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If somebody wants to learn music, it must be because they love music. In my case, as a vocal tutor, it must be because they love to sing. They must, therefore, have favourite artists, some of whom they would love to emulate in some way. I find that by getting my students to bring along music that they really, really love, they'll naturally, really want to sing it. I encourage my pupils to recreate what they hear on a track from phrasing, to sound to style of singing. I am not for one moment suggesting that one's approach to music would be to sound like just one person alone, though I do believe that by studying closely the language and techniques of many different artists that inspire you, you will quickly and effectively expand your own musical language, and therefore help you to find your own, individualised sound. This is particularly relevant in our current times where artists of an identi-kit sound and nature are constantly regurgitated though the channels of popular music, entertainment and television, such as the X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent.
It is important to find out which types of music make an individual tick and why. From there, it's a lot of fun finding out where you, yourself, can fit your own unique brilliance into the grander scheme of music.
