Singing Too Much Pro Tips To Stay Vocally Healthy

Singing Too Much Pro Tips To Stay Vocally Healthy Suzy S. Is there such a thing as singing too much? If youre working on a rigorous singing schedule, check out these tips to stay vocally healthy from voice teacher Elaina R Anyone who’s ever eaten too much at Thanksgiving dinner knows that there is definitely too much of a good thing. This applies to singing as well! Singing, in my opinion, is one of the most enjoyable activities in the world. But just like eating too much makes you feel sick, singing too much has very real physical repercussions that can prevent you from singing more   sometimes even permanently. As a full-time professional singer, I sing a lot. I recently had a day where I had to sing for six hours. Even so, I haven’t had any vocal health problems since I was an undergraduate. Here’s why I have to be careful and what I do to keep my cords healthy. The Dangers of Singing Too Much Since your vocal cords are a part of your body, singing too much has many of the same effects as overusing any other body part. Imagine that you’ve been clapping for hours. What would happen to your hands? They would likely be red and swollen. If you kept clapping despite the swelling, your hands would eventually become very painful and develop calluses and blisters. They might even start to bleed (ouch). This same thing can happen to your vocal cords. The first step is vocal cord swelling. If you continue to sing with swollen or strained vocal cords,  you can develop nodules (calluses), polyps (blisters), or hemorrhaging (bloody cords). Treatment for these issues includes vocal rest, vocal therapy, and, in severe cases, surgery. Any of these issues, if not treated, can permanently damage your singing and speaking voice. Vocal Health  as a Singer Strained vocal cords (and damaging your voice)  may sound scary, but it can be avoided. I’m able to sing all day, every day without injury because I am constantly thinking about my vocal health. Staying healthy as a singer is much like staying healthy as an athlete, and following these rules can be the difference between a happy voice and an incapacitated one. Stay Hydrated I chug a glass of water as soon as I get up in the morning, and I carry a water bottle around with me everywhere. Hydrated vocal cords are nice and plump (and thus less prone to injury). Get Enough Sleep You don’t need me to tell you that your body functions better when you get enough sleep. Fatigue affects your vocal cords just like it affects the rest of you. Exercise Good singers have to be very in touch with their bodies, and physical exercise helps you  develop kinesthetic awareness. Exercise also helps alleviate tension, especially tension associated with sitting at a desk for long periods of time. This modern tension often centers around the throat, and throat tension is terrible for singing. Shaking your body out of this rigid mode can work wonders for your singing. Address Allergies and Acid Reflux I have seasonal allergies, so I take medication and use nasal sprays to alleviate post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drip is when mucus drips onto your vocal cords, irritating them and sometimes  causing vocal issues. If you have allergies, you need to be aware of this and take appropriate precautions. I’m lucky enough not to suffer from acid reflux, but many singers do. Acid reflux bathes the vocal cords in stomach acid, which is as horrible for the voice as you would expect. Please see a doctor immediately if you think you have acid reflux. Warm Up Just like athletes stretch before vigorous exercise, singers must warm up before diving into difficult music. I warm up every morning while puttering around the house   it’s second nature now, and it means my voice is always ready to go. The Most Important Rule for Singers I saved the best for last here. If an athlete has poor  technique (an improper gait for a runner, a bad swing for a batter), they end up injuring themselves. Same goes for singing. If you don’t learn good vocal technique, you will probably end up in vocal therapy at some point. But if you work with your voice teacher to improve your technique, you will learn how to sing better  overall. Your stamina will build and you will be less likely to hurt yourself. Now doesn’t that sound good? Photo by  Eva Rinaldi Post Author:  Elaina R. Elaina R. teaches opera voice and singing in Ypsilanti, MI, as well as through online lessons. She received her Master of Music from  the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California. Learn more about Elaina here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

