Learn to sing no matter what your age, size or physical state of health.

I have been teaching singing for some years now. Witnessing the life-transformation that singing gives is one of the most rewarding experiences any teacher can have. This beneficial change is both emotional and physical.

Expressing how we feel is a fundamental part of our humanity, just as crying out our aliveness is the first thing we do when we are born. We need to continue to express ourselves throughout our lives, and to do so and at the same time create something beautiful like a song is a most exhilarating experience. Studies have shown that singing with others helps encourage not only our social instincts, but also the life-long listening and responding skills we need to keep sharp. Furthermore, many choir songs are sung in different languages – what better way to understand different cultures and brush up your French or Italian or Swahili than by learning a song? At home it’s a great way to bond with little children, as well as being a way of keeping songmaking alive. According to recent studies we have been singing songs longer than we have been speaking words. Traditionally work songs were part of our culture for centuries and even now singing together is the best way to create that sense of belonging, of community, most of us wish for. Ask any football fan.

To sing properly your breathing should come from low in the body, which is what happens when you sleep. Some people call this diaphragmatic breathing. It means not only that you use the full capacity of the lungs but that you end up toning your belly muscles, leg muscles and improving your heart function. I often explain singing as being a form of extended exclamation. If you squeak or whoop you’ll find you use the low belly muscles to propel the sound out, and these are exactly the muscles you need to use for singing. Breathing from low like this will enable you to take longer and deeper breaths, which in turn acts as a calming influence on the body. The increase of oxygen and “feel good” hormones relaxes and soothes the system which makes it function better. Learning to breathe from low is crucial to the stamina building you need for fitness training, but it has also been shown to help with Parkinsons and other debilitating conditions.

By contrast, if, as many of us do, we spend the whole time trying to hold the belly in we won’t be able to achieve any of these states. We simply can’t breathe properly just by using the top part of our lungs.  What happens is that we then have to breathe more frequently, and thus replicate the shallow breathing caused by panic. This stressful state then communicates itself to our tongues which stiffen up in an attempt to preserve what air we have left in the body.  You can feel the discomfort caused by a stiff tongue if you attempt distance running with shallow breathing. The body becomes exhausted ahead of time and the choking feeling can be excruciating.

Our tongues are not only responsive to our survival instincts but are great indicators of how we really feel. Most of us have experienced the blocking or tightening in the throat before a big occasion or difficult speech, or when fighting back tears. A stiff tongue can cause not only pain in the larynx and breathing difficulties but, because of its long roots, tension in the shoulders, neck and jaw and with it the hips.

The way I introduce people to freeing the tongue and learning how to breathe from low is by encouraging them to blow raspberries, the juicier the better. It’s easy to do, amazingly beneficial and needs no extra equipment! If you can, sing all your favourite songs on raspberries. You’ll find yourself really engaging the low belly muscles, breathing from deep and releasing tension in the mouth and shoulders.  Rolling your ‘r’s is another great help. I have recommended students roll their ‘r’s when they are doing their cross country fitness training. It works particularly well with running uphill!

An extra bonus from using this “low” breathing is that your speaking voice becomes firmer and carries better. This can do wonders for confidence building, particularly at work. So give singing a go. To start you can be any age, any shape and look anyhow, it doesn’t matter. I guarantee that once you start you’ll feel 1000 times healthier and happier.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: www.singdeborahhudson.com

Deborah Hudson Biography

Deborah Hudson (BA Hons LTCL) is an accomplished singer and teacher.            
She studied acting and drama (Guildhall School and The Peoples' National Theatre, France), Movement and Dance, Piano and Oboe. She also has a 2:1 Hons Degree in French Literature from London University with special emphasis on poetry.
Deborah was trained in a Husler approach as well as Bel Canto singing and historical performance style and all her teaching is based on the study of portamento and the legato line. She has sung in recital, opera, operetta and oratorio as well as session singing (rock). She also practises improvisation techniques with jazz performers and has sung for meditation workshops both unaccompanied and with drums. (For more details about Deborah's singing lineage please see her website: www.singdeborahhudson.com). She speaks fluent French and sings in English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. She has conducted choirs and small ensembles, always emphasising the individuality of performers voices as they join together to make music.

Deborah also studies the therapeutic potential of singing. She has been taught mindfulness meditative processes, including participating in a course of mindfulness CBT in preparation for her one-to-one Mindfulness Awareness coaching training. She uses breathing and listening techniques and practices forms of T'ai Chi to develop both her physical strength and awareness.

