Bogged down in technicalities?

I've not been on here quite as much these days, but I've noticed some people seem to be very focused on technicalities like whether to sing with your chin tucked in or jutting out, and whether to sing lying flat on your stomach, or how to hum, and stuff like this.

I'm most likely just pushing my own beliefs and attitudes on people here, but in my mind, I would post this sort of stuff if I was procrastinating about what I REALLY wanted, which is to simply improve my singing skills.

To anyone who's preoccupied with chins and lying positions and humming, I'd suggest getting a teacher, at least for a couple of lessons to guide you in the right direction, so you can truly enjoy singing and move forward, above and beyond such small distractions!! Knowing not to sing with your chin tucked in is not going to make you an excellent singer.

I disagree.

I can hold a guitar right up to my tummy or I can hold it down by my knees.

Sure, some guitarists will hold it down by their knees, but it still makes a difference.

Much like singing, the way you hold your head and relax your jaw etc. etc. all makes for one big difference in tonal quality.

Oh yeah, of course. I agree. I just meant that when you’re first beginning to sing, posting a lot of stuff about the minute details isn’t really going to get you where you want to go.

I think it's even more important to concentrate on the minor details when starting out so such minor things become habitual.

I only agree until the point becomes scrutinizing one's self under a microscope

to a never-ending degree and detracts from the person actually making music which should be the goal, not a by product of sweating minor details.

I see Grace's point.

Don't sweat the small stuff, but then again I see

your point as well.

A combo of the two is a good thing.

Actually yes, I agree. In the beginning, quickly find out what's optimal in terms of the small and obvious things you can control easily (chin position, etc), and then move forward. Don't dwell.

Chin position is kinda an important one, mind.

Especially if you're really putting waaaaaaay too much stress on your neck.

Yes to all of the above. It is a fact, I think, that people will latch on to technique as a way of approaching (or avoiding) the core of singing--a mystical power that I'm inclined to call mojo . It's a lot easier and more concrete to talk about technique--a neat set of recipes for vocalizing quells anxiety about the larger challenges of singing.

But it's clear that mojo trumps technique. That's why Bob Dylan is more popular than Michael Bolton.

There's nothing wrong with using tools to access a place that's not easy to get to, but technique does not the singer make, and it is very easy to grasp technique as a way of avoiding the more difficult issues.

My koan for today: Mojo cannot be taught, but it can be learned.

YES, that is precisely my point, but Jersey expressed it much more articulately than I could! lol

I think it's the same with a lot of things in this world...people fear the unknown and are cautious about failure and challenges and trying new things or not automatically being good at things...so we latch on to technicalities because they're concrete...

Not to get into anything deep here, but I think this is why organised religion and all the religious "rules" and judgements are so widespread and strictly enforced by the believers - cause the real point of any religion or belief system is too hard and scary to deal with. The rules are easier - they're concrete. Blah, blah. The chin position = religion and rules. The MOJO = true spirituality.

Ok, I'm really hungry and my brain has just imploded.