Are You Learning to Sing—or Just Following Instructions?

You can spend years training your voice and still not understand how it actually works.In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, high-performance vocal coach and vocal rehabilitation specialist Amber Mogg Cathey is sharing the story of a professional singer who had worked with a well-known vocal coach for years but found himself struggling on tour without the tools to troubleshoot his own voice.The problem? He knew WHAT exercises to do, but not WHY he was doing them.Great vocal training should give you more than a collection of exercises. It should give you the understanding, confidence, and tools to make smart decisions about your voice, especially when things aren't going as planned.She'll also break down a familiar exercise—the lip trill—and explore why it works, what it's actually doing for your voice, and why that knowledge matters.Because the goal isn't to make you dependent on your vocal coach. It's to help you become the expert on your own voice.Want to build a voice you can trust? Join us inside the Vocal Pro Collective, where we go beyond the exercises to understand the how and why, with guided workouts, live coaching, and a supportive community of singers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some singing myths just won't die—and some of them are downright scary!In this Halloween-inspired episode of Vocal Tips in 10, we're busting 8 of the biggest vocal myths that singers keep hearing (and believing!).Should you really sing from your diaphragm? Is pain a sign you're building vocal strength? Can throat sprays and lozenges hydrate your vocal folds? Is coffee bad for your voice? And what exactly IS mix voice?We're separating fact from fiction, clearing up some seriously misleading vocal advice, and talking about why some of these myths can do more harm than good.Whether you're just starting your singing journey or you've been performing professionally for years, this one's for you!🎤 Want to build a stronger, healthier, more reliable voice? Come join us inside the Vocal Pro Collective!https://ambermoggcathey.com/collectiveWatch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your voice is affected by illness—what now? How much should you rest, when is it okay to sing, and how do you ease back in?In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, we’re talking about supporting your voice through sickness and recovery. We’ll cover rest, internal and surface hydration, medication considerations, and gentle exercises to help you gradually return to singing.We’ll also discuss when to skip singing, how to modify your vocal demands when performing is appropriate, and when to reach out to a voice specialist.🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cooler weather, more germs, and a packed performance calendar can create a perfect storm for singers. So how do you give your voice the support it needs before you’re sick or worn out?In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, we’re talking prevention: prioritizing sleep, managing your daily “vocal budget,” staying hydrated, and understanding what teas and throat lozenges actually do. We’ll also cover surface hydration, nasal breathing in cold weather, warmups and cooldowns, and why medications deserve a little extra attention when you rely on your voice.You can’t out-technique illness—but you can build habits that support your body and voice through a demanding season.Coming next: what to do when you’re already sick.🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Changing the key can help you protect your voice and deliver your best performance—but is it always the right choice?In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, I explore when changing the key can take away something essential to the song. From its overall feel to an instrumental hook that doesn’t land the same way in another key, we’ll talk about when to rethink transposing—and how to consider both your voice and the music.🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective🎤 Voice Gym → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/voice-gym📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Need a vocal warm-up? Press play and warm up with me!In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, I'm taking you through a quick, practical vocal warm-up you can actually sing along with - and come back to anytime you need your voice ready for rehearsal, recording, a performance or just a day of singing.We'll move through three of my go-to warm-up exercises, including SOVT work to get the voice moving with more ease, a floppy jaw exercise to release unnecessary jaw and tongue tension, and a final resonance exercise to help get your voice feeling buzzy, connected and ready to go.Save this one - it's an episode you can use again and again.🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective🎤 Voice Gym → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/voice-gym📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If high notes make your chin lift, shoulder tense or whole body reach upward, this episode is for you.Amber Mogg Cathey breaks down why chasing a high note can make it harder - and shares simple tools to help you hit the high notes with more freedom and less effort.You'll learn:A sliding-third exercise for more ease and coordination in your upper rangeThe "vocal trombone" and candy-cane cuesA jaw-release exercise to reduce lifting and pushingThe "woo" exercise for a stronger, freer upper rangeThe "tippy bird" movement to interrupt unconscious reaching and pullingYou'll also learn how your thoughts can trigger tension before you even sing a note - and why experimenting with different cues is essential, because no single tool works for every singer.If you tend to reach, brace or overwork for high notes, press play for practical ways to make your upper register feel more doable.🎤 Voice Gym → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/voice-gym🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually mean to “sound like yourself” as a singer? If you’ve ever wondered What’s my sound?—or caught yourself trying to sound like the artist, genre, or version of a singer you think you’re supposed to be—this episode is for you.Amber shares practical exercises to help singers uncover the vocal and stylistic choices that naturally sound like them—from starting with the speaking voice and purposeful imitation to experimenting with melody, genre, phrasing, and more.Because your authentic sound isn’t something you need to manufacture or lock into a box. It’s something you uncover through listening, experimenting, playing, and paying attention to what keeps showing up.🎤 Voice Gym → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/voice-gym🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your voice gives you clues when something isn’t quite right — if you know what to listen for.In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, Amber Mogg Cathey shares two simple tools you can use to check in on your voice, establish what’s normal for you, and catch early warning signs of swelling, irritation, or overuse before they become a bigger problem.She breaks down the Bastian Swelling Test and a simple morning humming check, what each one can tell you, and — most importantly — what to do when something changes.You’ll learn:How to establish your own healthy vocal baselineWhat a change in your upper range may be telling youWhat to do when you notice minor changesWhich warning signs mean it’s time to stop and seek professional helpThe goal isn’t to panic over every little vocal change — it’s to know your instrument well enough to recognize when something is different and know what to do next.If you sing, speak, teach, coach, or rely on your voice professionally, these are two simple tools worth having in your vocal health toolbox.🎤 Voice Gym → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/voice-gym🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vocal fry gets a bad reputation — but is it actually damaging your voice? In this episode of Vocal Tips in 10, Amber Mogg Cathey breaks down one of the most misunderstood techniques in singing and speaking, and why modern voice science says it's not the villain people think it is.Amber explains how vocal fry supports gentle vocal fold closure, why it shows up stylistically across pop, R&B, country, folk, and soul, and how it's used as a real tool in vocal therapy and rehabilitation. She also gets honest about when it can become an issue — usually overuse or compensating for poor vocal fold connection, not the technique itself — and compares it to "icing on a cake" for singers who want to use it well.If you've ever wondered whether vocal fry is wrecking your voice, this episode separates the outdated myths from the real science, with practical guidance for more efficient, expressive, lower-strain singing and speaking.📱Instagram Vocal Fry video🎤 Voice Gym → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/voice-gym🎤 Vocal Pro Collective → https://www.ambermoggcathey.com/collective📺 Watch this episode on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.