My Mind in Life vs My Mind in My Song

Committing to the Song’s Message
Have you ever felt like you weren’t in control when you were singing?
In Part 1 of this video series, I gave you an assignment: Write down your daily tasks. Next to your tasks, write down the feeling you’d like to have (examples: patient, kind, loving).  We called this your Intention, or “feeling/tone” of your day.
Today we’ll call this “feeling/tone” your “Emotional Objective.”
At the end of the day, you were to review the tasks you completed, and make sure to notice whether or not you honored (or were aligned with) your emotional objective.
The point of this assignment was to make you more aware.  I’d like you to be aware of not just WHAT you do, but HOW you do it.  During your day, you can practice becoming more committed to how you would like to feel. This skill will help you sing better and get out of your head and into the heart and soul of the message!  If you’re an actor, or speaker can you also see how this will help you be more authentic in your delivery?

How Do You Want To Feel When You Sing?

It’s very important to practice your song and know it so well that you can sing it in your sleep – forwards and backwards! To name a few basics, you need to be comfortable with the lyrics, key of song, phrasing, melody, and know how to make it your own.  Many people do these things very well, but still doubt themselves and as a result, appear as mechanical singers, even though they are completely capable of singing. This is because their INTENTION is not an Emotional objective, but one of trying to control, manage or fix how their voice sounds. When one only focuses on a Physical Objective, they are fighting a losing battle.

Rather than feeling worried about being perfect or trying to control your voice, simply set an Emotional Objective or intention before you sing a song.  Ask yourself, “How do I want to feel as I sing this song?”
It doesn’t matter what your answer is, just COMMIT to it, and TRUST that you’ll convey it. The audience will receive it however they like, that part is beyond your control.  When you focus on a message or idea while singing the song, the delivery will be much more powerful. That is why some of our favorite singers are not “pitch perfect,” but we love them anyway, because they are real, authentic, committed singers, and we FEEL them.

Now, I did not say “In addition to focusing on getting all the right pitches and having a physical objective, you should also have an emotional objective.” That is way too much micromanaging of your voice, which is prone to overwhelming you.  What I did say was to do the following:

1.  Let go of wanting to manage, fix or control your voice.

2.  Learn your song inside and out.

3.  Think about what the song means to you

4.  Choose an emotional  objective

5.  Commit to the emotional objective while singing the song.

#1 Vocal Tip: Be Present When You Sing!

Being completely PRESENT is the BEST way to deliver a song!  If it’s hard for you to be present, be sure to have an emotional objective. Train your brain to be focused and present, and your message will always be clear and powerful!