“If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much.”
Tom Krause
When you attend a summer program or even set up your own summer program perhaps working with a new voice or interpretive coach, you as a singer are responsible for the creative rules and habitual patterns with which you learn you craft.
All too often, we become ensnared by this familiar phenomenon:
1. We make rules based on the rationale that they make sense.
2. We follow these rules.
3. Time passes and things change.
4. The original reasons for the rules may no longer exist, but because the rules are still in place, we continue to follow them.
So, how creative are you when it comes to learning a new vocal technique or when you work with different coaches who offer different ideas and opinions? What old rules, patterns and habits are you willing to leave behind or break in order to get your money’s worth from the time you plan to spend with this new coach or voice teacher? Do you have a specific objective or agenda, or do you just push the “habit” button, drop into mindlessness and go into your rote production mode frustrating not only yourself, but those that are interested in teaching you?
What do you feel your part is when it comes to taking a voice lesson, practicing, or you go for a coaching? Do you think that it is possible to acquire a great vocal technique through osmosis from the other person? Are you waiting for a voice teacher or coach to transfer their years of knowledge and understanding magically into your psyche and body by your just showing up and working on the same old, same old in a boring manner each time. What is your creative contribution to your own learning capability when you practice?
Often I hear of singers who complain that they aren’t learning anything from their teachers or coaches. Sure, that can happen sometimes and yes, sometimes what you learn might not work for you so thank that person for their time and energy and move on to find what does fulfill that need. But continue to remember that it is always the teacher and the student that create the learning. If you don’t participate, and become very active by creating an agenda or objective for each session which means asking specific questions about some very particular aspect of what you are working on, gaining a vocal technique or making a role your own will take a long time to accomplish. So make an effort to leave the old ideas, ways, patterns and habits behind when becoming conscious of a new way of proceeding vocally, or looking at a character. Often singers unconsciously try to put the new ideas and thoughts on top of or inside their old habits and ideas to stretch them into some new shape. This never works! You have to leave all of the old ways, habits, patterns and thoughts behind, create a clean slate and start from scratch, good ole square number one and build from there. When you do this it might be frustrating and difficult for several weeks or months, but if you are vigilance especially when practicing without another set of trusted ears to listen to you, insisting on only the new technique even if it means practicing in 5 minute increments, it’s time, energy and money well spent. This allows you to unlock your very own creative geniuses. That means you’re being in control of the outcome every step of the way.
This kind of approach to being in charge of and owning your own knowledge and comprehension of how vocal technique or your understanding of and embodiment of a character works just for you is of paramount importance. It shows your teachers and coaches that you have a vested interest in learning from their years of experience. Remember, it’s your money you are spending to gain this kind of insight and learning. It’s not about putting another notch on your resume, but how you have rearranged and repositioned how you learn what you learn. It moves you forward into your future with more insight and usable knowledge because you have dared to fully participate in your own improvement which increases your value.
I hope you will keep me in your loop with all the progress you are making and all the wonderful stories you have to tell. Ciao until next time. Carol
