An old, old song from the 1920’s contains clues for us today about our singing voices.
According to Wikipedia, “Without a Song” was a popular song with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu, published in 1929. It was included in the musical play, Great Day.
In other words, it was a successful Pop Song during that era.
What intrigues me about this song is the message it holds for us today:
I got my trouble an’ woe, but….
I’ll get along as long as a song is strung in my soul!
Why am I telling you about this?
Well, today one of the people who contacted me was honest enough to tell me what he thought his voice sounded like. I won’t quote him because I don’t want to embarrass him, but basically, he was telling me that he didn’t think that he sounded very good when he sang.
This is a common problem and I like to get deep down the importance of your singing mindset to solve it.
Basically, if you don’t like the way you sound, no one else will either and so you will not be able to connect with your audience the way you want to.
I have written about this before in several different places but I’ll list only one here.
If you would like to find out more about your singing mindset, just type in that phrase, “singing mindset” in the search bar at the top right-hand side of this page. You’ll find all sorts of articles listed there to help you.
Meanwhile, let’s get back to your voice and your attitude about how you think it sounds.
It is crucial for you to find ways to change the way you think about your voice. I cannot stress this enough. The foundation of everything you do with your voice depends upon your singing mindset.
So I want to give you one affirmation for today about your voice. And I want you to say it out loud to yourself in front of a mirror at least three times a day.
It may sound silly to you at first and you may feel foolish, but trust me, I know what I’m doing and I wouldn’t lead you astray. What would be the point in that?
Here is your affirmation:
“I have unlimited potential to change the way I sound when I sing.”
That’s all. Just that little phrase, three times a day in front of a mirror for at least a week or maybe longer if you have a deeply ingrained negative singing mindset.
And do leave questions below after you try this for awhile. This is how I can help you the most. By knowing what you think and what you need.
Now, to finish up this post tonight I want to get back to the song lyrics above.
The message behind these lyrics will help you with your singing mindset because as long as you KNOW that you have a song inside of you that is strung there like a harp or guitar or violin string that is just waiting to be set free, you can find a way to release it with the deepest emotions you have.
So, if you have trouble believing in yourself, in your ability to improve the way you sound, if you want to get the high notes that you desire, if you want to enjoy the sound of your voice, then follow what I suggested above.
I live and breath in order to help you with your singing voice and it starts with your singing mindset first, so get the help you need and follow what I suggest.
I have been singing in this karaoke group for 2 years now. I am a good singer, I have a good voice, I practice and sing really really well at home. I am perfectly fine and confident about my singing until I start singing. Then my hand shakes, voice shakes, body shakes, this has been going on for 2 years, and every time I tell my self that it won’t happen again and then it does. I feel dejected. Any suggestions?
Hi
I am going through very similar situation. I have been doing stage shows for a few years now but last year at this live stage show I ate half a sandwich before my performance thinking it will digest by the time I will be on stage. That caused lot of issues while I was singing. I kept cutting the lyrics and I kept swallowing. I really put myself down but audience still loved it. Since that day I have been very hard on myself. I have lost the confidence. There was another show after that where I made sure I won’t eat anything before my performance. Even after looking after myself same thing happened. I struggled to sing. I kept swallowing. It was hard to breath. I have been having bad anxiety and lot of negative thinking since that little incident. A colleague of mine was saying that I am going down in my performance what is happening ? I look serious and nervous. I want myself back, my confidence back. I have been reading positive affirmations, tried spiritual healing. God knows when I will get better. Now if someone ask me to sing I make up a reason not to perform because I know I will struggle. I have let myself down in my own eyes I believe.
I think I am going through something serious. I want to fix myself. Plz help.
Thanks
Hi GS,
I want to tell you a little story… a true story about myself.
When I was about 9 years old and studying piano in Los Angeles, I had practiced hard to play an advanced piano piece for the annual recital my teacher always gave for the families and friends of all her students.
There had been a great deal of pressure put on me because I had shown a strong talent at an early age, so I was apparently really nervous about getting everything perfect, although I didn’t know it at the time. What happened as a result of the über stressful expectation others had put on me about being perfect actually became my own stress, my own expectation. I wanted to please my teacher, my family, the other students, the entire audience. I didn’t want them to be disappointed.
What happened next was one of the most miserable and embarrassing things that ever happened to me during a performance: in the middle of the piece (I don’t remember what it was), I choked.
Totally.
I was playing without the sheet music and I knew the piece backwards and forwards, but I choked and made a mistake, then tried to correct it, which made me more tense, which then made me freeze up.
Chagrined, I ran from the piano and into a room near the performance area, then threw myself down on a chair and cried, and sobbed, and could hardly catch my breath.
Suddenly, my teacher and my mother were at my side, trying to encourage me by saying things like “It’s ok, you did your best,” “Nobody is perfect,” and things like that.
Those words just made me feel worse.
Then I was embarrassed that I had run away from the piano and felt wretched that I had messed up the entire recital… or so I thought. Of course, I hadn’t, but at the time I was sure I had.
On and on I went inside my mind and tears. The worse I felt the worse it would get.
Finally, after I had sobbed out all I could sob out, my teacher and mother had the good sense to encourage me to go back out to the piano and finish playing the piece.
At first I didn’t want to do it. I felt too ashamed. But they finally convinced me, and even though I could not look at the audience because of my shame, I went back to the piano and started the piece again. Of course, I played it all the way through that time without any mistakes.
Later at that recital I got an award for being the best piano student of the year in the young age category. Inside I didn’t feel like I deserved it because I had messed up the piece the first time.
It took me a lot of time to get over that horrible experience. But this one thing I know for sure: I got up that day and went back to the piano. Because I did that I kept going and later learned how to sing well in front of people and TV cameras, etc. My love of music eventually overcame my self-inflicted shame. My focus went from my shame to the beauty of the music and how it made me feel, whether I made mistakes or not.
I also had really good teachers in life who stressed that everyone makes mistakes. Everyone! The best of the best of the best. And those people are the first ones to admit it!
So, here’s what I want you to do.
Don’t listen to what anyone else says that makes you feel less confident. Instead, surround yourself with people who tell you that you will find the answers you need to gain your confidence back. Listen to those people and ask them questions about how they think you can not only regain the confidence you once had, but get MORE confidence than you ever had before!
Remember my story. I was 9 when it happened. I could have let it stop me, but I didn’t. If I can get back up there so can you.
We are the same. We are humans who are not perfect… and don’t need to destroy ourselves because we aren’t perfect.
I wish you were in the room with me right now, because I know that I could help you with this.
But for now, listen to what I am sharing from my heart, because I know this feeling of shame and fear.
And I say to you… let it go. And don’t let anyone else stop you from letting it go.
All my best,
Joy
The survey page is gone? Should it be?
Thank you. Lets see gow how things turn out for me next performance
Thank
Thank you
Hi Wendy,
Yes, it was taken down some time ago, but there may be references or links that still exist. My apologies.
Joy
Tanya,
How are things going for you with your singing voice?
Joy
You’re welcome!
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