Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Rock Singing Success

Even if you don’t plan on producing your music, understanding the basics of recording and mixing is essential to becoming a better singer and musician. From finding the right microphone to improving your sound with EQ, compression, and more, join me as we explore practical production tips to elevate your vocal performance and take your recording to the next level.

In this episode:

• How basic production skills make you a better singer and musician
• The insane value of understanding recording and mixing
• How to find the RIGHT microphone for you, and why it’s incredibly important
• Affordable and effective soundproofing
• The benefit of using reference tracks for mixing
• How to use EQ and compression to enhance your vocals
• Why mastering is important
• Getting a full and polished sound
• The importance of recording for improving your voice
• You don’t hear what you think you hear: why taking breaks during mixing is essential
• Essential strategies to help your vocals stand out in the mix

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

What does it take to find and sustain creative flow? How can embracing failure and everyday rituals enhance your creativity? From connecting with mentors to drawing inspiration from daily life and the hero’s journey, join me as we uncover strategies to deepen your artistry, build creative muscles, and strengthen your connection with your audience.

In this episode:

• How to channel flow state in songwriting and performing
• Why staying motivated isn't just about productivity
• Understand why failure is essential to refining your music
• How rituals and mental cues enhance your creative process
• How creative inspiration can come from everyday interactions and stories
• Identify your personal story and communicate it to build a strong connection with your audience
• Recognize the power of connecting with mentors and allies to overcome inner challenges
• Learn from Star Wars and Harry Potter: How the hero's journey helps you be more creative in your art and career
• How leveraging everyday habits establishes a strong creative routine

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Learn how to control the false cords, use fry like an expert, and discover the best exercises for developing your grit and screams beyond what you thought possible. Explore the importance of bracing, breath support, placement, yawning, sobbing, and being versatile with your screams. In this episode, we’ll take you from the basics of vocal distortion to mastering the most advanced techniques, in a great preview of what we teach in our Extreme Singing course.

In this episode:

• The foundations of vocal distortion: the first thing you need
• Why learning to sing first is essential for developing effortless grit and screams
• How distortion works and interacts with the voice
• How to gain conscious control of the false cords for ultimate control
• How fry is useful for building vocal distortion
• What an old man’s grunt, witch’s cackle, and smoker’s voice can teach you about vocal distortion
• How to use glottal stops, thinning out, and cry to develop fry
• Crucial steps for combining fry and the singing voice
• How to control compression and why it’s useful
• Three main grit placements and how to work on them
• One of the best exercises to develop effective grit
• The spectrum of the two main distortion types
• The balance between singing and grit placement, and how to use it to shape your sound
• Why bracing is essential to effective vocal distortion and breath support
• How yawning can affect the intensity of your distortion
• If you can sing it, you can distort it
• How to go from grit to screams
• A simple exercise for improving your screams by letting your voice fall apart
• How to use sobbing to get better at screaming
• Using the feeling of the false cords to improve your grit and screams
• How to distort in your lower range
• Adele vs Randy Blythe: how to build versatility and coordination in your screams
• What to expect about how long it takes to develop great vocal distortion that doesn’t hurt your throat

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Delve into the spectrum of vocal distortion, from grit to screams, and how to find the right balance. Discover the physical mechanics of distortion, various screaming techniques, and the parallels with other types of singing. Learn the best improvement methods, warning signs, and the importance of breath support and compression in mastering distortion without harm, allowing you to master your screams and grit with minimal pain.

In this episode:

• The spectrum of vocal distortion and the difference between grit and screams
• Finding the proper balance between screaming and grit
• Fixing the most misunderstood thing about screams and distortion
• What actually happens (physically) when distorting
• Screaming in various ways, from high to low
• Distortion is the same position for everyone, but there are a ton of different approaches
• One of the best ways to improve distortion early on
• The parallels between distortion and classical singing
• One of the fastest ways to develop grit
• If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong, but don’t be afraid to explore
• Developing loud distortion and expecting it to take a long time, especially for low distortion
• The power of curiosity and following the process
• The primary warning signs when learning distortion and knowing when to step away
• Knowing the difference between grinding forward and conditioning for the extra vibration happening in the false cords
• The primary reason distortion goes wrong: going too hard
• Perceived loudness vs physical loudness
• Changing the acoustics that distortion happens around vs the actual distortion
• Why you should be crying: how to get compression without yelling
• One of the easiest ways to get into distortion: learning how to use compression correctly
• What pushing actually is and its difference from bracing
• The importance of breath support and its placement
• Becoming comfortable with making weird sounds and moving the voice around: learning to scream

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

In this episode, we explore essential strategies for a successful music career, from the importance of storytelling and balancing creativity with focus to the power of high-quality production. Learn why hiring experts, testing the market, and setting ambitious goals are key to growth, and discover how to leverage your resources and unique skills to amplify your progress.

