Sometimes I teach a song at a workshop that some singers already know.
Invariably it will be a different arrangement. So how can singers approach re-learning a version that has only slight variations?
There are many occasions when this might happen:
- when you attend a workshop run by someone other than your own choir leader
- when you join a new choir that shares some of the same repertoire as your old one
- when your choir leader decides to tweak an existing arrangement — perhaps by adding a new harmony, varying the arrangement for different verses, or making small adjustments to keep a song fresh and engaging in performance
Each of these cases, you’ll find yourself re-learning some (or all) of a song you already know well.
When this happens in one of my workshops, there are often groans! Singers feel it’s going to mess with their heads, that it’ll be hard to ‘forget’ what they already know. Even worse if they have to re-learn it just for one workshop, then switch back to their original version later.
But instead of seeing it as a nuisance, it can be a wonderful opportunity — a chance to really focus on the song, the harmonies and the teaching, rather than simply going through the motions on auto pilot.
Personally, I love it when I’m in this situation. It makes me stay fully present, and it feels like an exciting challenge.
Rather than thinking you have to ‘forget’ one version, or worry that a new one might overwrite the old, remember that the brain is wonderfully adaptable — constantly forming new pathways, even for us older folk!
Treat it as a workout for your brain.It’ll sharpen you focus, keep things interesting, and help you become a more flexible singer. And who knows — you might even end up with two versions of the same song in your head!
You might find this older post useful too: What to do when someone wants to teach you a song you already know
Chris Rowbury
Get more posts like this delivered straight to your inbox!
Click to subscribe by email.
… found this helpful?
I provide this content free of charge, because I like to be helpful. If you have found it useful, you may like to ...
... to say thank you.