VoxTape Studios
Jaw Tension Killing Your High Notes? Try The Boring Face Trick
updated
📍Mentioned Resource: Follow Friedemann Findeisen here: youtube.com/@Holistic-songwriting
Get his book “Getting This Made” here: amazon.com/Getting-Things-Made-Management-Musicians/dp/3982103126
👉 Grab the Songwriting Framework PDF here (currently on sale for just $7!): lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
👉 Join our live class called How To Write Songs You’ll Actually Like happening on October 14th: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/how-to-write-songs-youll-actually-like-live-masterclass
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
If you want to write better lyrics and fully express yourself, check out my Songwriting Framework PDF here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf 🤗
x Lara
Ever since developing and following my songwriting formula I haven’t struggled with finishing songs.
So here’s the formula:
1. What’s the overall topic of the song?
2. Topic writing about said topic
3. Map out subtopics for each song section
4. Write lyrics!
If you make a plan for your song before you start writing it…
All the heavy lifting will already be done and now you just need to follow your system!
It really makes writing - and FINISHING - songs so much easier…
If you want a deeper dive into the 4 step lyric writing formula and my whole songwriting framework in general, Get my guide here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
👉 Grab the Songwriting Framework PDF here (currently on sale for just $7!): lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
👉 Join our live class called How To Write Songs You’ll Actually Like happening on October 14th: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/how-to-write-songs-youll-actually-like-live-masterclass
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Want to learn how to turn your ideas into actual songs? Get my Songwriting Framework PDF here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
This song was on my debut record - it’s called Backseat Driver (by Lumane - my artist name back then 🦁🤭)
You have to start somewhere!
I know, I a world of instant gratification, we don’t want to take the time to work on something anymore.
I’m no angel and guilty of that sometimes too…
But you have to work on your skills to better - whatever those skills are!
Cooking, running, writing, singing…
So please be patient with yourself if the first song you write isn’t a hit song.
Just keep writing and you’ll get better and better with each song.
But to make it less overwhelming to get started and make sure that you don’t absolutely hate the songs you write at first, I created a PDF guide where I break down my Songwriting Framework to make writing your first or next COMPLETE song easy!
You can get it here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
👉 Grab the Songwriting Framework PDF here (currently on sale for just $7!): lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
👉 Join our live class called How To Write Songs You’ll Actually Like happening on October 14th: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/how-to-write-songs-youll-actually-like-live-masterclass
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Which means you have no other choice but to just use your voice to sing!
Beyond that, knowing how to write a song is a skill every singer should have…
It’s really special to sing something you write - to sing your stories and your words.
And in today’s music industry, songwriting is not a nice to have as a singer… it’s a must have.
Whether you want to have an artist career or just explore your voice in song that you wrote yourself, check out my Songwriting Framework here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
It was literally the most magical thing I had ever seen…
The entire field was full of millions of fireflies all lighting up creating these wave motions…
It was amazing.
Want to turn your experiences and stories into songs?
Get my Songwriting Framework Guide here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
You have to be able to tell when the song is moving on to a different song section so that when you’re writing your own songs you can also take the listeners on a journey!
Here are the 4 more important song sections:
- Verse
- Pre-Chorus
- Chorus
- Bridge
Not every song has all sections and not every song follows the same order…
And that’s exactly why you need to know how to tell them all apart.
My PDF Guide - The Songwriting Framework - breaks this and my entire system for writing songs down.
You can get it here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
Toplining is the bomb 👏
If you want to get better at toplining or songwriting yourself, get my Songwriting Framework Guide here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
In case you’re curious, this song is called Fly Far Away and was released by M.A.D.C. and yours truly - though back then I went by Laara Julia (yes, two a 😂)
But since it's been a minute that I've heard a song with a good key change I decided to write one myself 😂
If you want to write your own songs but you don’t really know where to start or you keep getting stuck and can’t finish the songs you started, check this out: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
📍Mentioned Resource: Download the Recording Ready Guide Here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/recording-ready-guide
Check Out Alina’s Song Here:
Follow Alina on IG @xoalinavictoria
Follow Miette on IG @miettehope
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
While some people think that toplining (writing just the lyrics and the melodies, NOT the chords too) is cheating, the music industry has made this their standard.
Very few songwriters do everything from top to bottom.
