The following is an excerpt from a response email to a student after our lesson that included an exercise I call the "Hey Ride." I use the word "bellowing" to describe the sound that one aims to create in this exercise. Even though the word has Middle English origins meaning "to roar," I like the word "bellow" because one can associate the term with the strength and clarity of a large iron "bell," and also because it reminds singers to access a strong foundation from "below."

This is for those practicing instruments of any kind, including the voice. There are 168 hours in a week. I usually get to see a student for only one of those hours. And although a great lesson can be a liberating experience with lasting benefits (don’t you love those?), the 167 hours that you spend outside of your lesson will ultimately have the greatest impact on your musical achievements. No matter how much time you spend with your teacher, in rehearsals, or on stage perfo