I could sing and did.....many years ago.

I teached choirs and classes melodies by singing solo and they repeat.....but that's long ago....Let's say 1980.....

Nowadays.......singing...only in the bathroom and only sometimes......

Best regards,
Johan B

I could sing and did sing many years ago in my church and highschool choruses, and was good enough to get cast in some major parts in musicals in college. After pretty much stopping for more than two decades, however, I really had to work to begin to recover the ability to give a credible performance. Its been a struggle and I know I still have a lot more work to do, but I think its been worth it, since it's helped me to understand more easily and precisely written music and to enter more deeply into the process of creating piano voicings and embellishments for my own arrangements.

With such an extensive background, how come you gave it up so young? People sing into their seventies, sometimes eighties. Case in point:

Thanks Starr Keys!! Isn't Alberta Hunter amazing? I find her inspiring.

BTW, I also had voice lessons, sang in choral groups in high school and college. I haven't got a solo voice. However, I can read music because my piano studies, and I can stay in tune. This was good enough to get me into concert choir and varsity chorus.

I was really tempted earlier this year to accept my teacher's invitation to join a community choral group. It was really hard to turn it down. I truly enjoyed singing in choral groups. However, I had to decline. I've at least learned to keep my priorities clear because I have limited time, and the piano is my number one music priority.

Yes, I actually think she's improved with age. Here she is in 1927:



I know what you mean about being tempted to join a choral group. I've been thinking about this for a couple of years but, like you, my priority is piano and it has held me back from acting on this desire. I've compromised in the new year, however, by registering for a 2 class a week college voice class, which I hope won't demand too much time since I'm taking it pass/fail and will satisfy my wish to sing with a group. I've heard such great things about the teacher, I just had to try and I can always drop the class if I think its going to steal to much time from my piano. On the otherhand, if I don't drop it, I will be able to take more specialized ensemble classes that specialize in the music I want to sing, like jazz.

FYI I dont' think taking private voice lessons for the last few months has hindered my progress with piano or made it less of a priority. Just the opposite, it's made me more intent on getting the accompaniment right so it will support the vocal. I don't really find myself focusing intensely on the vocal until I'm comfortable enough with the accompaniment, and that's fine. I'd rather be less perfect on the vocal and feel more confident with the accompaniment, since that's my ultimate priority.

But if the group classes work out, I will give up the private lessons, since doing both would probably take too much time from the piano and since doing so will save me a lot of money

I agree with Starr Keys, working at piano and voice are completely complementary.

And if I can add one piece of advice - Don't be scared to sing. It makes you feel good.

And I agree with you. The biggest obstacle to progress in singing is fear and self-consciousness. I gave it up, even though it was once my greatest joy, because I was I afraid I wouldn't sing in tune on the high notes. My current teacher recognized this immediately and made me conscious of how fear was affecting me. I pulled back on the sound and withdrew breath support just when I should access it because I didn't want people to hear me go flat, which had the exact opposite effect of what I hoped for -- it made me sound less adept and made me go flat when I didn't have to.

Starr Key's description of the impact of self consciousness on singing is perfect.

My teacher suggested I hold a scarf or something in my hands, and wave it around. So I got a feather boa, which is fun to play with, and is just the right amount of distraction needed to help stop my conscious critical mind from tightening up my singing apparatus. It's so true - the biggest accomplishment can be getting out of our own way.

i don't know if i can sing, but i do anyway. After hearing Joe Cocker, i don't feel the need to appologize for my voice.
I think i've got pretty good range too, for 50. My gang sings some tight harmony, and depending who's in attendence, i try to fit in where needed. I consider it good training. And yes, i also singing and accompanying myself on piano. Anybody ever heard Dana Carvey's "Choppin Brocolli?"

I am taking singing lessons at the moment, I can sing how good my voice is I will let others be the judge of that. Here is a few singing exercises

That’s something my teacher hasn’t suggested. I can see the logic of it, though, since creative expression is rooted in play which is the most unselfconscious activity I can think of. On the other hand, I’m so suggestible, I’d be afraid of unconsciously making the association with “constrictor” which might only exacerbate my problem. 



FJ, I love to hear anyone who can carry a tune sing and accompany themselves on the piano play and sing, and you seem to do both well. I wish there were more like you.



Densi, If they ever make a musical out of Nightmare on Elm Street, you’re a shoe in for the part of Freddy Krueger.

There have been some famous singers that lost their voices and regained them through Surgery or other therapy. So, can't hurt to look into it.

I can match pitches but I don't sing well.

What a great idea Starr Keys If they ever make a musical based on Freddy Krueger I will definitely audition for it

I thought I was a soprano until today. I had a hard time hitting high A (I think A5). Not only hit the note I also had to sustain it. I am very comfortable up to F#. After that it always depends on luck. Sometimes I can hit it. But it's erratic. I'm gonna ask my choir director to have me sing alto.

I thought I was a soprano until today. I had a hard time hitting high A (I think A5). Not only hit the note I also had to sustain it. I am very comfortable up to F#. After that it always depends on luck. Sometimes I can hit it. But it's erratic. I'm gonna ask my choir director to have me sing alto.

Yes, I do regularly sing as a second discipline, actually. I believe it to be extremely helpful in piano studies, as well (and piano studies to be extremely helpful with vocal studies). Funnily enough though, if asked by one of my piano teachers to sing along with my playing, I feel extremely shy about it and I can't make myself do it!

I can't even match pitches if alone...
I can sing a melody only if I follow the same melody played or sung. My piano teacher says I should practice and improve, but I don't have much time so I prefer studying my piano pieces. I sometime sing on melodies when my children practice piano.

Good morning, buon giorno, I'd just like to say



(But please take out the parentheses!)

Is your choir director a trained singer? If yes, might s/he be able to give you some technique to be able to get to that A comfortably? High A starts moving out of the comfort zone. I was in a choir that had an ambitious young director, and there were an alarming number of hoarse voices after rehearsals - unwise on his part. The next choir included a professional singer who was one of the soloists (Mozart Requiem) and she gave us the warm-ups as well as being there for consultation on technical problems. The first choir director was not a singer, and he dabbled in "technical training" which had been discontinued because of the harm it did - my primary reason for leaving that choir.

Done! Fatto!
Better now?

I wish I had more time to join to a choir.

She is not a singer but a trained organist holding a doctorate in it. Today she brought in a professional singer and she helped us tremendously. She warmed us up and told me to focus down (we can even bend our knees) and sing the note. It's all mental. It worked like a magic. I was hitting the A without shrieking. She told us its all mental. I was restricting my vocal code unconsciously when i was trying to get up there. By bending the knees or focusing downwards the moment we need to hit the note, seems to relax it.

Sounds like a technical issue. You most likely are a soprano if F# is fine for you (altos don't like that note!), you just need some help in what to do for your upper notes. You may want to drop down to alto, but find a good voice teacher to help you out or you may end up a tenor someday

I agree with Morodiene. I assumed I was an alto until I had some really good training. My teacher has proved to me that I have a strong soprano voice, with a good range (which is getting bigger the more I sing) It's worth the time invested, believe me!