In this episode:

• Why you need to lean into storytelling
• Creative distractions vs focusing
• The problem with pivoting directions for others
• Finishing projects vs releasing at the right time
• Testing the market before producing more
• Competition vs being #1 in your own category
• The power of producing high-quality and working with world-class people
• Why hiring experts is the best answer to getting things done and growing your music career
• How and when to hire a team to amplify your progress, even without a budget
• Spending money on what helps move you forward vs good ideas
• Working with what you have to amplify your creativity
• What to learn about or buy for recording on your own to save time in the studio
• When to hire help, like a producer, for songwriting and recording
• Hiring the RIGHT team of experts
• Why you should lean into what you are good at and what makes you unique
• The benefits of 10X goals and going big
• How to break the cycle of going nowhere, and finally get the boost you need
• What are the next most critical steps you should take?
• How to leverage what you have to get the highest quality out of your recordings

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

There are far too many myths, ignorant statements, and misconceptions that hold us back as singers; especially in the world of rock and metal. Some are incredibly limiting, others are overly cautious, and even others are downright wrong and a complete misunderstanding of how the voice works – which we’ve heard other vocal teachers repeat as truth! Join us as the other Rock Singing Lessons teachers and I address the top myths we hear far too often, hopefully answering some big questions for you and helping you get the breakthrough in your voice you’ve been wanting.

In this episode:

• Talent vs intuition: why “you have it or you don’t” is BS
• You’re not stuck in a certain range and can train to expand it
• Barring a medical issue, It’s always possible to train for the voice you want
• The benefits of knowing what you’re capable of and looking at live performances of songs
• The power of meeting the essentials and not expecting perfection
• You’re allowed to change songs to make them easier to sing
• You’re not confined to a certain vocal categorization
• Knowing what actually impacts your voice vs what people say impacts your voice
• The difference between what hurts your voice and what you should be paying attention to
• Thinking of distortion as an effect rather than a different type of singing
• Why you should be trying to keep a natural larynx rather than a neutral larynx
• Varying techniques: why all technique doesn’t transfer to all genres
• The #1 thing holding you back from a successful singing career: thinking you don’t have time
• Finding time & space to practice singing even with full-time commitments or limited options
• Simple ways to practice singing when you don’t have much time to dedicate specifically to singing

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Is formal education, or any education, necessary for singing rock and metal? The answer might surprise you. In this episode, I’m joined by Rock Singing Lessons' voice teachers and phenomenal musicians Matt Sutton and Drew Cope to discuss this topic.

In this episode:

• The pros and cons of getting a music education or not getting one
• What it’s like to gain education through performance experience
• The benefits of having a teacher to help you train your voice
• One of the best ways for you to improve your singing
• One of the oldest, most popular, and easiest ways to make money as a singer and musician: Teaching
• The ins and outs of teaching music and singing and how to get started
• How to avoid the pitfalls we ran into when we got started in teaching
• Start making money quickly while also improving your skills as a musician

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Learn from 30 years of experience of a professional musician, songwriter, performer, producer, and recording engineer. In this episode, I’m joined by long-time friend Michael Amidei who interviews me on what I’ve learned over my 30-year music career.

In this episode:

• Knowing the right people and forming valuable relationships: It’s about who you know and if you’re worth knowing
• Overcoming the challenges of studio recording as a band and why learning to record is important
• Why hiring people based on their potential is dangerous and what to do instead
• The top three things that you should consider if you want to be a professional musician, singer, or performing artist
• Why working with what you have is extremely valuable
• Finding your ideal fan: How to sell a specific idea based on what people want
• Learning from failure, tragedy, and hardship
• How to combine passion and value to propel your music career forward

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Welcome to the Rock Singing Success Podcast! With 30 years behind me as a professional musician, singer, producer, engineer, music career coach, and more, I'm looking forward to helping you with your craft and career as a rock and metal singer. Along the way, I look forward to bringing others into the conversation and having you be part of the Rock Singing Success community, where we join each other on this journey towards becoming better and more successful singers.

