Vocal Coach Roger Burnley Interview
Interview by Louis Allen Epstein

Roger Burnley is one of the most respected vocal coaches in the United States. He began his vocal studies and singing career at age 12. Roger sang in the Chicago All City High School Chorus and then in his own rock band where he encountered his first vocal problems. In 1978 Roger went to New York continued his studies and sang for the legitimate musical theater, Opera, and cabarets.

In 1982 Roger moved to Los Angeles where he became a recording artist, studied under a number of highly respected vocal coaches, and developed his own unique vocal method. He began coaching in 1988 and has since had the opportunity to coach many of the country's top singers and actors. In this article Roger talks about how Jordin Sparks and other singers develop vocal problems and how you can have a superstar voice.

Louis Allen Epstein: First of all, has Jordin Sparks voice fully recovered?

Roger Burnley: Her problem was easy to correct with proper voice training. At the time everyone was concerned that she had damaged it permanently but that wasn't the case.

LAE: I thought she had an acute vocal chord hemorrhage. Isn't that a hole in your vocal chord?

RB: It's better to think of it as a blister that broke. With proper vocal rest the chords have an amazing ability to heal themselves. However, if you go back to the same vocal habits, it can happen again.

LAE: And can that cause a permanent problem?

RB: It can if it continually happens for then you start to form scar tissue on the chords. That can lead to permanent damage. Even nodules can heal without surgery if there is enough voice rest and retraining.

LAE: What were some of Jordin Sparks bad habits?

RB: Singing while pushing the larynx, or voice box up. This can easily happen with numerous performances and fatigue. She also has a habit of switching to a falsetto tone a little too frequently and that can wear out the chords a bit.

LAE: You've worked with Macy Gray, Brandy, and a number of other singers. Did they make similar mistakes?

RB: Yes. Brandy had vocal hoarseness at the age of 12. We corrected it significantly by the time she was 15 and recorded her first CD. Macy did not have the same problem as she was pretty diligent about doing her warm ups. She called the other night from Australia so I could warm her up a bit. Over time certain habits can creep back in so it's important to continually train to keep your technique in place.

LAE: What are some of the techniques you would use for Brandy and other singers that have damaged their throats?

RB: Retraining the way they create sound. Everything about the voice is physical and when it is operating in what I call a correct position, you minimize any damage or problems. With proper technique you should be able to sing for hours without any hoarseness or fatigue. I accomplish this in particular vocal exercises that begin to form new habits in the way they produce sound.

LAE: Are there any artists singing right now that you think are in danger of damaging their voice?

RB: Many. You can start to hear the deterioration when they start to sing louder or shout; when they start to have a big separation between their head and chest voices and even when you start to hear more of a raspy quality in their speaking voices.

LAE: What about someone young like Miley Cyrus, who is constantly working. What would you tell her?

RB: She sings much too hard and you can get away with that for awhile, especially when you're young. All bad habits will eventually catch up with you. This has happened to many brilliant singers. Julie Andrews for instance had a very minor problem over years that caught up with her, which is what caused her to have the surgery that, unfortunately, permanently damaged her voice.

LAE: You say Miley sings too hard. What does that mean exactly?

RB: Pushing with a lot of air pressure. That causes the larynx to be raised while singing. When this occurs the vocal chords are out of place so to speak and start to rub together in an unnatural way that can lead to irritation, polyps, nodules, or in Jordin's case hemorrhaging. Think of a blister that keeps getting irritated.

LAE: Do you use the same techniques to help actors?

RB: Yes. It is all the same whether you are singing or speaking. Many will remember how Bill Clinton would always loose his voice and this too was a result of improper tone production.

LAE: Well, since you're a doctor I have to get some free advice.

RB: Well not exactly but I do think I understand the workings of the voice as well as doctors; sometimes even better. Ask away.

LAE: Whatever! I recently emceed a game show gig as Lou and Ernie... Uh! Have you heard of us?

RB: What was the problem?

LAE: Ok, well, I had to talk solidly for about 4 1/2 hours and about 4 hrs in I started losing my voice. Was there anything I could have done at that point to help my voice?

RB: Not really. There were certain habits in your voice production that started to kick in because of the long hours. When that takes place the only remedy then is rest. You might think of it as the chords got swollen and needed to rest. With some retraining you could get to a place where you would prevent that from happening.

LAE: I hear stories about singers using hot tea and honey, or vocal sprays, or even a shot of bourbon to help their voices before a performance. Does any of that work and if so, why?

RB: Those things may help as they provide lubrication of sorts so you don't feel dry. None of them however do anything to the vocal chords themselves as none of them touch them. Always the best remedy is great vocal technique to prevent problems from occurring.

LAE: Like the warm ups? Do you teach those on your DVD?

RB: Yes I do. I first of all explain on the DVD how the voice works and then I give specific exercises which are also included on an audio CD for both male and female voices. It's important to have an intellectual understanding first and then get the physical experience of proper placement and tone production.

LAE: I know that you give private lessons to the superstars. Do you hold anything back from the DVD and CD so that you can make the big bucks and give the superstars an edge?

RB: I hold nothing back but it is general to all voices and each person has a very specific voice, way of producing sound or particular problems. When I work with someone in person I'm able to address the things that are specific to them. People do get great results with just using the DVD if they don't have any major problems.

LAE: And I can get this DVD by going to your website www.rogerburnley.com?

RB: Yes, exactly. There are also some testimonials there.

LAE: And after I get it I'll sound as good as Jordin Sparks. Actually better since I've never had a vocal chord hemorrage.

RB: Anyone has the ability to develop a great voice if they are willing to take the time and put in the practice.

 

Louis Epstein started his career in 1974 writing and performing for live comedy shows and local comedy television shows. He did this and was still able to complete his freshman high school homework.
Since then he has helped win four IABC Awards of excellence for performing and writing television commercials. He helped to create the Texas comedy market in 1978, and was the very first stand-up comedian to take stage in Houston.
He was a head writer and comic actor for the touring company of the Comedy Workshop and a company member of Comedy Sportz. Louis writes corporate comedy and comedy videos for private and company functions and was selected three years in a row by City Search Magazine as Houston’s top party dj.