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Hey Singers!
I’m Justin Stoney, the Founder of New York Vocal Coaching
welcoming you to Ep. 15 of Voice Lessons Online.
This is the show where passionate Voice Teachers from all over the world
help us learn from some of the greatest singers of all time.
At age 15, most teenagers are excited about getting their driver’s license.
At age 15, our singer today was excited about getting
her record contract.
And, the 10 albums, the 11 Grammys, and the countless smash hits,
it feels like they’ve happened so… Swiftly
Tough to not love that.
But what can we learn from Taylor?
First, Kacey Velazquez, tell us about Taylor’s songwriting
and artist development.
Hey Singers!
It’s been said that Taylor Swift is the music industry.
As a huge Swiftie, I don’t disagree.
In addition to her amazing voice,
Taylor is also one of the best songwriters in the world.
Her songwriting and storytelling continue to set her apart
and pave the way for future generations.
Taylor has also successfully navigated many different styles of music
including pop, country, folk, indie and so many more.
Let’s take a listen to these next few clips and hear how Taylor’s
songwriting has evolved over the years.
Incredible work!
Taylor’s songwriting - the details in her lyrics,
the memorable melodies, the production that brings the songs to life
- have all contributed to her becoming the best of the best.
Taylor also has a deep understanding and respect
for other artists and different styles of music.
That’s key for songwriters to know and for songwriters like her.
Taylor Swift has also achieved a level of longevity
in her career that’s truly mind-blowing.
She understands music marketing and understands
her connection with her fans.
That has helped her stay consistent and on top.
Artists and songwriters, studying Taylor Swift is never a waste of time.
In lessons, you can study Taylor Swift: her voice, her music, her musicality,
her artistry, and more, and you will benefit from it.
Thank you so much singers.
I will see you soon.
Awesome Kacey.
Next, Zac Bradford. What about Taylor’s mastery of phonation types?
Taylor Swift is a master storyteller!
One of the tools she uses to express herself is singing
with a range of phonation types.
With breathy phonation being on one end of the continuum,
pressed phonation on the other end,
and flow phonation in the middle.
Taylor uses all three and everything in-between
Taylor uses them to enhance her expression
and to infuse her lyrics with layers of meaning.
This can create more contrast in the meaning
or the intention of a lyric.
The key as a singer is to be in control of the phonation type,
and to not let the phonation type be in control of you.
We know that Taylor has a high level of control
because she often changes phonation types within a phrase
or sometimes on the same note.
Have a listen to these clips and see if you can hear how
Taylor explores phonation types to enhance
her storytelling and expression.
Enjoy!
Great stuff Good Sir!
And Kristy Bissell.
What can we learn about Taylor and this very fancy vocal word
“Prosody”?
One of my favorite T Swift songs has got to be “Tolerate It”.
It’s from Evermore and I find this to be one of
the most beautiful pop songs because of its prosody.
Prosody is when everything in your song comes together
just perfectly for the meaning of the song and
this can be interpreted by the lyrics, the melody, your chord progression,
your harmonic rhythm.
You name it.
There’s so many contributing factors to what makes up a song.
The underlying emotion that I’m feeling from this song
is this longing, wanting, groveling,
just trying to be enough for this person but never
quite measuring up.
So, how did she decide to construct this song
and what’s the prosody?
So, one of the first things that grabbed me instantly
was the 5/4 time signature which is not usual in a pop song.
No necessarily.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 [demonstrates]
And to me that just feels like that longing and dragging.
I’m not just in 4/4 for you.
No, I’m in 5/4 for you, baby.
That’s how bad I’m trying.
I’m really, really going for this.
Then we hear this beautiful chord progression
but not just the chord progression,
it’s the way that that is being played and
that’s the harmonic rhythm.
So listen to this.
Whew!
It's really sad.
And then we get this beautiful melody on top of that.
That goes down, up, and then down again.
And then we get these little short staccato moments.
That almost feel like the end of a heartbeat.
And that up and down feeling,
that's what happens in relationships, right?
That down, up, down...
It's just gorgeous.
Have a listen.
So, the coolest thing about starting to understand prosody
in a song is that you get to be affected by this.
How is this going to make you sing?
Now, it’s one thing to interpret a song by just listening
to how that singer is doing it. And we love T Swift.
We love how she sings but also,
she wrote this gorgeous song and left all these
little easter eggs in the song for you.
All of the information that you need to rock this song and really take it in,
is there.
That’s how great of a songwriter she is.
So, enjoy this song.
I hope you sing it cause it’s amazing.
Great Kristy.
And Andy King,
Taylor loves a good low note, does she not?
I want to take a bit of your time to talk about
the beauty of low notes.
Unfortunately, low notes get a bad rap.
Partially because many of our favorite singers
are constantly singing higher and higher and higher.
And that can feel impossible and exhausting.
I certainly don’t want to knock the power
and magic of high notes.
But I do want us to take a moment to revel
in the absolute gorgeousness of low notes exemplified by Taylor Swift.
Here are three quick clips for you to listen to.
I don’t know…that was incredibly powerful and impressive.
And yes, Taylor Swift can also sing high,
but how many pop stars at her height of fame
are singing consistently low like that?
And how many of YOU are practicing your low notes
just as consistently and often as your high notes?
Don’t get me wrong, please practice your high notes!
I practice them myself.
I have my students practice them.
But at the end of the day, we want to explore our entire range.
There’s beauty in your top and middle,
but what kind of beauty is being missed out on,
on the bottom?
Next time you sing, take some time to
explore those low notes.
And if you don't do it for yourself,
at least do it for Taylor.
Thanks Andy.
And thanks to all our experts!
I’m going to share what I’ve learned from Taylor in a moment,
but first - here are some ways to continue your “love story”
with your voice.
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One thing that we need to remember as artists
- as people -
is that it’s okay to not stay the same.
I mean, if you think about it - we can’t stay the same even if we try.
Every day of our lives we change.
And hopefully we're growing and evolving,
not getting worse and worse.
So why not have the bravery to embrace that?
That’s what Taylor teaches us!
Right?
I mean, one thing you can definitely say about Taylor Swift -
she’s brave man.
She embodies what it means to change.
To reinvent oneself.
Let me give you some examples.
We start out with the winsome songwriting starlet,
guitar by her side like a faithful friend,
crooning country tunes that feel young and old at the same time…
And then before you know it.
Reinvention.
Guitar’s gone.
Now she’s embraced a straight-ahead pop, dance,
feel good experience.
And then again.
Change. Pivot. Reinvention.
Suddenly, a dark, brooding electronic synth landscape.
Unrecognizable from where we started.
Is there any turning back?
Of course!
Why not reinvent again?
Get back to those roots,
but with experience, maturity, and broken in boots…
Incredible.
A legacy of reinvention.
And the best part, she ain’t even started.
So much more to create.
So let’s all ask ourselves a question:
is there something in my voice, my style, my life, my spirit,
that needs reinvention?
Because if we’ve learned anything from Taylor,
it’s that having the courage to change doesn’t mean losing who we are.
It means finding ourselves in a deeper and truer way.
Again and again.
Thanks for teaching us that Taylor.
We’ll see you next time for more Voice Lessons Online.
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