devil as it concerns this aspect of the ministry will stay watchful and victorious. Have it in mind that there is no success, no happiness, no fulfilment in life apart from a consistent, daily growing relationship with Jesus through the word and prayer, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Personal change begins for any singer that cries to God in prayer, for what God wants from him, with open hands and expectant hearts. Daily, as we come before Him expectantly and pray in both desperation and trust, our story will change. You will see new opportunities and new beginnings in the ministry; the course of your life will shift. Remember what 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) says: 'Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. 51
Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain'. That is to say we are in full pursuit of being blessed when we prayerfully continue in the ministry, knowing that we serve a God who can 'do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us' Eph3:20. It's important to know that singing in the choir, being a composer or minister of songs, isn't a qualification for being born again: without believing and accepting the Lord Jesus into your heart through confession, you cannot be saved. Acts 16:30-31, 2 Chron. 20:20. You need not waste time about it because our time in life is short. It's a compulsory decision we have to make at the point in our lives when we become mature enough to be independent. 52
And also having taken the decision to accept Jesus into our lives, there is no turning back because God doesn't tolerate lukewarmness in the faith. See Rev.3:15-16. We need to know that the unsaved man is spiritually dead, which means that communion with God and his intuitive promptings are dead. He doesn't get things by revelation; he only knows what he learns in his head. But if we are spiritually alive, God can show us things that we couldn't know any other way except by divine revelation. When we are born again, we are made alive in our spirit to be sensitive to the voice of God. We hear his whisper even though we cannot tell where it comes from. He whispers to convict, correct, and direct us by a still, small voice deep within our heart (the Holy Spirit). Also, no two persons can share the same salvation because it is personal. 53
Therefore, if you have not given your life to Jesus, say this short prayer to ignite the fire of his Spirit in you. Dear Jesus, thank you for what you did on the cross of Calvary for me, I believe that you died and rose again for me. I confess that you are my Lord and Saviour, please come into my heart and make it your abode. Cleanse me from my sins and have mercy upon me. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. I want to serve you in truth and in Spirit empower me with your grace and your love, Amen. If you have just said this prayer, God has smiled on you. Welcome to God's family. You are now a child of God. Stay in Faith believing and hoping that your salvation is guaranteed. If you have accepted Jesus into your heart, and you wish to rededicate yourself, let's pray together 54
Create in me a clean heart O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me, cast me not away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me, restore unto me the joy of your salvation and renew a right spirit within me. Make me a vessel of honor to be used in your house O Lord, and help me live each moment of my life for you, Amen. God longs for every singer to look up to Him in complete trust so that they will not miss the ultimate blessing which is singing in the heavenly choir to the glory of God! 55
56 PART 2
57 Singing Tips Singing produces benefits and results that might surprise you. For thousands of years in all parts of the world people have been singing. Singing is in our gene and in human nature. The urge to sing – and to hear others sing – is in all of us. We aim to look at the following; · the benefits of singing-why it is good for you –physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
58 · Obstacles and resistance to singingreasons for obstacles and solutions to overcome them. · Learning to sing and singing team activities- how and why singing is a great group and team development activity. · The do's and don'ts of my voice as a singer. · Why a singer should drink more water. · Good Singing Foods. · Rehabilitation of damaged voices. · Breathing tips. · Projection. · Diction for singers. · Sight reading and sight singing. · Stage fright. · Qualities of a good singer. · 5 things you may be guilty of as a singer. · A positive environment.
