“Just do it” doesn’t come so easily to us mortal singers. Having an easy access to an “au naturale” voice is most often a result of years of dedicated vocal training.
When I first meet my students, they are usually 5 years old. Most children need to learn how to access the upper range and negotiate pitch. Fun Halloween songs are a great tool.
The best singers in my experience are made. Nature provides the diamond in the rough; sizes and texture does vary. Figuring out how to groom the rough is the hard part. Success is based on the tools you acquire along the way (and of course tenacity.) If you’re lucky, the experts you encounter are helpful, kind, and careful with your instrument as you collaborate to grow your technique.
At the end of the day, singers have to be their own advocate. My “willfulness” has had its advantages. I have the ability to smile, nod, and ignore “advice” when the vocal guidance feels like crap in my throat. My oppositional instinct has been known to engage even more vehemently when the vocal guidance becomes like a cultish rite of entry.
Singing au naturale is not usually a come to Julie Andrews moment for most. With good modeling and routine, most people, especially youngsters, retain fairly quickly.
Singing is a physical, mystical, and visual language all of its own.
This week, I started the warmups with the kindergarten. Even with the not so reliable google live meet format, most of the kids are a work in progress in finding their octave. A few of them out of at least 80 could naturally track melodies and patterns. It is always fascinating to witness.
Even with my advanced singers, finding the au natural/basic core sound, (in this case through the ng as in siNG,) is a part of the continuing growth.
Today, one of my singers found her most gloriously free A5 today through a series of non efforted and free ng vocalises. As her sound released, I thought of my LSU voice guru giggling. Patt was always so tickled when I would continue to release. I feel grateful to be able to share her wisdom.
I found a good excerpt (below) about the use of ng in vocal studies. Charmaine Brown sums it up well.
Finding my au naturale voice throughout the years has been a result of 2 tools in particular. My singing safe contents continue to hold close and dear the ng and my ever loving (i) vowel.
akintsucrooner 