Theorie & Speeltechniek

Instrumentalists aren’t the only ones who get to improvise. Vocalists can do it too, ranging from adding subtle vocal embellishments to scatting or even all-out improv. In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the various ways you can improvise and inject ad-libs.

Infusing pop songs with chunks of classical music requires knowledge of music theory as well as knowledge about certain do’s and don’ts. For example, did you know that just three notes carefully picked from a concerto are enough to successfully mash up pop and classical music? Of course, you can also use an existing composition or integrate other elements into your pop songs, like the four movements that make up a symphony. Read on and get inspired!

If your body and your breathing aren’t balanced, your sound won’t be on-point. For any singer or brass musician, correct breathing is essential if you want to achieve the purest notes. More importantly, musicians in general can definitely benefit from maintaining balance in their body and breathing. Finding that balance is not as easy as it sounds but, while it does take a lot of practice to get it right, the returns are immense, allowing you to play or sing using every cell in your body.

If you’ve just started to learn to play the guitar and feel like you’re not making any progress, then you’re not alone. In this blog, Dean van der Knaap lists the five biggest reasons why beginner guitarists stop playing, and explains why not one of them is a good reason.

Extreme vocals seek out the limits of your voice. Whistle tone refers to singing in the highest registers that the human voice can achieve while overtone singing is something completely different – it’s also a little bit easier to learn. Then there’s diplophonic singing which is something different again. Here, we take a look into the more mysterious side of vocal techniques.

Whether they’re paid pros or passionate dabblers, every musician wants to make the most of their skill and talent, which involves getting rid of limitations and problems. Makes sense, but there’s no point in any of it if you’re not doing it correctly, so let’s look at what it takes to be a good musician.

While they have a rich history that dates back more than a century, big bands and jazz orchestras are still booming to this very day. What’s it like to play in a big band and what does it take? Read on and find out!

Want to write catchier songs? Then you’ll need to come up with a hook: a catchy, recurring part that makes your song instantly recognisable.

In our series on vocal technique, we’ve looked at singing with and without compression quite a few times, but we haven’t touched on one part of it yet: the transition from singing with compression to singing without compression and the voice break that comes with it. Read on and learn how to deal with it.

Guitars and keys are a great combo but can also be a real challenge when it comes to making them work together in a band. Read on and learn how you can make the guitarist and keyboardist in your band best friends — musically that is.

While the composer shapes the contours of the central melody and chords, it’s the arranger who, using countless tricks, colours everything in. What kind of technical colours does the arranger have in their tool box and what can you do to make even the most beautiful song even more beautiful?

Pain, hoarseness, losing your voice or even developing a lump or polyp on your vocal cords: these are all some of the greatest fears of any singer. So, how can you best protect your voice and prevent damaging your vocal cords? And if you are having vocal issues, how can you get rid of them? Rather than fearing that you’ll never be able to sing again, the first thing to do is trust the healing ability of your own body and take the time to relax every moment you get!