Voice-overs can very literally say a lot. All going well, the speech is in full service of the story, but what if the voice you hear is distracting from the message? Guestblogger, Myra Grünning explains what can go wrong and what you can do about it. Myra is a qualified speech therapist and speech coach and also works as a voice-over artist herself.

Your band is ready to record that long-awaited album and finally step into the recording studio. Whether you’re recording at home or in a professional studio, the question is: what can you expect and what should you look out for? If you’re the lead vocalist, how can you ensure that you and your band deliver the best possible performance and come away with great recordings?

Instrumentalists aren’t the only ones who get to improvise. Vocalists can do it too, ranging from adding subtle vocal embellishments to scatting or even all-out improv. In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the various ways you can improvise and inject ad-libs.

For singers, rehearsing with the band can be a real struggle when they can’t get their vocals to punch through the mix. Fortunately, there are a few things that you and the rest of the band can do to solve the issue.

Infusing pop songs with chunks of classical music requires knowledge of music theory as well as knowledge about certain do’s and don’ts. For example, did you know that just three notes carefully picked from a concerto are enough to successfully mash up pop and classical music? Of course, you can also use an existing composition or integrate other elements into your pop songs, like the four movements that make up a symphony. Read on and get inspired!

If you’re about to audition for a band, a vocal course or even a TV show, then it’s worth knowing that every audition needs different preparation. In this blog, we offer some tips to help you get ready for every audition, and also give you some things to think about before you dive into your performance.

Virtually all TV adverts feature music to help evoke emotion, emphasise the most important bits and bring the viewer along on a short journey. For musicians, the songs that are used in commercials as well as film score can be a great way to discover ways to grab people’s attention. Composer Jurriaan Balhuizen is a creative virtuoso who already knows what it takes and is willing to reveal the secrets behind ear-catching ad music.

Latin music encompasses a large number of styles from Central and South America, including salsa, merengue, samba, bossa nova, and many more. Today, we’re looking at what defines Latin music. Join us on a rhythmic journey that starts in Mexico and ends in Argentina!

If your body and your breathing aren’t balanced, your sound won’t be on-point. For any singer or brass musician, correct breathing is essential if you want to achieve the purest notes. More importantly, musicians in general can definitely benefit from maintaining balance in their body and breathing. Finding that balance is not as easy as it sounds but, while it does take a lot of practice to get it right, the returns are immense, allowing you to play or sing using every cell in your body.

In an earlier blog about vocal damage, we talked about how you can prevent damaging your voice by using the right vocal technique. But, besides using the wrong technique, vocal damage can also be caused by external factors. In this blog edition, we look at what those factors might be and how you can avoid vocal issues. In short, this blog is all about how to keep your voice healthy.

The vocalist of any band always has the most vulnerable position. Not just because they’re usually standing up front, but because the voice is such a delicate instrument. The voice has no volume knob that can be turned all the way up and, as a band, that’s something you need to take into account. Support your singer and you’ll be a better band because of it.

If you’ve just started to learn to play the guitar and feel like you’re not making any progress, then you’re not alone. In this blog, Dean van der Knaap lists the five biggest reasons why beginner guitarists stop playing, and explains why not one of them is a good reason.