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Oprah’s Dr. Oz Suggests Singing Your Way to Better Health & Faster Healing

Posted by Joni Wilson at 8:08 pm

“We are only beginning to understand what contributes to our healing.

According to ABC news, Dr. Oz, the world famous heart surgeon, and medial expert believes; ”That we are only beginning to understand what contributes to our healing.” As an advocate of “complementary medicine” Dr. Oz is challenging the “status quo” to expand their definition of conventional health care and include such unconventional methods as singing.

On Good Morning America recently, Dr. Oz was shown singing; “Dream A Little Dream of Me.” with a group of recovering patients. He explained how singing prompts deeper breathing and energy healing. “We used to spend hours asking folks to take deep breaths, and singing accomplishes that goal.” He explained to the group.

From headaches to asthma, allergies to MS and Parkinson’s disease

As a voice coach for 20 years, I have loudly declared the health benefits of singing to anyone who would listen. Over the years, I have watched as my students of all ages walked into my studio tired, stressed, and mentally pushed to the limits by school, work, relationship-malfunctions, and major physical ailments of various varieties. After an hour of the vocal aerobics, I put them through, and using the vibrating energy that comes from, deep-breathing and singing the songs they love, my students always walk out quicker–of-step and grinning ear-to-ear. From headaches to asthma, allergies to MS and Parkinson’s disease learning how to sing correctly, strengthens the muscles your body needs to combat the dis-ease that accompanies most major health problems.

Are you stuck with the voice you were born with?

The longer I teach voice, the more respect I have for this amazing vocal instrument, that resides inside every human body. I have enough stories and examples of how singing and speaking correctly has literally changed lives, healed bodies and launched new careers (not just singing), to fill an entire book.

The key word here is “correctly.” When you learn how to play this most amazing “God created instrument” correctly, your voice and your body form a synergy that not only delights the ears of those who hear it, your voice will actually please your harshest critic . . .namely YOU! Are you stuck with the voice you came in with . . .NO! Can anyone learn to use his or her voice correctly . . . YES!

Every note you sing has a profound effect on your body

There is a good reason why singing has been a large part of our religious ceremonies for as long as human beings have walked this planet. Every note you sing contains a vibrating energy and resonance that has a profound effect on your body. For thousands of years people have used chanting and singing to bring them closer to the God experience no matter what their religious preference maybe.

Voice health effects are still shrouded in mystery

Sadly, the human voice and its effects on the mind, body, and spirit is still shrouded in mystery. We all have a voice but very few of us actually know how to access it’s ultimate potential. Thank you Dr. Oz for opening a door that can ultimately take energy medicine and singing to a completely new level. Oh, and by the way Dr. Oz. . .if you would like a bit of help with that singing voice. . .call me!

Joni Wilson is an internationally recognized voice expert, best selling author and creator the amazing 3-Dimensional Voice® Technique. For more information about Joni, her latest book; The Voice of Success: A Woman’s Guide to a Powerful and Persuasive Voice, (AMACOM books) and the best on-line voice lessons visit: virtualvoicecoach.com

Cronic Coughing and Your Voice

Posted by Joni Wilson at 3:27 am

Hi! My name is Joni Wilson, I am a voice coach and for the past month, I—like so many people this year—have been batteling an un-ending, tickeling, annoying cough that has attached itself to my broncheol tubes, affecting my breath and vocal cords—two things we all need to be in top condition to talk, sing and use our voices correctly.

As my livlihood depends on a good, strong voice to teach workshops and classes, do radio and TV interviews to promote my new Book, and sing with my band, I have been on a verbial "witch-hunt to find "something to help "tame" this unruly problem

Why You Need Voice Lessons

Posted by Joni Wilson at 4:27 pm

"Do I Really Need Voice Lessons?"

I am constantly reading this question on blogs regarding the importance of taking or NOT taking voice lessons. The answer, of course, depends on who’s blog you are on as the answers go from;"Yes voice lessons are important." to "No,voice lessons are a waste of time and money."

Here is My Answer to That Always Perplexing Question. . .

