Turning bad singing experiences into good singing lessons

Things go wrong from time to time, but it doesn’t have to be a bad experience.


It’s possible to consider things from a different perspective and find the positive. Here’s how.

What I did on my holiday: tapping into your problem-solving mind without even trying

You’re finally on holiday and have truly switched off.



But did you know that this is a great time to do some work without actually making any real effort? Here’s what I mean.

Stopping singers from zoning out when saying something important for the hundredth time

Nobody likes to hear the same old stories and jokes time and again.

photo by James Brooks

It’s the same with instructions you give to your choir. How do keep stop people zoning out, even though you need to say the same thing week after week?

It’s break time for many choir leaders, but how do you actually switch off?

I’ve written before about why taking time out is so important for choir leaders.

photo by Lance Anderson

But how do you actually switch off to make the most of your downtime?

Dreaming of the perfect choir (a light-hearted fantasy)

Last night I dreamt of leading a choir where everyone turned up on time every week fully prepared.



Unfortunately it was only a dream, but it got me thinking: what would the dream choir be like for choir leaders and for singers?

Choir’s on a break, so where do you sing?

Most choirs take a long break over the summer (which is currently here for a few days in the UK!).



But many singers complain: “What am I going to do without any singing for so long?” Don’t worry, there is help at hand.

How slow can you sing? – using speed as a rehearsal tool

Doing anything too fast can result in errors and inaccuracies.



By slowing a naturally fast song down, you can reveal all kinds of mistakes and problems.

When did you last tell your singers how grateful you are?

Your singers turn up to choir week after week without fail. It’s very easy to get caught up in the music-making and forget that they don’t have to be there.



It’s good to show your gratitude to your singers from time to time. Don’t take them for granted!

What do you do if you’ve not finished teaching a song before the end of the session?

Last weekend I ran one of my monthly drop-in sessions. I had underestimated the time it would take to teach a song so couldn’t finish it by the time the session ended.



What can you do in situations like that?

Why are so many people afraid to open their mouths and sing?

I believe that everyone can sing. But despite encouragement, there are many people who think that they can’t.

photo by Sophia Spring/The Observer

For them, just opening their mouths can be scary. Why is that, and what can be done about it?

Why alcohol and good singing don’t mix

Performing in public can be nerve-racking. Some singers have a drink to take the edge off their nerves.


But that often results in very bad singing. Here’s why should avoid it.

How to stand and sing without getting backache

I always encourage my singers to stand. It’s the most effective body position for singing.



However, some older singers or those with back problems can be resistant. Is it possible to stand and sing without getting backache?

How to adapt singing warm ups if you have limited mobility

Like many choir leaders, I get people to loosen up their bodies as well as their voices when preparing to sing (see Preparing to sing: what should a warm up consist of?).



But we also need to be aware of those who have limited mobility. Here are some ideas for making sure your warm up is as inclusive as possible.

Having a “no music day” can improve your music-making

I’ve just returned from a week away. During that time I heard virtually no music and didn’t sing a single note.



It got me thinking about how having a break from music can reinvigorate our music-making practice.

Choir leaders: how to give yourself a break and not feel guilty

We all need a break from time to time. Even choir leaders.



But some of us find it hard to prioritise downtime. Here are some ideas for how to take a break without feeling guilty.

Why I record the songs at the end of every singing workshop I lead

Some years ago I began to record the songs learnt at the end of each of my singing workshops.



Here’s why I continue to do it, and what the benefits are.

What to do with your hands while singing – 5 ideas for singers in choirs

If you’re not holding sheet music, what should you do with your hands while singing?

photo by mr. throk

This can be problematic in a choir. Here are some ideas.

Why ‘learning by rote’ can be an insult

Somebody asked on Facebook the other day for suitable songs to ‘learn by rote’.



I imagine they meant songs to ‘learn by ear’ rather than by reading sheet music. I must admit, I was insulted. Here’s why.

A little rant: don’t diss those who don’t read music

Somebody wrote to me recently about how other choir members look down on them because they don’t read music.



It made me very angry that this sort of thing is still happening.

