Society's Bad Voice Culture

So often, I hear people joke about what a bad voice they have. It seems that, as a culture, we have the idea that those that can sing are special. They are born to sing. It is a rare talent.

In some other cultures, however, it is assumed that everyone can sing. People just come together to sing - in joy, in grief and for all occasions. Singing is an activity which is part of their common lives. People aren’t self conscious or self critical. The emphasis is on togetherness, not performance.

I find this self criticism in our culture is pervasive. A student will be afraid to start lessons. Then, if they begin, every note is half sung for fear of being out of tune or not being “beautiful”.

But a voice can only be discovered with pleasure and a sense of experimentation. We must allow ourselves to “be wrong” in order to find our true voice - one that is free and produced without fear.