10 Singing Tips

[sage]

Ehlo lovelies~

This thread is gonna be some ten tips I received from BodySense Precision Training (http://www.singingmastery.com/Default.htm) for singers.
I'm in no way promoting this (I've never been trained in this before), but the tips are useful. I received this as a complimentary subscription, so I thought I could share it.

The tips are a good way to prep yourself mentally and have a good attitude on your way to learning how to sing. It doesn't matter if you're trained by a different training or whether you're just beginning to teach yourself how to sing on your own, they're generally useful in application across all types.

:} Happy singing~

 

[sage]

Lesson 1. "You are a singing instrument"

Are you aware that you are actually a 'singing instrument'? Now if you're like most people, you may sound surprised to hear this but in this article I'm going to explain that you were actually 'born to sing'.

You see the incredible design of the human body makes it possible for just about anybody to sing. And not only to sing, but to sing well with a powerful, expressive and beautiful tone.

The fact is if you can speak you can sing.

When you speak you only use a fraction of your singing instrument. A small amount of breath is sent from the lungs to the vocal cords or folds, vibrating them to form sound. Our mouth and tongue shapes these sound waves into different sounds such as vowels and consonants which form the words we speak. Speaking is an automatic activity for most of us. We don't think too much about it, and usually we don't think too much about the words that come out of our mouth.

When we sing however, the energy of the whole system is vastly increased. We take a deeper breath. We lengthen the words and the notes. We use much more variation with our musical pitch. Our volume increases. And our desire to communicate feeling intensifies.

Obviously then, when we speak we are only using a fraction of our 'singing instrument.'

But if we are a singing instrument, then why are so many people prepared to state 'I can't sing.'

In most cases people think they can't sing because they don't realize that singing is a learnt skill. Most of us take for granted that we can walk and speak, and yet these two activities took us a long time to master. You only have to observe a toddler learning to walk to notice how many times they fall over only to try again.

The same goes for speaking. Your first words were probably 'Mum' or 'Dad' then your vocabulary gradually increased. You probably don't remember these moments in your life, so let's think for a moment about a toddler or preschool child speaking. The vowels are usually lengthened, the pitch varies considerably from high to low, and often the volume is loud - way louder than adults at times. You only have to think about young children in supermarkets to hear what I'm talking about!

The point I'm trying to get across is that our earliest sounds are actually closer to singing than speaking. And the minute we go into 'baby talk'- when we talk to a baby or a pet -we do exactly the same thing!

Here's another point to consider if you are still skeptical about being a singing instrument. Between your very first word right up to this moment in time you have probably been told to 'keep quiet' 'shut up!" or 'stop talking' thousands of times. Cat Stevens even mentions this in his 70's hit song 'Father and Son'.

Being a singer is about letting go. And obviously if we wish to learn how to sing, the first thing we need to let go of is our limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs that we need to keep quiet, that we shouldn't sing, or that we can't sing. I'm telling you now that these sort of beliefs are a load of baloney!

In all my years of teaching I have never met a voice I didn't like. Sure, some were 'rustier' than others but beneath the 'rust' and the first few wobbly notes I always hear potential. Every voice has the potential to improve, the potential to move an audience and the potential to make its owner feel good. Same goes for your voice.

Believe you are a singing instrument and you have taken the very first step of your journey.

Next I'll be talking about the importance of keeping an open mind during your singing training.

 

[sage]

Lesson 2. "Singing Mastery requires an open mind"

By now you should be convinced that you are a singing instrument. And in this lesson I'm going to let you in on the importance of maintaining an open mind if you truly wish to improve and perfect your singing instrument.

Learning a skill such as singing requires accurate muscle awareness and coordination. When we see a really good singer, they seem to make it look easy. The truth is - singing is easy. So why is it that so many of us struggle with singing? What is the cause of vocal imperfection and inconsistencies?

To answer this apparent mystery I need to let you in on a little secret - your DBM.

DBM is a term I coined when I developed BodySense Precision Training for singers. DBM stands for 'Distorted Body Map' and it's something we all have in varying degrees.

