A voice lesson breakthrough
So I've been working on a folk song, "While the Foaming Billows Roll," and it kept coming out thin and breathy. Then we had this conversation (slightly condensed):
R: What kind of character would be singing this song?
Me: Well, it's about chivvying the lads onto the boat, so probably a senior enlisted man or a very junior officer.
R: I wasn't even thinking it had to be a man, but maybe a woman who's associated with the shipping, who everyone respects and trusts. Not that any British whaler would dream of being subservient to a woman, but she just inherently carries their respect.
Me: Oh, like the ship's equivalent of the rabbi's wife.
R: Exactly.
Me, still pondering: Or, come to think of it, like the ship's equivalent of the department secretary.
R: Could be.
*Me, singing much more strongly*
R: That was great! What were you thinking, what was different?
Me: I was less worried about, "I'm trying to sing this song," and more thinking, "Just go here and do this because it will work better if you do it my way."
R: You should sing like that ALL THE TIME.
Me: Can we do it again? And I will sing it like the secretary that I am! *grin*
R: This is what teachers live for. *grin*
R: What kind of character would be singing this song?
Me: Well, it's about chivvying the lads onto the boat, so probably a senior enlisted man or a very junior officer.
R: I wasn't even thinking it had to be a man, but maybe a woman who's associated with the shipping, who everyone respects and trusts. Not that any British whaler would dream of being subservient to a woman, but she just inherently carries their respect.
Me: Oh, like the ship's equivalent of the rabbi's wife.
R: Exactly.
Me, still pondering: Or, come to think of it, like the ship's equivalent of the department secretary.
R: Could be.
*Me, singing much more strongly*
R: That was great! What were you thinking, what was different?
Me: I was less worried about, "I'm trying to sing this song," and more thinking, "Just go here and do this because it will work better if you do it my way."
R: You should sing like that ALL THE TIME.
Me: Can we do it again? And I will sing it like the secretary that I am! *grin*
R: This is what teachers live for. *grin*