It’s how I wrote the songs on my album and a couple of those songs placed really high in national and international songwriting competitions!
Yes, I can write with piano or guitar - I play both those instruments and have written tons of songs on either…
But I prefer writing to tracks. It’s so much more fun!
And like I said, you can’t copyright chord progressions anyways, so stop obsessing over it!
If you want to focus on what ACTUALLY matters (melody and lyrics) click here to download my guide: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
Most writers start writing their lyrics before they have a clear idea on how they feel about the topic of the song…
Topic writing - which is where you just write anything and everything that comes to mind about your song topic - will help you gain clarity!
It’s almost like journaling…
You know how we sometimes don’t really know how we feel or what we really think about something?
If you just take 10 minutes to sit down and write anything and everything down that comes to mind you will gain so much more clarity.
It’s the same thing for your songwriting.
Yes, it takes 10 minutes to do this before you start writing your song…
But I promise you it’ll save you more than 10 minutes in your overall process.
Topic writing is step 2 of my 4 step lyric writing formula.
If you want to get the whole formula plus see my overall system for writing songs, click here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
We talked about why the creative process flows easily—until the pressure to be *“professional”* kicks in. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever over-polished their passion or sat on finished work for too long because they didn’t feel “ready.”
📍Mentioned Resource: follow Alina @xoalinavictoria
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
And when I say relative words, I don’t just mean relative words that you would find in the dictionary…
But also words that are relative to the theme in your specific song!
If we go back to the word or theme “home” - yes, doors, glass, window, bed, sheets - all of those are relative words…
But what about the feelings that you get when you’re at some?
Safe, homey, comfortable, warm, protected…
Those are all words that you can put into your song to stay true to your theme!
But these relative words only help if you have a good foundation for your lyrics.
Otherwise it’s like putting lipstick on a pig 🐷
My 4 step lyric writing formula has never failed me when it comes to writing good lyrics.
The formula is inside my Songwriting Framework Guide, alongside other songwriting tips!
Want to check it out?
Click here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework-pdf
x Lara
Too much repetition = boring
Not enough repetition = no one will remember your song!
My rule of thumb is this:
Make sure you have repetition WITHIN a song section and contrast BETWEEN song sections.
If you’re getting stuck with creating the same melodies throughout your whole song, download my Songwriting Framework where I’ll show you how to create contrast for your songs here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework
x Lara
📍Mentioned Resources:
Moises: https://moises.app/lara
Stage Traxx 3: stagetraxx.com
Media Human: mediahuman.com/en23
Ultimate Guitar: ultimate-guitar.com
AZ Lyrics: azlyrics.com
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
When you have a system that you can follow that breaks down all the different steps, anyone can write a song.
Yes - even if you don’t play and instrument or know any music theory.
Are those things helpful?
Sure - Once you already understand the basics of songwriting!
But if you have no idea where to start then it just makes everything more complicated.
That’s why we teach our students how to topline - Melody and Lyrics only over a track.
It’s much easier, you can focus on the parts that really matter (you can’t copyright chord progressions 🤷🏼♀️) and honestly, it’s so much more fun to write to something that already sounds like a real song!
I’ve written tons of songs on both guitar and piano - and yes as a Berklee grad I have a ton of music theory knowledge, but my favorite way to do it is with tracks and just my ears and instincts.
I break down my step by step system in our Songwriting Framework PDF guide!
Check out the guide here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework
x Lara
It’s how I wrote my entire album and how 99% of all writing sessions go…
Here’s the difference:
Songwriting has 3 parts:
- Harmony (chord progression)
- Melody
- Lyrics
Toplining is just melody and lyrics, but you write over tracks.
Now these track you can get from a producer friend, from beat platforms or even YouTube!
You just have to make sure that you have the correct license if you decide to release the song you wrote.
I grab tracks off of YouTube all the time to write songs.
If I really like the song I wrote and I want to release it I will send my demo to a producer and tell them to completely re-do the track and what changes I want them to make. And of course give them creative freedom to add what they think the song needs too 😊
Writing to tracks is the best thing I ever did in my songwriting career and I encourage every writer to do it - wether you play instruments or not.
Once you have your track you can then purely focus on creating amazing melodies and lyrics.
