Becoming a professional singer or musician has never been on my bucket list; however, improving my singing skills has always been a goal of mine. I started singing because people often complimented me on my voice, saying that I would be blessed if I could learn to harness it properly.
I vividly remember a friend from high school who was in the school choir, just like I was. She once told me, "Dorcas, you know you have a beautiful voice, but you should try to push it a little more sometimes, as that's where its strength lies." For some reason, I have never forgotten her words. Perhaps the saying is true: "Both positive and negative experiences can shape our lives in profound ways.
At some point in my musical journey, the consistent compliments went to my head and made me feel that I didn't need to improve anymore. This mindset led me to adopt habits that were not beneficial for my voice. I often chose chilled water, instead of lukewarm water, which is better for vocal cord hydration. I also opted for heavier meals and didn't engage in regular body exercises, which are important for improving breath control and oxygen supply.
And one day, the consequences of my lackadaisical attitude towards my complacency and satisfaction in my musical journey spoke through a woman I met at a grocery store. It happened that I was unenergetically singing along to a popular song buzzing out of a nearby shop from where I stood with this woman, and suddenly, she cut in by saying, "Why are you singing like a frog?" Her words stung and I couldn't believe what my ears just heard. I stood beside her dumbfounded as I lacked the appropriate words that would do justice in hurting her pride too.
"How could she open her mouth just to spue that nonsense to a total stranger"? I thought long and hard about what to say but made peace with keeping mute and feigning a sheepish smile as if I wasn't hurt by what I said, all because I hate to be the center of a fight.
Just maybe what she said wasn’t total nonsense at the end because it stirred me to do something about my voice.
Back to the question, "What are the ways I intend to improve my musical skill this year"?
- Get a musical book that explains the intricacies of music, both the theory and the practical.
- Listen more to the musical artists that my style of singing matches well with.
- Seek opportunities where I can perform in front of audiences both offline and online.
Thank goodness, we have a good number of communities here on Hive that will help facilitate this. - Rehearse regularly and track my progress at the end of each trimester.
- Lastly, I'll find someone I can practice with so that, he or she give me constructive feedback at the end of the day.
©️ Medemausi
P.S : The picture is mine.