My name is Vocal Coach Ken Taylor and I’ve been helping singers like you improve their voice since I was in school getting my music degree.

You see, helping people is my passion, and I’d love to have the opportunity to help you take your voice to the next level. I believe you’ll find taking lessons with me to be fun and challenging, but most importantly, extremely effective in helping you improve your voice. But I don’t expect you to take my word for it… Try them out for FREE!

Free Initial Vocal Consultation

For a limited time, I’m providing a Free Initial Consultation (a $35 value) to singers that do the following two things…

1. “Like” my Facebook Singer’s Community page (found here) and share it with your friends.
2. Come ready to sign up for lessons at the end of your consultation, provided I can prove to you that I can easily help you move forward along your vocal journey (please view lesson prices and chat with whoever you may need to before setting up this free consultation as no additional discounts will be extended at this time).

Ready for your Free Initial Consultation?

Great! Now just email me at VocalCoachKenTaylor@gmail.com, or call (901)647-4800 and leave a message. Either way, simply tell me you’re ready to schedule your free initial consultation, and I’ll get back with you shortly and let you know what times are available.

I look forward to meeting you and thank you in advance for the opportunity to help you along your vocal journey!

Happy Singing!
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Most singers know that warming up your voice is a good idea, but how does one best do that?

So I made this little video to help singers with that very question. In it, you’ll discover not only what some of our main goals should be when we’re warming up our voices, but also an actual vocal exercise for each of these that you can put to use today.

Enjoy!
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

As a vocal coach, I’m often asked how often a singer should practice. But to me, how often you practice isn’t nearly as important as what you do when you practice. So I figured I’d share this video to give some insight into what I consider to be one of the most effective ways that I know to practice.

Enjoy!
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

ps – If you have any issues viewing the video on this site, you can watch it on youtube by clicking the following link – How to Improve Singing.

You can find the full article on Breathing and Singing on my Ask a Vocal Coach site. The article and video are my attempt to help demystify the breath and the process of utilizing the diaphragm while singing.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think in the comment section below!

~ Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Of course, if you’re on this site, then there’s a good chance that you’re looking for vocal lessons. So, if this made sense to you, then there’s a good chance that we’d click working together. If not, I have about a dozen different ways to say things so that it will make sense to you. So, if you’re interested in voice lessons, you can Contact Me About Lessons Here.

While some of these things may be true, there’s another element that I’ve almost always found to be true with any successful person. Successful people have had great mentors. 

We may not always know it, but there are certain special people that touch our lives in different ways. They encourage us to move forward when others may think we’re crazy, they help us grow by sharing their experiences, they take us under their wing and give us an outline of success to follow, and then they eventually step out of the way and watch us create our own outline once they’ve given us all that they had to offer.

I personally have had a few great mentors in my time. One of which was my father who passed away a couple of years ago. While he may not have given me much in the way of technical knowledge when it comes to singing, he always encouraged me to keep doing music. Then, once I graduated, he helped me start my first studio and gave me an infinite amount of emotional support when others doubted that I could make a living doing something that I love in music. For this, I’m eternally grateful.

All that being said, who has helped you get to where you are? It could be a family member, a teacher, a friend, or even fans. Whoever it is, make sure that they know how grateful you are that they are in your life, as it’s people like them that help artists like us keep our lights shining.

~ Ken

I’m not going to lie… I’m kind of proud of myself for putting this thing together myself. I used my Logic recording software to do the audio, and just keynote powerpoint slides to make the video. Check it out and give me your thoughts. You can find it here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOW9Zhfjv-Q.

Thanks,
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

But there’s someone in this equation that’s often forgotten, and that’s the people that are putting together these performance opportunities.

These wonderful people invest countless hours organizing a show, and often receive very little to no thanks for their efforts. They selflessly work for little or no extra money, sacrificing their free time to help you, the performer.

