Hitting the right notes

Less publicised though is the 36-year-old’s newer career – as a voice trainer with her long-time label RS Public.

“About a year ago Phi Mam [Patcharida Wattana, senior executive officer of RS’s artist development division] told me it was time I became a voice trainer. She reminded me that I had both the theoretical knowledge and practical ability,” says Parn, who graduated from the Chulalongkorn University’s education faculty with a major in singing and is now working towards her master’s in musicology at Silpakorn University.

“However, I can’t work full time because of my tight show schedule as well as promoting the album. So, I’m responsible for training the artists once a week.”

Parn has four artists under her wing: Sittha “Iang” Sapanuchart, who is a member of trio Rookie BB; Matanawee “Zee” Keenan; Pornwara “Poi” Sittiprasarn; and Jarupong “Jack” Kluaymai-Ngarm of the boy band Black Jack.

“It’s not hard to instruct the youngsters with real musical experience. I help them extend their singing range and hit the right notes,” she says. “Singers these days have their own shortcuts, so I focus on the basics of singing.

“Jack has little energy so I’ve suggested he exercises more, including singing while doing sit-ups. His body is muscular enough but his high pitch sounds like a kitten. He knows how to strengthen his body but not his voice. Iang has a wide vocal range but lacks self-confidence and accuracy. Zee’s voice is narrow in range while Poi lacks power.

“I don’t want to instruct them in the various shortcuts that can be taken. What is important is that they understand the basics of singing. Today, some would-be singers have just three, or maybe six months of training before they go into the studio to cut an album. I’m now teaching notes to a singer at his request. Soon I hope he’ll be able to clarify the notes when he listens to sounds. Fortunately here at RS, an artist is trained by more one than voice trainers in a week.”

Parn says she studied classical music while at university and adapted that knowledge for her pop career. “Not only has it helped me in my singing but it’s also added tone and colour to my voice. Since the very beginning of my career, I’ve interpreted songs through emotion rather than technique. And as the years have gone by and I’ve grown older, my voice has changed. Selecting the right songs helps you develop your voice. I know how to save my voice and stabilise it with 10 songs throughout a concert.

“There are many popular singers around the world who don’t take any vocal course. I think that Thai children these days are addicted to vocal courses, so much so that it’s become a trend. Thailand has many more music schools than in the past and it comes as no surprise that the winning singers in talent contests are alumni of these schools. Of course it helps but then you have singers like [the late queen of luk thung] Poompuang [Duangchan] who couldn’t read and had no musical knowledge, but a great gift,” says Parn, whose icons include Poompuang and Aretha Franklin.

Even with all her theoretical knowledge and practical skills, Parn still practises all the time.

“I listen to a variety of songs and always try to learn new techniques. I don’t want my voice to be 100 per cent pop, because singing in the same style for long has an effect on your range. The vocal cords are a muscle. Like most other artists, I’ve had my vocal problems including inflammation of the larynx because of a sinus infection.”

She’d eventually like to open a studio at her home and focus on voice training but for now Parn knows she’s has work to do: promoting her two new singles, “Phuean Nai Fun” (“Someone in My Dreams”) and “Phrung Nee Mai Mee Jing” (“There’s No Tomorrow”), which are receiving plenty of airplay.

“‘Phuean Nai Fun’ is a cheerful number, mainly because the person in your dreams is usually someone who makes you happy. ‘Phrung Nee Mai Mee Jing’, on the other hand, is sad,” she says.