• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Can Anyone Learn to Sing?

Nakosis

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
There is an individual element of natural ability in all of us, and that’s worth considering, but it’s not the whole picture by a long shot. The average person can dedicate themselves to serious vocal training using a comprehensive, proven program. That person, more often than not, is going to learn to sing just as well as — if not better than — someone who didn’t have to work at it and was born with so-called “natural talent.”

Singing is an athletic endeavor. It is physical. It is not magical. When a vocalist starts to learn how to belt, they are not performing a trick of some kind. They are using basic skills to make the amazing happen. Motor skills, muscle strength, coordination — these things can all be built up over time with the proper vocal training.
https://thevocaliststudio.com/can-anyone-learn-to-sing/

So what do you think? Could anyone with proper training become a POP singing star?

Or do you have to be born with a special voice?
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Nakosis said:
There is an individual element of natural ability in all of us, and that’s worth considering, but it’s not the whole picture by a long shot. The average person can dedicate themselves to serious vocal training using a comprehensive, proven program. That person, more often than not, is going to learn to sing just as well as — if not better than — someone who didn’t have to work at it and was born with so-called “natural talent.”

Singing is an athletic endeavor. It is physical. It is not magical. When a vocalist starts to learn how to belt, they are not performing a trick of some kind. They are using basic skills to make the amazing happen. Motor skills, muscle strength, coordination — these things can all be built up over time with the proper vocal training.
Can Anyone Learn to Sing? - MYTH BUSTED!

So what do you think? Could anyone with proper training become a POP singing star?

Or do you have to be born with a special voice?
Click to expand...


I couldn't, when i sing the cat packs her bags and leaves home. But we used to have a more appreciative dog who would join in... People thought the dog was better
 
T

Terry Sampson

Well-Known Member
  • My wife was an elementary school teacher for 25 years. From about 2000 until she retired, I used to go into her classroom and do "volunteer teacher's aide" duty".
  • Her students varied from year to year, from Kindergardeners to 3rd graders.
  • Little ones in that age range L-O-V-E to sing and, as a rule, take to it like seals to water. But ...
  • My wife and I noticed, and concurred, the kids with dyslexia couldn't carry a tune. They enjoyed the music well enough, especially if there was movement involved, but just didn't/couldn't carry a tune. They would try to sing along, but if and when criticized by others for their singing, lost their zeal for singing in public.
  • Deaf kids have a hard time with singing too. :D
  • That said, some can sing like songbirds from an early age, with or without music: Dolly Parton, Celine Dionne, and Aretha Franklin come to mind. Others need voice coaches and music. And some of us just hum along. There are others who should.
 
sun rise

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
Anyone? No. I have a long-established tin ear and don't think I could get to a high level in this lifetime.
 
Skwim

Skwim

Veteran Member
.

My wife has a beautiful singing voice. She was even offered a scholarship to Julliard while in her senior year of high school, but had to decline because her mother was terrified of her daughter living alone in NY City. I, on the other hand, have an absolutely terrible singing voice, and no amount of guidance (from my wife, who took voice lessons for many years) helped; even a smidgen. So, No, not everyone can learn to sing. Now, becoming a "POP singing star" is entirely different. From what I've heard,


hqdefault.jpg

​

I may very well qualify, :) . . . . . . .but I wouldn't be able to stand to listen to myself. :fearscream:


.

.
 
exchemist

exchemist

Veteran Member
Nakosis said:
There is an individual element of natural ability in all of us, and that’s worth considering, but it’s not the whole picture by a long shot. The average person can dedicate themselves to serious vocal training using a comprehensive, proven program. That person, more often than not, is going to learn to sing just as well as — if not better than — someone who didn’t have to work at it and was born with so-called “natural talent.”

Singing is an athletic endeavor. It is physical. It is not magical. When a vocalist starts to learn how to belt, they are not performing a trick of some kind. They are using basic skills to make the amazing happen. Motor skills, muscle strength, coordination — these things can all be built up over time with the proper vocal training.
Can Anyone Learn to Sing? - MYTH BUSTED!

So what do you think? Could anyone with proper training become a POP singing star?

