It Takes A Village

Hi Everyone,
Well we're amping up (again) to get as much of this 'learn to sing technique' (The Six Point Vocal WAV Method) out to as many people as we can. For free, if thats what it takes. I seriously thought, deeply! that by now, after 35 years of refining and researching with this amazing technique, that everyone would have it! Understand it! Be using it and I'd be out of business by now! But nope...I'm swamped.

What seems to have happened is this: the classical guys n gals who pioneered "Diaphragmatic Singing" as its referred to (not a body logical term but we get it) have all passed away at this point. They did write everything down but it was long enough ago that recording/videoing what they MEANT by that term never happened. So, after 50-75 years of vocal coaches, through our university system, playing telephone and trying to verbally pass on the info, the basics have somehow been mostly lost. Everyone is winging it! There are a few popular methods out there but one, in particular, actually leads people astray! Its crazy.

I re-invented diaphragmatic singing having had to be very aware of what was happening with my own voice after a serious equestrian accident. (Broke the neck and everything else. How did the doc's miss the neck injury?). My voice kept cutting out while I was on tour and it was a mystery as to why!( X-rays showed, 25 years later, what had happened.)

 Apparently the blood supply to C-5 is the same for vocal chords and that part of my neck had gotten all messed up. My chords couldn't recover w/out that functioning properly!) I compensated by extending into my technique. I became excruciatingly aware of what was happening w/ my own voice.

Our technique really isn't a technique at all! Its great singing in slow motion. Sounds dumb, I know but IT WORKS! Imitate great singing really slowly then speed it up for control and sustainability.
We found anyone could manage this. Anyone.

Same w/ the exercises. They imitate great singing slowly at first, then they get faster and faster, building strength, endurance, agility and control. Its super simple. It requires focus, practice and positivity......talent? Still on the hunt for that one. Cant find it ANYWHERE!

Singing is a skill, pure and simple. This notion that great singing emanates from some mysterious gift origin is understandable but incorrect. I work 6 days a week making SURE this myth gets busted and the paradigm of "Some can do this and some can't" gets destroyed, burned, stomped on and uncreated! It doesn't serve anyone. It's got to go!

And, it takes a village: we have evening performance classes (now in their 28th year) and all manner of cool events planned for our clientele so they can get feedback from their communities on how they sound. After you've been singing w/ me for a while, you start getting SO GOOD that every time I get excited and say "Best EVERRR!!" I become suspicious! lol

Students think "Aww Divy just loves me." or "Divy just wants me to feel good about my singing!" Or any number of things. (I'm as honest as you can take, guys. Its a tender process and I'm no Simon Cowl. You SERIOUSLY get better and better constantly! So there are SO MANY personal bests every week!)

It sometimes takes regular folks in a regular audience to reflect back a wow! And a huge round of applause can really help our progress. Plus its a blast. Friends and families are always so surprised how good y'all get. Especially when we're with a full band and in a real club.

It takes a village full of love and support. It takes a village of friends and family and not just faculty.
It takes a village. You HAVE a village! Look around each and every day and spot your tribe....when you're ready, include them in your process! It really helps.

Alright, this is Divy for The Singer's Daily.
Please post your comments or you can contact me anytime at
Divynelson@gmail.com

ciao and happy Summer!
July '14

"Its Fascinating To Hear An Authentic Voice!"

Everyone wants it to be perrrrfect before they perform.
We all want to be seen as 'having it together' before really
putting it all out there, right?

What if that point of view was the #1 barrier between you and success
in anything you wanted to be and do?

We are all works in progress...there is no stopping point or end of the line,ever!
Even with great success you just keep going, right?

So what if right now, exactly where you're at with your vocal performance,
was THE MOST fascinating to watch and listen to? For US I mean, the audience!

What if your intent, your progress, your choices and your process were the "art" itself?

What if every move you make is only for...YOU?

If everything I sing, do and express is authentic and coming from exactly where I am at right
now it frees me up considerably! I take gigs I really want and don't
worry how they turn out. Which means they usually go rather well.

I can then make vocal choices that please me, as the chooser! And, as fortunate
as I am to have ANY audience, ain't it just your
good fortune to even get to hear me??!

So since there is absolutely no judgement (other then what you have
about your own self that then manifests 'magically' as other ppl's judgement) concerning your
vocal performance.....what r u waiting for?

Its really really really fun to perform. Especially when you
un-hitch from the Wagon of Consequences!


There are no consequences ('cept for nice ones!) for singing in public!
You can do this.


(gotta stop torturing yourself w/ American Idol though.
Its a REALITY SHOW not a real contest! Stop watching it! lol)


Ciao for now..
This is Divy for
The Singers' Daily
(AustinVoiceLessons.com)

:)

"Tripping Over Brilliance"

In my job I run across a lot of hidden brilliance or
magic that requires a bit of un-covering!

Once its center stage, it shines all by itself.

So many of my students are brilliant.
Brilliant people, singers and musicians
whether they know it or not.

Last night everyone was shining!

When the atmosphere is as relaxed
as I love it to be, people feel
perfectly safe to come out and be
as brilliant as they truly are.

Last night's group performance class
was a humbling experience in that
everyone jumped ahead and achieved
whatever their goals were with such ease!

Great singing is just a metaphor for great and relaxed
living...for expressed creativity and purposeless fun!

Here's to brilliance and
purposelessness and
music and
fun.

Here here...


Have a fantastic evening...

This is Divy Nelson for
The Singers' Daily and
AustinVoiceLessons.com

Got Shiny?

