Nancy Salwen

Finally, finally, FINALLY, I have figured out a way to give you visual feedback as you practice singing in tune — I’m SO EXCITED!!

When you’re practicing on your own it can be frustrating because you’re not sure you’re hitting that note correctly — right?

Here’s a solution!

Want […]

Well, Hello There!

For better or worse, there’s a powerful energy to winning.

Although sometimes it works hand in hand with entitlement and greed, winning can also be harnessed for the good and the wonderful.

Winning is fuel. It’s chock-full of energy.

So why not grab some of […]

One of the coolest and easiest ways to try vocal improvisation is to riff on a round. This video is an excerpt from a recent Playground Workshop and explains what it’s all about — try it along with us here! It’s fun! (And it’s also fantastic for ear training!)

A retreat participant requested we sing Space Captain — and he gave me enough of a heads up before the event that I had time to work on it.

I was familiar with the Joe Cocker version, which I loved but, really? Have you heard it? Where to start?! The way he does […]

My husband and I run an open mic here in our town of Keene, New Hampshire. It’s twice a month, it’s really fun, and we always end with a “Goodbye Song” singalong at the end. Last time it was “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?”

It was so much fun, I decided […]

Grief isn’t a straight line.

Having been through a lot of loss this past year, and knowing that we all experience loss, this beautiful video really resonated with me. So I wanted to share it with you.

This is what rebuilding looks like.

Love,
Nancy ❤️ […]

A student recently talked to me about what happened at an open mic he attended with a friend. It was a bit of a train wreck. (That’s the term I use when things go wonky.)  

When you start playing out with other people, there’s a learning curve!

Here’s what happened:

I love the playfulness of this…

“A rare behind-the-scenes look at Disney’s 1941 studio shows how sound effects for Dumbo were crafted—especially the voice of Casey Jr., the talking train. Using glass scrapers, throat tubes, and early talk-box techniques, Foley artists brought life to animation through pure creativity and experimentation.

Scroll down to see a video of me modeling some ideas of things you might sing to yourself in front of the mirror…

Many of us who have felt shy or fearful around singing (me included) have trouble with the idea of being seen and/or heard by others. There may be settings and […]