Singers: How should we practice?
In other words: practice certainly, but focus. So, just how should you practice singing?
Let me first tell you about this. It's worth thinking about, especially when it comes to muscle memory. Some years ago, I came across an excellent post in a roundabout way as you do, pulled in by its title:
You can see why can’t you? Learning rewires our brains. I was thinking of singing/performance. So I clicked the link to have a good read. (Tip - It's still a good read, even now.)
Funny how these things can pull together fragments of your life, personal and professional. I started thinking about my little daughter, Alice and the problems she had had with Leukodystrophy. But that's another story.
Soon I was deeply engrossed in fully understanding the important role myelination plays in our gradual acquisition of skills, thanks to Jason Shen’s clear explanations and diagrams.
But then, another pathway of understanding opened.
As a vocal teacher, I always advocate embracing new learn
...4 TOP in-rehearsal vocal care tips for singers
Back to rehearsals soon? Voice feeling a bit rusty?
Here's a little extra guidance beyond the tips I shared in the video above:
Tip #5: Your vocal folds (or cords) are the only pair you'll ever have. You can't go and choose new ones when the old ones start to wear out.
Imagine those little vocal folds, pristine and perfect at birth. Functioning with ease and as usual in babies and young children, with the best and most perfect vocal connection, there can be. What causes things to go wrong when all was perfect at the onset?
True vocal folds are no bigger than your little fingernail. They deserve careful use if they are to serve us well all our lives. Sometimes things go wrong, usually as a result of a poorly mixed cocktail of factors.
For example, if we think of gaining greater volume when we sing, there’s a psychological trigger that suggests to us that we must push more air to make it happen. But a greater volume achieved by pushing more air simply puts more stress on tho...
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Singing Basics Guide
Getting to grips with or making improvements to your singing and the methods to achieve progress are all far easier and more accessible than you think.