If you want to step up your songwriting or get started with writing your first song, click here to get my Songwriting Framework Guide: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework
x Lara
We’re sharing my best tips for making karaoke less stressful and way more fun. From choosing songs that fit your voice to managing nerves, even handling those surprise “sing this instead” moments—karaoke can actually make you a better singer. Remember: karaoke isn’t an audition. It’s a playground for your artistry.
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Everything that came out was cliche, superficial, didn’t feel like me and just nothing special…
So for the longest time I would rely on others to write lyrics for me.
But eventually I realized that if I wanted to have a career as a singer, I need to learn how to write better songs.
And now, years later, after having studied songwriting at The Berklee College of Music and having written songs that won songwriting contests I am happy to report that I can actually write good lyrics now 😂
But it wasn’t until I started teaching others how to write songs that I realized I somehow developed a system to make sure that I’m staying on track with my lyrics.
I call this system my 4 step lyric writing formula.
Following this formula will make sure that:
✅ Your song actually tells a story
✅ Your lyrics are vivid and meaningful, not full of empty clichés
✅ You can write exactly what you feel and think, making it authentic to you
✅ You always know what to write in the 2nd verse and finish all the songs you start
I created a PDF guide called The Songwriting Framework that teaches you how to write better lyrics in addition to writing catchy melodies.
If you want to write your first song or your next song that you actually really like and can’t wait to share, get the guide here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/the-songwriting-framework
x Lara
Ireland started singing at five years old (yes, really!) and has been passionate ever since. With her mom Carrie’s support, she’s been building a strong technical foundation, a love of storytelling, and vocal control that grows with her.
Want to see how we approach coaching for young voices? Watch how Kate encourages Ireland to find both **tone and intention**—without rushing vocal maturity.
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Can you hear the difference between them all?
They’re subtle! But it’s exactly that kind of control that will help you bring your songs to life!
Wanna learn how to do it?
Book a session with us now and let us help you! lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
x Team VoxTape
We tackled what mix voice *actually* is, how to develop it without strain, and why it feels so elusive for most singers. You’ll hear how to stop chasing volume, reduce unnecessary weight, and invite more head voice into your middle. Because once you stop muscling and start coordinating, everything starts to click.
📍Mentioned Resource: Take Our Vocal Persona Quiz Here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/whats-your-vocal-persona-quiz
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
I was like “wait, that’s all I have to do?” 🙈
I was always focused on keeping my mouth shape narrow, but I never thought about decreasing the space in the back of my mouth/top of my throat too!
We’re constantly told that higher notes need MORE space…
And all that did for me was make me shouty…
This fixed the problem instantly 👏
Thank you coach Emily!
If you’ve worked with me the last couple of weeks and you also struggle with a shouty sound - now you know where I got that tip from haha!
That’s why I love our team - we’re learning so much from each other 🥰
If you want to learn together with us and from us, book an intro session here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
I can’t wait to sing with you!
x Lara
BTW the full episode on mix voice is out now! Watch it here: youtu.be/A08v2_yFAz0
If you’re struggling with cracking when going from low to high notes, here’s what you do:
Go up as high as you can in your chest voice.
Once you reach that point where you know you have to change something otherwise you’ll crack, you just add a little puff of air, a little “ha”.
That will perfectly guide you through that transition and you won’t crack!
I’ve been doing this ever since coach Emily showed me this trick and it works so well for so many singers I’ve worked with since then!
Give it a try and let us know how it went!
x Team VoxTape
Absolutely not.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable singing a whole set at a wedding without any prep at all.
For all I know there might be songs on that list she didn’t even know!
Why didn’t they just ask her a couple days (preferably a couple weeks or months) before?
And then why insult her when she said no??? That definitely won’t change her mind.
Honestly, good for her for standing up for herself and saying no.
Idk if I would have the balls to do that… it’s her boyfriend’s family after all…
What would you do in this situation?
The whole VoxTape Team got together for this episode and we all shared our own stories from singing at weddings and how to handle being asked to sing at a wedding.
Whether you’re thinking about starting to sing at weddings or you love other people’s drama, this episode is both entertaining and educational!