I was giving a workshop on Voice Survival at the National Speakers Association Conference in Hollywood, California, when one of my fellow presenters approached me in the hallway. “Joni, can you help me?” she asked in a raspy voice, “My speech is in two hours and I don’t know what to do. . . I have to speak in front of eight hundred professional speakers and my voice is completely gone.” She stared at me hopefully, waiting for my answer.

Stop right there and hold that thought while I backtrack ten years to the time when I had just finished writing my first book on voice technique, The 3-Dimensional Voice: A Fast and Easy Method of Voice Improvement.

Having spent the weekend in an inspiring motivational seminar with Mark Victor Hanson (who endorsed my book) and Jack Canfield, the authors of all those Chicken Soup for the Soul books, I was flying high with enthusiasm and untapped potential. I was ready to establish myself as "THE" voice expert—not just another voice teacher.

My Story. . .

Over the years I had attended many workshops and conferences, sometimes as the presenter/speaker and sometimes as an attendee and at most of the events—following my presentation on voice techniques,—singers, speakers and business professionals often approach me looking for answers to what seemed to be their never-ending voice problems.

As my reputation as a voice expert grew, I also received telephone calls and e-mails at all hours of the day and night from people searching for answers to those success-robbing voice dilemmas that seemed to pop up at the worst possible times. The problems, which ranged from chronic vocal fatigue to total voice loss, often occurred for no apparent reason. But, of course, there is always a reason.

In my years of teaching voice, I’ve worked with teachers, lawyers, politicians, speakers, singers, business executives, media professionals, american Idol contestants, and even stay-at-home moms, all experiencing voice problems caused by straining their voices as they tried to be heard above life’s boisterous noise and chatter.

My Own Voice Gone Missing

I understood their frustrations, because I too had lost my voice at a pivotal time in my life, and that catastrophe almost ended my singing and acting career just as it was about to take off. I was twenty years old, singing in Las Vegas with the world by the tail, when my voice problems began. I had just been booked as an opening act for Elvis (the real one!), and I had wonderful opportunities flying at me from all directions and a secret fear—that I could not trust my voice to be there when I needed it most!

This fear kept me from acting on any of them, and like most people with voice problems I just kept pushing my poor, abused voice by tightening, forcing, and strangling it into submission. In my ignorance, I actually believed that I could make my voice perform by pushing it harder and forcing it to be louder. The frustrating result of all that pushing was, when I pushed it too hard, my voice would wisely say, “Enough is enough, Joni,” and completely shut down. It would simply thumb its nose at me and take a mini-vacation while I canceled gig after gig and missed opportunity after opportunity because I had no voice.

Like Aristotle searching for the meaning of life, I went from voice teacher to voice teacher searching for the perfect voice method to solve my problems. Nothing was working and I was inconsolably turning down those once-in-a-lifetime possibilities, while watching my career sink like the Titanic. Then, to top it all off, a leading throat specialist dispassionately told me, “Forget about singing Joni, your voice is shot. Go find another career.” Fortunately, I did not take his advice.

A Bright Light at the End of My Dark "Voice" Tunnel

It wasn’t until I became a voice teacher eighteen years ago that I realized this problem was not mine alone. I knew there had to be an answer, not only for me, but for everyone whose livelihoods depended on strong voices that would last for more than a few hours, even when they were overworked and tired.

I spent the next eighteen years watching the answers unfold before me, student by student and lesson by lesson. Each person became a link in a chain of events that, I’m happy to say, completely resolved my voice problems as well as those of my clients.

YES! My tenacious search for answers paid off because today my voice is stronger than ever, soooooo here (at last)  is my answer!

Knowing that your voice will be there when you need it most eliminates fear and builds the self-trust so essential for a singer, speaker or business executive to be successful. In my years of teaching, I have seen shy, soft-spoken students perform minor miracles once they learned how to use their voices properly. Sharing this important information is the reason I teach voice, write books and speak to anyone who will listen on the importance of using good voice technique!

Well, that’s MY story. So to answer the nay-sayers and the skeptics who tell you voice lessons are a waste of time here is my opinion.

