If our mind is balanced and clear we will be able to connect to something much deeper when we sing... our soul.
If our mind is balanced and clear we will be able to connect to something much deeper when we sing... our soul.
Our mind, the first part of our instrument, plays a huge role in how we use our voice. Over the years, I have noticed how the right brain and left brain function while we sing. Surprisingly, I discovered that each side of the brain can directly influence how we feel about our voice, our pitch accuracy, intonation, rhythm, freedom, and how we approach singing a song. Ideally, you want to aim for a balanced cooperation between the right and left side of the brain.
Generally speaking, it’s easier to approach singing through the right brain, but as I’ve noted above, a balanced mind wired correctly will give you access to your Soul (or core), and optimally this is where you want to sing from. When you have access to your core voice, you will sing from a powerful, authentic, knowing place that springs from within you.
When I work with singers one on one, I initially prefer to identify the characteristics of the right and left brain as they apply to that student. For your convenience, I’ve compiled a check list below for you to consider—one for each side of the brain.
If one total is higher than the other, it’s likely that side of your brain functions as the most dominant in your daily life, which includes when you sing.
Most people use both parts of their brain, but not always in ways that are advantageous to them, particularly when they sing. For example, a singer who tends to be detail oriented (left brain) might try to use this skill while she is singing. If she does this, it will get her into trouble because listening to detail while she’s singing will block the natural flow and feeling of what she’s singing about. As a result, her voice will sound mechanical and without heart or passion. It would better serve her, in this instance, to tap into her right brain, which allows her to tell the “big picture” story of the song while singing and deliver the heart of the song’s message to her audience.
On the other hand, had this same singer needed to write out the musical notation in preparation for a performance, her left brain would have served her perfectly in this mathematical function.
Knowing how to naturally use both sides of your brain in a cooperative way—knowing when and how to apply their unique advantages—is what my CORE Vocal Power® method will give you. As a result, you’ll begin to experience your natural core voice as your mind becomes balanced and free enough to allow you to express yourself musically from your soul.
Please Note: It is acknowledged that the mind is much more complex than the right (creative) and left (analytical) brain. However, the above list provides a great beginning for people to understand their natural tendencies and perceptions as it relates to vocal expression.
