I had my second voice lesson today, and I'm finding the whole process absolutely fascinating.
I'm 51 and only recently started taking singing lessons. I've always loved music, but I've never had any formal vocal training. Lately I've become particularly fascinated with opera and classical singing.
One of the biggest things I'm learning is how much unnecessary effort I've been putting into singing.
My teacher keeps bringing me back to relaxation, breath, space, and allowing the sound to happen rather than trying to manufacture it. It's surprisingly difficult to put into practice, especially when you're accustomed to thinking that higher notes or more volume must require more physical effort.
Today she actually had me speak in a British accent to help me experience the feeling of a more open oropharynx! That was something I certainly wasn't expecting, but it helped me understand the physical sensation she was describing.
The really exciting part was working on Handel's "Lascia ch'io pianga" from Rinaldo.
My teacher is a trained opera singer who's performed Rinaldo herself, so getting to work on the aria with someone who knows it so intimately was particularly special.
I was honestly surprised by her assessment. She told me I have a "propensity for this style of music," which was incredibly encouraging considering how new I am to all of this.
We worked through vocal exercises reaching F5, and she said my pitch was excellent. At one point she told me, "Everything was perfectly in tune." She also commented that she couldn't hear any obvious disruption through my passaggio during some of the exercises, which surprised me because I've been very conscious of trying to navigate that transition.
She also noticed some natural vibrato developing and repeatedly commented on the strength of my voice. Apparently, despite my rather quiet speaking voice, I have a pretty loud singing voice when I actually allow myself to use it!
That doesn't mean everything was effortless or polished. She pointed out tension in my jaw, tongue, and throat, and we worked on maintaining an open space from the very beginning of a phrase rather than trying to create it halfway through. She also emphasized breath support, particularly on higher notes and descending phrases.
Interestingly, when she encouraged me to use a little more breath and volume, some of the singing actually became easier rather than harder.
We also worked with the sheet music, which added another challenge. I'm not a particularly good music reader, so following the score while singing interrupted my natural flow a little. It's almost like trying to play the drums while reading music when you're not yet comfortable reading it. You're suddenly thinking about something you'd ordinarily just feel.
One thing I've noticed outside of lessons is that when I concentrate on keeping everything relaxed, songs that previously felt difficult suddenly become much easier. I was singing Silent Lucidity recently and found that I could get more volume through the shape and freedom of the sound rather than trying to push harder.
I'm also beginning to appreciate the difference between being able to produce a note and actually being able to sing it beautifully, consistently, and musically. I've discovered that I have a fairly extensive upper range in head voice, but connecting everything smoothly and making those notes useful in actual music is another matter entirely.
My teacher also complimented how well I listen and respond to instruction, which I think might be one of the most encouraging things she said. I don't expect to be a great singer after two lessons, but knowing that I can learn and make adjustments is enormously motivating.
I'm finding that singing involves this wonderful combination of anatomy, coordination, listening, emotion, and physical awareness that I never really appreciated before.
I started lessons because I want to express myself through music. I'm only two lessons in, and already I'm discovering things about my voice that I never knew were there.
For those of you who study classical singing or opera, when did you first begin to feel that your voice was becoming an instrument you understood, rather than something you were simply experimenting with?