Why is singing so hard?
Have you ever wondered why is singing so hard? the voice is certainly one of the most difficult instruments to play. It sounds weird since we all use our instrument already to speak!
There are some reasons why singing can be so hard and frustrating.
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To sing freely, we need to use semi-voluntary muscles
The muscles that we use to sing freely without tensing the throat are semi–voluntary. This means that we can control them consciously, but we are not usually aware of this until we are taught how, most of the time we just let them do their thing unconsciously. The training of singing requires you to be extra aware of your internal sensations and that takes time and perseverance.
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Singing is not a priority for the larynx
The main function of the larynx is to keep food and drink out of your airways. Therefore, your larynx will want to be closed most of the time for protection, when you sing you need it open! It takes time to build habits and muscle memory!
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Our posture and lifestyle have changed our breathing.
If you observe a cat or a dog you will notice that their bellies move freely with their breathing. This is because they adopt a horizontal posture. If you observe your breathing while you are lying down, you will notice that is much easier to bring your air to your lower lungs (belly breathing). When we are in a vertical position it is harder to find that spot, especially when trying to do a “deep breath”, in most cases resulting in rising and tensing our shoulders.
In addition to that, for many of us, modern life has caused us to adopt a body posture that is far from ideal…
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Our emotions influence our voice
Our emotions are linked to specific breathing patterns. For example, if we suffer from anxiety, our breathing will tend to be shorter and faster. As mentioned many times in this blog, when we sing, the breathing we use has to be functional for singing.
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We sing with the whole body
It can seem like we only sing from the throat since the vocal cords are located there, but we actually sing with the whole body. This affects the voice in 2 ways:
First, the body is all interconnected and that means that you can be indirectly be tensing the throat and the jaw by tensing other parts of your body or adopting different postures.
Second, apart from our primary resonators, we sound with the whole body. Have you ever wondered why babies produce such a loud sound even if they are so tiny? They have usually their whole body relaxed, so the sound can flow freely.
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We have been told to shut up
I think many of us can relate to this. Many of us have been told to shut up not only for singing but also for speaking when we were little and not so little. I have had many students that come and tell me that when they were kids their family laughed at them when they sang and told them they did it very wrong. Then those kids didn’t sing anymore and come as adults with a blocked voice that doesn’t dare to express freely.
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The voice is the most vulnerable place of expression
Is very hard to lie with the voice. Pretty much all our emotions are quite clear in it. Expression through the voice has more to do with the tone of our voice than with the actual words we say.
When we are sad, or mad, or whatever emotion we are feeling, if we try to hide it, it is better not to speak since it will be crystal clear as soon as we open our mouth!
Also when we sing we usually have nothing to hide behind, that is also why many people prefer to sing with a guitar. We feel more vulnerable when we sing, for this reason, having our chest exposed and open.
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We think way too much
These days it is very easy to find ourselves using our heads way more than our bodies. For example, for many people, their job involves being eight hours per day sitting down and using their head.
If we don’t do something about it, like regular exercise or meditation, our energy will be concentrated in our head most of the time. To sing freely we need to connect our mind and our body. If you think about it, the voice is produced in the neck area, the neck is the bridge between the mind and the body! If our energy is balanced and well distributed, our neck will be able to be relaxed and our voice will be connected.
So yes, there are many reasons why singing is so hard, but the good news is that by training it you will also be improving many aspects of your life that want to be healed.
At Auckland Singing School we provide singing lessons in Auckland, for anyone keen on learning to sing!
A holistic approach to contemporary singing ❤️
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I help people to develop their voice and singing from a holistic approach. I teach vocal lessons in person in Auckland, NZ, and online. Also stay tuned for my new online singing programs!❤️
My greatest passion has always been the voice, music and energy arts.
My personal and artistic journey has led me to understand that the voice and the body are fully connected, and that includes not only the physical body but also the mental, emotional and spiritual body.
Through holistic vocal training you not only learn to become a great singer while taking care of your voice, but you also improve your mental and physical wellbeing❤️
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