6. How to Trust Your Vocal Expression [command vs. control]

It never ceases to amaze me when singers tell me they want to learn how to control their voice. As I mentioned in the introduction, to control is how we’ve become accustomed to operating in the world, which demands that we constantly strive, manipulate, monitor, and push against what is natural. In truth, control is an illusion that most of us subscribe to because it offers us a sense that we’re running the show and calling the shots. Interestingly, if we have a need to control, what we are really saying is that we have no control.

Similarly, when we’re learning to sing or refine our voice, we often fall into the trap of trying to control it, instead of learning how to allow our natural command over it. This tendency is a loosing battle which will lead to a vocal expression that sounds mechanical.

It’s always easy to spot a mechanical singer when we hear one. We listen as s/he hits all of the right notes, but we just don’t enjoy his/ her performance. It feels like something is missing, and there is: his lack of enjoyment, which stems from a lack of confidence. True confidence always comes from our core but only after the realization that we have something unique to offer and that we can do it well.

In spite of our personal tastes in music, I believe that what attracts (or repels) us to (or from) a song are the performer’s true feelings, energy and expression as they sing. It is their interpretation that moves us, like only they can. Beyond hitting the notes, are the true emotions beneath the notes, that make the difference between a mechanical performance and a moving performance. By letting go of “control” we allow our expression of emotion to flow naturally.

We can call our surrender to this natural flow, “command,” which is when all the magic happens. The CORE Vocal Power® method will teach you how to command your voice, effortlessly. For now, suffice it to say that to command your voice means you have aligned with and trusted that core part of yourself that already knows the truth of a note. I call this your Musical Intelligence, or Musical Intuition, and we are all born with this perfect ability. That is why, when we’re tapped into this part of ourselves, we can always tell if someone else is “off key” and we know this from a very deep place within that goes beyond the mind. Allowing our vocal expression to feel natural, easy and free, means we trust the natural core part of ourselves (or Musical Intelligence) to take command.

Your Core Voice emerges through trusting your Musical Intelligence. If singing no longer feels natural to you, or feels like a struggle, or if you have to force or micromanage it, you’re probably trying to control it and need to shift into allowing it instead. My method to vocal mastery will help you free the areas where you have tendencies to control, and build the trust and confidence in your Musical Intelligence to gain natural command over your voice.