Online Singing Lessons With Abram Poliakoff
Abram Poliakoff is a singer, guitarist, pianist, teacher, conductor, and composer. He received a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Arts from USC’s Thornton School of Music and has been teaching music for 8 years. He is currently both the Associate Artistic Director and a tenor in the L.A. Choral Lab, which recently released its first studio album Sonic Visions in the fall of 2019. Abram teaches and performs a wide range of genres including Classical, Jazz, Folk and Popular music in the Los Angeles area. He has also sung with the San Francisco Opera and Pocket Opera in the Bay Area. His teaching mission is to help his students utilize vocal technique to find their authentic and healthy voice while maximizing genre flexibility and a naturalness of expression.
TUTORIALS
Foundations of Vibrato Part 2
By Abram PoliakoffAre you ready to take your vibrato training to the next level? If so, check out How to Sing with Vibrato: Part 2! We’ll cover common vibrato issues and vibrato usage in different musical genres. See you there!
How to Sing Pop
By Abram PoliakoffWhen I say pop music, what do you think of? Michael Jackson? Madonna? Ed Sheeran? Ariana Grande? Pop music emerged as a distinct style in the 1950’s, although it’s evolved a lot since then, and it continues to change as music evolves. A lot of sub genres could be classified as pop; so for our purposes, we’re gonna take a broad look at pop singing and define some characteristics present in the majority of contemporary pop styles. I think you’ll have fun. Let’s get started!
Foundations of Vibrato
By Abram PoliakoffListen for the difference between these two phrases: [Sing phrase straight tone, then vibrato] What did you hear? The first time, I sang with straight tone [demonstrate], and the second time, I added vibrato [demonstrate]. Vibrato is the natural oscillation that occurs in healthy singing. It adds life and helps us convey emotion when we sing. Although some styles use more vibrato than others, it’s present in virtually every genre. If you’d like to learn more and work on developing natural vibrato, check out this tutorial!
Intro to Vocal Registers
By Abram PoliakoffToday we’re talking about the registers of the voice, and we’ll try a few exercises to strengthen our voice within these registers. Many beginning singers have at least heard the terms “chest voice” and “head voice”. But if those terms are new to you, fear not! When we talk about registers, we’re referring to a section of the voice (or a collection of pitches) in which sound is produced a certain way and results in a specific tone quality. Continue to learn more about vocal registers!
All About Tone
By Abram PoliakoffWhat would you say if I asked you to describe the difference between Freddie Mercury’s voice and Elvis Presley’s? What about the difference between Ariana Grande’s voice and Adele’s? Each of these singers has a unique sound; and answering that question will get us talking about tone or timbre. While we all have a general sound that comes naturally to us, we can develop and explore different tone qualities within our voice. Keep watching for a tutorial on tone.
Range Extension
By Abram PoliakoffDo you want to increase your range? Do you find yourself straining for high notes or scooping for low notes? This tutorial is all about range extension. I'll give you principles and exercises to help you gradually increase your range in a healthy way. Let's get started!
30 Day Beginner Course Level 2 With Abram
By Abram PoliakoffJoin Abram Poliakoff for level 2 of the beginners course! This course builds upon the previous 30-day courses by Camille, Jonathan, and Jon, so we recommend completing one of those courses first! We will review concepts as we go, but you will get the most out of this course once you have completed level 1.
Rhythm for Singers
By Abram PoliakoffHaving trouble singing in time with the music? This lesson will cover how to master finding the pulse and staying in time while singing as well as what it's like to be behind or ahead of the beat.