learn to sing

Well, I did karaoke in a bar in Tokyo for the first time which was a massive step for me! I was so nervous and actually sang Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Hmm, strange choice I know. It was good for confidence though. I’ve stopped having my singing lessons because I couldn’t really afford them, nor justify the money when I didn’t really have a singing goal in mind. But, I feel like I learned some basic skills that will be useful in my karaoke sessions in the future! I just need to pluck up the courage to sing James Blunt – You’re Beautiful sometime.

I decided I didn’t like ‘More Than Words’ so now we’re doing ‘All My Life’ by K-Ci and Jo Jo, it’s going well.

I’m getting better with my vocal exercises and who knows, next time they might only take five or ten minutes!

Thought I would show my progress (there has been some, honest) by putting up a sound file, so I’ve added one to YouTube, visit the link below (Remember I’ve only had four lessons!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XACKF_zHCQ0

The exercises were so hard today. I originally thought it was because I’m a little run down at the end of a cold, but as the lesson progressed, I was able to sing all my usual notes and exercises, I was obviously just out of practice to begin with which I suppose reflects badly on me! It’s frustrating as I can’t seem to get my vocal positions for each vowel sound straight away, so that’s why the exercises seem to take most of the lesson!!

She did my scales today, I don’t know what I go from and what to, but apparently I have a range of almost four octaves (10 notes on the highest) which made her say I have great potential as most people only have about two and a half. Woo-hoo!

We did falsetto in with the scales today, which was so bizarre, I’ve never sung that high before and I felt like I was singing like a girl, but hey.

Had lesson 2 today, was great. I have perfected ‘You’re Beautiful’ by James Blunt and I think I’m doing pretty well. I’m still going to keep practicing though. She does these exercises at the start which I find so hard and I am really bad at!!!

Just learning the song ‘More Than Words’ as that’s the next one on the list. Next lesson on Monday before a little break whilst I move my life around seeing as I have to move house!

Have been practicising in the car as and when, but so far haven’t really felt like I wanted to practice at home when other people are here!!

Have booked lesson two for next Tuesday. Hurrah!

Just got back from my first lesson, I loved it. My teacher is so eccentric, fantastic!! I was so bad at some points, but we just laughed. She’d asked me to prep a song to sing after a warm-up so she could assess my ability, so I downloaded the backing track for ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls. She said that I had a really unique voice and that there wasn’t really that much wrong with it (wow, good feedback for the first time I’ve ever properly sung to anyone, right?!)

Problems to work on:

• I am too tense in my throat when I sing which messes up the sound coming out
• I don’t use my diaphragm enough and so I’m not singing anywhere near as powerfully as I could.

All in all, it was a great experience. I am looking forward to the next lesson which I hope to have at some point next week. 10 mins minimum practice every day!

I just got off the phone, I have my first lesson booked for tomorrow. Oh crap. What have I done?!

I got an email from the tutor in my area. She is ready to take me on and wants to know my schedule. Wow, I’m excited, but I’m also really nervous! How can I stand in front of a stranger and sing? I can’t sing! Hmm. Well, so far it’s just a phone call to organise things and I make them all the time, so I’ll try that first thing tomorrow!

I love singing, I just don’t think I am any good at it. I would love to sing on stage at some point, but first I gotta build the confidence and the ability.

I have emailed some singing tutors in the area, so we’ll see how that goes!

Got an email back today from one of them – £30 an hour, seems kinda expensive, but for a life aspiration it’s not that much!