Synchronicity
Those moments where things go just right and feels right .when the right people comes into your life in that precise moment that you need them , when you allow ourselves to flow effortless to become part of the universe’s energy .When we can perceive signals ,come up with new ideas , when one event follows another and everything is connected with a purpose.
It seems a miracle but is not.
Synchronicity makes us feel that we are not alone , that we are part of something bigger , we cannot explain but exists .
This can only happen when we as artists discover and feel our true self and deep desire , then and only then we will be in alignment to follow our mission and flow in a creative life
-Debora Lebendiker-
THE ARTIST CHAIN
Before you, there were many Singers, Artists that had the inspiration to compose and to sing.
Before you, there were women, men that had a dream, a vision and they decided that not matter what they will make it happen and they succeed.
Before you, there were souls channeling with great melodies, beautiful poetry to move the audience to the infinite.
They failed and stood up; They overcame fears and never gave up.
They made it in their way and they paved the path for all of us.
Their footprints precede us and we can breath their spirit in each song in the universe.
Honor these artists, by living your artistic life with passion and values, with desire and love.
Honor them, With YOUR MUSIC, with Your unique sound, with your unrepeatable Voice.
Now it’s your turn to BE and to continue this Artist Chain.
-Debora Lebendiker –
"What Belongs to you will Stay with you"
In life we experience different situations where people go from our lives , co-workers, partners, teams, family, loves , friends etc.
There are cicles, there are stages in our evolution as human beings , always we learn something from the other person .
A friend that you don’t see for 20 years but you know he / she is there , because that love will never disappear; because there is a feeling of belonging.
Your music , that even though you have to pause it in one moment , it will be with you forever , because you belong to it and music belongs to you:)
So let it be , let it flow, let it come, let it go because “what belongs to you will stay with you “
-Debora Lebendiker-
The Question is "WHY NOT"
The question is not only “Why” do you want to become an artist?”
The question is “why cannot you” be the dreamer, the artist, the singer you always wanted to be?.
Why cannot you be in that place? That place so idealized but so real… real because it is reachable…It just requires training with commitment and discipline, with enthusiasm and a continuous desire to be better every day.
It’s just fear what keeps us away from the creative and magic mission that has been commended to us.It is an enormous but at the same time so small and illusory abyss which separates us from achieving it.
It is that feeling which believes that only “others” are the lucky ones, the brave ones, the successful ones, the privileged ones, because you are not “good” enough to fulfill it.
Whoever accepts this is true, will not be able to face the beauty of the artistic path in its fullness, they will not be able to enjoy the vast depth of being an artist. They will miss the magic in colors that only art can decode. There is so much to discover, to create, and the question is why not? Why do not achieve it?
An artist is a warrior who fights against fears and imperfections with unease; but is also the one who creates the most beautiful, the genuine, the essence, the most desired completeness: The Music.
When you feel who you are as an artist and what you have to offer, you will find your “reason”, but you will also discover that there is no way of not achieving it, because that is your life and you have been called to it. The blessing of being a channel between the inspiring muse and the world. To be a SINGER/ARTIST.
It is no coincidence that you were born with a “gift” and it is gratifying to develop it to its full potential, neither better nor worse than others, but just you and your ocean,
In the unknown, you will find yourself.
In the stillness of the most overwhelming silence, you will find yourself.
In the introspection of your ancestral wisdom, you will find yourself.
In the love for your art, you will find yourself.
In the way you choose to live it, you will find yourself.
In your divine inspiration, you will find yourself.
There is no magic or formulas; You are the only creator.
You are naked with your own blood,
You and your wings,
You and your desire to be free through your art in every drop of your voice.
It is you and your life,
It is you and your singing,
It is you and your message,
It is you and your essence,
So the question is: Why not? If you are destined to it.
-Debora Lebendiker-
Performing on Another Dimension
Recently listening and watching the last Cold play concert, I realize that this performance and the artist is the exact embodiment of the Coachsingers philosophy; that a singer is much more than a good voice.
You become an artist not by just working on your voice and singing properly; this is the first part of your task as a singer. Working on your craft, your voice, and your instrument is an important and essential foundation for your singing.
However, we then have a second level that transcends your voice. These are the other skills to develop.
It is the soul and voice together that drive the artist to connect to a new inspirational feeling, to a new stage of his artistry. Training himself to achieve this memorable moment is his goal, his challenge. It is a mission;
to not only sing technically well but to transport the audience with a magical vibe and to deliver his message in a way that causes his musical spirit to unite with the human soul.
