Short Thoughts: What’s your next step?

One of the biggest blocks to people's progress in singing is the idea that their voice is just the way it is and there's nothing they can do to change it. This idea runs deep in our society, from the routine shaming of young children who don't sing as well as their peers, to the narratives of overnight success pedalled by show like the X Factor and American Idol. Either you enter the world ready to serenade it, or you're doomed forever to be a listener and to keep your mouth firmly shut.

That's not true. Singing is an activity like any other and with a little thought and careful practice you can learn to do it with more freedom and greater ease. I was reminded of this the other day when I stumbled across some recordings of myself from many years ago on an old hard drive. Listening to them now, I can hear how I tied myself in knots because I was so keen to communicate the song but I hadn't yet learned how to use my voice with freedom. Doing that is a bit like trying to use exactly the right brushstrokes to finish a painting when you haven't yet worked out how to open your tubes of paint! Now I can sing those same songs with ease and with all the expression I was trying to achieve before, because in the meantime I have learned, little by little, how to use my voice with freedom.

So, you can change the way you sing. Fine, but how? Singing requires the coordination of lots of muscles, and if you try to concentrate on improving the way all of them work at once them you'll never finish a phrase, so my question for you today is: where is the one place that you feel most unwanted tension when you sing?

Try to be really specific, and for the next day or two let that place be your focus. Watch out for any tension creeping in as you sing, and experiment with letting it go. Gradually you'll start to recognise the warning signs so that you can take evasive action before it's started to affect your voice! Once you feel confident doing this in one area, you can move on to your next area of tension.

If you're not sure what your next step should be, why not book a free 15-minute introductory lesson today? I'd love to help you figure out your next step!