A Student Review of the University of Missouri-Columbia

A Student Review of the University of Missouri-Columbia The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Miranda received her bachelors degrees in journalism, Spanish, and international studies, a minor in German, and her masters degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is currently a Washington D.C. tutor specializing in Spanish, German, and writing, among several other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience at the University of Missouri-Columbia: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Miranda: The large campus is set adjacent to the main downtown Columbia business area, and both are easy to navigate on foot or by bike. The campus is set up to provide students with all or almost all of their basic needs, as it has dining halls and stores as well as accommodation and job opportunities all on site. In addition, the downtown area has many fun events, restaurants, and small shops. The core area now even contains a full-size grocery store Luckys and a miniature Walmart, where students can find a variety of useful items. However, students who wish to travel beyond this core area for example, to visit big-box stores or hold an off-campus job will probably need to have a car. Most students do have cars, even if they dont use them daily, and some majors almost require it. Columbia is a reasonably safe place, and I always felt comfortable moving around alone, even at night. However, robberies and sexual assaults do happen. I found it useful to subscribe to police and campus alerts and to not waste time when I was moving around alone at night, especially in parking garages and similarly secluded places. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Miranda:Very available. I never had trouble getting in touch for extra help or advice. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Miranda:The dorm life was wonderful, and I made many friends in the dorms. My only complaint is that the dining plan is a bit draconian everyone living in the dorms is required to have a minimum 11-meal per week plan, which was annoying to me as I liked to cook, go out to restaurants with friends, and usually just ate cereal in my room for breakfast. I had some wasted meals, even on the smallest plan. The dining halls offer good quality and variety, but are also overcrowded and not as well set up for students just wanting to grab a quick meal on their own. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Miranda:Mizzou is an enormous school that offers a dizzying array of majors and programs. Journalism is very well represented and supported to the point where it sometimes felt like a separate and fully functioning school on its own. I also studied Spanish, German, and anthropology, and while those schools were not as large or wealthy, I had no complaints. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Miranda:Greek life plays a significant role for some students, but exists fairly separately. As a non-Greek student, I didnt feel discriminated against or left out. However, some dorms feed heavily into Greek life, so students should consider picking their dorm according to their Greek aspirations (or lack thereof). I thought it was very easy to meet people and make friends as a freshman. Its helpful to pick a dorm that shares your values and interests, but also to keep an open mind about all the different ways you can meet people on campus and in the wider community. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Miranda:The Career Center offers tutoring services, resume review, and mock interviews. I thought it was a strong resource, especially for students whose own academic programs are not large enough to offer those services independently. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Miranda:Sometimes computers can become scarce at peak times, as can prime study spots on the main floors of the student unions. One problem is that these areas are often set up to hold small groups of students, and at busy times these spots are often taken up by a single student, rendering four seats more or less taken. However, if you know the areas well, you can always find a nice and private spot somewhere, often in a side room or in the upper stories of the libraries and unions. Describe the surrounding town. Miranda:Columbia is a lovely town and most students (coming from small towns, suburbs, and rural areas) are delighted by the variety of fun, outside establishments and activities, though some students coming from very active urban environments are disappointed. The downtown area is hip and fun, and very often frequented by students. The area beyond is often ignored by students, for better or for worse. It has some nice spots that tend to be secret town gems, as well as some great parks, but its more of a typical, small Midwestern town with Walmarts, big box stores, and chain restaurants dominating. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Miranda:The student body is enormous, but shrinks as it gets subdivided into the many different academic programs and majors. Many general education classes and even some major-required courses are taught in huge lecture halls, but as you continue through your program, smaller, intimate classes offering lots of interaction with classmates and professors will predominate. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Miranda:I nearly missed out on the opportunity to take a class with Jacqui Banaszynski, one of the most highly regarded journalism professors at the Missouri School of Journalism. My final semester, I enrolled in one of her single credit classes, with a focus on interviewing skills. It was one of the densest and most magical courses I have ever taken. We were spellbound each moment of each class period, and the assignments really pushed us out of our comfort zones. I still think of that class regularly, almost every time I conduct an interview. Check out Mirandas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Can You Name the 10 Best French Films

