The Secret to Singing Better Today

by Clurel Henderson
 Introduction

Singing is simply an exaggerated conversation with a melody attached to it. Singers

shouldn't ever think about technique when singing. Technique is learned through study and

rehearsal, and in turn becomes a part of you. However, a singers mindset on stage should be one

of love if they expect to have any chance of moving an audience!

 Chapter I
Mastering Your Voice

All of us, simply by being human, master the manipulation of our voices everyday! Think

about it: When we become angry, our voices automatically become aggressive and intense. When

we’re happy, our voices automatically have a smile or lighthearted nature while speaking. When

we’re sad, we tend to have a breaking up cry in our tone. And when we’re being sensual, our

voices develop a pretty whisper or sensual rasp! The problem is that when most people sing, their

mind fills up with self doubt or fear or some sort of negative slander spoken by naysayers in

there lives! This is the very thing that holds most singers back from reaching their full potential

as artists. Also, most singers spend far too much time perfecting their riffs (vocal acrobatics) and

way to less time perfecting their feeling and story-telling while singing. If you want vocal

success today instead of six months or a year from now, then practice singing with love and

heartfelt passion in your voice accompanied by complete honesty and courage and I PROMISE

you overnight improvement vocally!

 Chapter II
Vocal Technique is Much Simpler Than You Think

In all my years of singing, studying and teaching artist development, I've witnessed so

many different so-called “singing techniques” that in my opinion they hurt performers more than

help them. Do you honestly believe that when our greatest entertainers hit the stage, they’re

thinking about technique? Absolutely not. In my experience there are three vocal techniques that

are most beneficial:

1) Take the biggest breath you possibly can take before each and every phrase that you

sing! Whenever you’re not singing, you are breathing!

2) O V E R pronounce ever single word! (Do not over-pronounce like a conservative

intellectual person. Over-pronounce like a common person.

3) Be completely honest. While singing if you let go of your swag or “cool” you will touch

hearts. Save your “swag” voice for the sensual songs mostly. If your song is angry, be angry and

sound angry. Wear your heart completely on your sleeve. This also goes for sad and happy

songs. Remember...this is art imitating life!! Don't hold back. Not one bit!! No one is in a sexy

mood all freaking day so if you only sing sexy, you’re not being real.
 Chapter III
The Absence of Fear is the Beginning of Perfect Singing!

As I stated in the intro...singing is simply an exaggerated conversation with a melody

attached to it! That's all! Nothing more! Ask yourself this...Do you feel fear when you’re having

a talk with someone? Do u think to yourself while speaking: “Oh boy. I hope I don't crack or

sound funny!” Of course not!! Yet when most singers sing, their minds fill up with fear and

constant self doubt. If we as singers would simply let go of fear, then we would simply sing

effortlessly every time. Anything we do in life, be it sports, asking someone on a date, or giving

a presentation, cannot be executed properly coupled with fear. I'm not saying that the fear we

have before we hit the stage is completely bad. I'm speaking about the actual fear most singers

feel at the same moment they're actually singing. That's the fear singers must eliminate. At the

end of the day, what are you really fearing? The people you’re singing for? Why should you put

them above you? You are the one singing! Singers are the real life super heroes of the world.

Why have fear? Singers can stop wars with their voices. Your voice is your spirit being heard!

Have no fear and go make the world a better place!

 Chapter IV
What is a Real Singer?

Singers and fans have had this endless debate for years! This debate has always been

between the singers that riff a lot and the singers that stick more to the melody of the composer.

The answer simply is… neither singer is more defined than the “REAL” singer. Donny

Hathaway was regarded as one of the greatest vocalist ever and yet, he never riffed or ran

through out an entire song! A true vocalist knows when to riff and when to keep his or her voice

simple. People shouldn't waste their time debating who's the best singer because, at the end of

the day, it's all about the singer that touches a person the most. So what is a real singer? A real

singer is someone who can touch the hearts of his\her audience! Period!
 Chapter V
Can Someone Learn to Sing if They Were Born With Zero
Musical Talent?

