Do you ever get turned off, feel defeated or just cringe from the sound of your own voice? It’s hard to motivate to sing, practice or show up for lessons, let alone perform when your voice doesn’t match your expectations. You don’t know why or when your voice may sound breathy, hoarse or as squeaky as it does. It’s literally like someone else is controlling your voice, even tho you are doing your best to steer!
Well, if it’s any consolation, you are not alone. Most people don’t know how to predict what their voice is going to do, nor do they understand what is happening (technically speaking). And as a result of not knowing what is going to come out of one's mouth, people tend to focus solely on how their voice sounds (i.e.. good or bad) or what they are able to do (Can you sing this riff? Can you belt like so and so?) Instead of how singing feels and what your body/connection feels like while singing.
For example do you practice difficult sections of a song over and over pushing to try to “hit the notes” ? or Do you squeeze your throat as you approach each note you are unsure of?
Teaching Somatic Voicework, the LoVetri Method, and the Alexander Technique has made me an avid lover of vocal technique and holistic voice training. Part of the reason I love training in a holistic way is that as singers and singers in training you need to become aware of the whole with a good dose of vocal function…and fun! Singing is not just the sound of your voice but also the way you are standing, the way you take an inhale to prepare to sing, the feeling of your throat while vocalizing, the sound in your head and body. It’s important to know what is normal and healthy so you can begin to understand your natural voice with the least amount of interference, or tension.
Having a good grasp of healthy vocal technique and vocal function is amazingly liberating not only vocally but mentally! It frees you from obsessing and guessing and instead you can learn how the voice works. You don’t have to focus on the sound NOT being what you want and instead you can allow yourself to experience the ease in your voice you’ve been looking for. But for most people this is easier said than done….
It helps to have a trained professional there to witness and guide you, especially for when you hit those road blocks and frustration that could take you off your vocal journey. As a result of working with an experienced voice and movement teacher and keeping a home practice, your voice will work wonders for you.
So yes, even YOU can go from cringing at that one part of your range to savoring it and honoring your love of music and singing. Sign up for your next set of lessons today so your singing can become healthy and enjoyable and you can finally sing the songs that your Soul has been yearning for.