This section articulates that singing is accessible and enjoyable and very beneficial to us all individually and socially in our groups and teams- and that singing is something we can do successfully and enjoyably in one way or the other. We hope to establish a renewed mindset, an action- oriented lifestyle and a better perspective to our calling and worship of God and our services to the church and the world. THE BENEFITS OF SINGING. Every person and every establishment can gain from singing, whether the people concerned think they can sing or not. Here is why; PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF SINGING. Singing increases the amount of oxygen you take into the body as you take deep breaths 59
because it produces a feeling of alertness as more oxygen gets to the brain. As you sing you articulate and use facial expressions so you improve muscle tone in the face, neck, throat and jaw thereby promoting a youthful appearance. Improving the muscle tone in the larynx which singing does, also helps to calm snoring, which improves sleeping and counters insomnia, which in turn increases our wellbeing and health. Singing also improves the muscle tone of your rib cage and in your back and abdominals (belly and lower) because these muscles are involved in controlling the outflow of air and stabilizing the larynx as you sing. Singing encourages you to strive to improve your health by enhancing the awareness of your body. 60
MENTAL BENEFITS OF SINGING. As well as the fact that singing makes you feel good physically, learning to sing has great mental benefits too. For example learning to sing songs from beginning to end improves your reading skills and your motor skills, by developing the coordination between your brain and your body. The process of singing and learning a song is highly motivational. Motivation is a complex matter. Singing efficiently meets the criteria for successful motivation. Learning a song helps us exercise our structural capabilities without necessarily realising this is happening. Singing helps to calm negative mental 'chatter'- the distracting unhealthy thoughts we can all have at times because we become focused on the job of singing. This stops us from dwelling on life's issues and problems. 61
Singing is utterly absorbing and radically different from usual work-related tasks. Like physical exercise, singing requires a level of focus and bodily activity that shifts our minds away from our usual patterns of thinking, even away from quite pressurized and stressful attitudes. Singing is without doubt a wonderful stress management aid. Singing improves your ability to listen. Very many of us think that we listen, but actually we don't truly listen, because we are too busy thinking about our responses. The process of learning to sing and singing, especially with others, dramatically increases attentive listening, and generally all of our levels of listening too. Singing also opens up the intricate and complex aural world. You will begin hearing things you 62
never knew existed. Significantly, learning to sing develops your ability to multi-task. For example, singing a song successfully requires that you: · sing the correct word · at the correct pitch · at the correct time · with the right level of volume · and with the most appropriate voice quality. Learning to sing stretches people, and will naturally and easily move you out of your comfort zone and daily routine, which is very good for everyone. It challenges us; when we overcome them, and doing different things which stretches us, make us feel very good. 63
Learning and singing beautiful lyrics help expand your imagination and appreciation of the world around us. This happens especially when singing songs from other cultures, which increases our awareness of diversity, and connects us in a very real way to how others see and experience life. EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF SINGING Singing can open the hardest of hearts, and release firmly locked-in passions and feelings. In other words emotions and feelings are being repressed or locked in, for some reason. We can all develop these protections from time to time. We fear emotional threat or risk, and so we block or insulate our vulnerability. When this becomes embedded and habitual, we may become hard and cold in nature. We toughen up, but in doing so, we disconnect from some vital feelings and emotions. Our heart is blocked. 64
Learning to sing releases emotional blockages that we've had for years. Singing can make you cry, ignite your passions and make you laugh. And if you want more of the stuff that makes you feel good naturally - the good chemicals we produce in our bodies when we do good things - you will be encouraged to know that singing releases natural hormones. Separately, singing can help people come more easily to terms with grieving and loss, and can help you to accept certain very testing emotions, to sink into them and know that by surrendering to them, you can free yourself. Singing is a real natural pain killer. SPIRITUAL BENEFITS OF SINGING Singing is actually a form of meditation. When we sing, we shift focus and thinking away from our usual life happenings and concerns, towards God. It is a way of bypassing your ego to acknowledge your soul. Singing helps us to 'let go', just as in other forms of meditation. A peculiar and powerful effect happens when 65