For example, have you ever seen a little dog rush up all snarling and agro towards a much bigger dog? Well the reason the little dog has done this is not because he is brave. No, it's because he's suffering from a 'Distorted Body Map' or DBM. You see the little dog doesn't actually think he's little, he thinks he's really big, and perhaps even bigger than the dog he wants to fight.

You think that's crazy - well some dogs however are even more disturbed - they actually have such a high DBM that they think they're human!

So how does a DBM relate to singing? Well the good news is we're not as naive as dogs and we can become aware of our DBM. And by conscious effort we can actually reduce or even eliminate our DBM to sing perfectly.

By now you're probably got some questions. How do I find out if I have a high or low DBM? What does a DBM look like? And what does it feel like?

Well, I'm wondering if you've ever seen a video of yourself. If so were you surprised at what you saw? Was there something about you - such as the way you moved, walked, danced, sang - that you didn't realize until you saw yourself on the screen? If you're like the vast majority of people you'll answer "Yes." And a 'Yes ' indicates the presence of a DBM.

To find out more about DBM I'd like to introduce 2 simple exercises.

Exercise 1. As you're reading this document, without changing your stance or physiology in any way I'd like you to ask yourself what angle is your spine relative to the ground. Is your spine perfectly straight? You might be immediately tempted to answer that your spine is straight, neither leaning forward nor backwards - 0 degrees in fact. But are you sure? Without a mirror handy how can you be absolutely sure of the position and angle of your torso in space? Are you prepared to state with 100% certainty that your answer is correct?

Exercise 2. I'd like you to stand up the way you normally do while reading the information on this screen. Once you're standing up, I'd like you to ask yourself which muscle or muscle group first initiated your move to stand up. You might answer the muscles in your legs, or you may answer your feet, head or neck. But can you specify exactly which muscles in your body began the movement? How sure are you of your answer? Are you prepared to state with 100% certainty that you are correct?

As you sit back down you may now have a better idea of your DBM - the exercises left you with some uncertainty about your body image and use. And when you think about it, singing is far more involved than just sitting at a computer or standing up.

So naturally when you begin to learn new body positions and muscle coordination - as with my BodySense training program for singers - you may feel different or even uncomfortable. Your old singing habits in fact may be so ingrained that when you attempt to change them your body will feel wrong. This is a natural reaction that will disappear as your muscular strength and coordination develops and you become more aware of how your body works as a singing instrument.

By keeping an open mind your singing instrument is open to exciting new possibilities.

Next I'll be talking about the importance of 'unlearning' during your singing training.

 

[sage]

Lesson 3. "Singing and the Unlearning Curve"

In last week’s lesson you glimpsed an insightful path to singing mastery by keeping an open mind. And in this week’s lesson if you’re curious to find out the benefits of an ‘Unlearning Curve’, your vision of singing success will become even clearer.

So first of all what is what is an ‘Unlearning Curve’ as opposed to a ‘learning curve’. Well to explain this concept in detail, I’d like you to come on a little journey with me to my home town, Frankston in Australia. Living so close to the beach, I often find myself walking along the shore in the afternoon between classes. The fresh air is just wonderful for any singer, and between each deep and meditative breath I make mental notes for my singing mastery series. Yes I’m thinking about you even at the beach!

Of course I also practice BodySense during my beach walk, improving my singing instrument without even singing. And if I have the time, I’ll linger for the sunset. On a pleasant afternoon it is truly inspiring to watch the sun sink through the clouds into the ocean. But the real reason I’ve brought you to this beach is to tell you about the trees.

You see, in winter Frankston beach can be a wild and windy place, unforgiving to tourists and locals alike. The trees that grow along the coastline however have learned to cope with the wild weather by bending their branches away from the wind and sea spray. Through the savage climate, the trees have sculpted themselves into permanently windswept configurations.

