My Voice’s Gratitude List – updated 2021
on the title of this post and go online to hear.
As Thanksgiving approaches this year, I am reminded of a thousand blessings that keep me in a state of gratitude. In keeping with All Things Vocal, here’s a sampling of what’s on my voice’s gratitude list:
- Knowing that vocal damage can completely heal
I know this from personal experience, after losing an octave and a half from an endotracheal tube down my throat for an extended time in the hospital. As a vocal coach, that experience has helped me help others. I have seen vocal polyps, nodules, and vocal cord paralysis disappear with corrective vocal re-training. Surgery can almost always be avoided if the damage is stopped in time.
- Not having grown up with auto tune
- Conversations with other curious, caring vocal coaches
I have had fantastic conversations, in person and online with coaches including Jeffrey Allen, Jeannie Deva, Jamie Vendera, Lisa Popeil, Joana Cazden, Richard Fink IV, Mark Thress, and many others. Mr. Allen granted me permission to use his hook-shaped voice path in my teaching, and Joana Cazden suggested improvements to my vocal health document. I love sharing information as a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing), trading lessons and ideas in classical and contemporary voice with singers and teachers such as my dear friend Mark Thress! I’m grateful when a teacher or other voice expert comments on a post in this blog. We may not see things exactly the same way, but these conversations have all given me insight and made me a better and more effective teacher.
- Great voices and music creators
- My vocal coach, Gerald Arthur
- The gift of insight and intuition.
- Every vocal student I’ve ever had
…especially the ones with toughest, peskiest problems. Your patience and your dedication to your training have led to breakthroughs and of course, to solutions for the next student who comes in with that issue. I love you for trusting me with your precious voices, and being willing to go down the rabbit trails we explored until we found your answers!
- My husband John and our son Peter
John makes everyone I work with feel welcome, sometimes stopping by the webcam to say hello! He also helps me to remember to power down at the end of the day and gives me a great reason to. He is my most important critic, sounding board and encourager. He also joined me to create and perform our surprise last album “Here We Are“. There aren’t enough words for what that album means to us both!
- Listeners
- Friendship, trust, inspiration, and support
- Pineapple juice
- The transpose button
A big thank you goes up to whoever invented the transpose button on my keyboard! That way my students and I can sing in for instance the key of B, while I play it in my fingers’ much preferred Bb or C! 😀
- YOU
I am very grateful for you, dear reader and supporter of ‘All Things Vocal’. You are the reason I do this. If you have a suggestion for this blog or podcast to make it of more value to you please let me know. Your comments and reviews are incredibly important and I am so very grateful to those of you who take the time.
Originally Published on https://www.judyrodman.com/