When it comes to voice lessons, One Size Does Not Fit All. If you sing pop style, classical training is not for you. If your goal is to sing at the Met, pop training is not for you. Country is not the same style as R&B and American Idol auditions are not the same as your musical theater auditions. In other words singing styles are as unique as playing any style on any instrument.

The good news is, when YOU know how to play YOUR vocal instrument correctly, style is just that. . . style. Vocal lessons are supposed to teach YOU HOW to play YOUR vocal instrument so YOU can decide what style of singing YOU choose.

Can you sing more than one style. . .of course, just like a piano is not limited to playing Salsa, once you learn how to play your vocal instrument you can sing many styles also. The key words here are, “. . .learn to play your instrument.”, and that takes the guidance of a good voice coach because you can NOT hear your voice like others hear your voice.

FACT: Because of the resonating chambers in your head, you are hearing 65% more sound in your head than we are hearing coming out of your mouth. If you don’t believe that, record your voice and see if that voice sounds the same as the one you are hearing in your head. Singing or speaking, a well trained set of "3rd party ears" can teach you how to hear your voice and correct any voice problems you may not even be aware of.

CONCLUSION: Good voice training can be a blessing because your voice can make or break your career, period!

Thanks for letting me vent!  Joni

P.s. I’d love to have your comments and responses to this post. . .

American Idol Strikes Again!

Posted by Joni Wilson at 4:56 pm

Well, it’s American Idol time again when millions of people all over the world become “obsessed with singing”. Don’t you love it?

Singing has been with us ever since primitive man stopped thinking of his voice as simply a grunting digestive tool to use during the feeding process. The truth is, the human voice is the most amazing—God created instrument—on this planet.

It is more versatile and adjustable then anything man has come up with yet. A horn always sounds like a horn, a guitar like a guitar etc, but a human voice can not only sing many styles, it can mimic the best instrumental sounds—just listen to Bobby Mcferrin’s a cappella Voicestra recordings to hear what your voice can really do. When it is used properly your voice—yes, I said yours—can; soothe the savage breast, lull us all to sleep, whip us into a frenzy and even spiritually enlighten us. Wow, no wonder American Idol is the most-watched show on the planet!

As a voice coach, this is the time of year when every one, whose number one fantasy is to stand in front of a cheering crowd and sing, calls me to begin preparing next years audition. The American Idol “gang” always makes sure that the singers “passed through” are not all Carrie Underwood’s or Kelly Clarkson’s. If they were, very few Idol wan-ta-be’s would dare to try out.

I am located in San Diego and when Idol was here last year I had students who were actually told at the audition that they were “too good and not what we are looking for”, by the first auditon judicators. (No, Randy, Simon and Paula do not listen to the thousands who audition, only the very few who are either, good, kind-of-good, off-the-wall, or just plain suck.) This process makes for good television and keeps thousands of singers dreaming of a singing career. It also, sadly, destroys the hopes and dreams of many good singers. (I was lucky that year to have one of my former students make it to the top ten.)

Correct Singing Takes Skill and Practice

Singing good. . . good enough to make money at it, does take an understanding of how your vocal instrument should be played. If you want to sing Opera, ten years of voice training is nothing because you will be training all of your career. If you are a singer, interested in a more pop/contemporary style, good singing is important but as we all know, many have made it to the top in the pop field without being the best singers. They are the ones who have “the look.’ American Idol also uses the “look” factor in choosing many of it’s contestants. It also uses the “story” factor. “Is your mother in jail?” “Are you homeless?” “Was your aunt on your mother’s side a 60′s pop star?” Unless you absolutely blow them away with your singing, you will need a good “human interest story” to win points with the Idol creators.

Yes, good singers do make it on American Idol and American Idol is a door to a singing career, but not always the one you are dreaming about. (Many Idol finalists move on to Broadway, Broadway touring companies, Nevada Casinos, and Indian Casino’s. Taylor Hicks was here in San Diego last year, first at a Casino, then in the touring company of Grease. But what the heck, it’s still show business and pays good!.)