Can people learn to play a musical instrument? Why should learning to sing be any

different? I know this to be true because just about 100% of musicians have pitch when it comes

to singing. The point I'm making is that if you spend time around music, you will increase your

sense of music vocally. So, if someone can improve vocally just by simply spending time around

music then how much more could they improve if they actually studied their voice with an

instructor! Anyone who has learned to speak can simply learn to sing. I once trained a girl from

Brazil. She had a very heavy accent and zero sense of pitch. After a few months of private

lessons with me, she was actually on stage performing her songs! This was very rewarding and

wonderful for me to witness. I speak from direct experience when I say that ANYONE can learn

to sing if they’re willing to put in the work.

 Chapter VI
Should a Singer be Afraid to Sing After a Better Singer Sings?

I have done so many shows where a better singer had performed before I went on, yet in

almost every case I ended up getting a bigger applause from the audience. One thing all singers

should keep in mind is that NOBODY CAN DO YOU BETTER THEN YOU!! For example…

If you have to perform after someone who riffs amazingly and you don't have that kind of control

or singing style, do not try to out-riff them. It may be that the singer wore the audience out with

his or her energy and your style of singing might be a nice sweet departure from the last

performer. In other words, don't try to out dance Chris brown. Just relax and do what you do

best. Too many singers waste their time comparing themselves to other singers. I never do this

because I can do "CLUREL" better then everyone!!!! Because of this, I’m never concerned with

how other singers sing or perform. Appreciate and support the talent of others. Never be

intimidated by others because of their talent. If you’re in the audience, give love to whomever is

performing, even if they’re not very good. The love you give is the same love you will receive

when it's your turn to perform. Trust me. This I know!

 Chapter VII
Now That You’ve Mastered Your Voice, What Should Your Next
Move Be To Further Your Career?

Mmmmmmm...if this was the 1980s your next step would be a very simple one: Find a

manager and a great producer, record a demo, and shop for a recording contract. Unfortunately

this is the new millennium and the music industry has gone absolutely nuts! Most producers

(even the chart toping ones) are just beat makers who barely play any instruments and even if

you find a great producer that actually produces music, the industry won't in most cases be

interested in signing a real artist doing real music. However, if you’re into what's going on with

what is shamelessly called pop music these days then by all means, give it a shot. I could never

in good conscious tell any singer to try to get into the music industry. If I could think of 2 words

to describe the music industry, those 2 words would be… pure evil! Now I know you’re

probably thinking… well what the heck am I doing trying to get into music for? There are

thousands of independent artists making big money with their own fan bases without the help of

any parasites called major labels! So, these are your next steps after you've mastered your voice.

First, turn yourself into the best performer you possibly can. Study the greats of the past! Know

your musical history. If you’re going to be an independent artist you need to be great as a

performer. The only bad performers that can become successful are those with a huge machine

behind them because the industry has the money and power to create the illusion of great talent

in a performer who is anything but great. However, as an independent artist you’re going to need
to be great on stage because the stage is were you will earn a lot if not most of your money.

After you've achieved greatness as a performer, look to either yourself or a great songwriter and

start writing amazing songs. If this is not your area of expertise then surround yourself with

people who are experts at writing and creating great songs! Next, record your songs! After the

completion of at least 3 amazing songs, go to a dance or rehearsal studio and perfect the

performance of your songs. Also, you should perfect the performance of a classic, well known

song or two as well. Also, make sure you perfect your image. As you’re perfecting yourself as

an artist make sure you get on your laptop and google and YouTube daily on how to build

followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. This is the Information Age! Anyone sitting

around on there lazy butt claiming they don't know how to do this or that is just being plane

trifling. So now that you've become an expert at singing, performing and building your brand and

you have great songs recorded, it's up to you to work hard day and night to become

successful. If you truly have done all that you should to become a success, people will come out

from everywhere to see you perform, to offer management and to possibly invest in and sponsor

you. Now you might be saying to yourself… what about all these starving artists out there

struggling!! Trust me when I tell you… if you’re struggling after many years as an artist it's

because your missing one of the things listed in this chapter. If you can sing, perform, have a

great image, have great songs, have a strong online presence and perform often, the rest will take

care of itself. Trust!

 What Next?

30 Days to Vocal Greatness

Available Now at VocalCharmSchool.com/Products