After teaching songs to a group of singers, I often get feedback that it was hard to concentrate because so many people were talking.
It always surprises me, since I don’t usually notice. So what’s going on here?
I’ve written before about this issue (see How to deal with unwanted talking during choir rehearsals without killing anybody), but it’s also useful to ask: why do people talk so much when others are trying to learn?
why do singers talk when others are learning?
Some would say it’s disrespectful, but It don’t think it’s as simple as that.
The most common time for chatter is when one section has finished learning their part and I move on to another. At that point, singers might be:
-
comparing notes about what they’ve just learnt, or checking with each
other that they’ve got a tricky bit right
-
celebrating success – they’ve just nailed a challenging phrase and
want to share their excitement
-
switching off – feeling like “school’s out” now that their turn is
over, not realising how disruptive their chatting is.
-
bored – they’ve been waiting too long while other parts are being
taught and lose focus.
strategies that help
The first two situations are relatively easy to manage. Allow a short pause before moving on so singers can check in with each other or enjoy a quick moment of celebration. Just keep it brief, and remind everyone else to pay attention — they might learn something useful.
For the third, you can keep singers engaged by giving them “homework” while you’re teaching another section:
sing their part silently in their head
double-check lyrics
-
listen for moments where their line rises as another part falls (and vice versa)
notice how rhythms interlock
(see Learning songs by ear: what should you do while other parts are being taught? for more on this.)
Being told to sit quietly for long stretches can feel like being back at school, which isn’t a positive association for everyone. Some singers might have been the chatty ones at the back of the classroom, and those instincts don’t always disappear. The challenge is to balance focus with fun — serious learning, without the heavy atmosphere of formal schooling.
The fourth situation — boredom — is best avoided by “chunking” the teaching into small, manageable pieces (see How to teach (and learn) a song by ear). It also helps to have sections sing against each other regularly, so everyone stays alert and knows they might be called on at any moment (see How to bring harmonies to life when teaching a song).
focus, focus, focus
As the song leader, I rarely notice background chatter unless it’s very loud. That’s because I’m 100% focused on the group I’m teaching at that moment. But singers don’t have that same level of immersion — too much noise around them makes it hard to hear and harder still to learn.
When I ask people to stop talking, they usually become aware of it (and often apologise), but a few minutes later the chatter creeps back. I don’t believe it’s deliberate disrespect; it’s more a lack of awareness about how much it affects others.
For those who are not neurotypical, the challenge is even greater. Extra background noise can make focusing nearly impossible, sometimes to the point of feeling overwhelmed. That’s not a great place from which to learn.
creating the right environment
The key is to build a culture of attention and care. Encourage singers to take the learning seriously—but not themselves. After all, singing needs to be fun!
One effective approach is to explain the learning process at the start of a session. Emphasise the importance of giving each section quiet space, and make it clear that chatting isn’t banned, but should be kept to a minimum. That way, when noise levels creep up, you can gently remind singers of what you all agreed at the beginning.
ideas for good practice
provide social opportunities outside of rehearsals
keep every section engaged as much as possible
explain the learning process upfront
remember that not everyone is neurotypical
aim for a relaxed, but focused environment
the silver lining
And finally, a positive thought: if there’s a lot of talking in your choir, it usually means something is going right. People are engaged, comfortable, and enjoying themselves. The trick is to channel that energy into the singing. See If there’s too much talking in your choir, something must be right
Chris Rowbury
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