So you want to sing, and you are afraid to tell anyone. Well, join the club. Everywhere I go I meet people who wish that they were either studying music in some way or wish that they had not been shut down in the third grade from that teacher who told them to shut up.
The problem with most of us is that when we were unconcerned about others perceptions of whether we were awesome or not (sometime before puberty), we were shoved into categories regarding the range of our talents. Unfortunately the people putting us into those categories had no idea what they were talking about. As we grow up we internalize these learned notions and associate them with what we are able to achieve. In my 25 years of teaching I have found these limitations to be completely inaccurate. In fact, after all of this time, I am convinced that everyone can sing.
So how do you break out of your shell and just go for it? Well the answer is in the question. Just go for it. Seriously, start in the shower. I mean it. There are several reasons why you sound better in the shower – and you do. In the shower you have a constant stream of warmth invading your sinuses, opening them up, and letting your vocal chords relax. Additionally, the shower has pretty good acoustics most of the time. Tile or hard acrylic surfaces reverberate the sound around you much the same way that reverb is added by sound systems, or in the studio. There are almost no professional singers alive who do not sing with some kind of reverb. And the majority of pop stars today perform with so much “schmoitzel” added to their voice that you simply would not recognize their sound without it.
As you sing in the shower recognize how much better you sound. Don’t sell yourself short; really listen. Then remember, when you are not in the shower you do not have any of the reverberation going on around you that is the standard for the singing you admire, and work diligently toward not judging yourself by the unadorned sound that you hear.
Now you are ready for your own personal practice room – the car. Every time you are in the car go for it. It is the modern world’s perfect practicing chamber. There is no one around to tell you that you aren’t great, and you can get a lot of work done. Remember that you don’t have your reverb, but you are safe from criticism. Pick your favorite artists, either on the radio or from your personal stash of recordings and sing along. Play around with what you have to do with your mouth to match someone’s sound. Don’t be shy – try to sound more than one way. Just make sure you are not screaming. If you look in the rear view mirror and your face has turned red, you have gone too far. In this exercise you start to get into the habit of “playing” with your sound and not taking life too seriously.
The not too seriously part is really important. For one thing, almost no artist you sing along with sings in exactly your key. Consequently some of the notes, either on the bottom or the top, are going to be kind of wonky. Don’t sweat it. If you don’t like your sound in the highs or the lows realize that this song is not in your key. Drop out on the notes that don’t work and don’t push it. The artist you are singing along with had thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars put into arranging and production in order to sound their best (and lots of reverb). Believe it or not, if you had that much help you’d sound a whole lot different; perhaps, even closer to the recording than you think.
As you start to enjoy yourself, start to envision a world in which no one tells you to shut up. Everyone who hears you sing enjoys your sharing. Then, consider getting into a local music class. Community Colleges, Recreation Centers, music stores and local music schools are constantly offering classes on how to enjoy music. If you live anywhere within driving distance to Richmond, Virginia, call me. I will be happy to give you a vocal assessment and recommend either a class, or private lessons.
In future blogs I will be answering any questions you have about vocal technique, and offering little hints as to how to get through vocal problems. Always remember – technique is the way in which you get yourself out of trouble when you sound lousy – that’s it! Now go forth and SING!
The problem with most of us is that when we were unconcerned about others perceptions of whether we were awesome or not (sometime before puberty), we were shoved into categories regarding the range of our talents. Unfortunately the people putting us into those categories had no idea what they were talking about. As we grow up we internalize these learned notions and associate them with what we are able to achieve. In my 25 years of teaching I have found these limitations to be completely inaccurate. In fact, after all of this time, I am convinced that everyone can sing.
So how do you break out of your shell and just go for it? Well the answer is in the question. Just go for it. Seriously, start in the shower. I mean it. There are several reasons why you sound better in the shower – and you do. In the shower you have a constant stream of warmth invading your sinuses, opening them up, and letting your vocal chords relax. Additionally, the shower has pretty good acoustics most of the time. Tile or hard acrylic surfaces reverberate the sound around you much the same way that reverb is added by sound systems, or in the studio. There are almost no professional singers alive who do not sing with some kind of reverb. And the majority of pop stars today perform with so much “schmoitzel” added to their voice that you simply would not recognize their sound without it.
As you sing in the shower recognize how much better you sound. Don’t sell yourself short; really listen. Then remember, when you are not in the shower you do not have any of the reverberation going on around you that is the standard for the singing you admire, and work diligently toward not judging yourself by the unadorned sound that you hear.
Now you are ready for your own personal practice room – the car. Every time you are in the car go for it. It is the modern world’s perfect practicing chamber. There is no one around to tell you that you aren’t great, and you can get a lot of work done. Remember that you don’t have your reverb, but you are safe from criticism. Pick your favorite artists, either on the radio or from your personal stash of recordings and sing along. Play around with what you have to do with your mouth to match someone’s sound. Don’t be shy – try to sound more than one way. Just make sure you are not screaming. If you look in the rear view mirror and your face has turned red, you have gone too far. In this exercise you start to get into the habit of “playing” with your sound and not taking life too seriously.
The not too seriously part is really important. For one thing, almost no artist you sing along with sings in exactly your key. Consequently some of the notes, either on the bottom or the top, are going to be kind of wonky. Don’t sweat it. If you don’t like your sound in the highs or the lows realize that this song is not in your key. Drop out on the notes that don’t work and don’t push it. The artist you are singing along with had thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars put into arranging and production in order to sound their best (and lots of reverb). Believe it or not, if you had that much help you’d sound a whole lot different; perhaps, even closer to the recording than you think.
As you start to enjoy yourself, start to envision a world in which no one tells you to shut up. Everyone who hears you sing enjoys your sharing. Then, consider getting into a local music class. Community Colleges, Recreation Centers, music stores and local music schools are constantly offering classes on how to enjoy music. If you live anywhere within driving distance to Richmond, Virginia, call me. I will be happy to give you a vocal assessment and recommend either a class, or private lessons.
In future blogs I will be answering any questions you have about vocal technique, and offering little hints as to how to get through vocal problems. Always remember – technique is the way in which you get yourself out of trouble when you sound lousy – that’s it! Now go forth and SING!