While you’re practicing an hour or so a day, they’re on the phone lining up the venue, scheduling the workers, renting the equipment, and organizing all others involved…

…while you’re resting before your performance, they’re running around frantically getting all the last minute details together for the show, making sure everything goes off without a hitch…

…while you’re out in the spotlight, they’re working diligently behind the scenes juggling responsibilities like getting the next act ready, staying on the lights/sound crew, and answering questions from the other performers, doing everything they can to make sure that you are seen in the finest light…

…and after you get your applause and go out to eat with your family and friends to celebrate, they’re breaking down the set, loading up the equipment, and/or cleaning up the venue so they can be sure to use it the next time they host their event.

The work of these individuals is never done, and while I may have touched on a few of their responsibilities, this is only a small fraction of what goes on behind the scenes in order for you to participate in nearly any performance.

So all of that being said, the next time you’re at a competition, or in a show, or performing anywhere, take the time to sincerely thank the people around you for all of their hard work. Not only will you definitely make someone feel very special, there’s a good chance that you’ll be one of the few who took the time to notice all their efforts and hard work.

Oh, and for all of you who work on these types of shows, I give you my biggest, most hearty thank you. Your work does not go unnoticed, and is appreciated more than you could ever know!!!

Sincerely,
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

1. Speak Like You Sing

Singing is an extension of your speaking voice. So if you have bad habits while talking (or even while sitting at rest), they will almost certainly carry over into your singing voice. Some common issues I see among my students include clinching the jaw, holding unnecessary tension in the tongue, speaking with too much pressure or on a pitch that isn’t 100% comfortable. If you can shake out this unnecessary tension and allow your voice to come out in the most effortless way, you’re voice will improve tremendously (and much faster than it would otherwise).

2. Drink Water (and lots of it)

Water is by far one of the best gifts you can give your voice. Staying hydrated helps keep your vocal cords in good health, preventing them from being dry and cranky (yes, cranky is a technical term here). So how much should you drink? Well, if you divide your weight by two (using lbs), that’s how many ounces of water you should drink per day. I tend to drink more than that, but that’s a good start. If that sounds like too much, then just make sure you drink at least one glass of water for every other drink (ie, if you drink 3 sodas, drink at least 3 glasses of water).

3. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol both have a dehydrating effect on the voice, and since making sure that we stay hydrated by drinking water is so important, it’s also important that we don’t undo that hydration by drinking excessive amounts of caffeine or alcohol. Being dehydrated causes the voice to feel dry and heavy, often limiting ones abilities quite a bit.

As a side note, I do drink expresso occasionally, and enjoy the extra energy I get before I sing, but one of the main reasons I can get away with it without some of the negative backlash is because I drink well over 100 ounces of water a day. That being said, good singers can and often do drink these substances, but if they’re smart they’re taking care of themselves by hydrating regularly as well.

4. Get Ample Rest

Being well rested is important for a singer for various different reasons. First off, singing and performing well can take up a lot of energy, and if you’re not rested, then you’re going to fall short of potential. This is important, but the real reason I say you need to get plenty of rest is this… going without enough sleep regularly often leads to a swelling in our vocal cords. This, like dehydration, makes our voice feel heavy and (yes, I’ll use the word again) cranky. So be sure to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated and you’ll be in a good position.

5. Warm Up Before Singing

Finally, to stay in the best possible vocal health, you should warm up before you sing. I admit to not always doing this, but I can also tell you that I hear a huge difference between when I do warm up and when I don’t. Warming up properly will help balance your voice, getting past the possible tensions you’ve unconsciously held throughout the day, and it can also help sooth a voice that’s not well rested. Especially when your voice isn’t feeling 100%, it’s important to warm it up to help get you in the most optimal position for singing.

Well, there are my top 5 Habits that lead to a healthy, happy voice. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to comment below or to visit my interactive site, Ask a Vocal Coach.

I hope this helps!

Happy Singing,
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

These are understandable fears as there are teachers out there that try and fit you within their box, both when it comes to the style of music they teach you, and the technique that goes along with it. However, a good vocal teacher is easily able mold to your preferences, helping you become the best type of singer you want to be.