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Even if you don’t plan on writing music, learning the ins and outs of songwriting is essential to becoming a better singer and performer. From simplifying your music to overcoming busy schedules and writer’s block, join me in exploring essential songwriting tips that are useful both as a singer and songwriter.

In this episode:

• The importance of making songs your own
• Stupid simple: why simplicity is essential in songwriting
• Why writing bad songs is necessary to create good ones
• Using experimentation to turn familiar riffs into something unique
• How stripping down to simple chords leads to powerful music
• Why collaboration is key to creating memorable music
• What covers can teach you about songwriting
• The value of finding your voice and style through songwriting experimentation
• Utilize modern tools and apps to make songwriting accessible
• How simplifying the process can make songwriting more productive and fulfilling
• Why scheduling and prioritizing songwriting is crucial—from afterthought to habit
• Overcome writer’s block with modern tools for inspiration
• How the concepts of songwriting benefit you overall as a singer

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

How do you distort high notes when nothing seems to work? What do you do when your voice is worn out but you have a show in two days? How do you prevent over-singing and sustain your voice long-term? From distorting high notes to sustaining and recovering your voice, join me in exploring essential answers to student questions from the rock singing community.

In this episode:

• Learn why light, comfortable sounds are key to mastering distortion
• Explore how head voice supports high-note distortion
• Why you should avoid forcing distortion at higher pitches
• Tips to prevent over-compression and strain when adding grit
• How thinning and over-crying into higher notes can unlock distortion
• How to find balance between breath support and letting air through for distortion
• Understand distortion as a shape supported by airflow, not forced into place
• How mixing head voice and chest voice creates smoother transitions for distortion
• Techniques for maintaining vocal health while singing with distortion
• Why proper warm-ups are crucial before attempting any grit or distortion
• Strategies for recovering your voice after over-singing
• The importance of hydration and rest for sustaining your voice after heavy distortion
• How to maintain energy and aggression without over-straining your vocal cords during live shows
• How to adjust your set list to protect your voice during live performances
• Essential strategies for recording multiple takes without wearing out your voice

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

What practices are essential to keeping your voice healthy and letting you sing for longer? What do you do when you’re sick but still need to sing? How do different foods, hydration, and sleep affect your singing? From the impact of personal rituals to adopting exercises that prepare your body for singing, join me in exploring essential strategies to improve your voice, stay healthy, and perform with confidence.

In this episode:

• Essential practices for maintaining vocal health
• Why hydration is crucial for singers and how to stay properly hydrated
• How sleep and diet impact your voice and overall singing performance
• Effective vocal warm-up routines and exercises for singing well
• How personal rituals can enhance your performance mindset
• How physical exercises help prepare your body for singing
• Strategies for singing while sick and how to recover your voice safely
• The importance of gradual warm-ups from light to intense
• The benefits of the cry technique in improving your vocal range
• How to adjust your performance when dealing with illness or recovery
• Why keeping your voice active during recovery is important
• The role of mental preparation and adopting an alter ego for stage confidence
• Why adapting warm-ups to your individual needs is crucial to singing well
• Why avoiding harmful vocal practices is essential for longevity in singing

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

How did Taylor Swift make over a billion from her last tour? Why is it so much harder to make money in music now vs 30 years ago? What are the top artists doing to create an army of fans? From understanding the major shift in the music business to learning how to build a community of people who support you, join me in exploring essential tips and techniques to enhance your music career.

In this episode:

• How the music industry game has changed and what it means for you
• Learn from Taylor Swift's strategy of personal connection and building a lasting fanbase
• Understand the shift from traditional music sales to creating personal connections with fans
• The evolution of music formats and its impact on your music sales
• Why building a supportive, engaged community is key to a successful music career
• Key insights on how to leverage social media to grow your audience
• The significance of knowing your audience and building direct relationships with fans
• Why being genuinely social and interested in your fans is the new path to success
• Tips on creating meaningful interactions to enhance your singing career
• Benefits of collaboration and finding your tribe in the modern music community

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

How can embracing imperfection elevate your performance and turn mistakes into memories? From creating a strong onstage persona to overcoming stage fright, join us in discussing essential strategies to build confidence and connect with your audience in ways that are unforgettable.

