voice constraints versus singing style

[e021708]

Have you thought about how to find your own unique singing style for what is just your voice? I mean in voice training it seems you could just spend years trying to correct all kinds of things that could actually just be good for your unique style. I do not mean for obvious things like pitch control for example or for someone training to be a classical type singer but more for someone trying to sing mostly stylistic things..

 

How to identify, accept or to just work with what you have based on how you were raised, your accent, speaking habits, etc. seems important to finding your voice. It seems you would want to be careful to retain and work with what you have sometimes instead of considering it a constraint on your singing. I don’t know.

There sure are a lot of singers making a living with all sorts of singing constraint / issues. Any thoughts? How have you approached this yourself?

[Jersey Jack]

Excellent question! I have several thoughts on this:

 

1. Don't try to be totally original in your originality. When I was in college, I had a professor who taught us poetry by asking us to read and then imitate great poets. This was a very illuminating experience, and it in fact lead to originality in my writing. The same is true, I think, for singing. Listen to your favorite singers and "try on" their styles. Don't be afraid to imitate! By imitating you learn to follow the path of great singers--e.g., you begin to realize the decisions they made, etc. The crucial thing is to imitate more than one singer, of course. Mix and match, and see what works for you.

 

2. Formal vocal training will NOT detract from your natural abilities. As long as you get a good teacher, voice lessons will empower you to be yourself as a singer. View vocal training as a tool, which you can use or not, as you see fit, in specific circumstances. The trick is to remember that it is only a tool, and that your primary allegiance is to expression and art.

 

3. I've said this before and I'll certainly say it again. Record yourself--a lot! Buy a good hand-held recorder and use it to experiment with your voice. Go into debt if you have to, but get one of these babies. You'll get a much more accurate sense of what works --and what doesn't -- by recording yourself.

 

4. Any song can be sung in a variety of styles. Shape the song in a way that feels right for you. This is especially worth remembering for singers in cover bands. Unless you're in a tribute band, make the song yours. It's less frustrating than trying to make yourself into the original singer.

 

5. The best for last. When singing works, it feels effortless. That's the reward for the hard work. If you hit this zone with a specific style, then it's for you. If you find that you're grinding away because you want to sound a certain way, you may be on the wrong track. If it's right for you it will feel easy (at least it will often feel easy).

 

Enough!

[e021708]

Excellent question! I have several thoughts on this: 1. Don't try to be totally original in your originality. When I was in college, I had a professor who taught us poetry by asking us to read and then imitate great poets. This was a very illuminating experience, and it in fact lead to originality in my writing. The same is true, I think, for singing. Listen to your favorite singers and "try on" their styles. Don't be afraid to imitate! By imitating you learn to follow the path of great singers--e.g., you begin to realize the decisions they made, etc. The crucial thing is to imitate more than one singer, of course. Mix and match, and see what works for you. 2. Formal vocal training will NOT detract from your natural abilities. As long as you get a good teacher, voice lessons will empower you to be yourself as a singer. View vocal training as a tool, which you can use or not, as you see fit, in specific circumstances. The trick is to remember that it is only a tool, and that your primary allegiance is to expression and art. 3. I've said this before and I'll certainly say it again. Record yourself--a lot! Buy a good hand-held recorder and use it to experiment with your voice. Go into debt if you have to, but get one of these babies. You'll get a much more accurate sense of what works --and what doesn't -- by recording yourself. 4. Any song can be sung in a variety of styles. Shape the song in a way that feels right for you. This is especially worth remembering for singers in cover bands. Unless you're in a tribute band, make the song yours. It's less frustrating than trying to make yourself into the original singer. 5. The best for last. When singing works, it feels effortless. That's the reward for the hard work. If you hit this zone with a specific style, then it's for you. If you find that you're grinding away because you want to sound a certain way, you may be on the wrong track. If it's right for you it will feel easy (at least it will often feel easy). Enough!

 

hey great advice. i am going to remember and follow these.

 

i would sure like to hear how others have aproached this too. i think we are all so different that it just something you may need to do what uniquely works for you for the most part..

[SevenString]

Excellent question! I have several thoughts on this: 1. Don't try to be totally original in your originality. When I was in college, I had a professor who taught us poetry by asking us to read and then imitate great poets. This was a very illuminating experience, and it in fact lead to originality in my writing. The same is true, I think, for singing. Listen to your favorite singers and "try on" their styles. Don't be afraid to imitate! By imitating you learn to follow the path of great singers--e.g., you begin to realize the decisions they made, etc. The crucial thing is to imitate more than one singer, of course. Mix and match, and see what works for you. 2. Formal vocal training will NOT detract from your natural abilities. As long as you get a good teacher, voice lessons will empower you to be yourself as a singer. View vocal training as a tool, which you can use or not, as you see fit, in specific circumstances. The trick is to remember that it is only a tool, and that your primary allegiance is to expression and art. 3. I've said this before and I'll certainly say it again. Record yourself--a lot! Buy a good hand-held recorder and use it to experiment with your voice. Go into debt if you have to, but get one of these babies. You'll get a much more accurate sense of what works --and what doesn't -- by recording yourself. 4. Any song can be sung in a variety of styles. Shape the song in a way that feels right for you. This is especially worth remembering for singers in cover bands. Unless you're in a tribute band, make the song yours. It's less frustrating than trying to make yourself into the original singer. 5. The best for last. When singing works, it feels effortless. That's the reward for the hard work. If you hit this zone with a specific style, then it's for you. If you find that you're grinding away because you want to sound a certain way, you may be on the wrong track. If it's right for you it will feel easy (at least it will often feel easy). Enough!

 

 

Excellent post. That's pretty much everything I would have said on the subject.

[Bajazz]

Great post axcelson!!

 

I would say that accepting is limiting. Just think about the first time you tried to do someting and you stick at it till you finally did it. Wasn't that a great feeling? What if you accepted your limits then? I find myself being too confident at my present skills, although I know I work more than many of those that it's natural to compare myself to. And today I know that work = results.

 

It's more correct to be aware of your strengths and use those while improving the weaknesses. Is there anyway a given point were a weakness is a absolute limit? Soon rounding 40 I constantly find myself doing songs I couldn't when a young gun.