My youngest singer, Nicolas Merritt (check him out on Youtube)
is going to be on the George Lopez show!

This kid is ROCKIN'!

He really is an amazing drummer.
Sings wonderfully....can sing anything!

He's......7.


SO, I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Whatever you'd like to do just DO IT!
His family is uuber supportive: that helps.

Anything you'd like to have, be, experience or do
get started today! Just do anything that has to do with
it and start moving forward even if its just research or
seeing who else is doing what you'd like to do, be or have!

I'm in the studio all week recording whatever I like!
Cuz that's what I wanted to do this week!

That might change next week but I'm clear at
least right now.

So, will you do whatever it takes right now?

Even if that means doing nothing?
OR saying nothing?
Or asking the Universe for help and clarity?

I rode my horses all morning in the warm Texas rain.
My life does not suck.


It shines.


Seeing Elton John sing Sat night April 10th
here in Austin.

He shines.

Get Shiny!

This is Divy for
The Singers' Daily
AustinVoiceLessons.com

"Its Easy"

Singing, along with lots of things worth doing well, is pretty easy.
Its all natural and good for your body. Takes bunches of energy and
a bit of coordination to master but many can do it.

I think I sang for 6 n 1/2 hours today. What a workout!
You know when you know you've done a really good job and NOW you deserve a bit of rest?
I feel like that now.

A Job well done and all that...

For me, expressing who we are poetically is so much closer to being who we really are.
Its so much closer to the original blueprint, energetically.

All day long we juggle our schedules, pay bills, give n get directions. Meet, greet and say
How Are YOU? And none of it means that much. I mean, its fun in its own way.

But almost every lyric is packed with the energy I really feel and am.

Its important not to get too melodramatic when you really
mean what you're singing.

And the polarity would be: not to be mechanical or wooden and pretend you're not
singing about what you really love!

We all see through each other totally.
Especially on stage.

No hiding there.
Thank God.

When I'm singing its such a relief to be seen through.
And to share everything I am.

This is Divy for
The Singers Daily
AustinVoiceLessons.com

ciao

"Is Your Music Career Workin' For You?"

So, you really want to perform. You've rehearsed, done your homework. Worked up a few tunes and are ready
for your debut. Then, suddenly, something "comes up" and you might not be able to make
the performance after all.

Be suspicious! Be very suspicious!
You Wanna get the whole Creative Universe WORKING FOR YOU
and your success! Sending double messages "out" there actually
translates into slowing down how long it takes "success" to reach you
or can even create circumstances to WORK AGAINST what you said
you wanted in your life!

Open up the PEEPERS PEOPLE!

You and I create our world. We create what's in it and what's not.
How we perceive it is another obvious way we literally experience our
realities.

IF you've sent this GIGANTIC NON-JUDGMENTAL MACHINE the order
to co-create a singing or music career with you and for you by taking singing lessons, hiring musicians,
making sure there's a mic and even a few folks to listen to you and you
ALL OF A SUDDEN can't make the date....well...

Then you've sent ANOTHER (and the latest) message to this exact same MACHINE (your creative Universe).
Now it is wrangling with both messages. Which one has more energy? Cuz that's the one that'll get the most
creative response from the Creative Universe that you employ, as YOU, to do your bidding and create everything
in your world.

A double message slows EVERYthing down and dilutes what's served up on your platter.

IF there is ANYONE willing and able to listen to you sing, by all means,
SING FOR THEM!

And do not cancel...if for the simple reason of not sending double messages to your Universal Creating Machinery
who's only job is to deliver to you what you've ordered.

Have a heart.
The Universe is working overtime giving us exactly what we create! Every second!
Not totally aware of what energies you've been hauling around with you and tainting your creations
with?

Find out fast!!!!!


lol
((ok...you can cancel if you are DEAD or in the hospital))

Happy St Paddy's Day everyone!

This is Divy Nelson for
The SingersDaily

AustinVoiceLessons.com

"Self Motivated Singers"

Self motivated singers, like all self motivated people, do what they love whenever they like!
They choose their career. They don't necessarily wait to be chosen.

One of my favorite clients was being interviewed on
Fox News yesterday and this evening they ran promo's
during American Idol.

They showed him singing, playing drums and being totally awesome.

Nicolas Merritt is 7 yrs old. Neither his amazing parents nor myself can tell
you how and why so much is happening for this musician kid.

All they've said is that Nicholas is totally self motivated. He tells himself
to practice. He tells his folks "I'm a rock star. That's the way it is. I wanna play the drums.
Yeah, I'll sing."

7....yrs.....old.
Check Nico out at
www.myspace.com/nicolasmerritt
(he's the one with the Mohawk)

So obviously CLARITY COUNTS! lol

Everyone is so proud of him and very happy to be working with him!
OH yeah, he'll be playing Sat night for a full set with his Dad on 6th St
here in Austin. Two different News crews will be shooting his 45 min set!

How cool is this? His Dad is like "I can't even SLEEP at night
its so exciting!" and Nico is completely calm, smiling....calm.
Nicolas got his Dad to start playing again!
I guess my point here is that if you really would like to experience something or do something,
just go ahead! Don't figure out how its all gonna come together.
Just be clear.
Live it now!

Nicolas Merritt Rocks!
He's going to Calif next week to record.

He's on his way.
He is a self motivated musician...
and my pal (who learned how to control
his vibrato in under 7 minutes).
I am not kidding!

This is Divy for
The Singers' Daily
AustinVoiceLessons.com