The bottom line is, if singing is your dream, take the time to do it well, create an image that is yours alone, have a good story ready and when someone approaches you in that line of thousands and asks the question; “. . . Soooooooo, why do you think you are the next American Idol?” Have a good answer because that answer alone may just be your ticket to stardom.

Happy Singing!

Joni

Your Voice IS Your Business Card, Is Anyone Listening?

Posted by Joni Wilson at 4:22 pm

Your Voice IS Your Business Card—
Is Anyone Listening?

It’s a Fact: Today the cell phone is king, and your voice, more often then not, serves as the first—and often last—impression you will make on associates and clients. Your voice can either open or close the door to new business opportunities and more money in your bank account. Let’s face it, to succeed in today’s competitive market, male or female, you need a good, strong voice that demands attention.

In Today’s Competitive Business World
One Voice Size No Longer Fits All.

As a business professional you will need not just one voice, but a colorful pallet of voices to fit the many clients, peers and situations you have to face every day. Whether you are the next American Idol contestant, embarking on a political career, or simply giving the financial report at a business meeting, everyday you are being judged by the sound of your voice.

On a Scale from One to Ten,
Where Do You Rate Your Voice?

At sometime in their careers, most speakers, singers, actors or business professionals have had to step in front of their audience minus their voices. They begin their presentation with the same tired, old disclaimer: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, please excuse my voice but. . . .etc. No matter what their excuses may be, the truth is, 90% of all voice problems are caused by bad voice technique, period!

Don’t Let Your Voice Keep You Out Of The Big Time! 

Hi, My Name is Joni Wilson. I Am a Voice Coach, Best Selling Author and Professional Speaker and This is MY Story:

My voice problems began when I was 21 years old, singing in Las Vegas with the world by the tail. I had just finished as an opening act for Elvis (the real one) and people were coming in to see ME. I had wonderful opportunities coming my way and a secret fear that kept me from taking on any of them. My fear was that; 

I COULD NOT TRUST MY VOICE TO
BE THERE WHEN I NEEDED IT.

Like most people with voice problems, I just kept pushing my voice by tightening, forcing and strangling it. In my ignorance of the truth, I believed that I could MAKE it perform by pushing it harder and forcing it to be louder. I kept telling myself, "this is my voice. it isn’t doing what I want it to do, but I’m stuck with it, period.

Boy Was I Wrong!

The frustrating part of all that pushing was, my voice would simply say, "enough is enough Joni." and shut down completely leaving me voice-less. I was the one reaping the wrath of my own vengeance, not my voice. It would simply take a mini-vacation away from me while I was forced to cancel gig after gig opportunity after opportunity because I had no voice. (Those were the days before lip-syn-king.)

I tried voice method after voice method and nothing worked for me. Like so many singers, entertainers, and business professionals, my voice was ruining my budding career! It wasn’t until I became a voice teacher myself 18 years ago that I discovered I was not alone in my frustrations.That golden nugget of enlightenment and my desire to solve my own voice problems and those of my students, opened the door to an amazing discovery that helped me find my true voice and has helped thousands of others to find theirs. A powerful voice that would last a life time and one that you can trust to be there when you need it!

I learned that to be effective my voice must be free to express itself. The amount of voice power we are all holding back is enormous and very harmful…

I also learned that my voice was more than those two little vocal cords ( folds) in my throat. I discovered that my free, powerful, long lasting voice needed my whole body to work it’s magic. My students became my Guinea-pigs and my co-creators as together we developed a voice method that was easy, fast and best of all . . . IT WORKED! That amazing "cutting edge voice technique is called:

The 3-Dimensiional Voice® Training System

Dear Singers, Voice Actors, Speakers and Business Professionals . . .

If you are feeling “vocally challenged",  it’s time to take action to improve your Voice . . . No matter where you live, you can now experience this cutting-edge, 3-Dimensional Voice® Technique, a voice method so unique it is registered with the US patent office, and is working miracles, and changing lives, (and voices) all over the world.

Stay tuned. There’s more to come . . .

Let your own "voice" be heard. Share your voice horror stories and

rest assured, there is a light at the end of this frustrating tunnel