How to warm up your voice on the bus (or any other public space)

Sometimes we don’t get the chance to do a full warm up in private before a performance.

photo by Justin Morgan

Here are some ideas for warming up your voice in public without drawing attention to yourself.

How to know which harmony part to sing – a guide for new singers

Many people who attend my choirs and singing workshops have either not sung since school or have never tried singing in harmony before.



I am often asked “Which part should I sing?” Here are a few ideas which might help new singers.

How to put on a successful concert 2: songs and concert structure

Last week we looked at planning and asked a series of questions like why? what for? when? who’s coming?



This week we’ll look at the how: how you actually put a concert of songs together.

How to put on a successful concert 1: planning

It seems such a straightforward idea: learn a bunch of songs then find some people to sing them to.

photo by Nick Youngson

But planning a successful concert involves a lot of planning. Here’s a guide to how you might approach it.

Why altos are often timid and nervous

Over the years I have noticed that the least confident part of my community choirs is often the alto section.

photo by simpleinsomnia

I can only speak from my own experience, but I’ve heard others tell similar stories. Why might this be?

How to keep your warm ups and singing sessions fresh and engaging

I teach singing workshops across the UK. I’m lucky to get a lot of the same singers turning up each time.



Which means that I can’t keep on using the same old jokes or worn out warm up routines. Here’s how I keep things fresh.

Learning songs by ear: what should you do while other parts are being taught?

When a harmony song is being taught by ear, you can find yourself not singing whilst other parts are being taught.



Rather then zoning out or getting bored, there are plenty of things you can do which can help your learning. Here are some of them.

Singing in harmony as a metaphor for life

Singing together is known to have many benefits, for both mental and physical well-being.

photo by William Murphy

But if we think about it, singing together is also a wonderful example of how to live a harmonious life. Here’s how singing in harmony can be seen as a metaphor for life.

Does singing have to have an end goal?

Some people sign up for classes because there’s a goal to work towards.



But surely it’s possible to do things just for the sake of it? Does singing always have to have a goal?

Feedback is vital – even when things are going well

If you’re like me, you read reviews on sites like TripAdvisor and Amazon before you buy.



But how many times do leave reviews yourself? For systems like this to work it’s important for everyone to give feedback, especially positive feedback. The same applies to choirs and singing.

When patience wears thin – 5 strategies for choir (and other) leaders

Patience is one of the most useful traits a choir leader can have.



But sometimes – despite your best efforts – you become impatient. What can you do to prevent taking it out on your singers?

Finding song information – Chinese whispers, wishful thinking and the oral tradition

I was choosing songs for a project the other day when I remembered one that I really liked from way back.



However, with a bit of further research I discovered that it was a very lewd song and not suitable. So how come girl guides all over the world are singing it?

Tell your choir leader what you’re struggling with, otherwise they can’t help you

Sometimes one section of the choir struggles with their part. I ask what the problem is, but am faced with a sea of blank faces.

photo by CollegeDegrees360

If I don’t know what the difficulties are, I can’t help. Why won’t singers say why they’re struggling?

Where are all the birthday songs?

Today happens to be my birthday. Which got me thinking: how come most people in the world sing the same birthday song?

photo by Ed g2s

Where are all the other songs for birthdays?

Can you ‘be in the moment’ yet plan for the future?

There’s a lot of talk about ‘mindfulness’ these days. Of being present and in the moment.



But if you are truly in the moment, how can you think about the future and plan ahead? Let’s look at this apparent contradiction.

Taking stock – self-reflection for choir leaders and singers

In order to develop as a singer or choir leader it’s important to take stock from time to time.



People often use the New Year as a time for reflection, but you can take stock at any time.

Christmas comes but once a year — so when to learn all the carols?

Christmas is coming. Time for concerts liberally sprinkled with seasonal songs.



But when do you start learning your Christmas repertoire? It takes a lot of work to add songs to the repertoire and then might only sing them once!

Have you become too dependent on your choir leader? You might be denying your own abilities

I’ve been noticing something interesting recently: when I move away from a part when I’m teaching them a song, they tend to fall apart.



