Week 1 – The brain
Singing has a lot to do with brain training. Your brain is an amazing organ – it agrees with everything you say – if you say: “I can’t do this”, then the brain says: ”You are correct, you can’t” and will find ways to show you how you can’t so that you can prove yourself right. Equally if you say: “I can do this”, then your brain also says: “You are correct, you can” and will find ways to show you that you can. I will leave the philosophical debate as to which part of your brain says “You can or can’t” and which part decides on what to listen to, to you.
Of course the principle in practice isn’t quiet as simple but if you start from this premise then anything is possible and I will spare you my personal experiences of this unless of course you specifically request it.
Your brain controls everything that goes on in your body and many functions go on without any of our conscious thought. In order to sing around 140 muscles have to be coordinated – you also have to hear what it is you will sing, watch the conductor, look at your music, sing the song, sound good and tell a story so as to connect with an audience. Audiences like to feel something and they will forgive mistakes if they feel a connection with you.
Phrase by phrase you must plan to sing and then sing the plan. If you randomly start to sing then who knows what comes out of your mouth.
Exercise
Next time you are at rehearsal be aware of what your brain is focusing on just before a new song is started and then during a song.