I used to be just like this. I worried at my task like a dog with a bone; I
believed, or had been led to believe that you needed a lot of abdominal
tension to sing, among other fallacies - you don't, but I felt I *had* to
*do* something. Singing can't be as easy as that. It can be, though.
I don't really know how I managed to change, how years of
inefficeint choral singing suddenly blossomed into a soloist worth hearing.
What actually happened was that, reading through some music I noticed a nice
vibrato, and a richer tone than usual. It just happened. And I picked up the
clue, half-expecting that I would lose the feeling and forget how to do it.
I was 40, now I'm almost 44 - I hope that you have a moment of epiphany
sooner, and that you don't let it go. There are many more such moments,
after the one that says, "I can do this!"
Singing involves being alert and mobile rather than fixed. In my own
experience it can't be taught the same way that driving a car can: a teacher
can help you lessen a lot of the things that are detrimental to good singing
(voice lessens!), and give you things to try, which may thereby result in
discovery, at which point she will say "That! What does that feel like? Do
it again. Remember what it feels like." But it's still you doing the
balancing act.
Being physically fit helps too. Be willing to experiment (but don't
do anything that hurts). Be willing to pass through stages of making ugly
sounds as you discover the kinds of sounds your voice *can* make. Don't get
tense, locked up, especially the jaw and tongue.
john
At 21:24 13/04/00 +0000, you wrote:
...
>My friend (mentioned above) said that I'm probably working too hard
>at it, something my voice teacher generally seems to agree with. But
>I don't know how >not< to work hard it. To me, I feel like all I am
>doing is practicing and trying to get it work, and getting frustrated
>as a result. Part of me can understand why that might not be
>helping, but >no< part of me understands how to work >less< hard at
>this. When I don't work hard at it, nothing happens. Now, when I'm
>working at this harder than I ever have (because now, as opposed to
>before, I actually have something to work >on<), nothing is still
>happening!
>
>I don't know if there's anything anyone can tell me, but I would
>appreciate any words of wisdom or advice anyone may have.
>
>Thanks,
>--Matthew Murray
>
>
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John Blyth
Baritone, inter alia.
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
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