Can You Name the 10 Best French Films Do You Know The Names of France's 10 Best Films? ChaptersThe French New WaveThe Post-New Wave EraFrench Movies in the 1990sFrench Movies of the New MillenniumWhat This Decade has to OfferWhat makes a film good? Is it the acting? The action? Maybe the lead character is portrayed by your favourite star, and no matter what s/he plays in, it's bound to be good!Perhaps a good movie is best defined as one that sucks its audience in, holds them in a thrall and releases them, with a great whoosh of emotion, some two hours later.The average movie critic tends to dissect each film s/he reviews by its technical as well as artistic elements.We, the audience, prefer turning our untrained eyes to the silver screen â€" not to rate and judge but absorb the story and, hopefully, identify with the protagonist or the idea s/he espouses, don't we?Having just established the idea that defining  anything as best is a matter of   personal preference, let us advance these ten titles, in the hopes that you agree with our assessment: that they are a perfect expression of French cinema at its best.No need to fret over the rumour that cinema goers in France are turning their backs on French film; the industry is as prolific as ever, turning out some 300 titles each year!We'll discuss some from each era.Anna Karina, of the New Wave generation of stars, bitterly regretted turning down a role in Breathless Source: Wikipedia Credit: Joost Eversevolution of society at that time.A few titles from that era include:BreathlessHiroshima mon AmourVivre sa vieJules et Jim400 BlowsLa Grande VadrouilleYou may discover an expanded list of titles and learn more about how the French Nouvelle Vague â€" New Wave impacted the art of filmmaking.The Post-New Wave EraFrom the late 1960s until the early 1980s, French film makers continued to experiment with cinema verité, incorporating elements of Noir and amour â€" in the sense of romance, to turn out cinematic marvels.The film Diva, released in 1981, was instrumental in the French film industry turning away from the realism that had gripped it for over a decade, and brought about a return to lightheartedness.Directors Luc Besson and Leo Carax came into their own at that time, offering up such treasures as The Big Blue and Lovers on the Bridge.Daniel Auteuil came into prominence at this time for his role in Jean de Florettes, which he reprised in the sequel Manon des Sources.His co stars Yves Montand and Emmanuelle Béart were already quite well-known at that time; it is a testament to Mr. Auteil's acting ability to share equal billing with such luminaries.Incidentally: Mr. Auteuil enjoyed a brief marriage to the eternally beautiful Emmanuelle!Elsewhere during this period, film making in France took slightly different directions.Animated stories were coming into vogue, thanks to The Angel.“The masks erase all human personality in the characters” - film critic Raphael BassanThis pivot, away from stark reality, exaggerated expressions and overt emotion, put the story ahead of the per formers' ability to inject themselves into their character.It also gave the director total, autonomous control to realise his vision, and ultimately became one of the most discussed submissions at Cannes in 1982.NOTE: The Palme D'or winner that year was jointly awarded to Missing and Yol â€" neither one a French language film, but exquisite pictures nonetheless.The Cannes judges have traditionally been very stingy in awarding French films the Golden Palm Source: Wikipedia Credit: Karel LeermansElsewhere in the decade, film makers hastened to not lose the momentum that animated film generated at Cannes with The Angel.Michel Ocelot kept that particular fire stoked with Kirikou and the Sorceress, a full length animated film.Other important movies of the decade include Nikita, and The Fifth Element which, besides launching the career of one Milla Jovovich, maintains the dubious distinction of having polarised film critics.Love it or hate it, it was considered a box office success at the time â€" it earned back nearly three times its production budget!, and is still a cult favourite today.Sadly, Claude Sautet would make his last film in this decade: A Heart in Winter is considered to be the defining film of his career; a genuine masterpiece.We wonder what he could have done with digital cinema technology...French Movies of the New MillenniumThe obvious kickoff for outstanding French films of this new era must be Amelie, starring the irrepressible, fresh-faced Audrey Tautou as its eponymous character.While Hollywood seems to have a formula for their Rom-Com â€" romantic comedy genre, Amelie goes much deeper than the attraction-rejection-inevitable conclusion matrix by exploring the lead character's isolation, fostered on her by her unusual upbringing.This gem of a story, and the darling Audrey who brings it to life is, by some accounts, France's best known film.Eight years later, another star captured the international film-going community by her performance in La V ie en Rose.Marion Cotillard's true to life portrayal of chanteuse Edith Piaf's tragic life and premature death surely must stand at the top of any music aficionado's â€" and film fan's collection of must see movies.Oddly enough, while Cannes is located in one of the most fabled regions of Mediterranean France, on the Riviera, The Film Festival academy had been very stingy in bestowing its highest honour on films originating in her own country.Perhaps that could be a testament to those judges being completely unbiased in seeking the epitome of quality film making.That changed in this era of French film, with eye-opening entries such as Entre les Murs â€" which won the coveted Palme D'or in 2008, and the unforgettable performance of Isabelle Huppert in The Piano Teacher, in 2001.The only French film to rival James Cameron's Titanic, as far as audience size and box office return goes, is the comedy Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis.This farce was unintentionally overlooked on the international stage due to several action thrillers, directed by French visionaries, with all-star casts from several different nations.Some of those titles include:RidersCatwomanAssault on Precinct 13Silent HillMirrorsthe Transporter trilogyDid you know that up to 40% of movies made in France today are headed by first-time directors?Which French movie would you have nominated as best for this decade? Source: Pixabay Credit: SteinchenWhat This Decade has to OfferLooking at French cinema today, we see a unique blending of so-called arthouse films; what Americans would consider Indie, and deliberately commercial products â€" illustrated by the emphasis on action and animation films.Would you consider Untouchable of the former or latter category?This 2011 tragi-comedy release, while not quite a record breaker, was a huge box office draw as well as a critical success, telling the story of a paraplegic and his carer.That doesn't sound very awe-inspiring, does it?When you throw a bit of action in, a b it of drama and a few laughs, you get a blended story that, remarkably, resembles real life.Quite possibly, that is the very aspect of this film that is the draw.What else from this millennium  would be worth watching?That question takes us back to our opening gambit: what constitutes a great film?Do you like to watch Jean Dujardin, or do you enjoy stories by Claire Denis more?Would something like Auberge Espagnole grip you? How about Blue is the Warmest Color?We can find out what the general consensus is, but out of all of these great titles over 60 years of French filmmaking, the table below reflects our selection of best French movies.EraTitleStarringNew WaveHiroshima my LoveEmmanuelle Riva Eiji OkadaNew WaveLa Grande VadrouilleBourvil Louis de FunesNew WaveLes 400 CoupsJean-Pierre Leaud Albert RemyPost New WaveJean de FlorettesYves Montand Gerard Depardieu1990sCyrano de BergeracGerard Depardieu Anne Brochet1990sLa Cite des Enfants PerdusRon Pearlman Judith Vittet2000sLe Fabuleu x Destin d'Amelie PoulainAudrey Tautou Matthieu Kassovitz2000sLa Vie en RoseMarion Cotillard Gerard Depardieu2010sIntouchablesFrançois Cluzet Omar Sy2010sLa Vie d'Adele - Chapitres 12Léa Seydoux Adèle ExarchopoulosIf you like this article, why not check out our post on France's love for cinema?If  you want to find a tutor, searching for French course London  produces the most face to face results on Superprof.

