General Music Chat

They'll probably be prying my Fender Presision bass out of my hands after I die (or a fishing rod, or a golf disc). I"m not going to quit playing no matter how frustrating things might get, or how little money I make, or any reason for that matter. I enjoy singing my ass off and playing bass too much to quit now (I'm 49 years old). Later...fisherman bob

Robertalan, That's how I feel. I don't think I'll ever stop singing. Once the "bug" hits you, it's in your forever! LOL

The one thing that does hinder me though, is my nerves. How do you get over them? I had my first formal voice lesson this past Thursday, after a five year hiatus, due to alot of reasons, and my teacher told me that I had great pitch and tone, but I wasn't breathing that much, I was pulling too much from my chest. I KNOW how to breath, but I just plain forgot to use my skills when I started singing for her, it completely went OUT THE DOOR! At least I stayed on pitch! LOL

Any advice about getting over nerves would be great now.

Tracy

I perform on the 29th in Master Class. I'm going to sing "Brass in Pocket" from the Pretenders. Wish me luck all.

Hey Tracy!

Here is me wishing you Luck on your performance!

I definitely agree with Samic and sounds like you do too that writing/performing originals is where it is at. Sounds like you and I have a lot in common. I want to ultimately write, but haven't gotten around to it. I would have to use the old excuse at this time that I have let life get in the way, but I know I won't forever. I am trying to take this one step at a time and establish some contacts and get my voice where it needs to be as well as building my self esteem by performing covers.

I suffer from "the nerves" problem. Stage freight at times, whatever you want to call it. But the way that I get over it for the moment is to get into the music, and practice. The more you perform, the more comfortable you become. Also, knowledge and familiarity with your material will help you be more comfortable. I am always afraid that I am going to forget or screw up lyrics which has hindered me in the past from trying new things, but not no more!

Ok, so I am babbling a bit, sorry, your post just certainly touches on a few things that are affecting me as well.
Hope some of what I have said helps a bit, because this community has been a tremendous source of support and encouragement for me, I just hope that I can help someone even in the smallest measure in the way that people here have helped me.

Once again good luck on your performance!

Jacquee, thanks for wishing me luck for next week. I appreciate it.

As for the nerves thing, I think it's developed over time with how my growing up was with my grand parents, and then it definately got bad when I was married. My ex treated me like crap, always putting me down in one form or another. I developed low self esteem big time! It's taken me a long time to get out of even being able to be myself around others without feeling like they are judging or critizing me.

There are a couple of guys at work that want to join a band with me, either one of us may not be that good but that doesn't matter. You have to start out somewhere right?! One of them was singing snippets of songs to me in our breakroom at work the other day and I couldn't get myself to sing one note for him! I know that I have a good voice and I don't know what the heck is wrong with me!!! I have to force myself to open up and get over this for heaven's sake! I know it will be a life changing thing for me and make me a better person once I do. I'm going to have to push myself and the other guys are too. With help from my voice teacher and the other guys pushing me I'll get over it. I know I will.

Thanks again for the encouragement Jacquee, I'll keep you informed on how things go. And good luck to you too.

Tracy

You are so welcome!
Best of Luck. Thanks for the well wishes.

Bananas. Bananas are great for nerves and stage fright. It has something to do with potassium.

I tried it, it really works. But uh, don't slip on the banana peel on the way out to the stage.

Seriously Irminsul? Bananas? Wow! Maybe it is bc they are so full of sugar. hahaha, no wait you said potassium. You learn something new everyday. I am gonna try it!

Irminsul, really? Bananas huh? I'm going to try it too. It won't hurt I guess? At this point I'll try anything, other then drugs or drinking that is.

The main thing that happens to me when I get up to sing is my voice shakes and I can't stay on pitch too well. And Jacquee you mentioned that you get afraid that you'll sing the wrong lyrics, I have that problem too but I also don't move around on the stage too much either for the same reason. I stay in one place and I know I can't do that.

