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Why Learning To Sing Is Unique And Sometimes Confusinghy Learning To Sing Is Unique And Sometimes Confusinghy Learning To Sing Is Unique And Sometimes Confusing

I I’m 51 this year. I started with my first singing coach when I was 19. She was a young girl who worked ’m 51 this year. I started with my first singing coach when I was 19. She was a young girl who worked
upstairs at the local country music store. Her first piece of vocal coaching to me was to explain how the pstairs at the local country music store. Her first piece of vocal coaching to me was to explain how the
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diaphragm is like a drum. The sound from the throat goes down into my chest, hits it and like a aphragm is like a drum. The sound from the throat goes down into my chest, hits it and like a
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t trampoline bounces back up and out my mouth. Not knowing anything about human anatomy, my only rampoline bounces back up and out my mouth. Not knowing anything about human anatomy, my only
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option was to trust her advice and try and convince myself that it was ME who was getting it wrong. After ption was to trust her advice and try and convince myself that it was ME who was getting it wrong. After
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all, the coach couldn’t possibly be wrong huh?ll, the coach couldn’t possibly be wrong huh?

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This is one of millions of stories that happen on a daily basis with coaches who use ‘interesting’ s is one of millions of stories that happen on a daily basis with coaches who use ‘interesting’
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visualizations to try and encourage the desired outcome without having a grounded understanding of isualizations to try and encourage the desired outcome without having a grounded understanding of
human physiology.uman physiology.
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Why do us coaches all seem to use visualizations? There’s three main reasons why singing training is a hy do us coaches all seem to use visualizations? There’s three main reasons why singing training is a
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little unique from nearly every other instrument. ttle unique from nearly every other instrument.
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Firstly, we can’t really feel our instrument. We can a little but unlike our lips and fingers which are two stly, we can’t really feel our instrument. We can a little but unlike our lips and fingers which are two
of the most sensitive parts of our body, our larynx is inside us and there are not many nerve endings in f the most sensitive parts of our body, our larynx is inside us and there are not many nerve endings in
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t there. here.

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Secondly, we can’t see it. Learning guitar for example, we can encourage the student to drop the wrist, econdly, we can’t see it. Learning guitar for example, we can encourage the student to drop the wrist,
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hold the pick differently, play on the tips of their fingers. I’ve always said if our vocal folds were on the old the pick differently, play on the tips of their fingers. I’ve always said if our vocal folds were on the
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outside of us so we could watch them, learning to be a great singer would be much easier.utside of us so we could watch them, learning to be a great singer would be much easier.
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Thirdly, we’ve been using our voice our whole entire lives. This means you have deep seated habits that dly, we’ve been using our voice our whole entire lives. This means you have deep seated habits that
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are potentially decades old. The invisible sub-conscious muscle memory that makes us efficient needs to re potentially decades old. The invisible sub-conscious muscle memory that makes us efficient needs to
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be interrupted to make a change in our voice. e interrupted to make a change in our voice.

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OK, so how do we make a fast and tangible difference to voices from a coaching perspective? There are K, so how do we make a fast and tangible difference to voices from a coaching perspective? There are
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three things I’m ALWAYS making clear to my clients. Good explanation of the anatomy and physiology. hree things I’m ALWAYS making clear to my clients. Good explanation of the anatomy and physiology.
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When someone is taking on a new technique, I show them what they’re working on and why it works, hen someone is taking on a new technique, I show them what they’re working on and why it works,
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how it sounds different once applied. But because we can’t feel or see our instrument, I then show them ow it sounds different once applied. But because we can’t feel or see our instrument, I then show them
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by way of visualization how to trigger the change in their body they’re looking for. Once that’s in place, I y way of visualization how to trigger the change in their body they’re looking for. Once that’s in place, I
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encourage them to distinguish the subtle difference in their bodily sensations. It’s these sensations they courage them to distinguish the subtle difference in their bodily sensations. It’s these sensations they
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then bring back into their performance to make the new technique stick.hen bring back into their performance to make the new technique stick.
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A coach who only uses visualization can confuse the heck out of a student. .. Sing from the belly, sing out ach who only uses visualization can confuse the heck out of a student. .. Sing from the belly, sing out
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your head, sing into the mask, your body has two diaphragms, inside your body there are two mirrors… our head, sing into the mask, your body has two diaphragms, inside your body there are two mirrors…
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the list is endless. It gives no grounded understanding.he list is endless. It gives no grounded understanding.

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A coach who ONLY uses anatomy and physiology gives no access for the student to apply a technique. ach who ONLY uses anatomy and physiology gives no access for the student to apply a technique.
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Telling someone to lift their soft palate by pulling harder on their Levator Veli Paletini would be insane elling someone to lift their soft palate by pulling harder on their Levator Veli Paletini would be insane
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also.lso.
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This month, I’d like to invite you to submit any vocal question you have to Jane and I’d love to break it s month, I’d like to invite you to submit any vocal question you have to Jane and I’d love to break it
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down for you in next months article.wn for you in next months article.

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Paul’s vocal pro courseaul’s vocal pro course

jane@writeawaymagazine.co..ukjane@writeawaymagazine.co..uk

10 www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk