Sometimes it's in the doing...

This blog is really just one simple idea to take away with you today...

Something I see a lot in singers (and in humans in general) is the tendency to want to check how to do something before we go for it. Sometimes this is a GREAT idea. IKEA furniture is one of those times. Or knowing what you're allowed to take on a flight.

But often with singing I get questions like "Is this a good song for me?" or, "Does this suit my voice?" or, "Is this song to challenging?", and my question is always "Have you tried singing it?"

All of these questions imply a certain self-imposed limitation - as though there are only certain things we're allowed to do, or express, or expect of ourselves. But I say, go for it! And this is where the fun (and learning) begins.

Once you've had a run through (perhaps along with a recording of the piece), ask yourself some questions.... 

- How did it feel to sing the song? Physically? Emotionally?
- Was it lower or higher than is normally comfortable?
- Was it louder or softer than you might normally feel comfortable singing?
- Did you manage to stay in tune?
- Did you manage to connect with the emotion or the story line of the song?

There are probably a tonne more questions you could ask, but the main thing is to see what comes to mind and see if it has anything to tell you about your current strengths an weaknesses - skills or areas for improvement. You'll learn a lot about how your voice works, how it sounds in comparison to other singers, and where the edge of your comfort zone lies.

Sometimes you've just got to start doing.