ABSTRACT
Make no mistake about it—singing takes courage! Some of the reasons for that are:
Singers are both the instrument and the player. Unable to put the instrument back in its case and leave it in the corner, a singer must carry it around, exposing it to changes of temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and all the current viruses. This instrument is affected not only by atmospheric changes but also by food, amount of sleep and emotional states. Singers must use their instruments in daily communication and often find difficulty in being as quiet as they would like before a performance.
Singers cannot hear their own voices accurately. They hear themselves through bones that conduct most of the sound to the ears, and in doing so, the sound is distorted. Singers have to go more by body sensations and even those can be elusive. They must learn (and teach) without being able to see the instrument and the technique involved! Think how well that would work with piano or violin!
Singing is more than mere pitches and rhythms. Classical singers must become familiar with several foreign languages, singing with diction as perfect as a native speaker. Singers must understand and communicate the poetry as well as the music, and incorporate acting—even if only in the face. All this must be done from memory and without an instrument to hide behind.
Singing is, quite simply, the most vulnerable of the performing arts. One bares one’s soul in singing and performing well. Many singers hide behind bravura, diva-fits, ultracompetitiveness or plain denial. Others turn to vices. Ever wondered why so many singers are overweight? Most other methods of escape (drugs, alcohol, and smoking) interfere with singing—food usually does not.