That being said, here are 5 reasons working with a voice teacher can help you rise to a new level of talent.

1. They Provide a Different Set of Ears – Because our brains can only consciously focus on one thing at a time, we can only sing and listen at the same time so well. So when we’re singing, we don’t always hear the sound the exact way that the outside world does. So sometimes, just having a different set of ears can help in identifying parts that need to be fixed.
2. We Know What to Listen For - If you’re like most singers out there, you may not be aware that nearly every song alternates between smooth and connected, and more choppy vocals (usually the chorus is one while the verse is another). This is just one example of one thing that a good teacher knows to listen out for while you’re singing to ensure your sounding as good as possible.
3. We Know Many Quick Tips & Tricks - I bet there’s song that you really love singing, but there’s this one note or word that you sing that always sounds or feels weird and just a little off. Well, often times a teacher knows several vocal tips that will help you to sing that note effortlessly, giving you tons more confidence when you sing it in the future (often times, it has everything to do with how you say that word).
4. Guided Warms Ups/Vocal Balancing - Singing with a balanced voice not only feels great and raises confidence, but it also leads to greater range and dynamic freedom. While you can sit behind a piano and warm yourself up, a good teacher selects specific warm ups that are designed to balance out your voice, ultimately giving you greater vocal freedom (…and higher notes too!).
5. We’ve Been Around - The first time you go out to an audition, sing in a competition or do any other performance is likely to be a nerve wracking experience. This is because you don’t know what to expect. You may or may not know how to identify 16 bars of music, where to get a track, what type of music to do, how to edit your song so that it fits within the allotted time, or what to wear. Most voice teachers can easily give you guidance on these things, helping you come across as more experienced and confident performer. Also, there’s a good chance that your teacher can give you an idea as to what to expect when you’re at your performance or audition, helping to take out the element of unknown that is so intimidating for most people.

This is only a small list of how having a voice teacher can help you take your talent to the next level. If you’re interested in learning more about singing lessons, I’m more than happy to chat with you. Visit our contact page for more details.

Thanks for reading, and as always, happy singing!

Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

So what’s tenacity? Well, one way to describe tenacity is:

a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

Now, I’m not trying to rag on anyone, but most people give up at the first or second sign of resistance. They audition for a show or two, then stop auditioning because they don’t get cast. Or they do a competition, but when they don’t place they start thinking it’s because it was rigged or because they’re not any good, then stop doing them.

But it’s the person that repeatedly gets told “No,” but keeps learning and moving forward that makes something of themselves. This applies to the music field as it does with any other aspect of life.

My old college opera director, once told us a story about his wife. In grad school, she would audition for all of the major roles, but there were these two other girls that always got the leads over her. For two whole years, she never got the role she wanted because they were given to these other girls.

But fast forward 10 years, and she’s now performing those exact roles professionally all over the world, while the other two girls are no longer performing. Now, why is this?

Well… she absolutely refused to give up! She kept working harder, learning more, growing her talent, and gaining a better understanding of what the industry was looking for, then she molded herself into that. This was the key to her success.

But wait… why aren’t the other “more talented” women still performing? I don’t know this for sure, but I’d guess it’s one of two reasons. 1) They found so much success early on that they stopped growing and fell behind the times, or 2) they got out of school and did a few auditions that didn’t lead to parts, then got discouraged and gave up. It’s the classic tortoise and the hare syndrome.

So, what does this mean to you? If there’s something you really want to accomplish, decide today to become tenacious. Latch onto your goal with bulldog like strength and refuse to let go.

I can’t promise you that tenacity will take you all the way, but I can promise you that it’s impossible to accomplish any dream worth dreaming without it.

Best of Luck!
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor

ps – If after you’ve committed yourself to take on a bulldog like tenacity with your singing you find yourself in need of a vocal coach (and you’re in the Memphis area), please do not hesitate to contact my services. You can learn more on the private lessons page.