Can't Wait to Hear You

Singing in community with other people is a wonderful thing, and performing with a group is a great way to exercise your full-body instrument. But choir practice has to be about making the most harmonious sound with all the voices in the room. It can’t substitute for the individual attention of one-on-one lessons, where your instrument is the only focus. This time I want to talk about why your voice is worth the investment of private lessons, and how taking the time to explore your unique needs and capacities will make the time you spend singing in community so much more rewarding.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-40. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

The title of this episode, dear listener, is an actual sentence an adult man said to me recently. We were talking about what was preventing him from performing music, despite the passion he has for listening to it. Like a lot of people, he had internalized the belief that he was missing something, some innate talent or capacity that enables other people to make the music he loves. With love, he is 100% wrong, and if you believe something similar about yourself, well, you’re wrong too! This time, I want to talk about why the process of learning music can feel so intimidating, and how much your life can change if you give yourself permission to start.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-39. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

When life is a difficult place to be and the world feels fraught, it can feel like nothing is ever going to get better. We all manage that discouragement in our own way, but we have to work at it. Because giving up is the surest way to lose all the progress we’ve made. This time, I want to tell you a personal story to illustrate that we have, in fact, made real progress. It reminds me to be thankful, and to look forward to more and better. Then, I’ll tell you how music can help you regulate the feelings in your body, and open up lines of communication with people whose life experiences might otherwise be difficult to understand. I hope it helps you feel some hope, and gives you a tool or two you can use to keep moving forward.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comRequest a copy of Thanksgiving When You Disagree by sending me an email: letters@mvmusik.com.Episode 37: Using Your Breath Generously, or Me and the Mack Truck https://www.mvmusik.com/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-37/A transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-38. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media. 

Your whole body is your instrument, and that doesn’t just mean when you’re performing. The memories you carry in your body are powerful tools you can tap into when you’re learning and practicing and growing your voice. When I’m singing long phrases, I lean on a vivid image from my childhood, of a massive truck sharing the narrow mountain highway with my family's tiny car. That memory helps me access the power I need for long, connected phrases. I’m certain you have a similar experience you can draw on to help your body feel the power it carries within. Let’s talk about how you can find it for yourself.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-37. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

Change is scary! Developing the voice you want to project requires time and effort, but it also requires faith – confidence that you have the capacity for growth, and certainty that the work you’re putting in is moving you in the direction you want to go. But holding tight to that belief in yourself can be really hard. What to do on those days when you’re just sure you’ve come as far as you can, and you don’t know if you’ll ever have the guts to get going again? I’ve been there, and so have my students. Here are some ways you can give yourself grace on the hard days, and keep in touch with the part of you that knows you’re capable of more.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-36. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

When you’re looking at a piece of vocal music, what’s the most intimidating thing you can imagine? For a lot of my students, a single note that gets held for 4, 8, or 12 beats is right at the top of the list. But why is that? What is it about a long note that makes us feel vulnerable or unsure of our vocal abilities in a way that shorter notes don’t? Let’s talk about where that anxiety comes from, and some strategies that have helped my students embrace the expression of a long, powerful sound.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-35. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

Strengthening your voice is a lifelong journey, but when you’re trying to learn something new - a technique, a piece of music - it can feel especially long and arduous. Changing old habits of using your voice can leave you feeling like you don’t know anything at all anymore! But take heart. Every one of us who wants to use our voice more fully has to deal with this untethered feeling once in a while. Here are some techniques you can use to feel less alone, and more certain about the progress that (I promise) you’re making.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Episode 13, Why Should I Look In The Mirror?? http://mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-13 Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-34. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

We’ve talked before about how nervousness is a normal, even positive, part of performing with your voice. We’ve talked about practice strategies to help you manage and harness your nerves. But what about when you’re in the moment, feeling your heart racing so fast you can’t focus? This week, we’re talking about two simple things you can do to help reign yourself in. Whether you’re about to go on stage, or you’re having trouble staying calm during a hard conversation, these tips will help you stay on your own side and use your voice with more calm and confidence.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-33. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

The stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was packed with people who’ve built careers on their ability to give stirring speeches. But they didn’t get there by accident. They practiced techniques to help them speak louder, longer, and with more emotional resonance. You can learn a lot by watching and listening to people who’ve developed strong vocal delivery, so let’s put politics aside and talk about the techniques and practices that help professional speakers deliver.Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Useful links:YouTube playlist of some of the speeches: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRIAPPEO39k71Vu2VW75JUJbeAp5sLjrT&si=PTp8NCfpaLtpdbbQPodcast episodes where I’ve talked about jaw tension:Why YouTube Warmups Might Not Work for You https://www.mvmusik.com/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-5/Biden and Britt and How Your Face Affects Your Sound https://www.mvmusik.com/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-21My Top 5 Tips for Speakershttps://www.mvmusik.com/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-29/Yes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-32. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.

A number of things affect the voice as we age – our hormones, our physical fitness, our attitudes about aging – just to name a few. I’ve worked with many students experiencing age-related changes to their voices and I’ve experienced plenty myself. In this episode, I talk about some of the changes you can expect throughout your lifespan along with strategies for navigating them. Michèle Voillequé is a singer and a voice teacher living in Berkeley, California. Useful links:The Mature Singer’s Guidebook, by voice teacher trainer John Henny https://johnhenny.com/maturesinger/The effect of playing a wind instrument or singing on risk of sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7970593/NPR on protein-rich foods that can help support women building muscle: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/18/1231552773/protein-diet-muscle-strength-training-muscle-loss-womenYes, you can sound better! Opt-in for a free video training on my website: https://mvmusik.comA transcript of this episode is available at mvmusik.com/blog/cant-wait-to-hear-you-episode-31. You can subscribe to Can’t Wait to Hear You wherever you get podcasts. If you have a question about your voice or how you’re using it, please email letters@mvmusik.com. To learn more about Michèle or to subscribe to her newsletter, visit mvmusik.com.Our music is thanks to Katya and Ada.The show is edited by K.O. Myers at Particulate Media.