Can you learn singing?

[Knottyhed]

Just a topic I find interesting; how much of singing is learnt and how much do you think is practice and hard work (like with an instrument). I've talked to people that think you're vocals are just like any other instrument and i've also spoken to people that think you've either got it or you haven't.

 

Personally I think it's possible for anyone to improve their singing, but you can't 'polish a turd' - so if you're a bad singer to start with, you'll always be a bad singer. Anybody got any annecdotes that prove or disprove that?

[Terry Allan Hall]

Well, unless you have absolutely no sense of pitch whatsoever, you can learn to sing.

 

Obviously, some are naturally better than others.

[Tedster]

Yes, IMO the voice is an instrument, just like any other.

 

(School band scenario) Take 10 people at random and give each a clarinet. You'll find that maybe one takes to it like a duck to water. Maybe two or three are able to make a pleasing noise with it with some effort. The rest don't, and never will have a clue. But, as with a school band, you can take those remaining ones and teach them with diligence to do the best they can. Probably, as with any bell curve, there will be one or two who are bad beyond belief and have absolutely no hope.

 

Same with singing. You've got to have a bit of raw material...and basically that is a good ear. If you've got a good ear, you can train your voice to follow, IMO. You might never sound like your favorite singer (physical limitations), but you can train yourself to be the best YOU you can be. Even those mediocre souls in the middle of the bell curve can improve their skills. You can improve your range...vocal "agility" and whatever. But, it takes practice, like any other skill.

 

And, a lot of it is stylistic preference. For example...Celine Dion is by far a better singer than Tom Petty. But I'd rather listen to Tom Petty.

[Knottyhed]

 

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Well, unless you have absolutely no sense of pitch whatsoever, you can learn to sing. Obviously, some are naturally better than others.

 

 

Sorry - I should have been clearer. I meant become good at singing. Almost everyone can sing in key of course, but not everyone actually sounds good. If someone played guitar for 5 hours a day for a period of many years, they'd become very good at it regardless of talent or natural ability. I'm wondering whether the same is true of singing.

[JBJ]

 

Originally posted by Knottyhed Sorry - I should have been clearer. I meant become good at singing. Almost everyone can sing in key of course, but not everyone actually sounds good. If someone played guitar for 5 hours a day for a period of many years, they'd become very good at it regardless of talent or natural ability. I'm wondering whether the same is true of singing.

 

 

not everyone can sing in key by a far stretch. Some are way out, some may just be a little flat but they're still not singing in key.

 

Over the past coupla years my voice has improved dramatically by no real effort on my part. I've just sung around the house alot more, tried new things, and probably most importantly was write songs for my voice and range as opposed to someone elses.

 

As someone already said, be the best you can be. I'll be the 1st to admit that I'm not the greatest singer int he world, my band will agree. I regard myself as a better than average karaoke singer but the band like me singing because I can at least bash a tune out in key unless you're getting really high plus I make up for it with ym showmanship and naturalness on stage.

[zookie]

I'm stuck in a weird place. I play a score of instruments (guitars, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, piano, tin whistles, harmonica, bodhran). I can pick up songs and tunes by ear and can work out arrangements. I consider myself fairly musical with a decent ear.

 

I can not, however, match pitch while singing. There's some synapse that just doesn't fire. I may think I'm hitting a note, but when I pluck the note on an instrument, I'm not even close. I work with a brilliant singer (my wife) and I've asked her for advice. She's said she can teach someone to sing better, but can't understand how I can be musical but so tone deaf when singing.

 

What do you folk think? Does it sound hopeless?

[worthyjoe]

I've pondered this topic as well. I'm sure everything can be "learned" on some level but for the most part I think a BASIC ability to sing is natural. There are many people who couldn't carry a tune in key to save their lives. There are also many people who have quality voices and good pipes, but have pitch issues that ruin it all. I honestly don't think singing on key can be learned. You can either tell you are off key or you can't.

 

That said, if you have a very basic ability to sing on key I think the rest can be learned by hard work and training.

[Knottyhed]

 

Originally posted by worthyjoe I've pondered this topic as well. I'm sure everything can be "learned" on some level but for the most part I think a BASIC ability to sing is natural. There are many people who couldn't carry a tune in key to save their lives. There are also many people who have quality voices and good pipes, but have pitch issues that ruin it all. I honestly don't think singing on key can be learned. You can either tell you are off key or you can't. That said, if you have a very basic ability to sing on key I think the rest can be learned by hard work and training.

 

 

I hope so, I've become particularly interested recently because my band does not have a decent singer and is having problems finding one (plus we're a 5 peice as it is). Both myself and the bassist can sing in key - but he lacks power and I lack timbre (i.e. my voice just isn't that nice to listen to), we get away with it at gigs, but it's definately the band's weak point. I'm wondering whether it'd be worth one, or both of us taking lesson and/or really working at it or whether to carry on trying to recruit someone with real vocal talent.

[Knottyhed]

 

Originally posted by zookie I'm stuck in a weird place. I play a score of instruments (guitars, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, piano, tin whistles, harmonica, bodhran). I can pick up songs and tunes by ear and can work out arrangements. I consider myself fairly musical with a decent ear. I can not, however, match pitch while singing. There's some synapse that just doesn't fire. I may think I'm hitting a note, but when I pluck the note on an instrument, I'm not even close. I work with a brilliant singer (my wife) and I've asked her for advice. She's said she can teach someone to sing better, but can't understand how I can be musical but so tone deaf when singing. What do you folk think? Does it sound hopeless?

 

 

Our keyboardist is the same, he can play keys ok, but can't sing in key at all.

[worthyjoe]

 

Originally posted by Knottyhed I hope so, I've become particularly interested recently because my band does not have a decent singer and is having problems finding one (plus we're a 5 peice as it is). Both myself and the bassist can sing in key - but he lacks power and I lack timbre (i.e. my voice just isn't that nice to listen to), we get away with it at gigs, but it's definately the band's weak point. I'm wondering whether it'd be worth one, or both of us taking lesson and/or really working at it or whether to carry on trying to recruit someone with real vocal talent.

 

 

I would suggest both: take lessons but also look for a singer. You probably aren't going to get to the level where you can lead sing in the band overnight, so you could improve and practice on backup vocals and build confidence and ability as time goes on.

[Terje]

If I could learn how to sing somewhat decent then anyone can.