📍Mentioned Resource: Lara’s original song “Until Now”: open.spotify.com/track/1vU9etvbpkzN2seTh0dWkt?si=91a9ebacebbd4140
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
This bride valued the singer’s talent and skill enough to want it as a part of her wedding day…
But not enough to actually pay for it 🧐
Why do brides and grooms always feel so entitled when it comes to their wedding day?
You know how much effort goes into a 2 hour set PLUS learning specific songs for the ceremony?
They weren’t even friends 🙈
What do you think - should she have played for free?
He offered to write her a CUSTOM song - just for her and her husband.
Isn’t that way better?
I know people that charge 5 figures for a custom song and he offered to do it for free…
Yet they call him the ahole?
Make it make sense please…
What do you think? Should he have just sung the song he wrote for his girlfriend or is he right to say no?
📍Mentioned Resources:
Find Open Mics in your city here: openmic.us
Join The Singer’s Club here: https://thesingers.club/
Free Class To Learn How To Get Paid Gigs: performerpro.net
Donate to the Amped Kids Foundation here: ampedkids.org
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Welcome to The Singer’s Club!
Each month you’ll meet with other singers in your own and you’ll learn 1 new song in 2 hours in 3 part harmony!
idk about you, but I think that sounds like so much fun!
And what a great way to meet some new people who also love to sing!
The best part is… joining is free!
If you want to get notified when this is happening in your city, sign up at http://thesingers.club
Thanks to David for creating this fun opportunity for us singers!
x Lara
But it doesn’t have to be that hard ;)
Open Mics are a great way to get involved with your local music community.
It’s where you’ll meet other singers and instrumentalists that you can ask to form a band or duo with…
And it’s also where booking agents hang out sometimes too, giving your the opportunity to get booked for a paid show if they like you!
And that’s exactly what happened with me.
The first open mic night I played at I got a couple paid gigs from and from there on I was able to get the right contacts for other venues and get solid booked all over town.
So the question is how do you find these open mics in your town?
head over to http://openmic.us and search for your city!
It’ll spit out all the different open mics in your area 😊
Have you done an open mic? Share your experience below!
If you haven’t, why not?
x Lara
This episode focuses only on inhalation. If you’re curious about exhalation, check out the episode below.
📍Mentioned Resource: Singing With Support (Exhalation) Episode: youtu.be/jycgLBWFhyo
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
When you have a ton of constriction (aka tension) on your inhalation…
Guess that’s going to happen on your exhalation…
Yup - tension!
A nice indicator on whether or not you have tension on your inhalation is the sound you’re making when breathing in.
The less audible it is, the more open your vocal tract.
Now that doesn’t mean you need to have a complete silent inhalation every time!
But do pay attention to how much you’re constricting when you’re breathing in.
It just might solve your tension problem when you’re singing!
x Team VoxTape
PS: Need help with your voice? Book a 1:1 session with me here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
I can’t wait to sing with you soon 🥰
The more you breathe, the more you’ll feel like you’re running out of air!
Only breathe as much and as frequently as you need for the phrase you’re about to sing.
And then don’t be afraid to actually use all that air!
The more you hold back the air, the quicker you’ll run out.
I know, that seems the wrong way around…
But it’s literally like that every single time I work with a student on breathing 🤷🏼♀️
If you’re constantly running out of breath or just struggling with your breathing in general, book a 1:1 session with me here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
I’d love to help you 🤗
x Lara
They both have pros and cons…
So it really depends on the situation.
And personal preference of course!
I personally never breathe through the nose when singing. It doesn’t feel right to me.
But I know plenty of people who love it!
What your preference? 👃 or 👄
Let us know below!
x Team VoxTape
She drops everything on the word “woman”, giving her more space and therefore a fuller, darker, warmer and richer tone.
This gives her such a nice contrast to her usual lighter and brighter tone.
Having control over your tone gives you so much freedom to then “style” your song however you want!
It’s a lot more fun to sing this way AND it’s more fun for your audience as well 😇
If you need help gaining control over your voice and tone, book an intro session with me now: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/intro-voice-lesson-page
I can’t wait to sing with you soon!
x Lara
I break down how Ariana mixes breathiness and brightness, keeps her resonance forward without pushing, and makes stylistic choices that give the song its signature sound.
Remember, we’re breaking down her style to learn from it and better understand the voice, not to become a carbon copy of Ariana Grande.