you stop singing. There is a moment when you 'come back into your body' Singing is a very spiritual activity. It touches and stimulates some very basic instincts - primeval feelings - the effects of singing are at a deeply unconscious level, which in normal day-to-day work-type activities are impossible to reach. Singing is also wonderful for relationships and connecting people spiritually and naturally. It brings people together. People 'feel the love' that singing generates as it unites factions, religions and races, creating positive energy and a happy mood that is infectious and transparently good for everyone. As a part of religious service, singing is as much an act of worship as is prayer. Indeed, many a song is prayer. Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God. Song is one of the most effective means of impressing spiritual truth upon the heart. 66
OBSTACLES AND RESISTANCE TO SINGING We can all sing, but to sing very well - like doing anything well in life - we must learn and train and practise ALWAYS. Someone said that "...Talent is the ability to put one's mind to one's practice and has nothing to do with being born with a gift..." This is true. People who can sing very well, do so because they have practised. When we practise - especially if we hear ourselves singing in a choir - we also become accustomed to our own voice, which for many people is an additional obstacle to overcome. Initially we are simply not used to hearing the sound of our own voice. It sounds strange and for some reason makes us uncomfortable. But it's really just a case of becoming used to the way we sound. There's essentially nothing 67
wrong with your voice, or anyone's voice for that matter. The more you sing, the more you feel comfortable and accepting about the way you sound. You realise that your voice, which other people hear, is perfectly okay. And it grows even better with practise. In fact, far from being strange, the tone of your voice is your unique blueprint, just like your DNA. Your DNA isn't 'wrong' or 'unacceptable' – it's just what it is. Your voice is the same. Moreover, unlike DNA, with practice you can polish and refine your voice, just as you can improve any other capability you choose to pursue. A particular obstacle to singing in groups is the general discomfort we feel in exposing our weaknesses, insecurities, mistakes, etc. to others. We live our lives so tightly coiled and afraid of 'getting it wrong' so that we never dare risk to 'get it wrong', even though in all 68
sorts of activities 'getting it wrong' is exactly what we need to do to improve and enjoy ourselves. When you learn to sing, there is no such thing as failure. There is feedback for sure, and there is improvement, but there is no failure, unless you choose to imagine it for yourself. Singing truly can open windows in us all so that our authentic selves can shine through, which is obviously good for everyone. LEARNING TO SING - SINGING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR GROUPS AND TEAMS Group singing offers lots of wonderful benefits and opportunities for team and group development. Here are just a few examples. Singing in groups... 69
70 · breaks down barriers · embraces, encourages and enables diversity · promotes equality · develops harmonious relationships · fosters creativity · gets people thinking · builds cooperation and teamwork · improves personal confidence · brings people together, literally · enhances morale · promotes greater physical fitness, well-being and natural health · creates a huge sense of personal and group achievement · And ultimately improves productivity personally, collectively and therefore organisationally. Singing is therefore a very good and effective way to build a strong team.
Singing is a great 'leveller', because in the process of learning, we laugh together and share the same experiences and feelings together. Group singing can be indescribably uplifting. The sound of collective voices making wonderful sounds together - having created and practised when initially it seemed impossible - is quite unlike anything else, and participants feel the effects of this achievement in quite dramatic ways. THE DO'S AND DON'TS FOR MY VOICE AS A SINGER. As a singer your voice is your greatest asset. There is every possibility to make the voice a liability when we fail to nurture, protect, exploit, and train it as a pleasing and acceptable instrument of ministration to God and man. 71
There should be positive standards put in place to enhance the voice if not, unconsciously, the negative ones will rule. Some of the positive standards that can be established for effective voice production are; · Praying · Fasting · Developing a relationship with God · Sharing love and concern · Having a purpose and understanding of your calling · Having a passion for your calling · Having constant and ceaseless voice trainings · Commitment and availability of self-singing group rehearsals · Eating right · Staying away from extremely cold drinks. 72
· Attending concerts and competitions · Having singing mentors · Reading and researching about music · Having a teachable spirit · Staying humble · Exposure and reception to change · Watching and listening to the voices of good singers · Talking less and listening more. · Choose your songs- set boundaries to what you sing · Singing with understanding. · PRACTICE! PRACTICE!! PRACTICE!!! Some common negative standards are; · Grumbling and murmuring · Lack of Understanding and Knowledge. · Pride · Hatred and jealousy 73
· Lack of commitment · Selfishness · Inferiority complex and low self esteem · Lack of confidence · Fear · Isolation · In exposure · Self defence · Loquaciousness · Immoral lifestyle and negative friendships. · Incorrigible and stubborn self-expression · Strife and stress All these and more are to be avoided if we have to sing effectively. WHY A SINGER SHOULD DRINK MORE WATER. Water is one of the fundamentals of life. The flexibility of your vocal chords and the tone of your singing voice all depend directly on the 74
