The Best Way to Learn Singing - Is Not by Riding in a Flying Saucer
As I sit here and contemplate how singing is taught, I can recall images of both myself and my students wanting so badly to Get. It. Right!
With every vocal exercise comes excitement, as a door is opened up to the possibilities you may be thinking are around the corner, and then disappointment, as those possibilities seem to be a distant dream.
As I’m writing as a teacher to you the student, I have to say that the emphasis is completely on the teacher to create an environment that minimizes the frustrations a student may feel.
And that is why we can’t learn singing, riding in a flying saucer.
What do I mean by this?
Well, if you’re feeling completely bamboozled by the instruction I give you in a singing lesson, and, cannot tangibly re-create exactly what I’ve asked you to do, then you are “riding in a flying saucer.”
Here are some examples of Flying Saucer Language:
- Put The Sound In The Mask!
- Make The Sound Bright!
- Breathe From The Diaphragm
- Give the sound more ‘Ping’
Some of you may swear by this language, but just like Flying Saucer’s are not the best way to travel, this type of language is nowhere near the best way to learn singing.
Let me show you an alternative:
As you’re reading this try the following:
- Say the word ‘Goo’
- Now sing the tune ‘Happy Birthday’, but instead of singing the words to the Happy Birthday tune, sing ‘Goo’ to the Happy Birthday tune
- Now say the word ‘Mum'
- Again, try singing the ‘Happy Birthday Tune’, but instead of singing the words, sing ‘Mum’
At this point you may think what a weird exercise to do, however, my point is that every step of the way a tangible and clear instruction was given to you.
It’s unlikely that you had to interpret what I said. (It may have taken a little time to get your head around the question, but that’s different to interpreting ‘Sing from the Diaphragm’).
The exercises prescribed above may not unlock all the projection, power and range available in your voice, but you can trust that simple instruction causes an exact response, and I can guarantee that for 80% of you the result would have been more or less the same. (However, there is always an exception to the rule - a different exercise may be needed to prove my point for some of you.)
Is it really that simple?
Yes, it is, but I can promise you that it’s not always easy.
And the old proverb states -
“There’s no shortcut to any place worth going.”
See you soon.