Full Version: Can Anyone Learn To Sing?
It wasn't until I stumbled across these forums that I realised voice was considered an instrument in its own right. Obviously some people will have more natural ability than others, just as with any other instrument, but I'm curious as to whether people consider that anyone can learn to sing? I'm not interested in having singing lessons but I'd be interested to know how someone might assess my voice or the range I could sing.
The short answer is yes. We all have more or less the same equipment for producing a singing voice and if we know how to use it a decent sound can be made.
It takes longer to make a singer though as there is so much else to study apart from making the sound.
That would be rather like learning how to make a good noise on an oboe for example but not being able to actually play the thing.
It takes longer to make a singer though as there is so much else to study apart from making the sound.
That would be rather like learning how to make a good noise on an oboe for example but not being able to actually play the thing.
Absolutely - as long as you have all the bits necessary to make sound, you can learn how to do it in a tuneful and musical way.
The actual act of learning how to sing will come quite quickly if it's shown to you the right way, what will take longer is mastery of your chosen idiom (classical, rock, pop etc) - repertoire, idiomatic style etc.
It's a fun journey though!
The actual act of learning how to sing will come quite quickly if it's shown to you the right way, what will take longer is mastery of your chosen idiom (classical, rock, pop etc) - repertoire, idiomatic style etc.
It's a fun journey though!
Is it wrong that reading those posts, reeeally makes me want to have singing lessons?!
I think that all children should have proper singing lessons from a very young age.
If you feel inspired and love singing go for it.
It is never too late.
If you feel inspired and love singing go for it.
It is never too late.
Yes - it seems like singing has disappeared from the curriculum in Children's schools - when you think about Kodaly and his amazement that all British people could sight sing... we've gone a fair bit wrong since then!
Helping children build good solid vocal habits and a love of singing and music (and a lack of self consciousness when singing) is such a good idea, I don't know why we don't do it any more.
Helping children build good solid vocal habits and a love of singing and music (and a lack of self consciousness when singing) is such a good idea, I don't know why we don't do it any more.
QUOTE(rosfrog @ Jan 16 2009, 06:11 PM) 
Helping children build good solid vocal habits and a love of singing and music (and a lack of self consciousness when singing) is such a good idea, I don't know why we don't do it any more.
Some of us try to...
Cyrilla should be appointed Minister of Singing.
Singing makes everyone feel so good and the voice is an instrument that we all have and for free too. When parents bemoan the high cost of instruments, even at a basic level they should consider singing lessons as a brilliant alternative. Go Singers!!
Singing makes everyone feel so good and the voice is an instrument that we all have and for free too. When parents bemoan the high cost of instruments, even at a basic level they should consider singing lessons as a brilliant alternative. Go Singers!!
I really meant that all children would benefit and enjoy singing if they were guided from a very early age by a good and inspiring teacher of voice in groups at school. Some school singing is grim and many use pre-recorded tracks rather than a live piano accompaniment. I have taught singers as young as six years old and then it is a matter of letting them sing naturally, gently correcting any odd habits and learning songs that are suitable rather than working on technical skills. Even very young singers can learn sight singing. This morning I have been working with two six year olds working out the rhythms to Five Naughty Monkeys using laminated note cards and they are both very quick at it. Music games are such a good way of learning.
using laminated note cards and they are both very quick at it. Music games are such a good way of learning.
I agree - Cyrilla for Singing Minister !
David - I see your point about not starting too young, but there's actually no physical reason why not if the technique being taught is sound, they can start as young as you like - the only thing being that they have a short attention span and probably won't practise much. I find that with guys, I don't start until after they've finished the voice break stage (but wouldn't turn away a young chorister, for example) and with girls, I aim for no younger than 14, but that's just my personal preference when it comes to working with children.
Encouraging them to build healthy vocal habits (especially things like deconstriction / open throat) is essential really - often when we try to let them 'do it as mother nature intended' we forget that she didn't intend at all and that some basic pointers on healthy sound production are necessary to avoid messing up their voices - things like, keep it light but not breathy, open throat etc are probably enough and if combined with some fun choral exercises (or the Rather Fabulous Cyrilla book for kiddies
) could be of great use to younger children in helping them to develop a love of music and a lack of fear.
I agree that it's not worth going into too much detail on the technical front until they need to attack more complex stuff, by which time they'll have decided if they want to learn how to sing properly anyway.
David - I see your point about not starting too young, but there's actually no physical reason why not if the technique being taught is sound, they can start as young as you like - the only thing being that they have a short attention span and probably won't practise much. I find that with guys, I don't start until after they've finished the voice break stage (but wouldn't turn away a young chorister, for example) and with girls, I aim for no younger than 14, but that's just my personal preference when it comes to working with children.
Encouraging them to build healthy vocal habits (especially things like deconstriction / open throat) is essential really - often when we try to let them 'do it as mother nature intended' we forget that she didn't intend at all and that some basic pointers on healthy sound production are necessary to avoid messing up their voices - things like, keep it light but not breathy, open throat etc are probably enough and if combined with some fun choral exercises (or the Rather Fabulous Cyrilla book for kiddies
) could be of great use to younger children in helping them to develop a love of music and a lack of fear.I agree that it's not worth going into too much detail on the technical front until they need to attack more complex stuff, by which time they'll have decided if they want to learn how to sing properly anyway.
The answer is NO.
MOST people can learn to sing, but there are people that have disorders of the brain (congenital, or due to damage from trauma or disease) that render them incapable of distinguishing different tones, or different rhthms.
MOST people can learn to sing, but there are people that have disorders of the brain (congenital, or due to damage from trauma or disease) that render them incapable of distinguishing different tones, or different rhthms.
I laughed out loud at that Mad Tom. Perfectly true of course, but it was so wonderfully literal that it made me smirk. Not at the poor people deprived of music (which remains thankfully quite rare), but just the general wittiness of the response.
Thanks!
Thanks!
QUOTE(Mad Tom @ Jan 19 2009, 03:19 PM)
The answer is NO.
MOST people can learn to sing, but there are people that have disorders of the brain (congenital, or due to damage from trauma or disease) that render them incapable of distinguishing different tones, or different rhthms.
QUOTE(rosfrog @ Jan 19 2009, 06:47 PM)
I laughed out loud at that Mad Tom. Perfectly true of course, but it was so wonderfully literal that it made me smirk. Not at the poor people deprived of music (which remains thankfully quite rare), but just the general wittiness of the response.
Thanks!
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.