In a way, we too have been ‘sculpted’ by our previous learning experiences. When we were at school we were probably told that if we didn’t do our homework, that if we didn’t study hard, that if we didn’t sit up straight and try our best, that we were doomed to a life of failure. That’s certainly what I was taught at school. Our young minds were tricked into believing that if we didn’t do as they told we would only become tram drivers or something much worse!

Hold on a moment. Let’s just imagine if these concepts we’ve been taught about success are simply not true? After all what about the people who did everything they were told at school but who ended up with mediocre or even miserable lives. And what about the people who dropped out of school, who failed miserably according to the education system, but whom then went on to become hugely successful. What then is the secret to success?

For most people, our previous learning experiences have left us like the windswept trees – bent over and crooked – in both body and mind. We singers deserve so much better. Why should we feel scared to sing, scared to perform on stage, scared to approach a record label for a record deal?

Why is it that most people are more scared of public speaking or singing than even death itself? I see this on a daily basis when I speak to new students who wish to discover their singing voices – some of them are so scared that they initially hang up the phone when they hear me answer! I know it sounds crazy that we have so much fear, but remember we have been conditioned to learn through fear. There is a better way.

It’s the secret of the ‘Unlearning Curve’ and it’s this simple: focus on the actual process of singing, rather than the end result. This is living for the moment. It’s exactly what a preschool child does when he or she is given a set of building blocks. The child becomes totally absorbed in the task of building the blocks. There is no outcome, no goal, just the present moment. Learning becomes spontaneous and joyful.

If we become obsessed with getting an end result we fail to notice what has happened to us in the process. Our vision of success becomes clouded with all sorts of distortions, fears and limiting beliefs. Our singing instrument becomes inefficient with excess tension.

So let’s ‘unlearn’ all this emotional baggage. Let’s ‘unlearn’ the conditioning imposed on us during our school years. Let’s embrace an ‘Unlearning Curve’ - a journey, not a destination - that can only lead to singing mastery and all its exciting possibilities. There is no time like the present. Let’s discover the magic of your unique and beautiful voice.

Next I'll be talking about why it's important to stop listening to yourself when you sing.

 

[sage]

Lesson 4. 'Stop listening to yourself when you sing'

How is your voice this week? Did you remember to embrace the 'unlearning curve' I spoke about in our last lesson and focus on the process of singing rather than the end result? I realize this is not an easy concept, but deep down I know how committed you are to discovering your singing instrument. And to help you boost your singing talent to a new and exciting level, I'd like to introduce the reason why you must stop listening to yourself when you sing.

'Stop listening to yourself' - am I out of my mind? Yes I can hear what you're thinking! Remember however, what you learnt in lesson 2 - keep an open mind. Suspend your judgment as you continue reading. You'll soon realise for yourself why not listening to your voice is crucially important for vocal improvement.

Think for a moment about the car you drive. And if you don't own a car think about your parent's car or a friend's car. You might not have noticed this before but the next time you go for a drive, notice the difference in the engine sound standing outside of the car as compared to sitting on the inside. There's a big difference isn't there? The sound outside the car is louder and has a different timbre or sound quality. The sound inside the car is usually softer and more warm and fuzzy.

Perhaps you've even had the strange experience of being in a car when it backfires. It's pretty loud, but you only need look at the startled faces of pedestrians to see it's much louder on the outside!

So let's get back to our singing. Can you see the analogy I'm trying to make? It comes down to this; you are a singing instrument. You live in your singing instrument. And unless you can summon a spontaneous out of body experience, you are always going to hear your voice from inside your singing instrument. So what implications does this have for your singing training?

Well we do need our ears to sing - after all our ears tell us if we are in tune and if we are in time to the music. But obviously if we try to use our ears to find out how we actually sound, we're going to be right off target. You see when we listen to ourselves talk or sing, much of the sound we hear is through bone conduction. As you vocalize, the sound from your voice vibrates your skull which is then transferred to your inner ear.

Have you ever recorded your voice? The first time you listened back you probably got a big shock. In fact most people are so surprised by the way they sound that they don't even believe they are listening to their very own voice! Not only that but many of my singing students confide in me they don't actually like the sound of their voice. And I'm not just talking about beginners, but even students who have been singing for years, professional singers and even celebrities!

