SINGING SLEUTHS
By E. Perryman
5.5.2025
It’s true, I love me some scintillating evil kin, bride-killa, mother may I murder, wives with knives true crime stories. It dawned on me tonight that learning to sing is similar to a series of delightful investigation discoveries sans homicide. Call us singers “sleuths of sound.” We work undercover throughout the seasons of life using Italian vowels, breath flow, and registration blend (to name a few tools) to find our authentic sound. We seek an optimal singers format: an open and balanced resonant tone and a voice that carries with its natural ring. We have to be brave enough to explore our own personal voce di strega aka witch voice which will allow access to effective projection as a result of specific placement of the vocal tract.
Very few people I know have been able to just open their mouths and sing correctly without training. Think athletics. Training as an athlete is essential regardless of innate ability. And if it DOES come easy for a singer, it’s not necessarily a good thing. Life WILL life. When things go sideways, we will need handy, personalized, and reliable tools to keep the motor running or retool the transmission.
My student tonight after many years of study and professional singing continues to make strides and grow in her technique. Tonight we found a delightful freedom in lifting up and molar separation. I admire her tenacity and continue to be inspired by our path together.
Giddy up.
akintsucrooner 