What Are Good SAT Scores Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

What Are Good SAT Scores Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace For 2013 SAT test, the national average score is 1500. However, some colleges have set 1800 a good score to get in to a top college.The higher your SAT score, the more options you have available. SAT test is the standardized test taken by high school students to continue further education in their desired colleges and universities in the United States. SAT is a very popular test and many colleges expect these scores along with the students admission application. The main purpose of the SAT test is to showcase the academic knowledge gained by the students until high school so that they are ready to continue their academics at college level. SAT exam consists of questions ranging from easy level to medium to difficult level and often students are worried about the test preparation so that they score well. Since SAT examines the logical and conceptual knowledge, therefore students must first learn and improve their basic knowledge on the respective subject so that they can handle the tricky questions as well. To increase SAT scores, students should keep track of the time as time is a big constraint during the exam. Students are given very limited time to answer questions from each section. Hence it is recommended for students to practice at home so that they have an idea about managing time while answering questions. It is better to answer easy questions first and then difficult questions so that they have enough time to try the difficult ones. Multiple choice questions in SAT have negative penalty for wrong answers and hence to get a good score, students should not take the risk of guessing unknown answers. This simply deducts points from the already existing score.

Online Simplifying Ratios Tutors

Online Simplifying Ratios Tutors Ratio is the quantitative comparison between quantitates or numbers. Ratio is a very commonly used operation in mathematics. Ratio helps in solving questions related to comparisons, proportions and many more. The symbol of ratio is :. For example, a / b can be written as a : b. Here a / b is fraction form and a:b is the ratio form. The simplification of ratio is writing the given ratio in the most simplified from possible. Example 1: Are the ratios equivalent? 25 students taking Science class and 75 students taking English class. 15 students taking Science class and 45 students taking English class. Solution: Here for the given question the ratio is between the number of students taking Science class and the number of students taking English class. The first ratio given is, number of students Science : English = 25 : 75. Simplifying the ratio gives 1 : 3. The second ratio given is, number of students Science : English = 15 : 45 Simplifying the ratio gives 1 : 3. Therefore the two ratios are equivalent. Example 2: Simplify the given ratio 28 : 56 Solution: Here the given ratio is 48 : 96. The fraction form can be written as 48/96. The number 48 can be written as; 28 = 2 * 2 *7. The number 56 can be written as 56 = 2 * 2 * 2 * 7. Canceling the common factors simplifies the fraction to 1/2. Hence the simplified ratio is 1 : 2.

