Ep.74: Singing with Confidence - It’s NOT About How Good Your Voice Is!
Why would I, as a teacher of vocal technique, tell you singing with confidence is not about
how good your voice is?
Watch and find out!
Hi. I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing.
The late Michael Shurtleff was a famous casting director for both Broadway and Hollywood productions.
He wrote the book, “Audition” which is a great book about acting and performing.
Listen to what he says about singing in auditions. It applies to singing at any time.
“The most important element in singing at auditions is not the forming of sound but
the creation of a relationship… Most singers don’t which is why they are
dull and lifeless, concerned as they are with making notes and pear-shaped vowel sounds.
Audiences are concerned far less with the quality of voices than with the emotional
life that is being created. The great singers of popular music are not those with the greatest
voices but those who know how to communicate feeling….”
Is this true that audiences are concerned far less with the quality of voices than we
think? Are the great singers of popular music not those with the greatest voices?
Is it the voice or the emotional connection to the singer that inspires us? Watch this
video mash up of 20 popular singers whose voices are not that amazing. In fact some
I think are awful. But they have diehard loyal fans who connect with them on a deep, emotional
level. And they’ve made multiple millions with their voices.
These singers help me understand that my success as a singer and performer is not about how
great my voice is. My success as a singer is about the emotional connection I make with
others.
Great performers use their voices, and many other things like their passion, love and
commitment to share their song. They commit fully to give themselves to their purpose
and meaning and to lay it bare before us. We identify and connect with them. We connect
with their love and their vulnerabilities. We identify with them. Their honesty draws
us into them. The quality of their voices is just part of it. In some cases just a small
part of it.
If it’s about the emotional connection why voice lessons?
First, master the vocal technique so you can forget about it and lose yourself in the song.
If you are so worried about the high notes coming up that you can’t get into the song,
you won’t create any emotional life or connection with the audience.
Second, as you remove the limitations in your voice, you gain great freedom and confidence
to sing your songs. You have an underlying confidence in your voice so you can forget
about your voice.
What if people don’t like your voice?
As I’ve mentioned in previous videos you can be one of the greatest singers and performers
in the world, and there will be many, if not most of the population of the world who would
prefer not to listen to you. Why would you think that everyone should like
your voice? They won’t. That’s life. Do you like everyone’s voice? You are singing
for those who really love your voice. And if you connect your heart to your song, there
will be many whose hearts will connect to you.
Don’t try and sound like someone else. If you are trying to sound like someone else,
you will sound like you are trying to sound like someone else. As soon as you embrace
your voice the door will open to your emotions which you can share. It’s very difficult
to be thinking about sounding like your vocal idol while trying to connect emotionally with
your song.
The honesty and vulnerability in sounding like you immediately opens the hearts of your
listeners to you and your unique voice...even if it’s less than perfect. In fact, often
we like the imperfect voice...because most of us don’t relate to perfection. We relate
to the real you. We relate to the feelings and emotions you are sharing with us.
Mastering your vocal technique will also let you have fun with your voice. Literally you
can look forward to the high notes in the song. There is tremendous freedom that comes
with this. You’re free to let yourself go and give yourself to your song and your audience.
We will love you for it.
Understanding your voice is a great way to grow in confidence. It helps to know your
vocal type, or what you tend to do when you sing. This helps you work efficiently on your
voice by focusing on eliminating limitations and maximizing your own talent.
Go to PowerToSing.com and take the vocal test which I call the PowerTest. Take the quiz
and discover your vocal type. Then visit the Knowledge Center and watch the videos about
your vocal type. Download the free exercises and start improving your voice immediately.
I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing. You can sing higher, with beauty, confidence and
power.
I’ll see you inside the next video.
Subtitles by the Amara.org community