Take your time! Being unable to learn songs quickly doesn’t define your singing talent

One of the many reasons why people say that they can’t sing is that it takes them ages to learn a song.

photo by Takashi Hososhima

But that’s OK. Even professionals take time to get a song under their belt.

Feeling like everything is falling apart? Here's a hint: no one really notices!

Last week I wrote about song leaders and singers in rehearsal and at workshops feeling that they’ve made a big mistake. Yet nobody noticed: Think it's all going wrong? Spoiler: nobody's noticing!

photo by madaise

This week I want to consider live performance, both from the perspective of choir leaders and singers.

Think it's all going wrong? Spoiler: nobody's noticing!

I had a bad workshop experience the other day. I felt that the whole day had gone wrong and I wasn’t up to snuff.

Yet loads of people came up to me afterwards to tell me how much they’d enjoyed it. What’s going on here?

Magic words that will help you become a better singer or choir leader

We’re all very good at sabotaging ourselves. You know the kind of thing: “I can’t do that” or “That was a disaster.”

However, there are some simple and powerful phrases that can help us overcome these self-doubts.

Why learning harmony arrangements of pop songs is hard

I led a Beatles a cappella singing day last week. As usual, it attracted people who love to sing pop songs.

Everyone enjoyed it, but many pointed out afterwards how hard it had been to learn the songs.

Why do humans sing?

A guest video from Michaela Bartoskova reminding us all of why we sing.

“We sing to taste the freedom that music brings.”

Are you cleaning your water bottle enough?

As singers, we’re encouraged to keep hydrated by bringing a water bottle to rehearsals and workshops.

photo by Basile Morin

But did you know that harmful bacteria can easily build up on reusable water bottles? It’s important to clean them often, especially as warmer weather arrives. Here’s how.