- There is nothing quite like the excitement
of learning something new, most newcomers to singing
start out with enthusiasm and enough energy
to power a small town, but within months, if not weeks
and I think you'll relate to this.
The initial fervor begins to run low
and the everyday challenges of life
start to smother the embers
that only a few weeks ago burned bright
with eager anticipation, but take heart,
you can rekindle the flame
and realize your dream of a better singing voice
with a few strategic and straightforward tips.
Stick around because I'm about to reignite
that fire in your belly and spur you on to singing success.
- [Announcer] Essential.
- Good, welcome back to voice essentials
where everybody sings.
My name is Dr. Dan
and after 25 plus years of teaching people to sing
I know that one of the most challenging steps
anyone can take when they want to improve their singing
voice is the first one.
Just starting can often feel
like a massive hurdle in itself.
But here's the thing of the thousands of people,
I've had the privilege of teaching,
pretty much every single one of them has said,
why, why did I wait so long?
Why didn't I, why didn't I start this sooner?
We all have unique hurdles to overcome in life
but no matter what limitations you are facing,
I want you to stop putting it off,
just stop and the rest will take care of itself.
Okay, okay, it won't just take care of itself.
If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it
but it still remains true
that often the hardest step in any journey is the first one.
And after your first step, choose to take another
and then another, and just keep walking.
Now to start with your journey
will be made up of thousands of baby steps.
When the baby first learns to walk,
we don't expect their first stride
to be followed by a hop, skip and a jump.
No, we celebrate every wobbly and unsure movement.
We even applaud the missteps and stumbles
because no matter how many times the baby falters
in those initial stages of learning to walk,
we know that if they continue to get up again,
they will realize their goal.
They will learn to walk,
and learning to sing is no different.
If you continue to sing one note after the other
eventually you will be singing
just like a baby will eventually be running.
But of course there will be challenges along the way.
So let's take a look at some of the challenges
facing every student of singing
and how you might best overcome them,
when you reach each one
on your personal journey of learning to sing.
- [Announcer] Essential.
- Now I know that many of the things
we're about to cover together
will already be familiar to you.
There's nothing new under the sun, right?
But I have found that not only in my own life
but by also observing successful students over the years
that inspiration and encouragement often come
from revisiting those things I already know
and reinvigorating my understanding.
So stick with me until the end of the video
because I want to renew and revive
your passion for learning.
Every successful journey starts with a plan.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
I find that most singers,
especially those who set out with it, self-taught approach
falter after a few weeks
simply because they don't have a map to lead them
through the many and very trials that will lay ahead.
So if you want to learn to sing
then stop by planning your journey either with the help
of a qualified singing teacher or by enrolling in something
something like an online singing course.
Part of planning your journey
is about being specific and realistic.
It's important to specify why you're learning to sing.
Everyone's reasons are different
and there are no wrong reasons for singing.
However, it is important to be realistic.
Now you can test your realistic goals
with the question are my specific goals achievable.
If the answer is maybe once in a blue moon
then I would encourage you to go back
to the drawing board and reassess your goals.
The reassessment process,
won't be a once only activity either.
Every endurance race and learning to sing
certainly takes endurance,
will require constant reassessment
and realignment of your goals.
Actually as time moves along
there may even need to be a renegotiation of your goals.
And this needed always be a negative.
There are times when a student singer having set out
with one set of goals comes to realize
that their original set of goals is actually
quite restrictive and far greater opportunities await them,
if they renegotiate their original plans.
A well thought out plan also helps you
to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.
Sometimes all you need is a new approach
to the same old problem.
Perhaps it's time for a new singing teacher.
Not because your current teacher is bad,
but because you need a fresh approach
or maybe you need to stop
at merely learning songs and start actually
learning how to sing with a well-researched technique
designed to inform your voice with new skills.
Always remember if you always do what you've always done
then you always get what you've always got.
And let's also remind ourselves
that perfection is not the goal here.
If you keep aiming for perfect notes
you are going to be constantly disappointed
in yourself and your voice.
Why, because perfection is an unrealistic goal
that is unachievable
for your wonderfully imperfect human anatomy.
Humans are not robots.
You are not a robot.
And this means your voice will never be perfect.
And the sooner you can reconcile that truth
the happier you will be.
And when you're happier with your voice
and this rope and sure progress
that it is making albeit imperfect as it may be
then you're more likely to stop beating yourself up
for always getting it wrong.
Keep in mind that we can only learn from our mistakes.
If you make no mistakes,
you're either perfect or you're a robot.
And I think we just settled that matter before.
So celebrate your mistakes step back
and observe your mistakes.
Keep a learning to sing journal
and make a note of your mistakes.
When you keep a journal, you'll soon come to realize
that you're not tracking your mistakes.
You're actually tracking and recording your progress.
There is no forward momentum without friction.
Sure, no one likes to make mistakes.
Mistakes can rub our egos the wrong way
but all that rubbing causes more friction
which ultimately propels you forward
along your journey to a better voice.
At the end of it all, there are no secrets to success.
Success by most definitions comes from blood, sweat
and tears.
There is blood because occasionally the figurative bumps
and bruises you get from consistently showing up
practice after practice to make a mistake after a mistake
can get a little messy.
There is sweat because the journey never ends.
Choosing to learn to sing is a life long pursuit
that will bring you tears of joy
each and every time you achieve
one of your renegotiated goals.
You have to be consistent and you have to be persistent.
Great rewards await those who can stay the course.
And when the going gets really tough
just take a moment to stop and recall why,
why do you sing?
Why did you start this learning to sing journey
in the first place?
More often than not I think if you'll that you love it.
Few activities can bring a human being
as much joy as singing.
Actually there are numerous health benefits
that singers enjoy.
And I'm going to tell you about all 25 of them,
when you click this video, I'll see you in a second.
I'm Dr. Dan sing well.