Very quick thought today, with the intent of helping you to think a bit more critically and with neutrality about your singing.
Believing the wrong thing
Many people convince themselves that they can or cannot do something based on incorrect or incomplete information.
For example, just because you can squeeze out (say) a particular note in a song with a good run up and a following wind behind you does NOT necessarily equate to having the ability to hit that note.
Similarly, if you find you can do something (say) during a lesson in exercises without issue but then coming to a song it doesn’t carry over, this doesn’t mean you lack the ability to do that specific thing – if you can do it once, you can do it twice, thrice, and repeatedly… what you lack is the capacity to repeat it in a more demanding context.
What I’m trying to point out is that there is a difference between ability, and capacity. Let’s define this difference more precisely:
Ability = Can you do something correctly, even if it’s just once or twice?
Capacity = Over what repetition range or duration/level of difficulty can you sustain doing that thing for? Especially
Efficiency = What you need to turn a “one and done” into something you can repeat over and over.
The difference between having the ability to do something just once, and the capacity to stretch that ability over a whole song or set of songs is governed by your efficiency.
It’s a bit like driving
When we first acquire the ability to do something, we are horrendously inefficient at it. We overmuscle things, we commit lots of mental resources to focusing on the task at hand. It’s physically and mentally hard, and it takes a LOT of energy to deliver. We fatigue quickly, even if we’re doing it right.
Think of it like when you first learn to drive a car. Think about how mentally and physically taxing it was at first. After a year, how easy was it? For those of us who have been driving looking, after 5-10+ years of driving, how easy has it become?
And yet, the actions involved in driving don’t change or become easier, and our ability wasn’t lacking, at least not in the first instance. We knew how to drive a car, so what changed?
Answer: We became more efficient at the actions involved in driving. In turn, our capacity for driving grew.
This all hinges on correct repetition, in order to became more efficient at the task in question.
The same is true with singing
Simply focus on this:
1) Acquire a basic but correct ability
2) Repeat til efficient at it.
We improve our capacity through through efficiency. This is gleaned through correct, repetitious practice.
Now along the way you’ll hit hiccups. Little bumps that you need to raise your game to get over. This is totally normal, and is a reflection of an increase in skill. Don’t worry about this for now.
Focused repetition of exercises and songs inherently (done correctly and with intent) will make you more efficient at the task in question, and in turn grow your capacity.
This is powerful because it works
…but in itself lacks glamour. Put in the work in the right way, and the results will inevitably follow.
Go and practice – keep up the hard work!
Learn More: Related Articles
If you’d like to read more along these lines, you may enjoy these related articles:
Dunning-Kruger: A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing
Shouting Masquerading As Singing: Reasons why so many singers are just yelling
The Difference Between Amateurs and Pros
Vocal Pedagogy: Why we need to look to the past to progress into the future
Style vs Hyper-style: An analysis of Modern Vocal Style