If only I could get over these nerves I have and be able to be myself on stage, that would be the greatest! I used to when I was younger and I had a blast.

This is to all the singers out there. I had my second formal voice lesson last night and I came out of it very discouraged.

My teacher is BIG time on breathing and support. She basically wants me to breath like Darth Vadar or something. Which basically means I have to breath ALOT. And I just don't do that. I breath when I need to breath and support when I need to carry out long phrases and sustain notes as long as I need to. The way she wants me to do it is just plain over the top, in my opinion.

I started studying with Brett Manning, using his home Singing Success program, about six months ago. Brett doesn't teach breathing that much. His look on it, you were born to breath and you've been doing it since you were a baby. You don't have to be taught to breath and that you're body will breath when it needs too. He mainly focuses on building your vocal chords and the muscles in your throat to be able to sing anything the way you want to. Since I've been studying with his program, I've developed near pitch perfect notes, a stronger voice, better tone and I've increased my range by five or six notes. Brett has a five octave range, he's incredible! I've increased my range to almost four octaves already.

I started studying with Michelle because I wanted immediate feedback on how I was doing and be able to sing in Master Class once a month, but if this is her teaching style, then I'm out of there. She was telling me last night that if I don't breath the way she wants me to then I'll damage my voice and won't be able to sing anymore. I don't think so! If that was true then Brett wouldn't be able to sing anymore either! LOL

What is your take on this anyone?

Tracy

It sounds like you're used to practicing softly.
How about meeting your teacher half-way? She's on to something, there . . .
Maybe - find a place where you can really 'belt it out,' without fear of other's hearing you . . . ?
Give it a try - what do you have to lose?

yes - you will be too old when you start begging the question: "am I too old?"

Samic, I don't practice softly, I do belt it out when I practice. But that's just it, I haven't had a chance to show her what I can do. The first lesson she had me sing. I wasn't used to her set up. I felt she had way too much reverb or something turned on and I couldn't hear myself that well. I was nervous on top of that, so I wasn't able to put my all into it. She did say that I had good pitch and good tone. She's just too much into breathing. I do breath and support that works for me. She just hasn't given me a chance to get used to things at her studio and get over my initial nervousness.

She told me yesterday that she's not going to let me sing anymore in my lessons unless I get my breathing down the way she wants me too. I don't think so. I went to her so I could work on my sound and now that's not going to happen. I'd much rather spend the money on a phone lesson from Brett Manning himself or one of his teachers then to waste my money on something that won't improve me.

Tracy

Good thought MrMike. Thanks for that.

I'm not worried about the age thing anymore, thanks to the comments on this thread. I'm just going to keep going as far and as hard as I can.

Tracy

Well I would have to say that it sounds like you have your mind made up.

I don't know if you are going to like what I have to say, but I am gonna say it anyway...... It's easy to make excuses when your nervous and afraid of something. I may be wrong, but from the way you just want to exclude her teaching. The reason you went to her in the first place. The reason people pay her all the time to teach them how to sing.

I would give just about anything to find a vocal coach in my area. I have searched high and low, to no avail. There obviously is a lot to what Michelle has to say. I noticed and maybe you have too that when I am nervous I tend to get out of breath easy and I am sure if I had practiced a technique it would help me.

What it boils down to though is that it is your money, your time and ultimately your decision. Just don't make a rash one, give it some time and communicate with her your concerns and maybe you can come up with a compromise together.

Once again, good luck!

Thanks Jacquee, I hear what your are saying but I don't feel that a compromise would be made, not just on my side, but on hers. She's really set in her way of teaching. She was that way when I took lessons from her before, but she's worse now.

I've decided that I would work with one of Brett's teaching associates and take phone lessons from him once a month. I would get a lot more out of a lesson from him then I would with her. Maybe you should look into it for yourself? Go to SingingSuccess.com and read about Brett's program. It's amazing!

Thanks again Jacquee for your comments on this thread.

Tracy