In this episode:

• The best ways to prepare for taking the stage
• Building a ritual to get into the right mindset before your rock concert performance
• Strategies for overcoming stage fright and building confidence
• Why recording and analyzing your rehearsals and performances is crucial for growth
• Tips for maintaining energy and engagement
• The impact and importance of stage setup, lighting, and movement
• Why there’s no such thing as a perfect performance
• How to handle mistakes on stage and turn them into memorable moments
• Creating an authentic and memorable onstage persona
• How to find your unique performance style and express it with confidence
• The value of pushing your comfort zone and experimenting in safe spaces
• Learning to gauge audience energy and adjust your performance accordingly
• The role of humor and humility in recovering from on-stage mistakes

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Let’s explore the rich history of modern rock and metal, what it takes to stand out in a commercialized music industry, and the ins and outs of building a powerful modern music career. From using the democratization of music to build a strong community to experimenting with versatility and combining styles, we discuss the most effective strategies to connect with your audience and redefine marketability.

In this episode:

• Get inspired by the history of modern rock and metal
• Learn to use the homogenization of music to your advantage
• Standing out in an industry full of commercialized music
• How to use the democratization of music to build a strong community without losing the art
• The freedom you have to experiment with versatility and combine different styles as a singer
• The advantages of defining marketability as value and connection rather than commercialization
• Connecting with people with the voice you have now
• Not every song needs to be a hit
• The power of a community that’s a safe space, supportive, and gives constructive feedback

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

When you feel stuck, getting feedback and direction from an experienced coach is invaluable. In this episode, Draven helps Rock singing Lessons teacher, Matt Sutton, address some student issues and questions about singing on pitch, extending range, and the importance of whistle.

In this episode:

• Pitch is a listening skill: why a reference can be useful when training to sing on pitch
• The power of slowing things down
• How a pitch meter can be your most effective tool
• The importance of hearing notes in the context of the music
• How singing completely off-pitch, in harmony, or only slightly off-pitch have completely different fixes
• Barring specific medical issues, anyone can learn to sing well; rethink what’s holding you back
• Overcoming obstacles: the power of starting simple, both in singing and in life
• Why you have to give yourself time to grow and improve
• Why you should be training up high and how it affects your lower range
• Why cry is essential to singing up high and singing in general
• Methods of finding cry: how Ghostbusters can help you achieve cry vocal mode
• How to sing higher than the upper range: going from head voice to whistle voice
• How whistle voice helps you develop better compression and stability
• Two main ways to develop whistle voice

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Explore the benefits of practicing range and dynamics, utilizing voice breaks, and the safe approach to high notes and distortion. From being solid in the basics of singing, to warmups and live recordings, we discuss the absolute best techniques to focus on in order to improve your voice and give you room to grow.

In this episode:

• Why practicing both range and dynamics is valuable for high notes and distortion
• How utilizing your voice break can allow you to tap into different harmonics
• How adding distortion can help relax the voice into higher pitches
• Be careful on low screams: the danger of pushing distortion
• The note vs the approach: knowing what you’re doing wrong when singing high notes
• Up and over: how to successfully sing higher
• Twang compression: the power of keeping your resonance up rather than pushing
• The power of cry: how feminizing the voice and whimpering makes it easier to sing
• Cry vs twang: why cry and twang are useful for belting and distortion
• If it feels too heavy, it probably is: going off of what you feel in your voice rather than what you hear in an album 
• When you want to push, cry more: why crying is essential to singing well
• The main benefit of listening to live recordings: holding yourself to realistic standards
• Singing is a fine motor skill: how learning new coordinations for the voice is like learning to write
• Give yourself time and space to grow: learning to sing is a process
• The power of the essentials: you are never too good to go back and touch up on the basics
• Why a good warmup is an essential part of singing well

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Even if you don’t think of yourself as the typical frontperson, understanding the dynamics of being a lead singer is essential to delivering powerful performances and building a lasting impression and connection with your fans. From balancing confidence and ego to harnessing emotion and authenticity on stage, join me, Chris Fox, Drew Cope, and Matt Sutton as we explore the key strategies that shape great performers, strengthen band dynamics, and define your unique identity and reputation.

In this episode:

• Understanding lead singer syndrome and how it affects band dynamics
• The fine line between confidence and ego on stage
• The importance of connecting with your audience rather than showcasing skill
• How emotion impacts performance and stage presence
• The role of authenticity in building a strong connection with your fans
• Learning from on-stage experiences to refine your artistic identity
• The dangers of allowing frustration to bleed into your live performance
• How humor and storytelling can enhance (or ruin) audience engagement
• Recognizing the impact of your reputation and the persona you create
• Why defining your personal and artistic brand is key to success
• The importance of self-awareness and adaptability as a performer
• Navigating the mental health challenges of being a front-person

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

What does it take to thrive creatively while avoiding burnout? How can embracing flexibility, gratitude, and self-reflection unlock your potential? From aligning personal projects with core values to building systems for accountability, join Michael Amidei and me as we explore strategies to grow as an artist, develop resilience, and redefine success in 2025.

