize that not everyone wants to do this as a career or for a living. After leaving school or getting older and responsible, everyone defines their path and the group is left with maybe just two out of four who wants to do this as a career and 24/7, others not so much, they love music and God, but have a passion to be a doctor, lawyer, businessman, etc, hence can’t be on the road or on call for this, its not the life for them. That group divides up to continue with a few or everyone goes their way to establish themselves in whatever they love. COUNSEL>>: Identify what paths you all are prepared to take and make sure you’re all on the same page before you start up a gospel music group. This unifies the purpose for everyone and for the long term. For more lessons : https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWqVkdz3U3tFkLzS5Ksz9X

CHOIR LEADERS/CHORISTERS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS DISCIPLINE

SUBJECT OF INTEREST CHOIR LEADERS/CHORISTERS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS DISCIPLINE Discipline is the efficient management of TIME, ENERGY AND RESOURCES in the pursuit of a given TASK. ☆CHOIR LEADERS: Some of them are fond of not using and managing time during rehearsals, thereby making it boring and not encouraging to choristers. That is the reason why sometimes you have ten choristers present in today's rehearsal and five choristers present in tomorrow rehearsal. When you in-deliberately waste time during rehearsals, before you know as a leader you start loosing your members. ●ADVICE: Please have your rehearsal time scheduled, Ensure there are time arrangements for ministration, praises, worships, hymns etc. Those taking it should also be informed and prepared. As soon as the time starts counting begin your rehearsal and close on time, Never keep those who came on time because of those who came late. ☆INSTRUMENTALISTS: Most instrumentalists derive satisfaction in coming late to rehearsals, this is totally wrong because you have a distinctive role to play and if you do not know the whole piece to play, you are good for nothing. When I was at the north, as a pianist, I usually get to rehearsals ground with my drummer (brother peace, he is here at Tunjifortress to attest) on time to perfect the songs before the singers starts coming, so when they come, everything will be easy and enjoyable. ●ADVICE: Always get to rehearsal ground before anyone to prepare yourself OR choose a specific day before rehearsals to do complete scoring and gain stance on the required songs. ☆CHORISTERS: I call these set the most difficult to handle in the system, I am a musical director, I know what I'm talking about. But when there is understanding, they are fun and loving people to always be with. Most singers are fond of breaking the rules thereby making the leader get angry unnecessarily. This can cause damage to the entire group and when this happens during rehearsals, you close very late. ●ADVICE : Choristers should ensure they follow laid down rules and regulations in the group to avoid misunderstanding and promote smooth operations at everyday set for rehearsals . Also know that When you come early, you close early. CONCLUSION: Love and care for one another, assist and consider each other, acknowledged the fact that you all are family working for God and not for yourselves or anyone to pay you. Enjoy time and retreat together, have misunderstandings and understandings together (yes!), fast and pray together, organise get-together moments and enjoy God's work together Remember! No one knows it all. GOD BLESS YOU. Courtesy: TUNJIFORTRESS