The curse of confusion: why thinking is bad for singing

I teach a song by ear in less than an hour at a workshop. Everyone picks it up really quickly and then they sing it brilliantly.



We’ve been working on the same song with my very accomplished weekly choir for quite some time. They really struggle and it’s like plodding through mud. What’s going on here? It’s all about your head getting in the way.

Chris Rowbury’s monthly music roundup

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How to pace a long singing workshop effectively

If a singing workshop is just a couple of hours long, then singers’ energy and concentration will probably be fine.



But for workshops which last a whole day, energy, concentration, focus, boredom, etc. all become factors. What’s the most effective way to pace a long singing workshop?

Have you got what it takes to be a singer?

There’s a lot of nonsense out there about what it takes to be a singer.



The fact is, you already are one! Let’s unpick some of the myths and misconceptions.

Choir and workshop leaders: make sure you’re on the receiving end from time to time

I like being in charge, as do most choir and singing workshop leaders. Our job mainly consists of telling people what to do and helping them to sing the best that they can.



Trouble is it’s easy to forget what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that. Which is why I always try to attend other singing workshops as a normal participant.

Coming back to singing after a long absence or a bad experience

Whether it’s bringing up a family or long-term illness or a bad singing experience, many people find it hard to get back into singing when they’ve been away for a long time.

photo by by Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief

Here are some ideas for ways of gently easing your way back into singing after a long break.

Singing with a group of strangers – mixing and mingling ideas for learning names

It always amazes me how surprised people are that a group of strangers can sing harmony together in just a few minutes. It’s not necessary to know the other singers to be able to sing well with them, but some people feel that they need to be introduced.



How can you get a group of strangers to get to know each other quickly without taking up too much time? Here are a few ideas.

Four powerful ideas guaranteed to help you learn to sing better

People are always asking me how they can learn to sing. Everyone is already a singer of course, but it’s always possible to learn how to sing better.



Here are four simple but powerful ideas that will help you be a better singer, whether you sing in a choir or a band or are a soloist.

How much should you charge singers to be in your choir?

Most choirs charge their singers to be a member (‘subs’). The amount can vary a lot from choir to choir.



What’s the best way to decide how much to charge your singers? Let’s look at some of the issues that can help you fix a suitable rate.

Stepping up – how to find the courage to volunteer for solo or small group singing

There are times in most choirs when a soloist or a small ensemble is required. These roles can be allocated by the MD but in many cases singers are asked to volunteer to try out.

photo by Paterm

What if you think you’re up to the job but lack the confidence to step forward? Here are some ideas that might help.

The challenges of running a drop-in singing group (and why you shouldn’t start one)

Some people run ‘drop-in’ singing sessions. People can drop in on any session they want, there is no commitment and no signing up for a ‘season’



It’s a nice idea: no commitment, no pressure, all very fun, sociable and informal. But there are plenty of good reasons why groups like this are hard to sustain. Here are ten of them.

What should individual singers focus on when performing as part of a choir or small group?

Whether you sing harmony in a small group or a large choir there are many things demanding your attention: other singers, conductor, audience, your own part, remembering lyrics, sheet music, and so on.

photo by andercismo

But what is the most important thing to focus on? It turns out that there are several.

10 great reasons why all men should join a choir – now!

Being in a choir is great (see The pleasures of being a choir member), but most mixed choirs never seem to have enough men.

photo by Roberta F.

Here are 10 very good reasons why every single man out there should join a choir as soon as they possibly can. Use the hashtag #getmensinging on social media.

How to encourage regular choir attendance – balancing fun with commitment

Lately I’ve been wrestling with the problem of inconsistent attendance at choir. If not everyone comes each week it’s hard to do any development work and it means I have to keep teaching the same songs again and again.

Sing For Your Life Choir, Tasmania

Jane Christie-Johnston from Tasmania contacted me recently and we had a bit of an email chat. I asked her how she dealt with the challenge, and this post is based on her reply.

5 good reasons why joining a choir might not be right for you

We all know that joining a choir is a good thing to do. But it might not suit everyone.

photo by Dave Pearce

Here are five reasons why it might not be such a good idea for you.

Should your choir perform live? – arguments for and against

When I started my most recent community choir The OK Chorale back in 2011 I decided it wasn’t going to be a performing choir.

Brighton Vox, photo from atticglimpse.blogspot.co.uk

But inevitably, over time, we have ended up giving local concerts. Not all choirs perform though. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

How ill do you need to be before you cancel a performance?

I’ve been laid up for the past 10 days with a nasty bout of ’flu. For the first time in my 18-year career I’ve had to cancel a choir concert.



In this case it was an obvious decision, but how ill do you need to be before you cancel a performance?

When you don’t feel like singing, that’s the perfect time to do it – sing yourself happy!

Many of us wait until the mood hits us before we do something. But often the doing something is what changes our mood for the better.