📍Original Video: youtube.com/watch?v=VVYTzauIb_4&list=RDVVYTzauIb_4&start_radio=1
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Not only does it sound different, it also feels a lot different to sing with these two different tones.
The darker it sounds, the heavier it gets and therefore the more difficult it gets to sing!
This is why if you want to sing high you have to get lighter and brighter!
Otherwise you’ll feel stuck in your throat and bad things happen 🙃
Try it out in your own voice and see how the two feel different!
x Lara
PS: Need some help with your vocals? Book an intro session with me now: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/intro-voice-lesson-page
I can’t wait to sing with you 😇
📍Mentioned Resource: Follow Rachel @beasley_rachel
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
Yes, hitting the right notes and sounding good is important when you perform…
But when you’re playing a gig - wether that’s a concert, a bar gig, or a wedding - you’re there to entertain people!
So don’t just read your lyrics and call it a day…
Interact with your band mates and audience members!
That’s how you’ll deliver a performance your audience will remember.
Otherwise it looks more like a recital 😂
Thanks @beasley_rachel - performer extraordinaire - for reminding us all of that!
Does entertaining come easily to you or does that intimidate you?
x Lara
How amazing is it to play a gig with people you’ve never met before and you sound like a band who’s been playing together for over a decade?!
This only works when everyone is absolutely amazing at their instrument.
So if you want to do agency work, you have to get REALLY good at what you do to get considered.
But this is such a great way to get paid well to perform without having to find the gigs, put together a band and juggle everyone’s schedules, or rehearse!
Very time effective 👏
Have you heard of agency work before? I hadn’t until I met @beasley_rachel !
x Lara
If you want to deliver a really strong performance, you have to be able to connect to your material.
Otherwise your audience won’t feel anything 🤷🏼♀️
And that doesn’t mean you need to “act” the song…
You just need to make it feel real to you.
And how do you do that?
By seeing the story play out in your mind!
The more detailed you are about the story, the more real it will feel to you.
So take 10 minutes to write out the story - or music video - to your song.
Just taking the time to do that will help you connect to your song more 😇
x Lara
The truth is: if your voice doesn’t *feel* something, your audience won’t either. This breakdown covers how to tap into the emotional story of a song using sensory detail, imagination, and memory—not over-acting or fake drama. You’ll learn simple ways to make your performance more honest, grounded, and real... without having to “push” for it.
Whether you’re singing a breakup ballad or an upbeat anthem, emotional connection is the secret ingredient that turns notes into moments.
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
When coach Emily was talking about pretending to be a snake, you know right away what she’s talking about.
Imagery like this will help you get the technique right without worrying about the technique itself!
So if you’ve been trying to get something and it’s just not working, try imagery instead!
You never know - it just might be the key to finally getting that note or phrase!
x Lara
To help you sing this song, I coached myself through it. Get some tips on how I added power, released strain and paced myself throughout the song.
This is all about belting sustainably - aka mixing—and remembering that the way a song is written can challenge anyone.
📍Check out the original Golden video here: youtube.com/watch?v=yebNIHKAC4A&list=RDyebNIHKAC4A&start_radio=1
👉 Want to make practicing easier? Grab our FREE warm up track here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/free-warm-up-track
👉 Want to know exactly what your voice needs to improve? Get a vocal evaluation from our professional coaches here: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/vocal-evaluation
👉 Book a 1:1 session with Coach Lara: lessons.voxtapestudios.com/trial-lesson
🔔 Subscribe & follow for new videos every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
📱Follow us on socials @voxtapestudios
Instagram: instagram.com/voxtapestudios
TikTok: tiktok.com/@voxtapestudios
Facebook: facebook.com/voxtapestudios
#voxtapestudios
I filmed myself trying to sing this song for our last podcast episode (go check it out here: youtu.be/JB07vN_YUT4)
And let’s just say…
🥵🥵🥵
But the funny thing is when it got to these super high notes up here, it felt a lot easier than the rest of the chorus.
Opening up that “ee” sound at the end also helped to make that note more effortless to hit AND made it more powerful too… Win-win!
This song is insanely hard to sing…
Definitely NOT my comfort zone.
You’d never catch me sing this song live anywhere haha!
So if you want to see me struggle through this song, go check out the latest episode haha!
x Lara


