I get a lot of people asking me about monitoring. A big problem singers face when singing live is the inability to hear themselves clearly. When you can’t hear yourself, you will end up straining and pushing more than you normally would, which eventually leads to vocal fatigue, wear and tear, and damage. I will be posting some information on the different types of monitoring systems available that I have used. The first option I am posting about is a VAM (Vocal Acoustic Monitor). I was one of the first people to receive one of these over a year ago, and have used it ever since during practice and recording. For those of you taking lessons with me, I highly suggest you order one now. They can be found at the following sites: Below is the endorsment I wrote for the product last year; it will explain why I think all singers should own one. I was given a VAM™ at a lesson one day with vocal coach Jaime Vendera. He had been talking about this new device he was endorsing that helps you to better hear yourself sing. I used it during the lesson on the song Superstition by Stevie Wonder, which is a tough song, as is any Stevie song. The second I held it up to my ear, I immediately could feel and hear an improvement with my performance. I could better hear the actual tone I was producing, I could better control my intonation, and I was able to sing easily with the music playing loudly because the VAM™ lets you hear yourself perfectly no matter how loud any background noises are. Thanks to using the VAM™ while practicing, I was able to perfect the song. I also realized that it has many more applications than just for live performance and practicing. This is the perfect device for any singer to use at a band practice or show, when they need to warm up before a show or between songs while the band is playing loudly. It brings the sound directly into your ear, making it easy for you to go backstage during an instrumental break, do a few vocal exercises to bring your voice back into shape, then go back out on stage; all without any strain from the excess volume. You could also use this in a choir or back up singing situation, where you need to hear yourself in order to stay in tune and focused with what the other singers are doing. I’ve also been using it during the recording of my CD. I leave one headphone with the music and a little bit of vocal on my left ear, and hold the VAM™ to my right ear and my pitch accuracy and vocal stamina is better than its ever been. Austin Jenkins
R&B/POP Vocalist