Singin' in the PAIN.
I’m ashamed to
say my singing voice is in a bit of a state.
I haven’t done any actor / musician work for ages; a situation that was self-inflicted. I grew tired of it. There was always too much stuff to be learnt, particularly when the show was a one-off. These gigs are particularly unsatisfying. You don’t feel like you’re playing as a band, more a collection of musicians who occupy the same physical space, but are each in a world of their own; staring at their crib sheets, trying their best to get through it. You also score it all out by ear, which is a time-consuming process and brain-frying process.
I haven’t taught singing for a while, which keeps your voice in shape. Well, it does when you’re not shouting at your students to be quiet, or to encourage them to sing up. I’ve not even sat at my piano and sung for my own enjoyment. I can’t remember the last time I switched it on (it’s electric). My guitars sit in their stands, gathering dust.
Singing, like anything physical, requires constant work. You need to keep yourself in shape. It you fall behind on your exercises, your standard slips. I go through periods where I’ll do a vocal warm-up every day and feel the benefit. I then get bored, stop gigging, or stop bothering, until my voice resembles a latter-day Bob Dylan.
I spent much of this morning sorting out receipts for my imminent Tax Return, which I still haven’t completed. This was done to the accompaniment of my Deluxe Collectors’ Edition of Wings Over America (my musical taste is cutting edge). I sang along as I collated my records. It reminded me I should get back into my old vocal regime, before I can only speak-sing in the style of William Shatner. Or Bill to his mates.
I haven’t done any actor / musician work for ages; a situation that was self-inflicted. I grew tired of it. There was always too much stuff to be learnt, particularly when the show was a one-off. These gigs are particularly unsatisfying. You don’t feel like you’re playing as a band, more a collection of musicians who occupy the same physical space, but are each in a world of their own; staring at their crib sheets, trying their best to get through it. You also score it all out by ear, which is a time-consuming process and brain-frying process.
I haven’t taught singing for a while, which keeps your voice in shape. Well, it does when you’re not shouting at your students to be quiet, or to encourage them to sing up. I’ve not even sat at my piano and sung for my own enjoyment. I can’t remember the last time I switched it on (it’s electric). My guitars sit in their stands, gathering dust.
Singing, like anything physical, requires constant work. You need to keep yourself in shape. It you fall behind on your exercises, your standard slips. I go through periods where I’ll do a vocal warm-up every day and feel the benefit. I then get bored, stop gigging, or stop bothering, until my voice resembles a latter-day Bob Dylan.
I spent much of this morning sorting out receipts for my imminent Tax Return, which I still haven’t completed. This was done to the accompaniment of my Deluxe Collectors’ Edition of Wings Over America (my musical taste is cutting edge). I sang along as I collated my records. It reminded me I should get back into my old vocal regime, before I can only speak-sing in the style of William Shatner. Or Bill to his mates.
