Thread: Why Can't I Sing?

There's ALWAYS hope. I actually teach a choir in church and never give out auditions. I basically welcome EVERYBODY - whether somebody has musical sensitivity or none. What's important is the willingness to learn. I don't think somebody with no musical sensitivity is a failure. It's just something which the person was not exposed in. So then I encountered a girl who was melodically challenged. I didn't shock her with scales or vocalises right away. Neither did I ask her to sing alone! What I did was asked her to listen to others sing for 2 weeks. I exposed her to good music first. Then I asked her to follow what I sang. The rest is history. Since then, she has been the section leader of the choir.

I was interested to read that some people think you must have perfect or absolute pitch in order to sing. I think it's quite the opposite. In my choir, I find the people with absolute pitch have the most trouble sight-reading and performing with the other singers. Why? Because my choir, like most, doesn't always stay perfectly in tune, and it doesn't always sing at 440. Generally, if the choir goes a few cents flat in performance it's not a problem, as long as all the singers go together. But when you've got some people with absolute pitch, this sort of fluctuation is extremely difficult for them, and they either try to stay "in tune" which jars horribly with the rest of the choir, or find themselves unable to sing much of anything at all.

Originally Posted by zlya

In my choir, I find the people with absolute pitch have the most trouble sight-reading and performing with the other singers. Why? Because my choir, like most, doesn't always stay perfectly in tune, and it doesn't always sing at 440. Generally, if the choir goes a few cents flat in performance it's not a problem, as long as all the singers go together. But when you've got some people with absolute pitch, this sort of fluctuation is extremely difficult for them, and they either try to stay "in tune" which jars horribly with the rest of the choir, or find themselves unable to sing much of anything at all.

I find this to be true as well. I sing in a women's choir (collegiate) and in rehersals I sit next to someone who has perfect pitch. She has a really really hard time reading. She has such a hard time reading that she is having trouble in her sight singing classes. Luckily for her the ear training portion is easy for her. I am the opposite. I can read but dictation kills me.

She also gets frustrated if there is ANY variation from the absolute pitch. She has a really beautiful voice but she has problems in ensemble singing because the perfect pitch is always in her head and the reality is that 30 people singing together might vary a tiny bit from that absolute pitch. It really gets in her way. I always wished I had perfect pitch but I can see how it is not always helpful. This woman wants to teach choir in school. I wonder how she will be able to tolerate the pitch variations that you get with a middle school choir.

The following link contains the secret to great singing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv=r48hRGTGyyw
-L

That is one hilarious video ... and has a good message, too - even if we need to sing from our 'hoo - hoo' ...

Nox. "Why do people sing when they're awful?". Thst may be the most important question asked in the last five thousand years!. I don't profess to know but I suppose it is because of human nature itself; we don't always hear ourselves as others do. That goes for things not musical as well.
I am of an age that attached importance to a singer using good diction first of all even in pop music. I am forced, by my wife, to watch 'American Idol" and you cannot imagine how painful that experience can be to one like me. I'm not a snob but I grew up listening to pop singers like Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra even up to some latter day singers, Striesand for one. They had excellent diction, stuck to the line of the music, never strained their voices. My preference in singing is serious music; opera, choral, but these singers I mentoned were just as good at their craft as those stars of the operatic world.
'American Idol" makes me tire after about five seconds; everyone sounds pretty much alike, I can't understand a word they say{sing), the most important thing seems to be a vocal style that wanders all over the place...in a word "awful" I understand that my view is not shared by all. On the whole I think pop music is made up mostly of fluff, which fluff is not noted for standing the test of time. That is the best way I know of how to define good music, how long is it likely to be around?
So, to reply to your question, who knows. I am reminded of an old line about the description of a gentleman. ? "A man who can play the accordion but who chooses not to"
An awful singer is one who can't sing and who chooses to do so.

Joining a choir does wonders. You can blend into the background and just pretend to sing when you don't feel so confident- that will help you just as much because you'll get used to the tune. The greatest thing is that you can work at your own pace, as there will always be people that will cover you.
Unless of course your in some big symphony choir.

Originally Posted by DW

Interesting!
Yes...one of the hardest thing is intonation when it comes to singing. There can be alot of factors...breath control and other technics apart.
But fundamentally speaking :
1. Singers believe that they're 2 pairs of ears in a musically trained person. One on the outside(visible), the other inside .
So, without proper training, you'll not be able to feel this 2nd pair of ears(inner ears)...that is the deciding factor to pitching. The inner ears let u feel the sound as vibrations( esp. so when u sing ). U hear yr vioce 'inside' your body if yr trained instead of outside, and then these vibrations travel deep down. So, if u've inner ears...u'll know how to adjust yrself 'pitchwise' to make the note's vibration levelled to whatever u hear/or is played for u.
2. Pallet is inflexible. There are 2 pallets required for singing. One is the hard pallet, the other, the soft. Very often, the voice travels in the wrong direction ( inside the pallets ) and restrains voice transition-cannot sing any higher and all notes will sound the same up to a point.

The 3rd, which is only assocciated with trained pros...Their inner ears need to re-condition the notes they really want. IE : Sopranos tend to always sound sharp, why?
Caz most sop will actually adjust for instance high G note in relation to their inner ears...they will think of it as G , sharped by a microtone, so that when they do sing the note, the position produced will be high enough( for there's a tendency to drop), and it will sound just right. But as time goes on, the difference gets bigger...and they ended up sounding sharp in higher notes.

