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?
I have had my fair share of disasters in my career, both as a singer and a choir leader.
There are times when I’ve wished that the earth could swallow me up because what I’d done was so terrible it was bound to affect everything and everyone.
Yet, most of the time, my terrible blunders went unnoticed. Or, at the very least, they weren’t perceived as problems.
I’m going to consider why this might be in two main circumstances: in choir rehearsals or singing workshops (this week), and in choir performances involving both singers and leaders (next week).
I’ll look at possible things that might affect the situation and why they often go unnoticed.
The main thing to remember is, that because it’s happening to you, you think that everyone will notice. However, you need to remember that you are just one small part of a greater whole.
leaders of choir rehearsals or singing workshops
-
no energy – maybe you’ve been ill or had a bad
night, but you’re very conscious that you’re not firing on all cylinders as
usual. Your singers probably won’t notice because you’ve had plenty of
experience and could probably run the session in your sleep. You are almost
certainly more experienced than all your singers and they will be more
worried about themselves getting things right. In fact, having low energy
might work in your favour: it might be good to go at a slower pace than
usual so the singers really get a chance to study the material.
-
mistakes when teaching – this shows that you’re
human, just like all your singers. It reminds them that you are fallible and
error-prone like they are, so their own mistakes get put in perspective. The
reason they might not notice your mistakes is that they assume you know what
you’re doing (so think what you’ve taught them must be correct) and if it’s
a new song, they won’t know how it’s supposed to go anyway. As long as you
own up to your mistake and correct it as soon as you notice, nobody will
mind.
-
imposter syndrome – this is something we all
suffer from, no matter how many years of experience we have. We believe that
we’re not qualified enough and are out of our depth. And yet,
even though we feel that we’re an imposter, we deliver the
goods regularly (see last week’s post:
Magic words that will help you become a better singer or choir leader). How do we know? Our singers keep coming back. Being nervous and having
doubts means that you’re not being complacent.
-
choosing the wrong songs – at my recent
workshop I chose a song that was much too hard to start the day off. I only
realised it later when the singers were struggling. But they didn’t notice.
They were too busy thinking they weren’t a good singer because they were
taking time to catch on. I made it very clear to everyone later that the
song was hard and congratulated them on eventually nailing it.
singers in rehearsals or at a singing workshop
-
not picking things up quickly – many singers
beat themselves up because they’re not learning a new song fast enough. They
assume that everyone else is catching on more quickly. The reason nobody
notices is that the vast majority of other singers are struggling too! It
takes time for a song to really bed in. This is why the song leader won’t
notice either because they know that the process takes time. And if singers
are struggling, they will assume it’s their teaching that is at fault, not
the singers.
-
getting your part wrong – everyone gets their
part wrong at some point, especially when learning a new song. You are not
alone (which is why most other singers won’t notice)! It’s important to make
mistakes or you won’t learn anything (see
Singers, don’t be afraid to make mistakes – it’s the only way to learn). I was in a workshop once when I was the only singer who sang the wrong
rhythm, loudly! The leader asked who was singing it wrong, so I put my hand
up confidently. It meant that I had learnt the correct way to sing it
because it had been pointed out to me. Getting things wrong can be helpful
to the song leader. Then they’ll know which parts of the song to focus on
when teaching.
-
being a ‘bad’ singer – we’ve all had that
feeling: we are so bad at singing that everyone is bound to notice our
screechy, out-of-tune voice. Again, you are not alone (see
You are not alone – most people in your choir think they can’t sing
well)! You are just one of many voices and the chances are that nobody will
notice.
-
in the wrong voice part – ever had that sudden
realisation that the part you’re singing is far too high or low? It can
happen easily if you’re new to harmony singing. I’m pretty sure that nobody
is going to notice you struggling with the extreme notes. Simply move to a
section that suits you better rather than staying where you are and
straining your voice.
-
can’t remember lyrics or song structure – it’s
something that all singers struggle with, but especially those who learn by
ear. You’re all in the same boat and your song leader will find ways to help
you. Again, you’re just one voice in a group, so stumbling over the odd word
or starting a chorus too soon is going to go unnoticed. Be aware of when it
happens so you know which areas need more work.
Next week I’ll consider live performances from the perspective of both singers and choir leaders.
Chris Rowbury
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