If we can't hear ourselves as others do, and if we're like the majority of singers and dislike our voice, there's only one thing to do - to stop listening to our sound and start feeling it. Let's try it now. Put both your fingers in your ears. Start humming. Notice how different the sound is and how easier it is to feel the vibrations in your body.

Now hum a low sound, and feel the vibrations down in your chest. If you're a guy with a low voice, you'll probably feel the vibrations lower down in your abdomen. Now hum some higher sounds. Feel the vibrations move higher in your body. If you're a girl with a high voice, you may feel the sound vibrations right up at the top of your head. Now were going to turn up the sensations. Try the humming exercise again with your ears blocked AND your eyes closed.

Surprising isn't it. When you sing you only hear about 35% of what others hear. By learning how to focus on your body sensations when you sing you will discover when your sound feels right. Listen with your body, feel your sound, stop listening. A sublime voice awaits. I'm confident you will succeed.

Next I'll let you know why it's perfectly OK to make mistakes when you sing and how your mistakes will actually lead you to singing mastery.

 

[sage]

Lesson 5. “It’s ok to make mistakes”

Have you made any interesting discoveries about your voice over the last week? Hopefully you’ve experimented with your singing - blocking the sound to your ears and learning to feel the vibrations instead. And by now you may have come to the conclusion that you’re not just a singing instrument, but you feel like a singing instrument too! So in this lesson I’m going to boost your progress and confidence even more by letting you know it’s ok to make mistakes.

If you truly desire to take your singing to the next level you need to be honest with yourself. Honest about your singing ability. I need you to take a good hard look at yourself. Grab a mirror.

Are you honest enough to admit that maybe your singing ability isn’t the best it could be and that you are probably making mistakes? Because in this little story I’m about to tell you, you’ll find out that if you’re not honest enough to admit you’re making mistakes you’ll have very little hope of improvement.

Years ago a singing teacher acquaintance related to me the story of a rather attractive young lady who booked into singing lessons just to ‘polish up’ her voice as she wanted to enter into a talent contest. The minute the student opened her mouth to sing it was obvious she was an absolute beginner. Every aspect of her voice needed work – from her pitch to her breathing to her diction – but hey that’s what we coaches get a kick out of. Helping singers go from zero to hero! At the end of the lesson the young lady was starry eyed.

“Well what do you think?!” she asked with anticipation and excitement. The teacher was honest with her, “Your voice needs a lot of work. I don’t think you’re ready to sing in talent contests just yet.”

Do you think the student was prepared to listen to the voice of experience? The answer is a big resounding ‘NO.’ In fact she then proceeded to tell the teacher just where the talent contest was and what she was planning to wear. The teacher nearly died of shock. The talent contest wasn’t just at a little suburban hotel, but at a major city venue. Lights, camera, action!

The teacher reiterated her concern - after all no singing teacher likes to see any student being crucified on stage. Unfortunately the young lady was too dazzled with visions of fame to even hear what her teacher was saying. She booked in for next week’s lesson – the last lesson before the talent show.

Next week came and the young lady showed up at her lesson with a package. Inside was a gorgeous but tiny red dress and matching high heels.

“This is what I’m going to wear!” she breathlessly told her teacher. Once again the teacher reiterated, “Your voice needs a lot of work. I don’t think you’re ready to sing in talent contests just yet.” But the young hopeful didn’t seem to listen.

The big night came and passed. Our young lady showed up at her lesson all smiles. “Er, umm, how did the talent contest go?” the teacher asked apprehensively. The girls face naively lit up, “They just loved it! When I sang they were so happy and laughing! They all clapped and cheered for ages!”

Ignorance maybe bliss, but not creating delusions is enlightenment. The great Olympic medalist John Powell once stated that the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.

