Tuesday, April 12, 2016

How To Fail Or...

What usually happens when you give someone some great advice, advice that is proven to produce quantifiable success and has worked for many people? What usually happens? Nothing. Most people seem to be not inclined to change anything, let alone succeed in a big way. 

The real reason for resentment when a person becomes aware of another's success or wealth is the pain some specific emotions bring. Envy and jealousy are usually coupled with some serious avoidance of reality.... The reality of never practicing, the reality of having incorrectly assessed or incorrectly having estimated the amount of work and dedication but also having never done the necessary work can be painful to realize. Most cannot face this deficiency in character or in work ethic because it is virtually inseparable from one's own personal integrity. To do so would bring a person to a fork in the road. One side leads to an introspection followed by a pity party, fraught with self-deprecating "affirmations" and THEN followed by giving up on dreams and goals. The other side leads to reassessing and reevaluating the effort put forth and the results of that effort. It does NOT include letting oneself off the hook by diminishing oneself and lying about never having had the talent when in fact, talent was never the issue. 

Most people (failing in the arts) lack the ability to practice, to objectively evaluate and keep track of progress, NOT talent. Talent is rarely the issue for failure in the arts. It can look so easy to sing, to play an instrument, to paint, to write, to dance. Why? We are usually looking at the people who put in the education and the practice to look or sound so good. Ask a top professional about the time and quality of work that went into the art before it was ever shared in a big way. 

Success cannot be guaranteed but lack of success can be guaranteed. How? Never practice or practice too little. Never bother to learn vocal technique and music in depth. Work on changing yourself INSTEAD of doing the work everyone else did to be and do what you say YOU want. Do that and get nowhere in a hurry. Put in no time or too little time and it is almost 100% guaranteed you will NEVER be a good, let alone a professional, artist.

Friday, April 01, 2016

Mastering Singing

What do you know?  What can you do?   What do you need to learn?  What do you need to practice, to improve?  The greatness of a singer is somewhat analogous to the greatness of an architect.  Singers will only be as good as what they know and what they can do with what they know.  Many singers fall short with musicianship.  They cannot name or identify what they have heard as far as chords, chord progressions, chord voicings.  Some can, though.  Ear training, as it is called, can enhance such skills.  Music theory is also helpful.  There's much more, though. Here are the 18 Components of Singing Mastery:  How would you estimate your level regarding these?

1.State of mind
2.Clear vision
3.Goal setting and achievement
4.Purpose(s)
5.Action Plans
6.Tracking Systems
7.Physical Health
8.Musicianship
9.Vocal Use (Technique)
10.Creative Artistry
11.Objectivity
12.Perseverance
13.Talent
14.Business and Financial Expertise
15.Appearance
16.Charisma
17.Showmanship
18.Communication Ability

Architects know about function and structure and forces of nature and chemistry and physics and strengths of materials and environmental control systems and human needs and code requirements and much more.  You might think a person who draws plans and doesn't think much about it is an architect.  There is as much skill and knowledge to every art.  Some things are definable and some are not. 

Musicianship is a vast subject and so is vocal technique.  Many singers have the talent but lack elsewhere.  Sadly enough, some are in a very bad state of mind which can and will affect the art of singing or music.  A singer with no charisma is a very sad state in that it is also a state of being blind to objectivity.  There is so much more than meets the eye, with being a professional level performer.  Some people do sing just for fun and that's okay but the chasm between that at successfully performing is deep and wide, only to be bridged by enhancing the 18 components of singing mastery.