No Limits
Blisterleaf- or Anemone vesicatoria, a dainty plant with the hidden ability to burn with its toxic oil, a skill it uses to protect itself
Don’t limit yourself.
It’s so easy to apologise or make excuses as to why we think we aren’t good enough - but does this help us improve?
I have a rule in my teaching room that we aim never to make negative comments about our voice or our singing as these can make it very difficult for us to achieve our goals. Our negativity holds us back, our apologies begin our session on the back-foot with the suggestion we will fail. The mere suggestion that we are not good enough will infiltrate our ability to achieve, and possibly succeed in areas that are new to us.
How many times have you told people you are doing something but that you aren’t very good? It’s a particularly British thing I’m overly guilty of!
“If I were not able to separate the art from the artists, I think I would limit myself a great deal, and life wouldn’t be nearly as interesting.”
Jessye Norman
In the world of learning, we have to be brave. We have to put ourselves through the experience of admitting we know little, and learn more.
We have to play and experiment without fear of judgement or failure.
This process is done with the aid of books, online research, published papers from experts, film and recordings, and of course, teachers.
A good teacher will be willing you on. They will set you challenges to help you succeed. Some of those challenges will lead you to better ability and understanding, and some will count as experiments that did not work out, maybe just not yet.
In nature - where I often like to take inspiration - plants do not limit themselves. They develop and adapt and try according to their surroundings. They succeed in all sorts of places. Sometimes this might not work, but every so often it will and leads to the development of the plant in a new way.
If you are a gardener you may be familiar with this already - we have all tried to plant something and watched it fail, only to watch nature self-seed and thrive in an area that every textbook tells you should not work! Some of the healthiest plants are the weeds growing in an unlikely place, growing without fear of failure. Their success unaware of the ‘rules’.
We need that experimental and positive attitude when learning to bring about our new skills.
Have you ever been set a new piece by your teacher and found unexpected success?… Hold on to those moments as you continue onwards!
Choir
Whilst singing as a soloist is always enjoyable with many benefits to us - today I’m exploring and celebrating group singing and why you should consider searching for your nearest choir and joining!
When new pupils come to me for lessons I like to chat to them about their previous experiences in music. Many have sung before, some have had lessons, but ALL of them will have some prior experience of group singing or singing in a choir.
Many pupils tell me of wonderful memories in choral societies or as a child - but unfortunately there are often some negative school experiences that have put people off. I am here today to tell you not to let that experience get in the way of a very warm and fulfilling pastime that has many benefits to you as a singer, and as a human being.
Firstly, I encourage ALL my pupils to take part in group activities like theatre, choirs, A Capella groups, or school activities. It’s an easy way to add regular singing to your life, while learning vocal technique, muscianship skills, and new repertoire/music styles.
Secondly, singing with a group of people with similar interests as you is a wonderful bonding experience. Many new friendships and relationships are made at choir rehearsals. Remember that you may have to do a little research to find the right choir for you - but once you have found it you may be a member there for some time! It’s worth the research time.
Some Benefits of group singing:
helps forge social bonds
is effective for bonding large groups
excercises the brain
beneficial for improving breathing, posture and muscle tension
reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting the Immunoglobin A antibody, helping us sustain a healthy immune system
is universally accessible - anyone can sing! (yes, really!!!)
is cognitively stimulating and helps with memory
it’s cheap! We all have a voice in our body waiting to go, without any investment needed
Sometimes I have pupils asking for help to build their skills for choir auditions or to help them sing with more ease at choir - and I am always happy to help you with this. This doesn’t have to mean long-term lessons, get in touch with me or your local singing teacher to discuss your goals.
As always, comment below if you have any thoughts on this subject, and follow me on social media for more quotes and information about singing and performing.
birds
Learning to float and soar with your voice.
Birds are a continual fascination and inspiration to us - hardly surprising in music when their birdsong is so admired!
In particular, I’ve found that some people wish to emulate the soaring feeling of a bird in flight in their own singing. They enjoy the feel of ‘soaring’ or floating through the music they are singing, like a bird does. So what is that, and how can we create that in our voices?
“The birds are the opposite of Time...They are our desire for light, for stars, for rainbows and for jubilant outpourings of song!””
When you see a bird soaring above, floating almost effortlessly above the earth, what are you really seeing?
The bird has flown from a perch on/near the ground, risen to a height where it feels the support of the wind that allows it to stay in the air. The view we have is of no effort, when actually some rather complicated physics and effort has helped the bird get there.
Here are the things I suggest pupils think about and use to achieve this with their voice:
Mind
Support
Breath
Reduce the feeling of weight or pushing
Repeat and experiment
Know where your strong beats/words are, and therefor the lighter beats and words
An inflexible voice that is pushed or feels heavy will not float or feel light. How much ‘play’ and ‘give’ do you have at your disposal? Could you find more?
As ever, if you have questions get in touch below, book in for a lesson, or work with your teacher to discuss some of these and how they work in your voice.
“Birds have always had the ability to bring me out of a dark space and provide relief in bad times.”