As your devoted coach I will make you aware of your mistakes in order to help you. But you need to listen. Listen regardless of whether you purchase my singing products or join our Academy. By being prepared to acknowledge mistakes during your singing training you are laying the foundation of solid vocal and performance technique - the very foundation of your success.

Forget embarrassment, learn to laugh at yourself and focus on developing the positive aspects of your voice. You’ll find your mistakes fade from existence. Your singing talent is about to take a giant leap. What an exciting future!

Next I’m going to show you just how important it is to stop comparing your self with others if you wish to be a great singer.

 

[sage]

Lesson 6. “Stop comparing your voice with others.”

In the process of discovering your voice, it’s exciting to know that you can also discover a lot about yourself as person. For example after last week’s lesson were you able to admit that your voice isn’t perfect? Because if you can acknowledge your singing mistakes you’re actually one step closer to solving them. And if you genuinely wish to triumph both on a personal level and with your singing talent you need to consider this – you must stop comparing your voice with others.

Have you ever sung in a talent contest? If you’re like most singers, you probably entered into them at one point or other in your life. So what was the outcome? Did you win the talent contest? Or did you end up feeling envious of the winner? Were you annoyed that you weren’t picked or disappointed that you let yourself down? Jealous, perhaps even downright angry?

Now don’t get me wrong, talent contests have their place. They can be an excellent learning experience when you receive constructive criticism from a helpful panel of music industry representatives. The problem however is that the majority of talent contests pit singers against each other, sometimes in the cruelest possible way. “This singer is better than this singer; this singer is worse,” and so on.

I believe you are worth way more than just being judged a winner or loser. Singing is not about competition. It’s not a sport. Singing is an art form. The purest expression of emotion.

Believe it or not, your voice is unique – just like a fingerprint. There never has been a voice like yours before and there never will be ever again. In fact we can even make the analogy of your voice to a snowflake! According to scientists, no two snowflakes have ever been found to have the same pattern. Each snowflake is a work of art, beautiful in it’s own intriguing way – just like your voice. So rather than compare your voice with other singers, focus on the undeniable fact that your voice is a one-off. Pinpoint that special something in your voice that makes you different.

Now in my inbox every week I receive hundreds of emails from singers all over the world. I’m often amazed at the requests I receive. You see, many singers email me to ask how they can develop their voices like their favorite artists. No, they don’t want to sound unique, they want to sound like Mariah Carey, Amy Lee, Chester Bennington, or Josh Groban. I even recall one singer who actually wished she was Kylie Minogue!

So let’s face facts. While we may admire celebrity singers, why should we waste our talent on merely being their shadows? Let’s think about our audience for a moment. They’re always on the lookout for something new, something different. Slightly familiar is ok, but a direct copy is always going to be a bad copy – there’s nothing as good as the original. We have thousands of Elvis impersonators out there, but there was only one Elvis!

So you may be wondering by now how to develop your own unique and original sound. This is a challenging task for any singer, as it’s easy to be influenced by our favorite artists. The first way is start listening to music and singers you wouldn’t normally listen to. Open your ears and suspend your judgment for a while.

The second method requires greater sacrifice but gives greater results. Stop listening to any singers whatsoever for a whole week. Yes, no celebrities for the next seven days! Listen only to yourself. Buy some sheet music of a song you’ve never heard and learn to sing it in your style. ‘Make’ the song your own. After a week of singing this song, listen to the version with the original singer. Are you surprised?

Your voice is unique and every path to success is different. Focus on yourself and your journey. Who knows, someday there may be thousands of young hopefuls wishing to sing just like you.

Next I’ll let you know why patience will accelerate your singing mastery.

 

[sage]

Lesson 7. “Learning to sing requires patience.”

I hope the last week has been interesting for you as a singer. Hopefully you took my advice on how to find that ‘special something’ in your voice – you either listened to singers you wouldn’t normally listen to, or you stopped listening to any singers whatsoever and only listened to yourself.

Congratulations! But before you go grab the champagne glasses you need to know your journey isn’t over yet. For learning to sing involves one crucial element. And this is the element that really separates the stars from the wannabees - the people who actually achieve singing success from the people who only talk about it. This crucial element can’t be bought, sold or traded as it must come from within. Yes, I’m talking about PATIENCE.