^^21st Century snake oil^^

In regards to the voice itself, the two things that must be done are: purify the vowel and develop the registers to equal strengh and then blend them. Breath control and voice placement are techniques that are taught by vocal coaches that have NO idea how the voice actually works. These coaches can destroy a good voice in a heartbeat! Stay away from them!

The issue that you are dealing with however is one of hearing, not the mechanics of the voice. There are some folks on this earth that are truly tone death and will never overcome it. Is this you, hard to tell. If you were not involved with music as a child as most of us here were, it may just be as simple as an undeveloped ear. Get around people who are into making music and yes, the Church is a wonderful place to do this. Do some research. Find a church that has a really good music program, not just a bunch of screaming guitars! I truly hope that you are able to overcome your hearing issue and join the Heavenly Song!

Ever heard of the overused phrase, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings?"

I think one of the major reasons that people don't sing well is that they're too afraid of criticism. I can imagine when you try to belch out a note and it doesn't come out clean. Add more pressure when you surrounded by people with excellent voices. I would guess that if people increased their confidence and try to work on their voice, improvement will eventually happen. I remember being shy about singing out, especially out loud. With confidence and practice, I was able to eventually garner out that rare compliment, "You have a nice voice." Really, who cares if you can shatter 400 glass cups with a soprano voice, or kill a flock of birds with an out-of-tune screech. All that matters is that you enjoy singing. You must develop that joy of singing. When we forget that reason why we love singing so much, it becomes too tedious, whether you are a professional at the Opera house, or a singer in the shower.

If you can't sing, then that's just your negative mindset. Everyone can sing, but not every person can sing like a bird. If you're comparing your voice to others, then you should just be asking, "I can sing, but not like a professional." Who cares if you can't sing the chorus to Handel's Messiah. It's not like all your family members will be running down the street in terror, or the whole neighborhood arriving at your doorstep with pitchforks when someone attempts the Queen's solo from The Magic Flute.

Just imagine if you lost your voice. How would that make you feel? So....Sing like there's no tomorrow! You'll be glad you did.

Until again,
Zach

if you want to be a singer, do voice lesson tutorials..
everyone of us can sing but there are just things needed to be a great singer..

I've always wondered why I couldn't sing either. Some people say I can sing but I think it's only because I can 'sing' in tune. Maybe I have a good ear, but my voice is so weak that when I tried recording myself to hear it after, I barely could hear it at all. Terrible. I never had singing classes so I don't even know how you're supposed to let out your voice if that makes sense.

Anyway, I'm sure it's something you get better at with practise (something I don't do) so don't ever give up!

I try to sing along with opera but out of consideration for others the only person who has heard me sing is my dog. I might consider going to a voice coach one day, but I don't think it will help.

I say if you enjoy singing but 'can't' then do it anyway(But not where you can be heard).

read the entire thread and nobody mentioned the most important part of singing ....learn to breathe.

90% of what singers work on is learning how to breathe; all technique is based off of a proper breath and usually more air is the cure for anything...at least, that's my experience.

Originally Posted by Nox

I've always wanted to be able to sing...if not 'Idol' quality...at least in tune...yet I'm unable to despite practicing...singing scales with the piano...etc...

...I was told that everyone can at least learn to sing ...but I don't think this is true...none of the 5 of us can sing, unless my 9 year old can...but he doesn't want to...

...anyone have any insights as to why certain people can't sing? I can hear myself sing off-key...but am unable to correct it...

...BTW...it doesn't stop me from singing...LOL...I have lots of time during my daily commute to and from school...alone...and safe in my car...

First singing takes many, many years of formal classical vocal training part of which is being able to sing acapella which is the key to becoming a tremendous vocalist. Singing is extremely difficult to master because of all of the techniques which go into learning to
sing. As a classical vocalist, I'm always correcting myself and figuring out what doesn't sound and I'm able to accomplish this due to my classical vocal training about 4 plus years of classical vocal training and 3 years of singing nothing but aria's, requiems, oratorio's, ect.. Which have reinforced pre-exsisting singing skills. Your best bet is to go to a vocal coach who can give you the low down on what is really going on with your voice and help you to become a better singer.

Originally Posted by Zuo17

Ever heard of the overused phrase, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings?"

I think one of the major reasons that people don't sing well is that they're too afraid of criticism. I can imagine when you try to belch out a note and it doesn't come out clean. Add more pressure when you surrounded by people with excellent voices. I would guess that if people increased their confidence and try to work on their voice, improvement will eventually happen. I remember being shy about singing out, especially out loud. With confidence and practice, I was able to eventually garner out that rare compliment, "You have a nice voice." Really, who cares if you can shatter 400 glass cups with a soprano voice, or kill a flock of birds with an out-of-tune screech. All that matters is that you enjoy singing. You must develop that joy of singing. When we forget that reason why we love singing so much, it becomes too tedious, whether you are a professional at the Opera house, or a singer in the shower.

If you can't sing, then that's just your negative mindset. Everyone can sing, but not every person can sing like a bird. If you're comparing your voice to others, then you should just be asking, "I can sing, but not like a professional." Who cares if you can't sing the chorus to Handel's Messiah. It's not like all your family members will be running down the street in terror, or the whole neighborhood arriving at your doorstep with pitchforks when someone attempts the Queen's solo from The Magic Flute.

Just imagine if you lost your voice. How would that make you feel? So....Sing like there's no tomorrow! You'll be glad you did.

Until again,
Zach

No not singing well isn't afraid of being negatively criticized it is due to lack of formal vocal training and inexperienced vocal technique only where the person is a virtuoso or just singing for the sake of singing.