amount of water in your body. Sipping water throughout the day will ensure that you have enough fluid to keep your body and your voice well irrigated and prepared to carry out all the processes that we take for granted but are actually so vital to our well-being Our food can also supply water to our system, mainly by eating fruits and water rich foods. Believe it or not, our bodies can take on the water from fruit just as fast as if we had drunk it from a glass and the only rider to this is that fruit is best eaten separate from other foods as this makes it easier for our body to digest it. The cells and waste systems in your body all need water to help them cleanse waste, such as when you sweat or produce urine. The more water you have on board, the better your body is equipped to flush waste products out. When you are de-hydrated, the waste systems slow down and the toxic by-product levels in your system will rise, making you low on energy and feeling out of sorts. If water is in 75
short supply, your body will take moisture away from your mouth and throat to where it is needed most, that's why your mouth and throat feel dry when you are running low on fluids. Before a performance, make sure that you have been sipping water steadily throughout the half hour before you go on stage, as it takes about twenty minutes for the water to get into your system and into your vocal chords. This will keep your vocal instrument' well hydrated, flexible and ready to provide the best possible tone and range that you need to give your best performance. Keep a glass of room temperature water on stage and don't be afraid to drink from it occasionally. You will sing even better if you keep your fluid levels topped up during the show. Drinking enough water is such a simple thing to do and, together with your vocal warm up, is an essential part of your preparation for the big event! 76
GOOD SINGING FOODS Good singing foods refer to foods that are beneficial to our vocal health, which allows us to build strong and healthy voices as well as protect our voices from harmful organisms and diseases. Often, when we eat, we do not think about how our food affects our voice or our singing. We may consume caffeine or spicy food which may be harmful to our voices and cause irritation as well as dry our throats! If we sing immediately after consuming these foods, we increase our risk of damaging our vocals and causing unnecessary pain to ourselves. Therefore, learning about the various 'good and bad singing foods' and why they are good and bad for you will help us to avoid these foods and avoid potential vocal abuse or damage. One of the major 'good singing foods' is actually a liquid and it is WATER. It is so very important to us singers! Its importance has been properly explained 77
above. Other than taking in lots of water, we should also consume a balanced diet for our meals and take lots of whole grains (toasted bread, non-salted crackers, fruits (cucumber, watermelon, pineapple, BANANA, orange, apple, grape,) as well as vegetables (okra, spinach, carrot, tomato, celery) These foods contain high levels of Vitamins A, C and E- Vitamin A helps cells regenerate normally, Vitamin C helps prevent the common cold and sore throat as well as improve immune functions of the body and Vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant that protects cell membranes and also improves immune functions of the body. These foods also help to keep the mucus membranes in our throats healthy so that we avoid irritation in our throats when we sing. Another favourite is Honey! Which has antimicrobial properties meaning that bacteria will 78
find it hard to survive and reproduce in honey. This also means that when we have a sore throat or just feel some discomfort in our voice, we can just take a spoonful of pure honey, and let it drizzle down our throats. This will help keep the bacteria away, and will also help our sore throats to heal faster! Honey can also be taken with a mixture of Garlic and Ginger alternatively. These are just some of the good foods that we can take to preserve our voices as well as to prevent unnecessary vocal damage when we sing or when we are sick or have sore throats. Some major foods to avoid are Caffeine and alcohol, which includes, coffee and certain sodas. This is because caffeine is a natural diuretic, it can cause your throat muscles to become dehydrated, leading to muscle constriction. Tight muscles make it more difficult- and more dangerous- for you to produce that lovely, smooth sound with your voice. Tight muscles over a long or regular 79
80 period of time, can lead to damaged vocal cords, causing a raspy sound, strain or even loss in vocal ability. Also, Dairy and Dairy Products that is milk, yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, butter, should be avoided because they increase the phlegm production in your throat. The extra mucous makes it difficult for one to produce a consistently clear tone as you will be spending most of your time clearing your throat or worrying that you will have to. While you don't have to avoid all dairy products, because it's still very much important to the body, consuming them right before a performance isn't recommended. REHABILITATION OF DAMAGED VOICES If you are a singer who struggles with vocal damage or problems, please be rest assured that there is hope! Sometimes it is necessary to consult with vocal doctors and in other cases it is not necessary. Quite a bit can be fixed by working to discover if the problem is being caused by stressful or very tense singing or
