Sing for Joy

Sing for Joy!

Nowadays there is a tendency to become so obsessed with anatomy that people forget that singing is an art form.  It is not necessary to know all about the physiology of the voice to be a good singer.  Quite the contrary, it can often get in the way of imagination and communication. 

 To my mind there are many qualities that a good singer must possess.  Most obviously, one must possess a good instrument.  Along with that must go a good musical ear, the ability to sing in tune and to sustain a good vocal line.  Breath control is very important and with this goes good stance, relaxed upper body and the ability to release the muscles that support in order to re-take breath quickly and efficiently and so not interrupt the musical flow.  This can be learned without too much knowledge of how each and every muscle works or by being able to name and number each rib. 

 Singing on the vowel is of upmost importance in order to produce a beautiful, open sound.  Next comes the ability to paint a picture through words and sound and this is where the art comes in.  The ability to convey emotions to an audience is what it is all about.  If one is able to do that then often everything else falls into place.

If I had been forced to read every piece written today on singing and singing technique I think I would have taken fright and run a mile.  It is important first of all to stimulate a student’s imagination and to instil in them a sense of joy at the process of learning to sing. Singing lessons should be fun or else why would one want to do it?  Whilst singing well and continuing to improve is a real challenge, one usually comes to it because one finds it enjoyable and rewarding.