The saying “Don’t sing because you’re happy, be happy because you sing” hits the nail on the head. Here’s why.

Copying music – how to stay on the right side of the law

I get regular emails from people asking questions about songs and copyright. I’m certainly no expert, but I have written a few articles that you might find helpful.



I’ve also just discovered something called The Code of Fair Practice which (in the UK only) allows people in certain circumstances to get around copyright issues.

Less is more: don’t feel you have to teach or learn new songs all the time (by Betsy Sansby)

Many choir leaders end up feeling like song factories because we feel that our singers crave novelty. If we don’t keep giving them new things, they might leave.

One World Community Choir conducted by Betsy Sansby

Actually most singers in a choir welcome singing the old, familiar songs and find it hard learning new stuff all the time. It’s important to find the balance.

If you don’t feel nervous before a concert or a singing workshop then something’s wrong

I never sleep the night before running a singing workshop and I always feel terribly nervous before a concert – whether I’m singing or conducting.

photo by Francesco

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. The day you stop being nervous is the day you should give up. Here’s why.

What if the singing session is a success, but you feel like a failure?

Sometimes we’re asked to lead a rehearsal or run a singing workshop or perform a song and we do our job very well. But afterwards we don’t feel particularly good about it.

photo by www.stockmonkeys.com/

What’s going on here? Is it possible to be successful, but fail at the same time?

What’s the best recording device to use in a choir rehearsal or singing workshop?

How long’s a piece of string?! There are so many options that I’m not going to specify any particular type or model.

photo by svennevenn

However, here are some of the things you need to consider.

Recording during singing workshops and choir rehearsals – why, what and when?

Despite my strong belief in the oral/ aural tradition, there is an increasing number of handheld recording devices appearing in my singing sessions!

photo by Harris & Ewing [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

People ask if they can record during a singing workshop; choir members record their parts on their phone whilst learning a new song; I record the songs we’ve learnt at the end of each workshop I run.

But what’s the best, and most appropriate way of recording during singing workshops and choir rehearsals?

The singers who didn’t like warm ups (and what became of them)

Once upon a time there were two singers: Olga and Little Erik. They  did not like choir warm ups. Olga always came late so she could avoid them. Little Erik did them in a half-hearted way with a scowl on his face.



What became of these two reckless singers? Read on to find out.

10 exercises guaranteed to get your singers listening more carefully

I went to a workshop recently run by the amazing Su Hart who has spent around 25 years working with the Baka people of Central Africa. Living in the rainforest as they do, listening well is literally a matter of life or death.

photo by Rex Bennett

Su’s workshop reminded me yet again that singing is all about listening. But how can we get our singers to listen to each other better? Here are 10 exercises to get you started.

Build it and they will come – why you can never have too many choirs

I had a friend who moved to a new town and set up a new choir, blissfully ignorant of the 100+ community chorus that already existed there.

photo by ToBreatheAsOne

What was amazing was that the new choir quickly attracted 40 or so new singers, none of whom were from the rival choir. How is that possible?

Increase your enjoyment of singing in the choir in the coming year

I wrote a post a while back called Ask not what your choir can do for you – ask what can you do for your choir. The more you put in, the more you get back!

The OK Chorale, Woodbridge, Suffolk

There are plenty of practical things you can do to help you get more out of your choir. Here are a few. Why not try them in the coming year?

Busily doing nothing – 5 reasons why downtime is important for singers and choir leaders

Feel like you’re on a treadmill? Constantly learning and practising and planning but never arriving? Not enough time to catch your breath between concerts?

photo by Roger Gordon

Then you need some downtime! That is, time spent doing things completely unrelated to singing and choirs. Here’s why.

Christmas carols are dying out – but are they really?

There have been two articles in the UK national press this week, one bemoaning the fact that we don’t sing Christmas carols together as much as we used to, and the other celebrating the thriving culture of pub Christmas carols in Yorkshire.



The truth lies somewhere between these two extremes. Let’s look at the evidence.

Why a choir can never be truly democratic

Ever asked your choir members how they think things are going? Is there a large committee helping to run your choir? If so, you’ve realised that a choir is not a democracy!



A choir is more like a benign dictatorship. Here’s why democratic choirs don’t work.

Songbooks and other resources for choirs (that will also make great presents)

I’ve written before about finding songs for your choir (Where do you find all your songs? and Easy songs for your choir and Finding songs for your choir). But times move on and new books get published all the time.



Here’s a round up of songbooks and other resources that are either fairly new or which I haven’t mentioned before.

The differences between a ‘natural voice’ choir and all the rest

You may have come across the term ‘natural voice’. You may also have realised by now that I am a member of The Natural Voice Practitioners’ Network.



But what exactly is the ‘natural voice’ and how do choirs run on ‘natural voice’ principles differ from other choirs? You’re in luck! Caroline Bithell has just written an amazing book that answers all your questions. Let’s look at what’s in it.