A Higher EQ Can Turn Your Life Around Heres How

Introvert Whisperer / A Higher EQ Can Turn Your Life Around Here’s How Why Having a Higher EQ Ensures a More Successful Life “Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.”   George Bernard Shaw (playwright and political activist) The better you know yourself, the more perceptive you will be to the world outside. Emotional intelligence may seem like a fancy time psychologists throw around, but it is more influential in your life than you thought. For example, Leonardo DiCaprio, David Beckham, and Princess Diana have all achieved the heights of success, both personally and professionally. While you could have attributed their successes to various other traits such as wit, charm, personality aspects, intelligence, grit or hard work, it was actually emotional intelligence that blew the winds in their favor. Read on to know more about how higher emotional intelligence translates directly to not only monetary but also personal success. IQ and EQ: Ending The War Once and For All It all begins with the tests. IQ and EQ are measured differently, and with varying levels of significance as well. The number that you get after some random standardized test usually sums up your IQ or intelligence quotient. Let us leave the validity and credibility issue of the IQ tests for some other day. For now, let us focus on the primary differences that set the intelligence and emotional quotients apart. Having a good IQ score thus means that you have the following. Knowledge of the world around you Visual and spatial processing abilities Short-term memory and working memory Smooth flow of reasoning Ability to perform quantitative reasoning EQ, on the other hand, denotes your abilities to perceive, evaluate, control, and express emotions. Thanks to researchers like Peter Salovey and John Mayer, along with authors like Daniel Goleman, helped us get to the bottom of the matter of EQ or emotional quotient. From business management to education, EQ is making the rounds as the newest kid on the block. Having a high EQ means you have the following. Ability to identify emotions Knowing how others are feeling Being able to control their own emotions Using emotions to communicate socially Being able to relate to others It has been quite a journey for the term emotional intelligence. When it first came into the picture in the 1990s, it was still considered an obscure term. Today, however, along with being recognized as a well-constructed concept, it also features in academic journals the world over. Schools in the USA now have social and emotional learning (SEL) as a required part of their curriculum. These lessons are sometimes known to conduct group experiments with tools that help gauge their classmates reactions to particular objects, occurrences or pictures.

Figure Out - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Figure Out - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Figure OutInfinitive form: Figure OutPresent Tense: Figure out/Figures outing form: Figuring OutPast tense: Figured OutParticiple: Figured OutIt is a separable phrasal verb that can be used in two ways:1. When you understand or learn the answer to a question or the solution to a problem.I figured out the answer to question #9 on my Math homework.2. When you understand why a person is a certain way or acts a certain way.Im trying to figure John out, but I just dont understand him.A video about a young girl trying to figure it out. In the video she uses: figuring things out, figuring themselves out, figure all that out, a nice place for all of that to be figured out, Im figuring it out,1. She _______ ____ the code to the safe and stole thousands of dollars in jewelry.2. _____ ___ how to break into the safe must have taken some time.3. She is a very unique robber. Police cant ______ her ____.4. Have you ever _______ _____ a secret password or code?Reph rase the following sentences:I have finally found the answer to Question number 7.I really need to understand her, if we are going to date.The police need to find an explanation to how the thief broke into the jewelry shop.

I didnt get a C in Maths or English GCSE; what do I do now

I didn’t get a C in Maths or English GCSE; what do I do now Maths and English GCSE results can have an impact on your choice of university degree course, as well as your future job. Many universities and workplaces require a minimum C grade in both… BUT don’t worry if you haven’t achieved this; you do have a few options. Contact Your College If you are planning to continue on to higher education (A-Levels, Level 3) contact your sixth form college as soon as possible. Your college may let you resit the GSCE alongside studying for your advanced level subjects; some will even offer extra support to help you with the re-sit. Speak to Your Teacher If you are not planning to stay in education, or your college doesn’t offer GCSE resits, you should speak to your current Maths or English teacher. Your school may allow you to take resits there, or recommend other institutions that do. Advice on Resits Speak to your teachers and college before deciding to re-sit. Many students do far better in re-sits, but your teacher will know your capabilities well. If your teacher really believes you won’t improve, it might not be worth the effort. Resitting exams is difficult, especially if you’re resitting alongside your AS Levels; it can be lonely and will increase your workload. You don’t need to have lessons in school to do a resit; you can always just get private GCSE maths tuition, GCSE English language, GCSE English literature or combined GCSE English tuition and enter as an External Candidate. Most maths tutors and English tutors will be able to help you with this. Request a Remark You can get your paper remarked if you feel it has been marked incorrectly. You need to ask your school or exam centre to submit an EAR (enquiry about results) by 20th September 2014. Bear in mind that your score could go down as well as up, and the remark score is final; so if you’re just a few marks above a grade boundary this is a risky approach. The general rule is that the more subjective the subject is, the more chance the score could change: ie you’re less likely to get a change for Maths or Science subjects than for English or Humanties subjects (ask your teacher’s opinion!) If you didn't acquire the grades you were hoping on the A Levels, read our  blog post  to see what your next steps should be.