Jeff Mathena

Vocal Coach to Kari Jobe, Phil Wickham, For King & Country, Jordan Feliz, Elevation Worship...Check out The Unhindered Voice Podcast on iTunes!

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

The ability to sing is a precious gift, and your voice is something God picked out especially for you. How might an increased sense of gratitude affect the way you choose to steward that gift?

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Comparison is the death of creativity. And perfectionism is simply the act of comparing yourself to the ideal you’ve set in your own mind.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Ever heard a great singer and felt somehow like you suddenly knew pieces of her life’s story? It’s because to sing according to God’s design is to be seen and to be known. This is the gift an artist is called to offer to everyone each and every time she steps on stage.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

What do I mean when I say “emotional vulnerability”? It’s not just about your connection to songs. It’s also about your willingness to make mistakes-to embrace the fact that your worth is not rooted in your ability to be perfect.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

You can use a song to showcase your voice, or you can use your voice to showcase a song. But poor technique hinders your ability to sing with a true sense of freedom and authority, and it ensures that everyone attention will stay focused on your voice, rather than the message.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Do you struggle with pitch? It can make you feel self-conscious and lead you to strain, in order to fix the problem. But letting go of strain can actually make your pitch worse...at first. When this happens, resist the urge to overcorrect and hone in on the bullseye gradually.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

The key to hitting high notes easily-even when singing with power-is a highly developed head register.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

This one might require some meditation to fully grasp. How might feeling like you have nothing left to prove change the way you sing?

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

How many times have you failed to connect emotionally with the song you were singing, because you were so preoccupied with whether your voice was going to obey you?

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

The ability to trust your voice is essential to your ability to be vulnerable when singing. And vulnerability is essential to singing well.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

In fact, struggling with lip roles indicates an imbalance in the relationship among these three elements. Doing this exercise daily can help your voice find balance over time, which will, in turn, begin to make singing throughout your range more cohesive and intuitive.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

God designed the voice in such a way that singing at your fullest potential requires a combination of physical discipline and emotional vulnerability.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Singing, by nature, is a vulnerable process, whether your voice obeys you or not. But an undisciplined voice makes singing feel vulnerable for all of the wrong reasons. Technique is ultimately about allowing singers to trust their voices amidst the vulnerability.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Having an undisciplined voice results in your primary instrument becoming your primary distraction when singing.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

@victoriajoyrowe Well, you don’t breathe in and do the lip role at the same time, if that’s what you’re doing. But WHEN you breathe in, do it through your nose.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Try inhaling through the nose when doing lip roles. Doing so prevents the vocal cords from separating too much and helps to relax the esophagus.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

A worship leader’s qualification does not stem from her ability to hit all the notes, but from her willingness to be honest and vulnerable in front of the people she is leading.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

The secret to confidence is not about knowing you’ll win. It’s about knowing you can’t be defeated. Your victory is already secured. And you’ve been equipped with a voice that was handcrafted by God. You have nothing left to prove.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

The desire to over-correct is a product of insecurity, as is the desire to be perfect. It's okay to acknowledge that your voice is in process.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

Are you afraid of your voice sounding weak? Our weakness often reflects our reality better than our strength. If you are wanting to be an "authentic" singer, sometimes you have to allow your voice to feel as weak as you do. And there is nothing more powerful than authenticity.

[Jeff Mathena @JeffMathena]

The value of a performance doesn't rest on one note. But how often have you failed to be emotionally present with the song you are singing, because you were worried about a single note in the bridge? Don't allow a 3 minute song to be ruined by 3 seconds of it.