In this episode:

• Strategies for avoiding burnout while pursuing artistic endeavors
• How reflection without judgment is paramount for achieving your goals
• Why choose flexible planning over rigid New Year's resolutions
• Recognizing the value of consistent small steps and habits for long-term progress
• The importance of emotional regulation for productivity and creativity
• Building resilience through understanding personal motivation
• The importance of focusing on fewer, meaningful goals
• Creating systems and teams for accountability and consistency
• How practicing gratitude can reshape your perspective
• The power of letting go of perfectionism and embracing imperfection
• Understanding that change can happen quickly and unexpectedly
• The benefits of aligning personal projects with core values
• How to redefine success outside traditional expectations

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

Join us as we dive into VAHTANG’s cover of “Human” to find creative approaches to vocal distortion. What can VAHTANG’s beatboxing, throat singing, and false cord techniques teach us about pushing the limits of rock and metal singing? From exploring rhythmic textures to developing powerful low screams safely, join Chris Fox and me as we discover how to build distortion that’s flexible, authentic, and unforgettable.

In this episode:

• Discover VAHTANG’s beatbox cover of “Human” and his creative ways to use vocal distortion, grit, and screams
• Understand why great distortion starts with relaxation, not brute force
• Learn how to use false cord placement to shape rhythmic textures in vocals
• See the shared techniques between beatboxers and extreme vocalists
• Unlock brutal low tones safely with demon speech
• How jaw opening, crying, and yawning create relaxed distortion
• Develop vocal flexibility to access both high-intensity grit and deep lows
• Blend fry, false cord, and open resonance to create unique vocals
• How to build powerful low screams without hurting your voice
• Apply throat singing concepts to extreme vocals and metal styles

VAHTANG - Human (Beatbox Cover): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCnXohPhkUk

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

What do you do when your singing voice gives out mid-set? Why does your vocal endurance fail, even when you feel ready? Whether you constantly lose your voice mid-performance or force yourself to keep singing no matter how exhausted your voice is, dive into what really causes vocal fatigue on stage—and how to fix it. From mastering subtle resets to balancing distortion and clean vocals, join me as we uncover practical ways to build vocal resilience, sing with power, and deliver every performance with control and longevity.

In this episode:

• Learn why you lose your singing voice during a performance—and how to stop it from happening
• Why endurance issues usually point to poor training, not just poor singing
• The difference between shaping for belt and distortion vs. pushing for it
• How yawning and sighing can reset your voice on stage
• How crying prepares your voice for the hard parts
• Why rehearsing your setlist like a real show preps your voice too
• Discover how small vocal cues (like “hey” or a soulful “mmm”) can lock in your voice placement
• Learn to balance distortion and clean singing to avoid vocal fatigue
• How to keep distortion powerful without pushing
• Why over-articulation creates intensity better than pushing
• Why consistency, awareness, and shaping—not brute force—create lasting impact

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about

What does it take to recover your singing voice and come back stronger? How can you rebuild vocal strength after illness, overuse, or fatigue? Whether you’ve dealt with Covid, laryngitis, or the common cold, join me as we explore targeted strategies that restore vocal health, rebuild control, and reconnect you with your voice—safely, consistently, and with lasting impact.

In this episode:

• Learn to rebuild your voice after illness, overuse, or vocal fatigue
• The vital difference between singing and training
• Why proper vocal recovery requires specific coordination and muscle memory
• How to massage and reset the vocal cords
• The benefits of straw sirens and cry phonation for healing and stretching the voice
• How to balance breath control and compression
• Discover how yawning can promote relaxation and vocal fold connection
• Recover without straining your voice using light, whimper-based octaves
• Learn to stabilize your mix and reduce flipping through cry coordination
• Develop compression safely with proper humming (tracking) SOVT
• Build back your full voice gradually by aligning with your current limits
• Why consistency, patience, and the right feedback are essential to recover fully

Join the Rock Singing Success community for podcast discussions, courses, and an incredible community of supportive singers who are on the same journey as you.

https://www.skool.com/rocksingingsuccess/about