It's World Voice Day, and Judy Rodman just blogged some great questions for singers to ask themselves. The one that caught my eye was Why do you sing? And there's no better day than today to answer that question.
I sing because it's the one thing that I can completely lose myself and find myself in. It's the one action that keeps me connected to the authentic me. Songwriting is singing's perfect other half, but if I ever had to choose between the two, I wouldn't even have to think about it--singing would be the instant choice.
Why would I choose singing over songwriting? Singing is primal and sensual. For me it's like the need for human connection and intimacy, or the need for some play to balance out the seemingly endless daily work. Forced to go without singing for too long, I become irritable and life goes flat.
There are people whose vocal cords no longer gift them with the ability to sing, and I think about that a lot. I know that these fragile cords are a gift. I know that I cannot take them for granted, and I also know that I treated them badly as a teenager--belting out my favorite songs and straining when I didn't need to. It's been 15 years since I've seen a voice specialist, and I know it's time to get it all checked out and repair whatever damage may have been done.
I'm writing this post half to show gratitude for the ability to sing and to enjoy it... and half to encourage other singers to learn smart technique and get those cords checked out by a professional. I'm going to point you back to Judy Rodman's site again, because she's got all the info that you need if you want to sound your best. Nobody's twisting my arm to send you there--I have her CD set myself and I am undoubtedly a fan of both her technique and her songwriting! She's an inspiration.
On another note I'm working on that new blog layout tonight, so stay tuned for that... please bookmark Kelley-Online.com if you're new here, or subscribe via RSS or email... the links are all on this page. Thanks as always for the support!