In the particular case of the lead singer, from a technical point, he doesn’t have a great voice; breathiness, falsetto sound in his top voice. But who cares? When the song begins, we are transported to the infinity.
This music that creates a vibe, this voice that, with his uniqueness, reaches the hearts of many people.
He is a true artist. Feeling the stage, loving the stage, and giving his best.
Of course there are cases of great singers that also deliver their best vocal performance, for example, Lara Fabian and many others, but there are others that not having the skill completely developed can be great artists .
The journey of the singer has many different variables.
Don’t limit your self to only one. Expand your potential and all your skills to the maximum level.
-Debora Lebendiker-
“Stopping Vs. Quitting”
How It Begins
There is a period in life all too common among singers; the moment when they start to think about giving up. As with every human being, artists also have to confront their own conflicts and struggles of daily life and balance them with their artistic goals.
Those who continue are individuals that have learned how to live with their fears and how to overcome them. On the other hand, when they don’t see the signs, no longer feel the inspiration, do not have the support of those that surround them, or when the daily routine kill their dreams; artists experience the feeling that they want to stop.
As artists, we have no guarantee that we will succeed, nor do we have a formula that protects us from failure. But there is an inner flame that prods us to ‘CONTINUE, CONTINUE, CONTINUE’.
A Necessary Pause
The truth is that sometimes singers do have to stop, to rethink their goals and remind themselves of their dream, their ‘Why’. This moment is the equivalent of a blank page for a songwriter, and could involve a decision to change to a better vocal technique, choose a new style or genre they want to sing. It can even be a total change in personal direction.
You can take this pause to build up the next idea. You can start over as many times as you deem necessary in order to be reborn as the artist you dream to be.
Quitting and Losing The ‘Why’
However, when the singer wants to quit he has lost the meaning of his singing and can not find it anymore. In the midst of his pursuit, all of the challenges have caused him to not just forget, but lose ‘the Why’. When he quits, it is forever and he doesn’t want to start again.
Unfortunately, the singer quits believing that it is not worth it to continue, and that it just will not happen for him. To quit is the death of the artistic desire.
Getting Back on Track To Reality
We sometimes view success as an ‘ideal place’ where we will arrive with no problems and no more strain of our previous efforts. This is not a realistic view. A singer is successful as long as he is doing what he loves-his art, and understanding the meaning of his journey. This process has ups and downs, but as long as he remains in the artistic way, improving his skills and believing in his project, sooner or later he will begin to see the results of his hard work. Passion and consistent belief must accompany this process.
Sometimes with the right help; a coach or some professional assistance, the singer could review this decision with a more realistic view and can be influenced to continue.
Are you feeling like you don’t know how to continue on your artistic path? Do you feel that things are happening to other singers but not for you? Are you thinking about quitting?
If this is your case, ask for help, share your music and review the next steps to continue….
1. Realize that you are not alone. Most artists and singers are going through exactly what you are in this very moment.
2. Never compare yourself to anyone! Everyone has their own journey and path. Focus on your own story and what you have to offer. Develop it and find the people who are waiting for it.
3. Look at the things you have accomplished. Remembering that you are not where you started is great affirmation of where you are going.
4. Define your own success and treat every step towards it as a milestone. Every day that you are still making music puts you closer to your dream.
-Debora Lebendiker-
The Only Thing That Counts Are The Results
Often, I see singers who come to my studio looking to fix different problems. They all have something in common though. They do not feel comfortable with their voices. It would be normal to see artists who want to improve their vocal technique, but what is interesting is that many of these students have already been studying with other vocal coaches.
That is where I start to emphasize the importance of obtaining results in the short-run. It is true that the vocal development takes some time, however working with a vocal coach should generate improvements within a month of vocalization exercises.
There have to be some improvement which creates a feeling of comfort with one’s voice. This will advance the progress. It would not be sensible to wait a whole year to see results. If within a month or two, results are not seen, then it might be time to seek another vocal coach.
The vocal coach has a great responsibility of taking a student and helping him/her to improve his/her voice each day. The harm is done when the coach does not let the student go because the coach cannot accept his or her own teaching limitations. On the other hand, the student continues taking classes because there is a good relationship with the coach, continuing with the classes without realizing the consequences this can have on his/her voice.
My advice is not to go just by nice words and compliments. Seek results that can lead you to achieve excellence as an artist.
-Debora Lebendiker-
You Are The Magic
Honing Your Instrument
When a person decides to begin the journey of learning an instrument, whether piano,
guitar, or any other, he usually understands that there will be a required amount of time
to invest into the matter. The student knows from the very beginning that it will take a
sacrifice of “real” time and dedication to understand, process, practice and ultimately
play the instrument.
