Ninja’s are the ultimate paradox. On one hand they are careful and precise and on the other they are swift, ruthless and fearless. They are known for being fast, smooth, cool, strong, powerful and even sweet. The same components that being a great entertainer commands. Today I want to talk about how you can be a Vocal Ninja. And build a voice that goes the distance.

Having real skill as a singer is a non-negotiable requirement to having a real career as a music artist. Even if your aesthetic is more like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits or Courtney Love (which means you prefer character over singing right) – every singer needs a voice that holds up over the wear and tear of a professional career. And that – is way more important than you think.

I just heard from a singer who got burned out on the road. So much that she hasn’t been able to sing for the past 2 years. She’s coming in to work with me and together we’ll clean her up and her voice will be soaring and sparkling in no time. Truth is, 99.9% of the time, the voice springs back when you know the secrets to nurturing the instrument like I do – which I reveal here in this article…

So I wanted to give you, my prized readers, ways to instantly step up your vocals and create a sound that is instantly recognizable, but first, while not wearing out. Every pro singer needs a voice they can count on – and under the pressure and demands of touring, that’s no easy task. Often times what sounds good, is not so good for you, so it becomes a very precise skill to use the voice without hurting it.

No matter what your sound is, a Vocal Ninja starts with good technique. A Vocal Ninja has a strong, resilient voice, with a sound that is instantly recognizable – and a great technique that creates that smooth, effortless sound – a seamless instrument that flows easily but powerfully, and in control.

Think of it this way:

Singers are athletes of the small muscles of the voice and breathing.

And when your muscles are tight and weak, you have no control. The first step is to strengthen the physical instrument that lives inside your body (that you can’t see).

To make a singer strong, I often first have to derail the tensions in the actual muscles of the voice. Can you imagine an Olympic athlete running a race without stretching their muscles? Or what happens to them when they repeatedly run without stretching? Shin splints. It’s the same thing with a singer. The first thing I do when a singer is having problems is what I call a “deep-tissue vocal massage.” I was fortunate enough to study a very specific vocal massage from a woman here in New York, Cathy Thompson, who worked with many superstars including Bruce Springsteen and his then wife Patti Scialfa, Sting and countless others. She was a brilliant masseuse who had studied with Ida Rolf (founder of Rolfing – a very deep tissue restorative massage therapy that restores alignment in the body). One summer, she and I developed a system to show singers how to release these muscles (she wrote books on it but they never got published because unfortunately she passed away a few years ago). She wrote a section on this for my book that I am still in the process of about vocal health. For now, I’ll include a few things you can try right away, and you’ll have to wait for the book for the full details (or come work with me in person – can’t do massage by Skype lol!).

It’s a fact, that when your vocal instrument is weak (or tense), it limits your expression. I often say to singers that the goal of vocal technique is not the technique itself. It’s not even about singing “right” (although singing without hurting your voice or wearing out is fundamental in everything I teach.) The real reason to train your voice is so that you are not limited. The goal is having a voice that is strong enough to facilitate your expression. It is the first step to really finding out what you are capable of – and ultimately your signature arises out of that. What would YOU sound like if your voice was not limiting your true expression?

Here are my 7 Industry Secrets to Becoming a Vocal Ninja…

1. Deep-tissue Massage or Acupuncture. This is one of my biggest secrets for “fixing” voices. Most singers, even vocal teachers or coaches, do not know this one. But since deep-tissue vocal massage is highly specialized, let’s just say it’s not a “regular massage” – what I do recommend to get the same results is acupuncture (for those of you who are needle-phob’s – the needles are really thin, but you do feel a little prick). Have the acupuncturist focus on releasing the base of the tongue, jaw, neck and upper back muscles. I also recommend Feldenkrais to release deep tensions in the voice. Both methodologies work well.
2. Vocal Technique. It’s true that with the right vocal technique, you will release tensions, build tone and strength and experience a freedom you never imagined possible. Train to be a Vocal Ninja. All of my vocal warm-up secrets are in The Singer’s Gift
3. Have Vocal Swag. Vocal Swag will put you on the fast track. It’s the style you sing with. What qualities do you love about voices? What is your natural sound that you can build on? Dissect singers phrasing, examine their sound. Are they scooping, falling at the ends of notes, what riffs do they use? Stock up on ideas and build your Vocal Swag.
4. Yoga. Part of being a Vocal Ninja is doing Yoga. I have all my singers on the road do Yoga every day. It keeps the body stretched out so you will avoid injury. Remember what I said about stretching? (see #1)
5. The Right Foods! You are what you eat. And even more than that, your voice is what you eat. Eat fried foods and chew gum and you’ve got dry ragged vocal cords that won’t hold up. Knowing what to eat and when is the difference between a voice that goes the distance or one that crashes and burns. (See my blog post about this here)
6. Vocal Health & Care. Staying healthy is an art. Check out my Vocal Health Checklist to find out where you are in the spectrum of vocal health and learn some voice-saving tips and techniques for keeping your voice in peak health!
7. Fall in Love With Why You Are Different. A Ninja knows where their strengths are and uses them to beat their competitors. Whether it’s speed or quickness, they know themselves. Being a Vocal Ninja means you know your voice, feature your strengths, and downplay your weaknesses.

Here’s the thing. All you have to do is to try — and don’t expect perfection. Perfection is the enemy of success (that’s a whole ‘nother blog 🙂 ) Just give it a shot. That’s how you grow. Inertia is death – action is growth. Take action. Share what you are going to do to take action in the comment below.

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