Patience is the one thing that most of us lack. You see we’ve been brought up in a fast society where we want everything NOW. And maybe if we pay a little more we can get it even SOONER! We get mad if we have to wait more than a few seconds to be served in a store or get stuck at a red light in our car. It’s no wonder that the most common thing I hear from beginning singers is, “How long will it take to be good?”

Many people do not know the true meaning of patience. And that true meaning is power. Axl Rose, lead singer of the 80’s band Guns ‘n’ Roses sums it up perfectly in the band’s hit ballad ‘Patience.’ The song teaches us that a relationship needs time and not force to succeed. And while the song refers to a relationship between two people, it applies just as much as the relationship between you and your voice.

When we see a good singer on stage or TV, it is very easy for us to believe that the person was born with a good voice. This belief is a myth, as singing is a learnt skill, just like learning to read, write or be good at a particular sport. What we usually don’t get to see is the personal and financial commitment the singer has invested into lessons and practice to develop such a high degree of talent. And with all those hours of practice there will occasionally be elements of frustration and disappointment. But it’s the ability to work through these spots of frustration and disappointment that ultimately leads to success.

I’m often asked what the secret to good singing is. Many times I’ll receive emails asking me if I know a ‘trick’ or ‘secret vocal exercise’ that will turn a complete beginner into an exceptional singer. And often the person asking the question will ask if such a transformation can occur almost overnight! Well here’s the answer. Time.

You see if learning to sing took hardly any time whatsoever it would be a worthless ability. Worthless, because everybody would be doing it. Worthless, because there would be no sense of achievement. When you think about it, worth can only come from something you have earnt - earnt with your own blood sweat and tears. And the truth is conviction, persistence and patience don’t just develop your voice, they develop YOU.

So how long does it take to be a good singer? An oyster takes many years to grow a pearl from just a grain of sand. A 200ft tree was once a tiny sapling. And the house you live in began as a single brick or plank of wood.

Success is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the ride and the time will fly.

Next I’ll let you know why having the right attitude is absolutely crucial for singing mastery.

 

[sage]

Lesson 8. “Whether you think you can or you can’t you’re right.”

How’s your singing practice? Did you take my advice from last week and think about your journey as a singer? Because if you’ve been able to develop patience and focus on the way in which your voice is improving on a daily basis, success will sneak up on you. So today I’d like you to think a little bit more about the sort of success you want. In other words what do you really want to achieve as a singer?

Success means many different things to different people. For some of us, success means getting the courage to actually phone a singing teacher and overcoming the phobia of singing in front of others. For others, success means becoming a professional singer, joining a band, recording albums or even becoming famous. Whatever path you choose however, your destination will ultimately depend on your attitude.

You see your attitude is the single most important factor to becoming a singer. It matters far more than any vocal exercise I could give you, for without the right attitude you can never succeed. And when it comes to attitude there are two types – the attitude you have about yourself, and the attitude you have towards other people.

I’d like you to pause for a moment and have a look around at the room you’re in. Perhaps you’re in your bedroom or your lounge or maybe you’re in a library. Notice what’s around you – the furniture, the pictures on the wall, your coffee cup. Probably most, if not all the objects around you are man-made. Which means that prior to their creation these objects were first imagined. Well your success is no different – you need to imagine it first for it to be created.

Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company became one of the best-known and successful people in the world. It was no wonder he coined the phrase, “Whether you think you can or can’t you are right”. And when it comes to singing it’s vital that you understand the power of your thoughts. You need to imagine a note before you sing it. So let’s go one step further and imagine your success. Imagine what it would be like to have the voice you’ve always wanted. See it, hear it, feel it. The more potent and persistent your imagination, the more likely your dreams will come true.

