harmony works. And finally, listening to what the director has to say can only be a good thing! Sense of the whole It's no good relying on the director to give you feedback all the time. It's also no good to just focus on those singers around you. It's much more pleasurable to reach out and try to get a sense of the whole choir. Hear the harmonies working, check the blend, get the volume balance of each part right, wait for the choir to take a single in-breath to start the next song, feel part of a creative team – a living organism. Sense of humour Maybe this is the most important aspect of all. Keep smiling when all around you are struggling. Laugh off the umpteenth time the director has pointed out that you're getting a phrase wrong. Find the humour in the man standing next to you who constantly sings the wrong note – loudly! 101
Relax, be playful, and make it fun. After all, although you take the whole choir thing seriously, it's only a bit of singing! 5 THINGS YOU MAY BE GUILTY OF AS A SINGER No one is above making mistakes, yet we must always strive to avoid making mistakes even in the choir. Here are five common things that singers likely do wrong when singing. 1. Looking away from the conductor While singing, a singers's eye's primary points of focus are two: the piece of music and the conductor. However, there are certain times when distractions set in and singers tend to lose focus by looking away from the conductor. The distraction may be someone passing by, or an unexpected sound around, etc. We need to learn to keep our attention on the conductor, and/or piece of music whenever we sing. 102
2. Holding your copy of music too low Your copy of music is held low if you place it way beneath your chest level. If you hold your copy this way, your head is forced to bend so much so that you hardly can see the conductor, especially when you 'bury' your head without raising it up. If your head is bent, you may miss the signs of dynamics, etc. which the conductor gives. This often leads you to make a noticeable mistake. You should learn to position your copy of the music at chest level, and your head facing the conductor at 180 degrees to the vertical plane. This way, your eyes can conveniently look at the conductor and the music. 3. Correcting your fellow singer while singing is going on It is understandable that some singers miss their notes or sound the wrong pitches. It 103
should also be understood that trying to correct them while singing is going on may not be the best approach. By the time you begin to correct the person, you will cause a distraction. A good time to make a correction can be during rehearsals, or later on when the music event has been concluded. 4. Singing without copy 'Giraffing' as it's fondly called refers to looking into another singer’s piece of music because you do not have a copy yourself. You're expected to always sing from copy when others are doing so and when necessary. This enhances uniformity in the choir and reduces the chances of you making unnecessary mistakes while singing. More so, 'Giraffing' is not good for your neck. Turning the neck indiscriminately affects your neck muscles, and also decreases the quality of your singing. 104
Therefore, in order not to experience the negative effects of 'giraffing' on you and the choir, always ensure that you have a copy of the music. 5.Late-coming. Late-coming is common among singers and this is what we should endeavour to stop. The bad side of it is that when you come late, you begin to rush to join others that are already singing. Doing so causes distraction. When you come late and you find that the group was singing as you came, you should rather wait for the music to be rounded up before you join the aisle. In more disciplined singing groups, you don't dare come late. As long as you're late, you should just forget about singing entirely. However, work towards being a punctual singer. If you're guilty of any of the above, try hard to adjust. 105
A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT We would like to include learning in a positive environment as one of the most important elements to becoming a great singer. Singing is one of the most vulnerable and exposed activities in which you could ever participate. Great friendships can spring up from such an environment. Many people are more afraid to sing in public than just about anything else that could be asked of them. This just shouldn't be the case when everyone has the potential to make beautiful sounds. Singing can be one of the most liberating, beautiful, and spiritually fulfilling things you can do. Eliminating the doubts, fears, and negative energies that have become attached to your singing (for whatever reason) is a must. The vulnerability and confidence that it takes to sing cannot be found in a negative environment. Tension, strife, stress, and fear 106
are only reinforced and increased in a negative environment. These things only serve to make the singing voice tight. strained and manipulated. Having a positive place to work on your art is one of the best ways to maximise your potential. Music is of heavenly origin. There is great power in music. It was music from the angelic throng that thrilled the hearts of the shepherds on Bethlehem's plains and swept round the world. It is in music that our praises rise to Him who is the embodiment of purity and harmony. It is with music and songs of victory that the redeemed shall finally enter into the immortal reward. There is something peculiarly sacred in the human voice. Its harmony and its subdued and heaven-inspired pathos exceed every musical instrument. Vocal music is one of God's gifts to men, an instrument that cannot be surpassed or equalled when God's love abounds in the 107
soul. Singing with the spirit and singing with understanding is a great addition to devotional services in the house of God. How this gift has been debased! When sanctified and refined it would accomplish great good in breaking down the barriers of prejudice and hard-hearted unbelief, and would be the means of converting souls. It is not enough to understand the rudiments of singing, but with the knowledge, must be such a connection with heaven that angels can sing through us. Let's not lose focus from the source of our giftGOD.Being aware that we ought to use our voices to bring glory to him we have to be careful with our choice of songs. Each time we sing we should ask ourselves 'who am I glorifying, I, God or any other?' Let's not bury our gifts; neither should we be selfish with what we have. Our focus should be making 108
heaven to join the heavenly choir because that is the ultimate singing ministry in all of God's creation. Let us purpose in our hearts to start on a new page with God after reading this book as he helps us put to good use the gifts of our voices. May God bless these words in our hearts in JESUS NAME, AMEN. 109
References King James Version standard rainbow study bible copyright 2010 by standard publishing, GNB Good News Bible Second edition September 1990. New International Version.1984 by international bible society. 110
AUTHOR About the About the book Winifred Oghenevwede Aboloje is an Evangelist and a song Minister who uses her voice for the Lord. She has served in various church choirs and singing groups within and outside Nigeria. She wrote this book to impact and encourage young talented singers to continue in the vineyard of the Lord as they make themselves available to be used as vessels unto honour via their voices. She hopes to continue to aspire into new frontiers in the Music Ministry as God gives her the grace. She holds a Masters degree in French from the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. She is married to Evangelist Samson Aboloje. They are blessed with children. Across the globe, societies, religion and ethnic groups, singing has been a significant feature of human behaviour throughout time. Singing is everywhere and singing is in everyone of us, to one degree or another. This book aims to establish a connective balance between God, the song and the praying singer. The Power of A Praying Singer is designed with the singer in mind. Every page is intended to help make the Christian singer make a lifelong habit of maximizing his potential in singing beginning from the spiritual aspect to the practical aspect. You will find seven days of personal mentoring and encouragement plus more knowledge of what singing really is. So let’s have fun as we journey to the singing platform.