speaking or wrong food intake. Solve the problem using vocal technique solutions, advice from vocal doctors, or a combination of methods. By working with professionals, one can determine what kind of damage there may be if the damage is severe. In any case, please know that there is a great deal of hope in many cases where people's voices are not performing as they once did. Don't give up on yourself, but rather seek out the best information you can. BREATHING TIPS This is the foundation for singing with consistency, with ease, and with confidence in all performance situations. Breathing for singing should strike a great balance between deliberate intent and relaxation. In other words, a great singer should have a systematic approach to breathing properly, but this process should ultimately lead them to the most effortless breathing, singing, and delivery 81
possible. Breathing is one of the main elements that remain fairly consistent from style-tostyle. Whether you are singing classical music or contemporary music, low breathing from deep in the body as well as consistent and relaxed breath support and breath management are essential. For singers, good breathing is essential. What does "good" breathing mean? Your posture is erect, but you are not tense. Your shoulders are broad; arms loose; hands soft and quiet and you are standing tall. Imagine that a stream of water is running down your spine. The water is warm and flows easily but firmly, in a straight path. This image should help keep your back straight, but not stiff. When you stand tall in this way, your rib cage will naturally open wider. Then you concentrate your mind on allowing your diaphragm (a large muscle just under your ribcage) to move 82
down, which pulls your lungs down and forces new air to flow deeply into your lungs. PROJECTION We have found that many singers do not use their entire voice when they sing. Much of this comes from physical tension as well as hesitance resulting from doubts in the mind. Volume does not need to be the primary goal of good singing, but a healthy vocalist should certainly be able to be heard well and to feel as if their voice is very “present” when they perform. This is true even of singers who are primarily microphone singers. Also, many singers have been told how to breathe deeply since they began singing. Very often we find that experienced singers know how to take a pretty good inhale breath, but then do not know how to release it and manage it effectively. Again, some of this can be 83
physical and some of it can be mental. But, in many cases free production and projection is lacking because of this common phenomenon of being too cautious or physically tense with the exhale breath. DICTION FOR SINGERS Why is Diction Important? When the listener hears a song, the words and music create an image, feeling or emotion to which they can relate. When the song is heard repeatedly this creates familiarity and the listener starts to understand the sentiments further, picking up words, that encourage participation. Although both music and lyrics are important, in vocal music it is the text that provides an explanation for the musical accompaniment. If the words cannot be understood, the song can become meaningless. 84
This is not the case with all forms of compositions. Instrumentals and classical music have their own 'spark' that ignites the listeners imagination, however, in most forms of contemporary music, pop, rock, blues, jazz, soul, rap etc., the words are an integral part that need to be expressed clearly by the singer in order for the sentiment or story to be understood. There are singers whose vocals are barely understood or mixed low in the track and in some cases the effect is intentional to fit the type of song that is being performed, but in most cases, the singer needs to pronounce and project the words clearly. Another important aspect of practicing pronunciation is the way the shape of the mouth and placement of the tongue for each vowel and consonant effects the tone and brightness of the notes produced. Learning how to manipulate these shapes and positions in conjunction with correct breath control can 85
aid in improving tone, range and clarity. Part of developing a good vocal technique involves improving vowel and consonant production. Vowels and Consonants. So much importance is placed on them when practicing. Vowels are formed by the shape of a combination of parts that form the vocal tract including the tongue, lips and nose. Each tongue placement and mouth shape gives the vowel its own characteristics which identify the vowel to the listener i.e., sort, sought. Good diction requires the crisp, clear pronunciation of consonants, without which the audience would be incapable of understanding a word you were singing. Consult a diction textbook for more information on vowels and consonants. SIGHT READING AND SIGHT SINGING Sight Reading and Singing are the terms used for the ability to read and sing a piece of music previously unseen and unrehearsed. Relating 86
the look of the notes on a score into their recognised audible sounds. Many vocalists sing by ear and never find the need to learn to sight read, but 'Classical' Singers will need to be able to read sheet music on first sight. A competent sight reader can use their skills to learn songs faster and deputise with any band so it's definitely worth learning and regardless of the form of singing you choose, learning to read and sing music can be fun as well as useful! STAGE FRIGHT. You are not alone if you suffer from what we have come to know as stage fright. I do not believe I can recall any accomplished musician saying they are not nervous at all before a performance. Many are actually terrified and get physically sick prior to a concert. The basis for this is actually a good motivation, we want to be good, and we want to be accepted. That 87
