Did you know that most of my singing education was in classical music?
From age 5 and up, most of my focus was on classical, along with sacred music (for church, weddings, and funerals), and musical theater in grade school. Then, in university, I studied more classical and operatic music for my degree. I miss that side of music. It was so demanding, so particular, and such a steep learning curve. The 'rules' of performing for my degree were always so stringent - which is one of the reasons why I loved it, and also one of the reasons why I seem to 'freeze' on stage. There was always a certain way to stand, to bow, to look. Everything should be done with only the voice - no fidgeting or grand motions, no jaw movements or drama, and you had to conceal any effort. It should look easy, like it is a simple conversation. This training, starting from so early on and into my 20s, is why I had a difficult time eventually relaxing and showing the effort for certain vocal phrases while on stage. If a song is particularly hard, I tend to stand completely still and focus all of my energy on my breath and the movement within my vocal cords, which, let's face it, isn't that entertaining to watch.
One of the songs I sang for my junior grad recital in university was a beloved aria that I continue to sing whenever I am alone in the car. It also encouraged me to seek out the Ponte de Vecchio in Venice while I was traveling. O Mio Babbino Caro - Gianni Schicci, by Puccini.
It wasn't until after university that I started to build my repertoire outside of these repertoire limits - which is why I would never be good at 'Name that Tune' or 'Beat Shazam'. I have a much wider repertoire now, but I still would not feel comfortable competing in such games.
When I was a kid, I grew up listening to oldies music - 50s and 60s mostly. We had a jukebox and had thousands of different 45 records. I will always have a deep love for this music - the harmonies, the instruments, and hearing the difference with recording LIVE in a studio with all musicians in the room at once. Yes, you can hear mistakes, but that is what makes it so much fun and genuine. Oldies music really did set the truly talented apart because there was no fancy technology to greatly manipulate the sound.
Then, once I moved away from home, I started setting myself up to learn other music. I started with country, as country bars were my go-to places. Then I delved into a little bit of pop (which I still don't gravitate to as much), a touch of jazz, and folk music. Then, around 2012 and 2013, I had the opportunity to join a rock band - music I had not known ANYTHING about. I was incredibly nervous and self-conscious, but I really wanted to see if I could push my voice in an entirely new direction. As it turns out, the years I sang lead vocals in a rock band were some of the most enjoyable singing experiences of my life. I surprised myself by increasing my belting vocal range, increasing my vocal power, and even forcing myself to learn the nuances of rock vocal performance (learning how to growl during songs and give the music a raspy quality on demand - which is all in severe contrast with my classical roots). I loved every minute of it. The only problem was that I had always been known for the clarity in my voice, and I began losing that from the toll that rock singing took on my vocal cords. My health also took a major dive at the time, so I couldn't continue with singing rock. I miss it. A lot. And I would love to get back into this genre.
I am still learning and still trying to increase my repertoire as much as I can. I have recently downloaded a simple (and free) drum loop application, to try and bring more upbeat songs to my solo repertoire. Of course, I would much rather be back in a band with a drummer and a guitarist all set to go, but since solo performing seems to be my main endeavor, I needed a way to include some beats without using the actual tracks from popular songs. (There's nothing wrong with using the actual tracks, many solo musicians, and even groups, use tracks along with their performances - which makes the whole experience more full and lively). So, simple drum loops are going to hopefully be included in my livestreaming performances within the next few months.
Of course, all of this depends on my health, as always. My intention is to stream regularly on Twitch, add more repertoire, take requests, and eventually add some drum loops and maybe even look into a vocal loop/harmonizer pedal.
This past Sunday was the first of my regularly scheduled streams, which focused on Oldies music. Next week - for Valentine's Day - I am doing a Love Song Pajama Party. I'd love to see you join in on Twitch. There are hundreds of fantastic musicians live streaming on that platform. It has an interactive space where you can actually live-chat, make requests, along with other interactive features that simply make the entire experience feel more fun and more personal. This is where I will be streaming from now on. (I will also continue to stream on Facebook for those who do not want to join the Twitch community).
So while I get to work on learning some new songs and practicing with some simple drum loops, I hope you'll join the streaming community and look me up. :)
I love My Musical Life.
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