Two and a half years after writing my first (ever) blog on Reset, with the world in the grip of the Coronavirus pandemic, my mind has turned to another type of reset. I find myself in need of a new perspective, not necessarily a new goal or vision. A new way of seeing familiar things. A new way of shuffling elements to form a fresh picture.
I thought you might need this too, so I have compiled several ideas on ways you can do your own shuffle along with me.
Singing
Spritz Up Your Practice Space
- Invest in a music stand
- Hang up an inspiring image or quote
- Try out the acoustics of different spaces in your house or apartment
- Try one of the ideas in this tipsheet
Repurpose Your Exercises
- Vary the sound or syllable usually produced in the pattern, eg substitute a vowel for a lip trill, or add a consonant where there is none
- Vocalise alternate repetitions on straw phonation (either dry or wet), a lip trill or a fricative (V, Z, ZSH)
- Strategically combine two exercises for a new technical outcome, eg transform a head voice “oo” exercise to a head mix register exercise by switching to an “ee” vowel; or add in an ear training element by singing long tones on the root notes of a song chorus
- Learn more about training your voice
Reinvent Your Song Learning
- Try a different genre
- Mix up your approach, eg if you usually learn by reading first, try learning by listening first
- Create your own cover version
- Learn more about deconstructing your song
Shake Up Your Practice Routine
- Plan your singing practice to follow some aerobic exercise, eg walking, swimming or jogging
- Try breaking your practice up into smaller chunks and spread them across a longer time period, eg 4 x 10-minute blocks spread out over 2-3 hours
- Use a game-based approach to deciding what order to do your repertoire work in, eg assign your songs a number each and then roll a dice to see which one is next
- Try one of these mindful singing practice ideas, eg keeping a practice journal
Tell New Stories
- Take stock of your current repertoire and observe the trends – love songs? Sad songs? Narratives? Adventures? Anger?
- Try intentionally choosing some songs from another point of view, eg a misunderstood villain song instead of a hero song
- Try new ways to think about your stories during performance
Performance
Reboot Your Self-Talk
- Start paying attention to what you say to yourself when you make a mistake
- Notice an area of technique you are particularly tough on yourself about
- Revise the way you narrate your singing goals to yourself – is it using achievable descriptors?
- Read more about self-talk
Restock Your Gig Bag
- Clear out the snack wrappings from the last time your brought it home
- Make a list of what needs replacing
- Pick one element to refresh, eg a new travel mug or pencil for rehearsal
Practice Adrenaline Management
- Incorporate a mindfulness exercise into your daily practice routine
- Reboot your journalling
- Take stock of your current coping mechanisms for music performance anxiety and choose one new idea to add to your list
Health
Check-in With Your Vocal Instrument
- Book in that (virtual or in-person) health check you’ve been putting off
- Give yourself time during practice to attend to your whole body alignment
- Consider other ways to mindfully care for your voice and body
Find New Ways to Hydrate
- Revise your existing hydration needs
- Take stock of how your voice feels to sing at different stages of hydration/dehydration
- Grab a new/different water bottle that inspires you to sip more often
- Learn more about how your voice loves water
Revise Your Response to Mucus
- Plan ahead for the next cold or hay fever season by understanding how to manage your mucus when you’re not in the midst of scrambling for a solution
- Try gargling
- Browse websites for non-medicated lozenges
- Steam daily whether you’re sick or not
Revisit Your Medical Conditions & Treatments
- Check your working knowledge of when you are too sick to sing
- Have your medications changed lately? Understand their impact on your voice (this reference is usually available through www.ncvs.org)
- Look for a fun, stimulating way to be physically activate
- try something new
- return to an activity you haven’t done in ages
- bring creativity into your exercise, eg take your camera on a walk and look for new perspectives to photograph
Pay Attention to Your Mental Health
If you have been ignoring the signs that your mental health and wellbeing is less vibrant than usual:
- set aside time in the coming week to intentionally care for yourself
- reach out for help – choose a trusted friend for support as you contact your GP, counsellor or psychologist for an appointment
- also take time to review your overall health, nutrition and physical exercise levels
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Sources
Photo by Amanda Jones on Unsplash
Titze, I. R. & Verdolini-Abbott, K. (2012). Vocology: The Science and Practice of Voice Habilitation. National Center for Voice & Speech, Utah