Using world songs in the classroom: a teacher’s guide to sourcing songs and how to teach them

Some teachers find themselves having to lead singing sessions at their school, but don’t have that much experience of using songs from the world music repertoire (‘world songs’) or of teaching songs by ear.



Here is a short guide to using world songs in the classroom with some handy references to warms ups, song sources, and how to lead choirs.

Choirs and copyright: a beginner’s guide for the bewildered

[NB this post is about UK copyright laws. Although the situation will be similar in other countries, the various copyright and performing rights agencies and websites will obviously be different]

I wrote extensively about copyright way back in 2010 (see my series of seven posts Songs and copyright), but I still get emails every week from choir leaders asking me questions!



I’m certainly no expert, especially since I don’t use sheet music, but I thought I’d revisit the topic and try to spell it out in simple terms. Here goes!

Is how you label yourself as a singer holding you back?

We all have an image of the type of singer (or musical director or choir) that we think we are. There are things that we can do and things that we can’t (or won’t) do.

photo by iamstarbuck

But what if the way we see ourselves is out of date? What if we’ve given ourselves the wrong label? How can we move forward?

Want to sing but are scared of being judged? Here’s what to do

Sarcastic remarks from X Factor judges. Teachers telling kids to “stand at the back and just mime”. Being made to stand up and sing solo to get into your workplace choir. Scary!



And enough to put anyone off singing! However, there are plenty of other ways of singing with others without the fear of being judged or ridiculed. Here’s what you can do.

Want to develop your voice and sing better? Be silly and play!

Trying to increase your vocal range? Want to develop a richer tone to your voice? Puzzling over voice placement and timbre?

photo by The-Serene-Mage

Before you rush off to find a singing teacher, try being playful with your voice for fun.

Is one of your choir sections thin on the ground? 10 ways to find more singers to fill the gaps

Many of us are in choirs where a particular section needs bolstering. In my case it’s a lack of altos, for others it might be too few tenors.



Here are 10 ideas for beefing up a particular voice part.

Keep it to yourself! – why colds, singing and choirs don’t mix

’Tis the season to be poorly. A warm rehearsal room is the ideal place to spread coughs and sneezes, especially with all that deep breathing and standing close together.

Sneeze by James Gathany

So what should you do when you come down with a bug: soldier on or stay away? It depends how bad it is. Let’s look at your options.

Using feedback forms for choirs and singing workshops

You get what you ask for, so be careful how you seek feedback!

photo by Howard Lake

When designing feedback forms, less is more. Here’s why.

How to get your choir to pay attention to you (and stop chatting!)

At the beginning of each choir session it’s as if the singers have not seen each other for years. They’re chatting away having a fine time of things.

photo by barçalunacy

Trouble is, you’ll have to put an end to that in order to get started. How do you get their attention with all that noise?

How to sing – 10 habits of successful professional singers

In my recent post How to sing – the definitive guide, I pointed out that lots of people Google “How to sing” instead of just getting on and doing it.

Garðar Thor Cortes by David

If you’re serious about singing and want to get on with it, here are 10 habits you can develop which come from successful professional singers.

Your singing experience depends on how you feel, not just on what you do

On the face of it, a workshop or concert can be a resounding success.

photo by Andy Armstrong

But ask individuals about how they think it went and some people will think it was terrible.

Keeping choir attendance up – stick or carrot?

As I wrote recently (It’s summer – where have all the choir gone??!!), patchy attendance at regular choir sessions can be very frustrating.

donkey photo by Clay Junell

If you’re a community, or amateur, or singing for fun, or casual choir, how can you keep attendance levels high?

If not now, when? – start singing NOW!

“It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you’re ready.” Hugh Laurie

photo by Fido

Especially when that day may never come when you truly feel ‘ready’. So start singing now!

How to sing – the definitive guide

“How to sing” is one of the most common requests I get. The answer is simple: open your mouth and let the sound out.

photo by Spekoek

I’m not being facetious, it’s as simple as that. But when someone asks that question, they’re usually hiding a deeper one. Let’s look at what they really want to know and see what the answers are.

How many breaks should you have on a singing weekend?

People pay good money to come on a singing workshop and want to sing as much as they can.


But everyone needs a break. How do you find the balance between singing and time off?

Where do you find all your songs?

This is a question I’m often asked at my singing workshops, especially by people starting out as choir leaders.

photo by James Vaughan

There is often the assumption that I must have travelled to all the countries that I teach songs from and maybe even speak the languages. Not true!

Your job as a choir leader is to disappear

In David Zweig’s recent book he talks about Invisibles: people who are unseen when their job is done perfectly (who only draw attention to themselves when things go wrong).



It got me thinking that most of a choir leader’s job is invisible to the wider public. So why not just disappear when the next concert rolls around?