Now if you have the attitude that you can’t become a good singer or even a great singer, consider this; Next to my studio is a fence, probably over 5 feet high or close to two metres in height. Whenever students tell me that they can’t sing something, I point to the fence and ask them if they could jump over it. The answer is always “No”. I then ask them if they could jump over the fence if they were being chased by a wild animal. The answer is always “Yes!” It’s a fact that people can and do perform superhuman feats when a sudden change in attitude prevails.

So how do we go about getting a more positive attitude? How do we become optimistic enough to let our imagination run riot and follow our dreams? Well the great thing about attitude is that it can be learned.

The next time you encounter worry, disappointment or discouragement, pay attention to your reactions both in your mind and your body. Observe your body language, your breathing and your internal dialogue. Do you always react the same way? As difficult as it may seem, what if you were to change the way you reacted? What if you could imagine that negative events were merely life’s little ‘tests’ and were given to you to help transform you into a stronger and more capable individual?

Now I know that you want to become the best singer you could possible be, so I’m sure you’ll give this technique a try.

Surprise yourself. Banish negativity. Imagine the impossible and you’re more than halfway to achieving your dreams.

 

[sage]

Lesson 9. “Singing Mastery - Keep company with people who wish to succeed.”

I’m hopeful that your voice has improved this week. You may have noticed that a simple change in attitude has made a big difference. By focusing on success rather than failure, and learning to be optimistic about your future, you may have noticed that your singing has risen to a new level. Good on you! Your commitment to improvement is what puts a smile on my face. And to boost your improvement even further I’m about to let you in on another secret. If you really wish for success it’s essential that you also keep company with people who wish to succeed. But before I show you how let me first tell you about a classic ‘rags to riches’ story.

In 1946 a little girl was born in the Smoky Mountains near Tennessee to young and struggling parents. One of eleven children, the family was so poor that the children would tie strings to June bugs and watch them fly around for toys. Throughout the hardship of her upbringing, which included living in a one room shack with her family, the little girl developed a love of music and songs that told a story. She began singing and writing songs and through her uncle’s encouragement she landed her first spot on TV at the age of 10. Graduating from high school she moved to Nashville and was determined to become a country music star.

Sixty years later, this ‘little girl’ is now famous the world over. She has won a dazzling array of music awards through writing numerous hit songs that span many musical genres, and selling millions of albums. Love her or hate her, there is no doubt that Dolly Parton is a superstar. A prolific songwriter, she is also credited with changing the face of the once male-dominated country music scene. And while you can credit her phenomenal success to hard work, persistence and the ability to follow dreams there is one more crucial element. You see Dolly’s belief in herself was also shared by her uncles and aunts – people who recognized her budding talent and did their best to support her dreams. Then there was Porter Wagoner - a high profile TV host who later hired Dolly for his show and helped arrange an RCA record contract for the aspiring star.

So how does a story like this relate to you and your vision of success? Well let’s think about your speaking voice for a moment, and specifically your accent. If you’re English you probably have an English accent, if you’re an American you probably have an American accent and if you’re an Australian you probably have an Aussie accent. Think about the characteristics of your particular accent – inflections you have picked up from your parents, relatives and friends.

The point I’m trying to get across to you is this – attitudes are just as easy to pick up as accents. We singers are emotional people. It’s what makes us special in the first place. Of course our emotional sensitivity makes us highly susceptible to criticism. Constructive criticism is important for our growth, but destructive criticism isn’t. Often when people criticize you in a destructive way it’s usually out of their own insecurity. By keeping company with people who want to succeed however, their attitude will ‘rub off’ on you. Support from family, friends and associates who have a positive outlook on life will allow your self-esteem to flourish. And a healthy self-esteem leads to exciting possibilities.

Many singers mistakenly believe that a good voice is the only prerequisite to success. Success however always depends on a team effort – from your singing coach, to your band members, to your agent, to your manager, to record company executives, to your fans – just ask Dolly Parton. So have a think about your relationships within this chain of people in your instance. Are you building healthy relationships with the right people? Or are you repelling the right people with your unhealthy self-esteem? It’s a tough question but I’d like you to think about it over the next week for it ultimately holds the key to your success.