is a good thing but being debilitated by stage fright is not. There are some effective ways of dealing with this condition. The most effective way to manage the phenomenon of stage fright is constant performance. For some this may not be possible or you may just be starting out and you are struggling at the starting gate, so to speak. If you are just starting out and cannot even imagine performing in front of people yet, find a friendly audience that will accept you no matter what, your family! Perhaps you can pick one to three songs to perform and set it up just like a regular performance; a certain time etc. Have the chairs set out for your family, maybe some refreshments and so forth. It may sound silly, but you will be nervous even though you know they will accept you no matter what you do. When you perform for them try not to talk to them as they were your family, but make it a 88
little "impersonal" if you will. Pretend they are an audience of strangers. If you make a mistake, keep going this is very good practice. You will always make mistakes in your life as a singer so get used to it. You need to learn to "roll with it" or even sometimes make something out of it. This can lead also to improvisational opportunities. Once this little "concert" is over you will feel a sense of accomplishment. Even if you made a mistake or two, you will feel good about what you have done. I guarantee it! Now you need to continue to build on these performances. Do them more often, invite the neighbours but do not get too comfortable either. You must continue to stretch yourself. It will do you a world of good! Once you are past the first stage of performing and are on to performing for larger groups of strangers, there are some other ways of dealing with stage fright. Practice, practice, practice. You 89
must know your piece or pieces of music backwards and forwards if you are to be truly prepared. Even if you do not have to memorize the piece you must know it very well. Suffice it to say you must constantly practice to overcome any technical limitations on your performance, and then you can more easily deal with stage fright as a separate issue. You may have a very real reason to be afraid if you do not know your music! Now the day of the performance I think it is best not to practice very much at all. You can wear yourself out and "peak" too early. If you are a singer like I am for example, you can over practice and sound perfect two hours prior to performance but be worn out by the time the concert is here. Just rest a lot and go over the music in your mind. Warm up, to be sure, but only that. If you know your music you should be fine. Now when you take the stage, remember all of the work you have done, tell yourself, “I am prepared, I can do this! You will 90
be amazed at what you can do if you believe in yourself. Be not afraid! § Here are a few helpful tips to enable you sing with confidence; 1. The most difficult part is getting up to sing in front of an audience for the first time - once you have achieved this it will become ea sier ea ch time you perform! 2. Ask a friend or group of friends to get up and sing with you - pick a song that you can have a laugh with! 3. Don't worry about making a fool of yourself or how you sound - just have a go! 4. Choose a song you know really well - avoid tunes that are difficult to sing until you are more confident about your voice and performing in front of an audience. 91
5. Take a deep breath, exhale, look ahead and smile as you take the stage - even if you feel terrified this will help you look confident. 6. As soon as you get on stage relax your shoulders and clear your mind of everything except the song you are going to sing. 7. If you are really nervous, concentrate on at a point just above the audiences head! 8. If you know the song really well but are still nervous of performing in front of a crowd, then focus on an object slightly above the audience instead of their faces. 9. Find yourself shaking when you are singing? Then move around a bit - swing your hips and bop around - it'll help you to forget your nerves and make you look confident. 10. Got a really awful voice and you know it - 92
but still want to have a go? Pick a song that everyone can join in with, a track that is funny or make up funny words, pull faces or use props - you'll sound great and the audience will laugh with you - not at you!! QUALITIES OF A GOOD SINGER In no particular order, these are the qualities that I believe make for an ideal singer: Singing By Feel, Not By Sound A great ear is very important for any musician and this includes singers. Singers ought to have great musical ears. This is particularly helpful for singing many different styles of music. However, listening to oneself too much can be extremely problematic for a singer. If there is too much self-scrutiny and self-conscious listening, the freedom of the sound is often interfered with. The best singers surrender their voices when they sing. They are not considering how they sound, for to do so 93
would prevent them from releasing their voices and making their best and freest sounds. Instead, they are able to identify how the sound should feel and then allow their voices to be produced in this fashion. This is why it is often so difficult for people to teach themselves how to sing. What you hear can often be misleading in comparison to what you feel. A good rule of thumb is: "if it feels free and easy, it probably sounds good. If it feels tight and difficult, it probably doesn't sound as good (even if it does to your ear).” While demonstrations are certainly a part of truly their own- not a carbon copy of how someone else sounds (including ourselves). Also, in singing by feeling, singers learn to recreate good sounds in any performance environment or pressure situation. Good vocal technique comes from being able to “feel” 94