Or do you have to be born with a special voice?
Click to expand...
Not a pop singer, no. People's natural voices vary enormously. I could never be a pop singer but then I would hate to be. Mind you, I did discover, many years ago in a Tokyo karaoke bar, that a microphone can enable even an average singer to sound pretty convincing. (I sang Daydream Believer by the Monkees, as it was the only song I could find that I knew :D)

Some people really are tone deaf and for them it's hopeless. But a surprising number of people who think they can't sing actually can, if they let go of their inhibition and put their minds to it. Morley College in London has, for many years, run something called the Can't Sing Choir. This takes in people that think they can't sing but would like to try and it turns out a pretty respectable concert or two every year. BBC article on it here: Can the tone deaf learn to sing?

(Andrea Brown, mentioned in the article, now directs - among many other things - a S. London choral society that I occasionally sing with.)
 
Vinayaka

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
ChristineM said:
I couldn't, when i sing the cat packs her bags and leaves home. But we used to have a more appreciative dog who would join in... People thought the dog was better
Click to expand...

I bet I'm worse. I have a deep monotone voice, and no ear. Some music teacher colleague made the claim anyone could sing so I asked her for a lesson, just to prove her wrong. I took it seriously too, and after half an hour she admitted defeat.
 
Skwim

Skwim

Veteran Member
exchemist said:
Not a pop singer, no. People's natural voices vary enormously. I could never be a pop singer but then I would hate to be. Mind you, I did discover, many years ago in a Tokyo karaoke bar, that a microphone can enable even an average singer to sound pretty convincing. (I sang Daydream Believer by the Monkees, as it was the only song I could find that I knew :D)

Some people really are tone deaf and for them it's hopeless. But a surprising number of people who think they can't sing actually can, if they let go of their inhibition and put their minds to it. Morley College in London has, for many years, run something called the Can't Sing Choir. This takes in people that think they can't sing but would like to try and it turns out a pretty respectable concert or two every year. BBC article on it here: Can the tone deaf learn to sing?

(Andrea Brown, mentioned in the article, now directs - among many other things - a S. London choral society that I occasionally sing with.)
Click to expand...
I wish I could blame my inability to sing on tone deafness, but, alas, I cannot. When playing the piano I have a very good sense of tone and pitch.

.
 
Last edited:
dybmh

dybmh

דניאל יוסף בן מאיר הירש
dybmh said:
Online Karaoke - Sing & Record Songs For Free
Click to expand...
OK, it looks like this site may not be free enough... I'll see if i can find something actually usable and start a thread in the games area if I find something worthy.
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Vinayaka said:
I bet I'm worse. I have a deep monotone voice, and no ear. Some music teacher colleague made the claim anyone could sing so I asked her for a lesson, just to prove her wrong. I took it seriously too, and after half an hour she admitted defeat.
Click to expand...

I can beat that. Everyone had to audition for the school choir. Each child was asked to sing the scale "doh, ray me..", the good ones were asked wait, the poor singers were asked to leave. My turn came, i started "doh.."
The music teacher put her hand up and said "go".
 
Skwim

Skwim

Veteran Member
ChristineM said:
I can beat that. Everyone had to audition for the school choir. Each child was asked to sing the scale "doh, ray me..", the good ones were asked wait, the poor singers were asked to leave. My turn came, i started "doh.."
The music teacher put her hand up and said "go".
Click to expand...
That's sad, but funny. :thumbsup:

After Saturday Lutheran confirmation classes all the kids---about 15 or so---went to rehearsal for the children's choir for next day's Sunday's service, except for one other kid and myself. Our voices were so bad we were held back to fold the Sunday bulletins. Thing is, I preferred folding bulletins where the two of us could talk and goof off.

.

.
 
Last edited:
Evangelicalhumanist

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
Much of what it takes to be a great singer can be taught, to be sure -- but it is still necessary to have an instrument. That instrument includes not only the voice box, but also the acoustic environment in which it lives -- the general shape of the inside of the mouth, nasal cavity, sinuses and so on. These cannot be trained. (Anna Russell once said that some of the world's great sopranos had "resonance where their brains ought to be." :D)

And speaking of brains, it is true that there are people with a very natural musicality, and there are others without. Some of this can be taught, but much of it is pure talent, and can't be taught.

The very wealthy American Florence Foster Jenkins was one of those who truly thought she could sing beautifully. And yes, she filled Carnegie Hall (by buying all the seats herself!). I'll let you judge for yourself: Florence Foster Jenkins - glory of the human voice :) - YouTube
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top