Sing!
Many want to go this route – using the pipes to have a go at their wildest dreams.
And some have seen their wildest dream come true too, if the batting average of American Idol – or other singing contests – are anything to go by.
Before my memory goes to oblivion, let me share with you some tips from professional singers I had the great fortune to brush shoulders with:
1. Practice.
And practice some more. Like any other skill, practice makes perfect in singing. And if you can afford it (or someone offers), hire a voice coach. But know that not all voice coaches will do wonders for you. Find one who will boost your ego and transform your voice to the most amazing instrument known on earth. You will know this after a few days with teacher – if teacher makes you feel small, makes your voice squeak (like you don’t want to sing anymore), fire her. She is not right for you. Of course, there’s the truth too – you might not really have what it takes. Careful balance and an open mind are needed. And luck. If this is what you were born to do, you will find the right voice teacher for you.
2. Sing somewhere, anywhere.
A singer extraordinaire once said that if you are serious in becoming a singer, you have to have a gig somewhere – anywhere (well, stay clear of shady-one-star-places though). This way, you will get that much needed practice (see number 1), you will get exposure (your discover-er might be lurking in some dark corner somewhere) and you will get confidence (mommy says one thing but there is nothing like real-time claps or polite applause to let you know how you really sound).
3. Pei Pa Koa is your friend.
If you are a singer – and have had many days and nights belting out – you probably already know this – you are more prone to losing your voice than the average non-singer (simply because a singer’s throat is more prone to bacteria infestation).
It could be something short of a disaster (pronounced, diz-ah-stuh) – when you have to sing in front of a roomful of people and there’s nothing but the scrape of fingernails on glass that comes out of you (feels like it too) – when you know (and others know) that you really (really) can sing.
This is where Pei Pa Koa – this mentholated-thick-Chinese-herbal-liquid miracle remedy – comes in. It has no known side effects and has gotten singers out of near-brushes with disaster. There’s the ginger juice (locally known as salabat), yes, but personally, it never really helped like how Pei Pa Koa helped.
4. Know when to throw in the towel.
Even the great Lea Salonga has been known to buckle down and not speak for a few days (literally) when she has bouts with laryngitis. Sometimes, there’s no way to go around that inconvenience but a few days of rest. Because if you push it, you will just prolong the recovery, and you will not have full use of your voice anyway. So a few days of “sacrifice” is necessary and recommended.
5. Believe.
Sometimes, a singer’s worst enemy is herself. But if she believes in her talent, does not need any boosting from claps or the voice instructor, can get in “the zone” with little or no prepping up, then hers is the world. This is a tall order, of course, for a teenager, or someone who just found – by gosh – that she could be the next singing sensation.
In the end, though, enjoy it. Because there is nothing more satisfying than doing what you enjoy the most – and getting the world because of it.
Article by Issa. Art by Danvic Briones. Copyright 2009-2011.
Website: www.YouWantToBeRich.com
Email: issa@youwanttoberich.com
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