which physical elements are helpful and which cause limitations. This physical integration leads to the vocal freedom that is the key to unlocking each individual vocal talent. Being Punctual It takes a while to build up a safe, creative atmosphere, but only a second to destroy it. If we're doing some focused warm up work, we don't want people wandering in half way through! I know some people get stuck in traffic or have to come straight from work, but persistent latecomers aren't showing respect for their fellow choir members or group singers, and are often the ones who would benefit most from the voice training and stressbusting warm up! Total Commitment Commitment to the choir can be shown in many ways (not least turning up on time!). But for most community choirs, the most important commitment is simply to turn up 95
every week! There are many people who show up only once or twice. Again, this demonstrates a lack of respect for both the choir and its members. Also, it implies that the work that we do each week rehearsing and learning songs is not that valuable and it's possible to just turn up for the concert. Showing Responsibility It's all too easy to let your choir director or other members of your part do all the work. It's an easy cop-out. Yes, the director is in charge, but the final result depends on every single individual in the choir. It's no good thinking that your fellow singers will back you up and cover you through the bits you don't know that well. If every singer in the choir thought that, there would be no choir! You have to take responsibility to attend regularly (and on time), to know your part, to stay aware of rehearsal schedules, to listen to the director's instructions, and so on. 96
Understanding Self-awareness Many people stumble through life not really paying attention. Or if they do pay attention, it's often to the wrong thing! How many times have you been bumped into in the supermarket by someone whose focus is on the biscuit packet they're about to buy, and not the throng of people surrounding them? Often it's simply a matter of being in the moment, being present and engaged with whatever is going on at that particular point. This can be helped by focusing on the warm up each session which assists in the transition between your busy daily life and the job of being in a choir. It's by paying attention to what you're doing that helps you to learn and improve. When the director points out that you're tipping your head back, then check in with your own body and see what that feels like. When your fellow alto complains that you're singing too loudly in 97
their ear, check in with yourself and make a note of how it feels in that moment and what you can do next time. Building Trust Some people find it very uncomfortable to be in the middle of a learning process. When you first start to learn a new song it can feel frustrating that you can't quite nail the tune. Even when you've been singing a song for a while, you might still keep tripping over some of the words. Try not to get frustrated, but give yourself up to the process and trust that it will come out right in the end. Similarly, if the director's new structure for a song seems weird, trust that he knows what he's doing and is not setting out to make you or the choir look forward. Throw yourself into these processes wholeheartedly and trust them. If you want to analyse or question, wait until the process is over (i.e. after the concert or at the end of term) to evaluate. 98
Develops Attentiveness This is related to self-awareness and having a sense of the whole. Often an individual choir member forgets where they are and starts chatting to their neighbour for instance. After all, they've finished learning their part and are, in fact, talking about important singing matters after all. But what they don't realise is that they're missing what's going on around them. You need to be attentive to the director (or you might miss your cue), the singers around you (you don't want to breathe at the wrong time), the overall choir sound (make sure your part is not louder than all the others), and what your own responsibilities are (don't miss your solo!). Consider others. This is all to do with respect: respect for your fellow human beings and hence respect for what you and other choir members are doing and therefore respect for the choir as a whole. Don't be a prima donna – choirs are all about 99
team work. Remember what it was like when you first joined the choir – help out new members. If someone in your part is struggling, don't feel superior because you've nailed it – stand next to them and help them out gently. Listening Skills You may find it surprising that singing skills aren't in this list of important things for being a good choir member or singer. My belief is that everyone can sing and that, given time, everyone in the choir can get to the same high standard. However, to get to that point, instead of focusing on the production of the voice, you need to pay more attention to what you are hearing. Using your self-awareness, you can begin to hear when you are getting the notes right and when you are not. Listening to others in your part will help you stay in time, blend better and work as a unit. Reaching out to hear the other parts will help you stay in tune, enjoy and get a better understanding of how 100