In her best selling book Mindset – The new Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck outlines the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.  A fixed mindset is the belief that what you are capable of is a fixed trait, like eye colour, you’re born with it and you can’t change it.  Whereas a growth mindset is like a muscle, when you put in the hard work and effort, your abilities can grow and flourish.

Singing is an activity that is notoriously known for being either you have “it” or you don’t.  In other words, the genius singers were singing from the moment they were born.

Yeah right, nothing can be further from the truth.  Btw, check out this great diagram:

Getting back to singers….take any genius singer and Wikipedia them and find out about how long they have been singing for and their training and background….

And even if they and “talent” (whatever that means) they were most likely  brought up in an environment that encouraged singing daily (whether at home church or school)

(Ps…parents don’t ever discourage your kids from singing even if you think it sounds bad….children need to be encouraged to use their voices….more on that in a later blog)

When it comes to growing as a singer here are some SHIFTS that need to happen:

1) train – work with a qualified singing and voice professional weekly or bi-weekly

2) learn from the constructive feedback that you’ve been given – record your lessons so you can practice daily -find out what you need to improve on

3) embrace the vocal challenges – it’s not always going to be easy, keep going, keep working – the challenges are what make you stronger as a singer

4) keep going…did I mention keep going?

5) view other’s success as inspiring – don’t worry, there’s room for everyone!

6) When you hear a good singer, L I S T E N!  Get inspired!  

7) One more thing…ignore the haters….and only work with people who offer you constructive feedback and effective tools!

Alida is a vocal coach and singer/performer based in Vancouver, Canada and has been teaching private voice lessons for 10 years.  A graduate of UBC School of Music, Alida is also a Level 5 Certified IVA Voice Teacher.  

To keep up with the latest info on the voice AND what my clients are up to, please follow Alida Vocal Studio on Instagram!

@alidavocalstudio

It’s a new year and a fresh new start!  I have been training singers for almost a decade now and I’ve noticed the number 1 setback they encounter with their voices is their lack of vocal confidence.  Do you want to sing well but find you don’t have enough vocal confidence, and it sets you back from getting the best results?  My advice: start planting the seeds now towards building your vocal confidence and your singing will blossom by spring!

Train like an athlete.

Adopt the mindset of a vocal athlete, train weekly and practice daily.  Focus on improving your vocal strength, agility, range, breath management through studying vocal technique.   Consult with your vocal coach on what areas you need to improve on and also on repertoire selection.  Training is a huge part of growing your vocal confidence because…(and I love this quote)

“Competence breeds confidence.” – Dan Millman, Body Mind Mastery

The more competency in your vocal technique, the more you will be able to have trust in your instrument and as a result your confidence will soar.

Do Some Self-work. 

Sometimes you have to get to the core of the emotional blocks that seem to get in the way of vocal progress.  It may require working on yourself outside of singing.  Journaling, attending workshops, studying performance psychology, and working with a therapist are just some of the ways that can help you on your vocal journey.  Body awareness techniques such as Alexander Technique, Yoga or even meditation, can go a long way in making sure you are in the right frame of mind to tackle your overall confidence.  Once you have worked on yourself, you are better equipped to handle the psychological challenges you will most likely face with singing.

Set Small Goals. 

Sometimes having a goal or a vision of where you’d like to go with your singing can give you the motivation to keep working.  Start small, as experts suggest small goals are more attainable and you will be more likely to strive towards them if you know they are achievable.  It can be recording one song, performing at an open mic or auditioning for a choir.  Set your intention and commit to making it happen.

Alida is a singer and vocal coach based in Vancouver, Canada.  A graduate of UBC School of Music, Alida holds an IVA Advanced Certificate in voice teaching.  She is also certified in Speech Level Singing and is a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing).  Alida has been teaching voice for 9 years to clients from the Lower Mainland as well as across Canada and worldwide.