Author: kellyhoppenjans

Kelly Hoppenjans is a voice teacher and indie-rock artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in musicology at University of Michigan, and has taught commercial voice at Belmont University and Volunteer State Community College with a focus on singer-songwriters and connecting your singing voice to your songwriting voice. As an artist, she released her full length debut album, OK, I Feel Better Now, in 2019 and has had her music featured on NPR's All Songs Considered, American Songwriter, The Alternative, Ghettoblaster, and many others.
Pedagogy, Psychology, Vocal Health

Warming Up to Mindfulness: Using Vocal Warm-Ups to Calm Anxiety and Love Your Voice // Kelly Hoppenjans

Why do we warm up? Some might say we do this for our vocal health, to exercises our voices, to prepare them for a long day of singing and talking. Some might use warm-ups as tools for technical mastery, to work out issues that arise in repertoire. Perhaps some of us warm up (or say we did) because our voice teachers always told us we … Continue reading Warming Up to Mindfulness: Using Vocal Warm-Ups to Calm Anxiety and Love Your Voice // Kelly Hoppenjans

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Audio & Sound Production, Sound Production, Studio Singing

Vocal Production for Singers: Using Layering and Effects to Shape Your Sound (Part 2) // Kelly Hoppenjans

In the first part of this series, we discussed the different vocal layering and arranging techniques common in pop vocal production, in order to help singers produce their own vocal arrangements. Just as crucial to a successful vocal arrangement are the effects a producer uses. A judiciously applied reverb, delay, distortion, or autotune can affect the style and overall sound of the vocal, and make … Continue reading Vocal Production for Singers: Using Layering and Effects to Shape Your Sound (Part 2) // Kelly Hoppenjans

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Audio & Sound Production, Studio Singing, Technology

Vocal Production for Singers: Using Layering and Effects to Shape Your Sound (Part 1) // Kelly Hoppenjans

Vocal effects have come a long way since the days of reverb chambers, tape delays, and the autotune explorations of Cher and T-Payne. As the effects have become more advanced and nuanced, vocal production has become a recognizable aspect of a singer’s tone, in addition to their vocal qualities. It’s hard to imagine T-Payne’s voice without the autotune (though we can hear it, and it’s … Continue reading Vocal Production for Singers: Using Layering and Effects to Shape Your Sound (Part 1) // Kelly Hoppenjans

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Uncategorized

Teaching Empathy through Singing // Kelly Hoppenjans

“In these unprecedented times,” as every commercial unironically intones these days, big things are happening. Historical, world-changing events are occurring that would be difficult to comprehend, if we weren’t living through them. I’d never say I was grateful for a deadly global pandemic, but like many people, I’m trying to make meaning of these events for myself, and to appreciate the time this situation has … Continue reading Teaching Empathy through Singing // Kelly Hoppenjans

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Pedagogy

The Indie Pop Voice Phenomenon, Part 2 // Kelly Hoppenjans

Okay, so here’s the big question—what do we do about indie pop voice? The trend is clearly very popular and not showing signs of letting up anytime soon, and as such exerts a huge influence on young singers and their vocal habits. As singers, should we use it? And as voice teachers, should we encourage it in our students or quash it? You’re about to … Continue reading The Indie Pop Voice Phenomenon, Part 2 // Kelly Hoppenjans

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Pedagogy

The Indie Pop Voice Phenomenon, Part 1 // Kelly Hoppenjans

Pop music vocalists have always had their share of unusual pronunciation and accents, and the most recent trend is so-called “indie girl voice,” or more generally, “indie pop voice” or hip-singing. This Vine user parodies it, this Youtuber teaches us how to do it, and even Buzzfeed has noticed it. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, definitely check out the above links—I think you’ll recognize it … Continue reading The Indie Pop Voice Phenomenon, Part 1 // Kelly Hoppenjans

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