- deedra's Blog - Bakotopia

My life as a singer.

As most of you know that know me, I am a professional voice coach here in Bakersfield. I started singing professionally at seventeen in a local rock band called, ContraBand back in 1983. We changed our name to Private Room. Back in those days we played four to five - fourtyfive minute sets per night. I did that for eleven years straight, five nights per week. Well, sort of...I moved to Los Angeles when I was twenty three and joined a local headlining Hollywood band called, Typsy Fox. But still performing up to four hours per night, five nights per week. We later split up and changed our name to Rain on Fire. Well, Rain, then Rain on Fire.

Okay, enough with the names, you probably never heard of them anyway. We changed our name about the same amount as bands change drummers. But we always stayed the same members, well, except for our drummer. Seriously! Oh, and the lead guitarist. We just didn't see the same creatively. I was more dark and goth and he was more 80's hair rock.

Our band went on hiatus in 1994, I toured with a cover band, Likety Split, to pay the bills and the rest is known. Car wreck on the way to a show in Oregon. Back here in Bakersfield to recover...

Fourteen years later, I am a professional vocal coach who coaches and manages some of the best young artists here in town, as well as, uses voice therapy to work with special individuals in Kern County who are Autistic, have Cerebral Palsy or any other disability.

I was able to find myself. Before all I lived for was my music...never going to family weddings, birthday parties, Holidays...we were playing. I had a goal and being home was not a step in reaching my goal. I still believe that is what it takes but I was forced to realize there is so much more to life than just pushing my career.

Music is never gone. Thank God for that. I teach other talented people how to further their talent and creativity singing. How to find what their natural style is and then create the music around it. As vocalists, that is the best way to be recognized. What is the natural tone to your voice? What do you sound like when you are purely singing scales? Can you hear a natural cry in the tone? Is it raspy in quality or hissy (airy)? Is it soft and sweet (Falsetto like)? Is there an accent? These are some of the things that I hear in my student's voices while they are performing scales. Each one of those characteristics, as well as others, represent something in particular styles. Like a cry in country music, or an unmistakable accent. A heavy deep tone with perfect vibrato is brilliant for opera. You see what I mean? But of course, the person themselves plays the biggest role in who they are vocally.

With the human voice, each instrument is uniquely different. Although the human vocal range is divided up into several different parts and the voices generally break in the same places, we all sound different in tones because of the difference in facial structure and techniques. By utilizing different techniques, you may be able to imitate another singer but incorporate that style into your own. As long as you are respecting your instrument and using it appropriately,I believe you can sing any style. When you learn proper technique and then apply to what touches you creatively, I believe then is when you know what you really sound like. What's natural for you.

So, where am I now? This week? I am performing at the Kern county Fair this Friday, September 19. 2009 at the Goodetime Theater Stage/ Chevron Stage. It's like this:

Deedra Patrick

performing live with acoustic

singer / songwriter Nicholas Allen

Friday September 19, 2009

5:45pm show is 6:00pm - 6:30 pm

Goodetime Theater Stage / Chevron Stage

(in front of building #1 the Satellite Building)

cost: $8.00 adult fair admission

Come out and hear some killer harmonies and incredible songwriting / singing skills of Nicholas Allen. He is awesome for those of you who haven't heard him!

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My life as a singer.

Well, lately I have decided that I have been in hibernation for just too long. I am making a great effort to get out, do some jamms, etc. So, the one night in maybe three years that I decide to actually head out to Bakersfield's version of an "Open Mic" (at Sandrini's), the guy who runs it doesn't show up! LOL! I gotta laugh! I'm sitting there, looking around thinking, hmmmm is this it? My friend, Mike, shows up with his guitar looking pretty handsome, ready and warmed up to do his thing and low and behold...No Open Mic. I was asked if I could set up the P.A. since the other musicians there didn't know how to set up a P.A. system. As I began, I thought, you know if some stranger were up on my stage messing with my equipment when I wasn't there, I would be really pissed. So, I decided to leave it alone and headed out to Bakersfield's version of Open Mic...KARAOKE. GO figure! But I will say that I did have a great time at The Junction. My old friend, Mac Maclanahan, aka Sax Man, was running the show. I rocked out some Janis Joplin and Guns n Roses, while my three students who were enjoying the evening with me gave their renditions of Merle Haggard, Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton. Open mic, anyone?

Songs of MIne

Hey check out these two songs from my old band Rain On Fire. I wrote these songs in 1994, had some airplay on KLOS in Los Angeles and in Europe. Let me know what you think. Here is the link to my myspace music account.

http://www.myspace.com/deedrapatrickdetorgrey

hope u like it / hope u can find it!

Let's Jamm

Who wants to jamm? Originals, covers...I don't care. I am just aching to jamm. I like any rock music. I love acoustic. Let's rock out and have fun.

Do's and Don't for Singers

Always warm-up your voice at least 20 minutes before performing
Stretch your neck, shoulders and back muscles before performing
Consume a variety of nutritious foods and vitamins
Attain and maintain physical fitness with regular aerobic and muscles strengthening
Maintain a humid living environment (40 - 50 percent humidity)
Maintain body hydration by drinking one gallon of water per day
Use efficient vocal technique in speech and singing
Use the voice judiciously
Wash hands frequently...keep hand sanitizer available to avoid germs
Take 2,000mg of vitamin C with rose hips daily, along with a good multi-vitamin
Get plenty of sleep, especially before a gig or recording session

DON'T

Smoke cigarettes
Consume recreational drugs
Drink too much caffeine
Stay up partying the night before a recording session
Share drinks or lick the faces of sick / contagious people :)
Speak too much or too loudly, especially in noisy environments
Scream or clear the throat EVER!
Use over-the-counter preparations for colds and allergies, especially antihistamines

Up to two hours before singing, avoid these things...

chocolate, carbonated beverages, milk or any dairy products, FOOD, iced or overly cold beverages

Deedra Patrick Vocal Studios

661-589-4304

My life as a singer.

What am I to do? I have a gig 9/29 at 5:00pm at the Kern County Fair. So many ideas are in my head...all acoustic? hmmm...