Does getting older make it harder to learn songs?

Most of the singers who attend my workshops are in their 60s and 70s. Many of them having been coming to my singing events for years.

The other day, somebody asked if I’d noticed whether they struggled more with learning songs as they got older.

Sing together and lose weight — 100% guaranteed!

You’ve tried Slimming World, Weight Watchers, weight-loss jabs, Aunty Jean’s herbal concoction, but nothing works.

photo by Alan Cleaver

It’s time to sing!

Why singing leaves you tired – and relaxed

Singers often say how tired they feel after a rehearsal or workshop.

Paradoxically, singers who arrive tired at the start often leave feeling energised. What’s going on?

Silence: the other half of singing

At the end of a recent residential singing weekend I was acutely aware of absence when everyone had left. The silence was almost painful.

It got me thinking about the different kinds of silence in singing.

Missed your starting note? Don’t just sing anyway

I’m amazed at the number of singers who miss the starting note of a song, but then carry on regardless.

You have several options if you miss the start note, but one of them definitely isn’t: “sing anyway”!

When singers want different things

I wrote last week about how No choir can be all things to all singers. Some singers prefer sheet music, others learn best by ear. Some love movement and performance, others just want to stand still and sing.

Here are some of the most common tensions that arise — and a few ways to navigate them.

No choir can be all things to all singers

You can’t please all your singers all the time (see Keeping a choir happy – you can’t please everyone). 

There will inevitably be times when some singers want one thing while others want something very different. How do you keep everybody happy?

Why does movement put so many male singers off?

In my experience, when it comes to moving and singing at the same time, men seem to find it hardest.

photo by Kevin Burke

Why is this, and are there ways to help?

Some want to sit. Some want to stand. Now what?

When I ran community choirs, I used to insist that singers stood during rehearsals. But some complained that their legs ached by the end of the evening.

Now I usually get people to sit for singing sessions. But recently some singers have complained because they prefer to stand! Is there a middle way to keep everybody happy.

Can anyone learn to sing?

Yes!

Just do it.

Mistakes, failure, and the value of getting lost

A couple of things recently reminded me just how important mistakes are when learning something new.

One was performer, song leader and composer Brendan Taaffe’s substack The most important thing you can do is fail, and the other was a voice, body and rhythm workshop I attended.

Not everyone will like what you do, but that doesn’t mean you’re not good at it

When someone doesn’t like what you do, it can make you wobble and start to doubt whether you’re any good.

But not everyone is going to like what you have to offer. Once you accept that, it’s easier to move on.

Lost the joy of singing in your choir? Here’s what to do

Here in the northern hemisphere it’s cold, wet, dark and miserable. it’s the ‘slump’ end of the year before spring truly arrives.

Going to choir each week can help. But what happens if you lose the joy of singing?

How to have a merry (not tipsy) festive season: Lessons from a Georgian Feast

It’s that time of year when drinking a little more than usual suddenly seems normal.

Which is fine — until Uncle Geoff starts telling inappropriate jokes or Mum stumbles and sends all the roast potatoes flying across the floor.

Singing: the gift that lasts forever

Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift? Why not introduce someone to singing?

Image generated by Gemini AI

Unlike a box of chocolates or a pair of socks, singing lasts a lifetime.

Singing outdoors in the winter: a survival guide

Many choirs perform outdoors during the winter, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

photo by Peter

Here are some tips to help make the experience as pleasurable as possible.

Why getting it wrong is the best way to learn

A couple of things this week reminded me how important mistakes are when learning something new.

photo by N i c o l a

One was performer, song leader and composer Brendan Taaffe’s substack: The most important thing you can do is fail”, and the other was a workshop I attended on Voice, Body and Rhythm with Helen Chadwick and Tania Bosak.

Don’t stagnate: there is always something new to learn and discover

I was trying to come up with an idea for this week’s blog post, but everything I thought of I’d already written about!

Image generated by Gemini AI

For a moment, I started to worry that I’d run out of things to say about choirs and singing. Surely that can’t be true — can it?

Singing together is therapeutic, but it’s not therapy

Over the years, countless singers have told me how much choir has supported their mental wellbeing.

There’s no doubt: singing together has real therapeutic benefits. But we need to be clear — it isn’t the same as therapy.

Become a better singer or choir leader by mastering new habits

I assume that we’d all like to become better at what we do. That could be teaching songs, singing, or leading a choir. 

Changes Ahead by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

Inevitably, to improve, we will need to develop new habits or change existing ones. But that can feel awkward and unfamiliar, even painful at times.