I’m sure I’m not the only one who sings to the rhythm of my windshield wipers. Ever since I can remember I would practice songs or work on triplets against the beat. Sometimes the squeaks from the wipers would have a distinctive pitch so I’d find myself singing in harmony with them. They even inspired songwriting at times!
Rain is also a good time for reflection and renewal. Wash away all the stuff that’s bogging you down and let something new emerge. Let the thunder wake up your buried creative treasures and the lighting be flashes of inspiration. What memories or ideas do you have of the rain as it relates to music?
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The cold and dreary winter days put a lot of you into creative hibernation. Kudos to those who didn’t shy away from being non-productive and showed up to lessons week after week. Progress isn’t a straight line. Even though you may have felt stagnant I could see your progress. There’s always something percolating under the surface.
Signs of spring are emerging in nature and I’m seeing it in my students as well! This past week I’ve seen sparks of artistic renewal and heard inspiration in your singing. There’s no better time than the present to let go of your regrets and start fresh. Wake up and let’s get to work! Most weeks there is a synchronicity to what’s going on with my students. This past week was a spread of sensory overload. I had the student who needed guidance on how to commandeer their passion into useful steps of progress. Then there was the student with compromised cords and how to deal with an upcoming important gig. Of course I had a couple of students who were sensitive to the point of silence — they were afraid of negative comments from their peers so decided not to sing at all. And I had every other type of student in between.
Many voice teachers recommend doing daily exercises will turn you into a great singer. I wonder if they have any real students? My personal daily mantra is perseverance so I can help my students. I dedicate my time to study business for my young entrepreneurs, vocal science for those with health issues, psychology and philosophy for my sensitive souls. I even subscribe to A Word A Day to help me explain things in ways everyone can understand. So to all my sensitive singing souls, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Helping you find your way helps me find mine. We’re all on this road to artistry together. Do you sometimes feel like a scared little mouse when you are asked to sing at a show? Does your heart leap into your throat when the teacher calls on you in class? Is there a pit in your stomach when you think you will be judged negatively by others for your talent/thoughts/ideas/comments? You’re not alone! We are all sensitive little creatures that crave love and guidance.
Every morning I read articles and blogs on different subjects. I always scroll through the comments from readers. Although I may be impressed by the writer’s words I see strong arguments in the comment section that refute the article. I’m sure the author feels vulnerable when they post their writings but it doesn’t stop them. How can you get past these feelings of insecurity and vulnerability? Step one is to acknowledge they exist and that’s ok. You are human and you have feelings. There are many of us ready to support you. Courage takes time. We’ll support you every step of the way. Do you have a story to share about facing your fears? Sharing your story helps others. Sleep. Glorious, wonderful, refreshing sleep. I put sleep as the #1 refresher for the body and mind. What happens when you sleep? You stop talking and singing! You aren’t staring at your phone wasting away the hours. No stress or anxiety during those hours of slumber to interrupt your zenful z’s. Tonight and every night, take your sleep seriously.
Remember the excitement you felt when you got a new box of crayons? You got out your favorite coloring books or sheets of blank paper and without anyone telling you what to do your creative juices flowed. What’s stopping you now? You’re thinking too much! Creativity comes when the analytical mind is quiet. Don’t know how to start? Buy a box of new crayons today and make something colorful. It doesn’t matter what it is. It can be abstract or an object. Your assignment is to color with abandon! Share your creations with me on Instagram.
@zuketunes Everything is running smoothly and you’re excited about the future until the moment it shifts. You pick your head up and the world and your life is out of focus. You try to rationalize what you’ve been doing, but in your heart you know it’s not going to work anymore. All the books and articles and mentors don’t seem to have a direction that feels right for you. Don’t be thrown off balance. That brilliant brain of yours is just processing all the information you’ve been gathering and needs to reboot. When it does, your focus will be sharp and clear again — until the next time!
When I was sixteen (it feels so funny writing that because being sixteen feels like yesterday and another lifetime simultaneously) I was a sophomore in high school and a competitive gymnast devoting sixteen hours a week to practicing my sport. At age sixteen I was not taking voice lessons. I had actually just stopped and wouldn't begin again until my senior year of high school. I was incredibly concerned with the short term goals of my life and not necessarily the long term ones that I would ultimately find fulfilling. I knew I wasn't going to be a competitive gymnast forever, but I had set goals for myself that I felt I needed to meet before I felt comfortable closing that chapter of my life. Upon beginning to take music seriously again my senior year of high school and throughout my first three years of college I regretted postponing my serious commitment to my music. At school and through friends I learned how early some well-known singers got started in their life and it made me feel as if I was fighting a losing battle. How could I possibly compare to people who had been devoting hours a day to their music since they were practically toddlers while I felt I was basically starting at age 18? While I had always been involved in music - played violin from 2nd to 4th grade, was in a band from 4th to 7th grade where I sang on two albums by the age of 12, was in advanced levels of chorus throughout all of my schooling and landed a few larger roles in musical theater throughout my middle school career - I still had a long way to go. Growing up I was praised for my singing voice and got away with half committing to my singing because I allowed teachers to let me make excuses for being too busy with other areas in my life to put enough work toward my music. I felt like I knew what I was doing pretty well, but when I took a step back I realized I still couldn't harmonize on my own, and I still didn't play an instrument which meant I couldn't accompany myself. College taught me that despite knowing a decent amount, I still had a great deal more to learn. In hindsight, I wish I spent much more time working on my music and taking it seriously prior to college. I wish I forced myself to sit down and get lost in my music instead of being caught up in activities or people that I wasn't going to be pursuing in the long run. I don't regret having made the choices I made because at the time they are exactly what I felt I wanted, but I definitely wish I worked harder and allowed myself to be much more open minded. I wish I let myself fall in love with the art of music and not be so hard headed as to what I thought I wanted. I closed doors to many schools with excellent music programs because I didn't want to study classical or jazz music only to get to my contemporary based program and study classical and jazz pieces anyway. I wish I explored more genres that I didn't believe I was interested in at the time and let my dad keep Led Zeppelin on the radio instead of asking him to turn those oldies off. Lastly, I wish I didn't let my fear of failure keep me from committing fully to my music. This is something I still struggle with but I have known for a long time music is what I want, and I wish I had challenged myself more earlier on. I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, whether that means listening to music you normally don't give a second thought or pushing yourself to perform for the first time. If you know what you love, do it and if you know you love it today, don't wait for tomorrow. We often spend too much time wondering what other people think of us when we sing or share a new original song. Our imagination invents comments and criticisms from friends or fictional characters. The power of your imagination is strong but it’s important to stay grounded. When others listen to you sing, they will hear your honesty. Your song makes you look beautiful.
You’ve reflected on the past year, made your new year’s resolutions...now what? There’s so much information crammed in your brain that it’s hard to decide what’s most important. Do you practice more, post more music videos, get a new job, start a new hobby, learn how to cook, volunteer, move out of your parent’s home? Sometimes brain overload prevents you from doing anything so you freeze. Use those moments to sift thru your stuffed brain. Imagine you can take all your thoughts and spread them out on a coffee table like a jigsaw puzzle. Rearrange them and put them into a picture that makes sense to you. Prioritize and plan. You know what’s best for your future and you’ll find it in your stuffed brain.
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