 

[sage]

Lesson 10. “Singing is about having fun.”

I’m going to ask you how your singing is this week. I hope it’s been improving. But I’m also going to ask you how your relationships are this week. And I hope they’re improving too! You see in our last lesson I helped you understand how important it is to keep company with people who want to succeed. In fact building relationships with the right people is just as important as building your voice. So how are we going to achieve both of these objectives? Well the answer is simple – let’s have some fun!

Think about the funniest thing you’ve ever experienced. Perhaps it happened a long time ago or maybe it happened just last week. Thinking, thinking. . . C’mon you mean to tell me you can’t think of anything funny!! Get that brain working. Remember the last time you laughed so much that you couldn’t speak, perhaps you couldn’t breathe, maybe even your sides were hurting. Did it happen at school, at work, out shopping or on the TV? Do you feel a smile creeping up on your face? Relive the scene over in your mind. What did you see or hear that was so hilarious? Were other people laughing? Walk around the room or lie on the floor as you mentally recreate the situation. Do not keep reading until you have laughed out loud – yes I’m SERIOUS!

One of the funniest moments ever in my professional career happened in an interstate piano bar of a five star hotel. I’ve always loved piano bar work – getting to play my favourite songs on a beautiful grand piano to a cultured and appreciative audience. But this night was a little different. There was someone very appreciative in the audience. But as for cultured I’m not quite sure. I began the evening with a lovely pop ballad.

The very second my fingers hit the keys, a solitary figure leaped to his feet and began contorting his body in the most bizarre, frantic and unco dance I’ve ever seen. It was the twist, lord of the dance and disco mania all rolled into one. This was certainly no dancing with the stars! My eyes nearly popped out of my sockets. Other guests spluttered on their cocktails. What on earth was this bloke thinking!! Had he been bitten by a scorpion? Was he celebrating his divorce? Was this some sort of rain dance for the drought stricken farmers? By the third song the game was up. The bar staff giggled uncontrollably. Patrons were rolling on the floor in hysterics. A woman crossed her knees as she ran to the toilet. I hid my face in my songbook. I couldn’t play, I couldn’t sing, I couldn’t even breathe! I started to sink beneath the piano as the ‘dancer’ approached. “Why did you stop?” he asked innocently, “I was having fun!”

Now I’m not suggesting for one moment that you should dance like this next time you visit a piano bar! But I would like you to consider this - imagine the feeling of never being embarrassed. What a powerful state of mind. It would feel like being a young child again. Imagine the feeling of being able to perform in front of an audience and have a good time, regardless of whether your voice is perfect or not. Imagine being able to laugh at your mistakes or make a joke about your shortcomings. And imagine feeling so good about yourself on stage that it rubs off on your audience. Yes, your audience feels good because of you. This is what being a successful singer is all about.

When you think about it our previous learning experiences have been pretty serious. In fact a lot of teachers are under the impression that learning shouldn’t equate with having any fun whatsoever. Think back to your school years for a moment and you may remember the class clown. The kid who momentarily rescued the whole class from a boring teacher. What an entertainer they were! Everyone laughed. The teacher probably got mad. Real mad. The amazing thing however is that you probably don’t remember what you were learning that day. But you’ll never forget what the class clown did. What a great teacher that class clown was!

The fact is this – learning can only take place in an emotional context. Laughing actually helps you to learn. And it helps you to bond with other human beings. Laughing even uses the same muscles as singing. If you equate singing lessons with fun and enjoyment then your talent will grow. Have fun when you sing. Have fun in your lessons. You will retain more of what you are taught and be more likely to practice. You will also develop flair as an entertainer and performer. You’ll be a real magnet for the crowds.

Singing is fun, practice is fun and performing is fun. Get serious about improving your talent, but stay lighthearted. After all we’re not here for a long time – we’re here for a good time.

 

[btherl]

Thanks for posting those sage I've actually gotten them all emailed to me from the site before (and I love the windswept tree analogy .. it's so true in all aspects of life), but it's good to read them again.