The Art and Science of Learning to Sing

Voices are the raw material of singing. Your voice is the paint and canvas, the clay, the instrument to be used for expression. Everyone has a voice but not everyone learns to use it to make music. Just like everyone has legs but not everyone learns to use them to excel at a sport. As with any instrument there are skills that go along with learning to play it. The vast majority of people are not born with the natural talent to sing well, but they can learn the skills. These voice skills are what we strive to teach through choir.

Fundamental voice skills include:

1.  Arrangement of the skeleton to support healthy vocal production (Posture)

2.  Maintaining a steady flow of breath energy/support on which to carry the voice

3.  Efficient vocal production

4.  Achieving optimal tone quality through resonation and vowel shapes

5.  Clear enunciation of the noises of language; the consonants (Diction)

6.  Being in command of many changing factors in order to express emotion
 

What follows are basic truths about the nature of learning to sing and singing in a choir:

(Which is the biggest challenge for you?)

A -  Singing is a physical process. It is a process of training muscles, building habits, and creating muscle memory. Voice building can increase the range, efficiency, quality, and stamina of one’s voice.

B -  Singing is a discipline. Often the way we use muscles for singing is different from the way we use muscles for everyday speech and life. We already have habits in the way we use our bodies and voices and often we need to reprogram ourselves for the more energetic task of singing. This requires sometimes doing what we know we must in order to improve ourselves and accomplish our goals rather than doing what we feel like or what we want to at the moment.

C -  Singing is a mental process. It requires self awareness, application of knowledge, and a healthy attitude. You must be aware of what you are already doing in order to change or modify it. You must take what you know and use it. It requires being open to new ways of thinking and feeling and being willing to try new things.

D -  Singing is an emotional process. It requires confidence and emotional risk taking. Whenever we open ourselves to performing we must be confident in who we are and not afraid about what others may think or say.

E -  Singing is a science. Learning can only occur through exploration and discovery about oneself and one’s voice. Learning to sing cannot be forced or done to one person by someone else. It can only be supported, encouraged and nourished. No one can learn to sing but the singer. The degree to which it is learned is completely dependent on the singers’ self awareness, discipline, and attitude.

F -  Singing is an art. What you do with your voice has the potential to express the wide range of human experiences and touch people in a way that mere words cannot.

G -  Choir requires cooperation and teamwork. A successful choir is a mutually supportive team working toward a common goal of using voices to make art together

 -borrowed from the LaCrosse Logan HS Choir Dept.