If you can talk, you can sing!

My personal philosophy. A brief background.

Similarities between speaking and singing

When we speak, air rushes through the vocal folds and there is just enough pressure that the folds vibrate to make sound (it’s really fascinating, I may do another blog about the specifics of how the voice works…). Not everyone can phonate (make sound). Those who can (most likely you), can also sing. If you make sound when you speak, you can sing. There are differences in the specifics of how the muscles work, and it takes practice for most people, but if you enjoy singing, then by all means, SING!

I compare the relationship of speaking to singing to the relationship between walking and running. Not everyone naturally feels great when they run. In fact, most people need advice from a seasoned runner to help them find a cadence. The people who do best at running are those who do other exercises to work out the muscles that move their legs. If you want to sing, all you need to do is practice using your voice in different ways than you do when you speak.

People tend to think that if they don’t sound exactly like the voices on the radio or TV, that they shouldn’t sing. In reality, every person’s voice is unique and individual to them. Some people take practice to sing, other people seem to come by it naturally, but everyone benefits from continuing to practice singing. Below are a few exercises to help you explore the parts of your voice that are generally underused.

Experimenting with your voice

As you’re talking, notice how you breathe when you talk, notice if you speak in a high or low register. Notice that when you get excited about things, your voice naturally gets higher. As you speak your voice naturally goes up and down. If it didn’t you’d sound like a robot. Try these exercises, and as you practice the different exercises, notice how each one feels.

• Yawn
• Sigh
• Sneeze (or pretend to sneeze thinking of a cartoonish ahh-CHOOO)
• Speak Slowly – try to hold out each word
• Speak like Mickey Mouse to develop comfort in a higher register
• Try to sing anything you would normally just say – don’t worry about what notes, but move your notes up and down like you would when you’re speaking about something you really care about.

In The Music Man, Professor Harold Hill uses this same philosophy to start his amazing Quartet. Why he didn’t sell his choirs instead of instruments will forever be beyond me!

I hope you tried the exercises and noticed that your voice is capable of more than you may be ready to give it credit for. Just remember that you CAN sing! Try not to judge your own voice, but if you’re willing, take some time to record yourself and listen back objectively. What do you notice? Where does your voice have the most depth? Where did it sound easiest?

Always remember that you CAN sing! Never let anyone tell you otherwise.