Since I’m not actually doing anything for them at this point, I wonder what’s going on.

Choir anniversaries – and how you might celebrate them

I’ve just realised that this blog is 12 years’ old! Amazing how time flies. I was wondering how I might mark the occasion.



Then I realised that I’ve been hearing a lot recently about choirs who have been celebrating their own anniversaries. Which got me thinking: what’s the best way to celebrate a choir anniversary?

The hardest thing about going to choir is leaving the house!

Humans – dontcha just love ’em?! They say they really want to do something, then they don’t turn up.



What is that about? How come it’s so hard to leave the house when it’s choir time?

Singers, don’t be afraid to make mistakes – it’s the only way to learn

Many singers hold back because they’re afraid of getting it wrong.



But if you never make mistakes, you’ll never learn what getting it right is.

What to do if you think someone in your part is singing it ‘wrong’?

There are times when you hear someone in your part singing something different from you. Especially when you are learning a new song.

photo by Peter O'Connor

What’s the best thing to do in this situation? Let’s look at some of the options.

How to work with a mixed group of music readers and non-readers

I always teach songs by ear. As a member of the Natural Voice Network, our ethos is to make singing accessible to as many people as possible. This means we never assume any prior musical experience or knowledge.



But, sometimes there are music-readers in my singing groups who ask for the sheet music. How can you accommodate these demands whilst keeping the work accessible to everyone?

Why do I sound much lower (or higher) than the person next to me when singing the same part?

In choral singing, you often hear the term blend. Much attention is given to the shape of vowel sounds to help achieve blend.



However, the timbre of voice is perhaps even more important than vowel sounds. Why do two singers sound so different when singing the same thing?

How to find the balance between easy and challenging songs in a drop-in singing group

A drop-in singing group is exactly what it sounds like: singers don’t need to make a regular commitment, but can drop in any time they want to.



I’ve written about before the pros and cons of these kind of groups. But here is what I’ve learnt from leading a monthly drop-in group for the last few years.

How to cope with too many male singers (a rare and unusual problem!)

It’s very common for choirs to be short of men. Most of my singing workshops attract far fewer men than women.



But sometimes – very occasionally – loads of men turn up unexpectedly. Which can be a problem too. Here are some ideas for what to do.

Why you need many different ways of telling your singers the same thing

As I started yet another singing workshop, I realised that I say pretty much the same thing in the introduction each time.



That got me thinking: if singers hear exactly the same thing too many times, they’ll just zone out. How can we avoid that?

Why are some ‘easy’ songs hard (and vice versa)?

Sometimes I start a singing session off with what I consider to be an easy song.

photo from Wellcome Images

But the group end up struggling and it turns out to be really hard! What’s going on here.

If you’re a man, do you have to be a ‘bloke’ in order to sing?

There are plenty of opportunities for men to sing together these days. They are called things like “Sing like a bloke” or you can even go to ‘BlokeFest’.



Does that mean that men have to be ‘blokes’ to sing? Of course not!

New singing weekends and new website!

I'm delighted to announce that  a brand new, full responsive version of my website will go live tomorrow, Tuesday 25 September 2018:

chrisrowbury.com

This will coincide with my twice-yearly newsletter going out to my mailing list where I'll be announcing all my singing weekends up until next June 2019.

The weekends will go on sale on my new website the same day.

If you'd like to go on my mailing list, just pop over to my website to sign up: sign up to Chris's mailing list.

I'd be grateful for any feedback you might have about my new website. It's lovingly hand-crafted by me from a responsive template that I bought. I hope it's easy to navigate and look at on mobile devices.

Do let me know if find anything clunky or can think of any improvements.

Many thanks.

Chris Rowbury

Website: chrisrowbury.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/ChrisRowbury

Twitter: Twitter.com/ChrisRowbury
Monthly Music Roundup: Tinyletter.com/ChrisRowbury

How to bring harmonies to life when teaching a song

To teach a harmony song to a group, you don’t want whole sections standing around waiting their turn.

photo by COD Newsroom

Not only should you break the song into chunks, but you should build the harmonies as you go along. Here’s how.