Deliberate Practice and Singing Options

[Inacka]

Hi There,

I've been reading some of the threads about deliberate/focused practice (the kind that helps you improve, and not just mindless repetition), and I was wondering how you practise in order to achieve this? Are there any special "tricks" or ideas that worked for you?

I noticed that "deliberate practice" is how I tend to approach learning most things, and that it's fine with academic subjects but can sometimes get me into trouble with more physical activities. The hardest part with singing (for me) is learning how to relax or not engage certain muscles, which is incredibly hard since some of them are almost under unconcsious control. With the type of practice I'm used to doing, it's more about figuring out what to do and how to do it (as opposed to figuring out what not to do, and how not to do it). Have any of you experienced anything similar? Did anything help?

Thank you!

[Maria]

I understand what you mean.

I'm in a really hectic period with work at the moment so am not getting a lot of singing done. I'm trying to do it in other ways, for example I'm trying to work on having a bit more control of my larynx height as I've got into a habit of letting it rise all the time. So I can do that a bit while in the car, in the shower or whatever and just spend a few minutes really focussing on it - doing exercises and thinking about that and nothing else.

I know it's not quite the same as what you're talking about (I guess I'm talking about squeezing in bits of practice when there's no time!) but the result is that it's causing me to do more deliberate practice rather than spending a couple of hours singing through stuff and then picking out the issues.

Does that even make sense?!! My brain is fried at the moment! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[silverfoxx]

I understand what you mean.

I'm in a really hectic period with work at the moment so am not getting a lot of singing done. I'm trying to do it in other ways, for example I'm trying to work on having a bit more control of my larynx height as I've got into a habit of letting it rise all the time. So I can do that a bit while in the car, in the shower or whatever and just spend a few minutes really focussing on it - doing exercises and thinking about that and nothing else.

I know it's not quite the same as what you're talking about (I guess I'm talking about squeezing in bits of practice when there's no time!) but the result is that it's causing me to do more deliberate practice rather than spending a couple of hours singing through stuff and then picking out the issues.

Does that even make sense?!! My brain is fried at the moment! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Hi Maria,

Not only does it make sense but it's a very good point. Lots of singers would likely benefit from this approach.

Nobody can sing very difficult songs and at a reasonable acheivement level without sufficient practice.

A session with your vocal coach or singing teacher may prove to be most successful if you can concentrate your efforts on building from the level where you left off from in your last session. In my experience some singers expect to be able to go into their next session and show improvement without any practice whatsoever in between.

This means that practice has to happen at regular intervals between these sessions. This practice will enable you to give yourself a chance at firstly assimilating the work covered in your last session with your present singing standard, and to raise your achievement standard before you have your next session.

It all takes time but with clever time management as you suggest it is still possible to achieve your goal by using dead time such as when you are standing waiting for a bus, walking, driving (within safe limits on your attention) etc.

[flobiano]

I'am afraid for all athletes there is no such thing as mindless repetition, Development comes from many years of repeating the same correct actions. The variety comes in songs, choice of vowels, sounds etc. In singing, time is an essential ingredient that cannot be bypassed or speeded up

I agree with the comment in bold but don't agree that what you are describing is mindless repetition. Mindless repetition is what I have witnessed (and tried to stop, I hasten to add) my niece doing with her piano practice- playing a piece through 5 times with the same mistake/ stumble in every time without any effort to work out why or how to stop it happening. She would say she had practiced it 5 times would happily put a tick in the piano practice box (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) . Needless to say she then became frustrated that she wasn't making any progress. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

To me the term mindful practising is actually what you describe, making sure that you are always repeating the correct actions, and not the wrong ones, by making sure you are aware of what you are doing. I agree that you still need to put the time in but it does make more effective use of your time if you are not practising in mistakes that you later need to unlearn! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)