To all those who are afraid to sing

Sing! Learn to sing! Just do it! It's only a matter of some basic techniques and practice, it's not hard to improve. Don't be like me, who played guitar for 6 years before seriously making a point to sing. If you ever want to perform, or even have a decent jam session/singalong/serenade, you need to learn to sing and start memorizing lyrics to songs. Otherwise, also like me, you'll end up knowing a lot of songs but not all the lyrics. I came to the need-to-sing epiphany only recently and am now playing catch-up. It's like having practiced for years and then when someone wants to hear a song, you have nothing to show for it--and unless you're Jake Shimabukuro, let's face it, most audiences have little interest in or the attention span for instrumental music. So don't be like I was! Practice singing. Memorize the lyrics to songs you like. Have a set, or a list of ready-to-perform full songs that you can do. Record yourself doing your song, post it on a myspace page or a youtube video perhaps. Even just record it so you can listen to yourself and improve.

Does my story sound like yours? There's still hope. I started seriously singing only a few months ago, and now I have tons of songs with lyrics down, and have even written a few new tunes.

Like my old guitar teacher always said, "Nobody's ever gonna come up to you and say, 'hey man, can you strum the chords to my favorite song?'"

I beg to differ.

You will never ever ha-ever hear me sing (unless you take my parent/child swimming lesson- in which case you will hear me sing 1-2 songs every class- but that's only because it is a required part of the course- for me do a few songs/games every class- and I am rambling now, so back on track.) I just don't like singing. And it's not because I can't carry a tune- I can- I just have a vocal range of about a half an octave and don't like the sound of my voice.

I'd love to evenually have the guts to step up on a stage during an open mic and play a few songs- and I don't think not singing is going to make the audience fall asleep.

And, yes! People have come up to me and asked me to play songs- although- those same people know I don't sing and the song choice is left up to me, most of the time.

And I in no way feel like I'm missing out on anything.

Valerie said:

....
You will never ever ha-ever hear me sing ...

.... don't like the sound of my voice....

Click to expand...

I've said these very words....

lol, but I mean it. The only way I'll sing for anyone is if they pay to get into my class- and then I make them sing along... and do the moves with me.

i ran into the problem of not having a very good voice when i started and not being able to sing...
i went about htis problem by learning songs that dont have words to them....
there are a few but after a while i got bored and started to sing its kinda hard to get started but once you do its alot of fun

we should have a valerie sing fund so she can start to enjoy it more

ya singing with the uke is almost half the fun! unless ur playing songs that have no lyrics what so ever...but then u could just make up stuff and that's fun too!

you can catch me singing during drunken kanikapilas

Guting said:

you can catch me singing during drunken kanikapilas

Click to expand...

Auuwwwwwrrrrrriiiiiittttteeee

First of all, I worked semi-professionally as a trumpeter for a number of years--a good bit of that with church choirs where I filled in as a tenor. I can sing but I don't like to. I have not performed in public for about 10 years now. I took up guitar 6 or 7 years ago and ukulele about a year ago. I play only fingerstyle (uke and guitar) and for my own enjoyment. I do not own a guitar pick. I understand that I am in a minority position.

Once in a while a conversation will come up. Someone will learn that I play the guitar and the first question is usually, "What type music do you sing?" There are just those individuals out there who think all music involves singing.

So next weekend I will be at our annual church retreat. This year the invited guest is a professional Christian acoustic musician. He has invited all to bring their instruments. My impression is that there will only be a couple of us players there, and I will be forced into service. I will confess that I am not looking forward to it. I am not going to buy a guitar pick.

Jon

Singing is good. It gets you high.

No. Really.

Singing releases endorphins (the natural opiates that your brain produces).

Years ago my mom went to a church choir seminar and the main speaker pointed this fact out. He said, "You're not supposed to sing when you feel like it, you're supposed to sing until you feel like it."

I have what could be best described as an "interesting" voice. It's not a beautiful voice, but it's my voice.

(OK. When my bandmates are supplying harmony my voice is almost beautiful. But other than that...)

My mom used to completely despair of me. She'd say, "Sing this... Laaa" and I'd go, "Honk!" or "Blat!" or something. But I kept at it, especially when (at age 15) I picked up the guitar. And now I'll happily sing in public. It makes me feel good. I seem to be able to transmit that feeling to the audience. So much so, that I actually get complimented on my voice.

Ha!

Go on and sing. Even if it's just to your cat, you'll feel better for it.

I'm definitely wayyyyy too scared to sing. A ton of my friends play their guitars and sing at the same time so it makes me almost feel obligated to learn how to sing but I just get too scared and I shy away when I start singing. I would have to say the main reason I'm too scared to sing is because I am way to self-conscious about my voice and I know that it sounds terrible so I don't want people to hear it. On top of this I don't really have anywwhere to practice because I don't want my roommates to hear my terrible voice so I can't sing in my apartment so I just stick to the fingerpicking lol.

This is some really good advise, and it makes sense..
I'm going to take this thread into some serious consideration, my friend.

I agree, just do it. After a couple of brews, you will sound mo bettah and you won't care what anybody else think. Oh yeah... and you will get louder and louder, which is good for the lungs. Come morning time, you won't remember a thing.

Then.... you get to do it all over again.