Based in London Deborah teaches singing to all ages over 16, working alongside students until they are confident. She also specialises in vocal rehabilitation and problem fixing.

Writer
Deborah's well reviewed book on how how to sing, illustrated by brilliant cartoonist Tony Husband is available in music stores and on line see publications above. In the past she has reviewed books for the Times Literary Supplement and has contributed articles to The Economist Magazine, The Guardian, Homes and Gardens, Apollo and Orientations Magazines. She edited a book of poetry for Carcanet Press and has translated French songs and operetta for recital programmes. She has also written several musical farces.

Deborah is a member of the Society of Authors, the Incorporated Society of Musicians, the Association of Teachers of Singing, The Association of English Speakers and Singers and the British Voice Association.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: www.singdeborahhudson.com

Singing Lessons

"Deborah can give anyone the inspiration to begin singing"

I am classically trained. All my teaching is based on sustained portamento and the legato line produced through a solid breathing technique and clear intonation. This applies to all genres of singing. In my opinion portamento is a fundamental tool for musical expression.

Singing Lessons

I give lessons to all sorts of different people at all levels of musicianship and who learn for all sorts of reasons. Many of my students are singer/songwriters. I teach most styles. Although I have a classical training, I have sung all styles of music and coach many music theatre, pop and jazz professionals. I teach one-to-one, run singing courses, prepare students for Trinity Guildhall and ABRSM exams, and am available for a variety of workshops and ensembles. I teach remedial singing techniques for singers with vocal problems and provide post-op vocal therapy. I also teach vocal therapy for those recovering from depressive illnesses. I am currently training to add Mindfulness coaching techniques to the singing training to create a new course in regaining confidence and self-expression. Most students will have an opportunity to work with Music Director and Accompanist Suzy Ruffles during the course of lessons.

The primary teaching aims for all students are to be able to make an accurately pitched, free and connected sound, to learn how to sustain it and then to work (and play) with it. For some this is enough and for others it is the basis of more advanced training when we explore a range of musical styles and techniques applicable at professional and more creative levels including improvisation skills.

My teaching practice is based mostly in Central London. (Please visit www.singdeborahhudson.com to book lessons and for prices.) I have also taught at The Wren Complementary Therapy Clinic in the City and have run in-house corporate workshops for organisations including the Walt Disney Company and Kids Company.

All private teaching is one-to-one. Techniques and emphases change according to the needs of the student so every lesson will be a development of the previous one. I ask simply that students practice so that progress is swift and fulfilling.

Remedial therapies are developed according to the problem: vocal wobble, metalic sound, roughness caused by overuse or strain, intonation problems or more physical problems brought about either by general disability or post-operation. I teach vocal therapeutic techniques to those who have suffered depression, helping people to express themselves again. Please don't worry if you have a difficulty in singing. I am here to help.

My focus is on adults and students over the age of 16 to whom I also offer exam preparation and specific singing training for people auditioning for shows and for drama schools.

For prices and where to come please visit my website: www.singdeborahhudson.com

General Methods
I always work along-side beginners, guiding them through the exercises until they are confident enough to sing or speak out alone. Progress is usually rapid. The whole of my teaching is based on natural sounds and movements. We develop a technique out of your spontaneous way of communicating.

I employ a mixture of techniques learned from a number of distinguished teachers,opera singers, music coaches, drama coaches, dance coaches and accompanists as well as academic sources that I myself have tried and found to work. In addition, I have studied belcanto and verismo styles and have listened extensively to early recordings of opera, song and early blues and jazz.

I continue to study, to perform and to train.

Some comments from students:

"You saved my career"  
"I have not felt so happy for years"  
"I feel a real sense of connection"  
"I never thought I could sing like this"  
"I just don't feel so nervous any more"
"Being able to sing this way has transformed my life" 
"My singing has improved so fast and so well." 
"You have done for me everything you said you'd do." 
"You have given me my voice back" 
"We don't blow raspberries in the desert" 
"My tongue won't do what it's told" 
"I've stopped shaking when I sing now" 
"finally I can sing and play at the same time" 
"I'm really pleased with how my voice is now. I feel able to earn again".

Deborah is author of the book "Sing Your Heart Out" as featured on BBC radio.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT: www.singdeborahhudson.com