The Singers Handbook | Lis Lewis • The Singers Workshop

How Did They Sing That?

Everyone wants to sing higher, louder and longer. Here are my thoughts on how some of the great artists do it.

Your Business Team: Who They Are And When To Get Them

You're writing songs and getting your band together in rehearsals. Wouldn't it be great to get your business team together now: to have a manager step in to make contacts for you and an agent to get you some work? Unfortunately neither of these two professionals is going to be interested in working with you yet; you are going to have to do their jobs yourself.

The Courage To Learn

No matter how good you get, there's always more to learn. But realizing that you have weaknesses can be upsetting.

Auditioning For The Voice or American Idol

Every major city in the country has auditions for a TV talent show. American Idol, America's Got Talent, The X-Factor and The Voice are just a few of the shows that hold auditions. Even if you're not in a major city, you're probably near enough to get there for one of the dates. How do you prepare for an audition and how can you make the best possible showing?

Who Do You Trust?

Some people go through life being supremely confident; they think they are awesome singers, great performers and ready for stardom. To tell you the truth, I don't think they're paying enough attention.

Breath Control

You've probably heard the expression 'breathe from the diaphragm' but what does it mean?

Your Live Show

By Lis Lewis

You’ve seen good shows and bad. What makes one work when another doesn’t? Assuming that the songs and the musicianship are up to snuff, there are some other elements that can invigorate your stage show. What makes a good set? What should the order of the songs be? What is the purpose of talking between songs and do you really have to do it?

The point of your live show is to take the audience on an emotional journey. Every word, action and sound should move the show forward drawing the audience into your life. When you play live, you can talk, you can move, you can interact with them. Your personal reaction to the songs, to the musicians and to the [...]

Your First Demo

If you've been singing all your life, by the time you get to high school you've been in every choral group available, maybe you've joined a band or started singing at parties or events. At some point you realize that in order to sing more, you're going to need a demo; a demonstration record that shows off your voice and the styles you sing.

Singing With The Band: I Can’t Hear Myself

Since you are an acoustic instrument it's hard to balance your vocal with the electric instruments in your band. You amplify your voice with a microphone that allows you to be heard beyond the limited distance your voice would normally carry. Even so, it's difficult to compete with musicians who have turned their amps up as far as they'll go or with a drummer who is pounding away behind you.

Top 5 Tips For Better Lyrics

Lyricist Mark Winkler helps you improve your lyric writing.