The same would apply in the case of a dancer with the desire to learn choreography. She
knows that every day she will need to exercise her body and employ technique to one day
perform the dance.
However, this understanding is one that is lacking in some of the singers that come to my
studio and I see an entirely different approach from them. For some reason, rather than
viewing their voice as an instrument to be honed and crafted, they look for a magic
formula to start singing in the fastest way possible. Whether beginners or advanced, they
seek a prescribed method and date to know “how long it will take to be in good shape as
a singer to make an audition, a recording, or a live performance.
Reality Check vs. Pop Culture TV
Honestly, there is no a magic wand that the Vocal Coach will use on a singer to,
miraculously after a quick vocalization, make him ready for Madison Square Garden.
As a Vocal Coach I cannot predict the amount of time it will take a singer to control his
voice. The voice is an instrument that needs to be developed as any other, and each
singer is a world of his own that needs to be addressed personally with each of his vocal
attributes and all of his skills.
The current pop culture we live in feeds us an overnight success mentality. We watch all
of these TV Shows, where in 2-3 months singers are famous and successful, which lends
itself to the misguided thought that this is the “real world” and the true process. On the
contrary, in our real world singers have to practice long and hard to build up a strong
foundation of their Vocal Technique, and this is usually not a fast cook but one that takes
time. We enjoy the excitement of the overnight success stories, but most of the popular
artists did not have the quick rise to fame as it seems. When we see great performers on
stage, we must realize that the magic we see is a culmination of what they did in
rehearsal for many hours over time. They worked many years before they were ready.
Where The Magic Really Is
The truth is there are no tricks, or magical tips to becoming a good artist. The only
MAGIC that will happen is the one that comes from within you. YOU are the Magic:
Your Voice, Your Singing. This MAGIC will only come as a result of going through the
learning process of Singing and Vocal Technique and all the necessary skills a singer
needs. After much practice and dedication, things will come together seemingly as
magic to those around you. This transformation will occur in the singer’s life, not as a
fast receipt, but as a continual exploration of his artistic world with commitment,
discipline and practice.
To know you are on the right path of your artistic journey, implement these steps:
1. Practice, Practice, Practice! Every great musician practices no matter how skilled.
2. Avoid comparing yourself to others; another artist’s story will often look smoother,
easier from the outside. We are rarely accurate.
3. Trust your talent. Believe that you are great at what you do, at what you have to offer
the world with your voice.
4. Establish your own style and message in your performance, and believe that it is
powerful.
5. Above all: Don’t look for magic outside, The Magic is You!
-Debora Lebendiker-
Singing is a Balance of Repetition and Innovation
When you think about yourself as a singer, how do you imagine yourself?
Are you willing to take your voice to the maximum potential, studying for a long term goal of success? Or is your desire only to be a good performer or singer/ songwriter where you simply use your voice to accompany your originals with an instrument?
In whichever of these cases that apply, you have two important things to think about: Your “Vocal Technique” and your “Creativity.”
To develop control of your voice and your singing it is a requirement to have a good Vocal technique. Simply put, you must practice, practice and practice.
Singing is about “repetition.” It is about doing the same exercise, the same song over and over until it feels right. This is not merely practicing, but rather it is about vocalizing each time in the perfect way.
The goal is not only practicing what we do right, but to exercise what we do wrong. Additionally, it is important to practice with purpose, analyzing each exercise. You should be able to ask of your vocal teacher the purpose of the exercises he or she is addressing with you. This understanding will provide clarity in which areas of the voice you are working to improve and how these particular exercises are intended to help you accomplish results.
Creating daily habits centered around practice and your routine of repetition will help you to improve your skills as a singer. This training will also give you confidence as a singer. Whether you are a beginner or advanced you must work hard to develop and maintain your skills, and your craft: your voice.
In addition to honing your voice as an instrument, being creative is an important skill to develop in your singing as well. You have to be innovative in each performance, with each interpretation. This means not always singing only in your comfort zone, performing the same way as you have before. The main idea is challenging yourself with new ideas, phrasing, emotions; it is about exploring all you can deliver in every one of your performances. Asking yourself for more to reach your audience and going through the song on different channels.
This is not merely about virtuosity, but rather about putting your soul into each concert, and into each song, therefore creating a new reality every time you sing. Singing is about the perfect balance of repetition and innovation. Both must come together to develop the singer and artist you are within.
-Debora Lebendiker-
Your own way
It’s not fast, It’s not slow,
It’s just your rhythm,
The way you move, the way you sing
There is not another way,
There is only your way.
-Debora Lebendiker-