You Are Not Broken

You are not broken.

This has  become one of my favorite mottos as a teacher.

Last weekend, I participated in a Singing Athlete training. Going into it, I was nervous. There was so much information to absorb, and I wanted to make sure I was doing everything correctly.

During one of the breathing exercises, I realized I wasn't getting the results everyone seemed to be talking about. Instead of seeing improvement, I felt frustrated and wondered if I was doing something wrong. I sheepishly shared my results with the group. Then another participant spoke up and said she was experiencing the exact same thing. That’s when the coach, Andrew Byrne, gave some amazing advice.

“If this doesn’t work for you, then try something else.”
At first, that sounded almost too simple. Then he elaborated: “This exercise is either too easy for you, or too hard. Let’s adjust it.”

Suddenly, the goal wasn't to force the exercise to work, rather, it was to find the version that worked for me

As singers, we often assume that if an exercise doesn't work, we're the problem. We think we must be doing it wrong, that our voice has some flaw, or that everyone else understands something we don't. Sometimes an exercise just isn't what your voice needs at that moment, you need a different approach, a different explanation, or more guidance.

This is one reason teachers matter. We can help you sort through the confusion, experiment with different approaches, and figure out what works for your unique voice.

If something isn't clicking in your lessons, tell us. Ask questions. Share your frustrations. Some of the biggest breakthroughs happen after a student says, "This isn't working for me."

So, keep singing, friends.

You are not broken.