I have/had/am working through, the same problem.
In order for my brain to be happy I need to understand
what my body/larynx/soft palate are doing. Having a
teacher who can explain things in physiological terms
as well pictorial and artistic ones has been essential
for me. I think that having this kind of information will
also help long term, since I will be more able to 'fix'
myself through understanding the problems which the
voice can experience and the physiology behind them.
However, the flip side is that now the main blocks are
in place (6 years, but I probably said the same after
2,3,4,5 years !) I really have to work out ways to 'let go'
and let the voice/body do what it's been trained to do.
This lets the voice engage at a whole new level. At the
moment I can generate a window of about one second,
by taking on the character of 'Mr Stupid Person', just before
singing an excersize. If I hit the window the voice does
completely different things (an exaggeration) from when
I sing the excersize thinking about my technique. I'm simply
enjoying the sensations and letting the body 'do it's stuff'.
On the other flip side, I've had Richard Miller on my shelf
(I should be so lucky!) unread for about three years because
I'm afraid it might be too technical and get my brain in knots.
As to solutions to being over intellectual with your singing,
it depends on who you are and what you need.
Perhaps you don't have enough technical knowledge from
your teacher to satisfy your mind. In which case maybe
read Richard Miller and that'll put your mind at ease
sufficiently to allow your artistic nature to take over.
Perhaps you simply treat singing too intellectually because
that's how your head works. In which case if you get the
chance to perform a role at whatever level you're at then
TAKE IT ! If you are an intellectual type chap then getting
inside the skin of another character will take your mind off
all the mechanics and allow the voice to really work .
Or maybe try Tai-Chi / Alexander Technique ......
Go to more art galleries, sit by a river......
I don't beleive that a person can learn to sing well through
understanding the physiology but I think that they may well
be able to help themselves more easily through the times
when the voice isn't working so well.
Kevin.
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