Welcome (back)! Here we go...
Last year, I wrote a blog about the Prerequisites for Advanced Singing, where I identified four elements that I feel are necessary for moving past the beginning levels of singing.
In this blog, we'll explore what may be considered the prerequisites for learning, as outlined by Prof. Lynn Helding of the University of Southern California. Helding is a pioneer in bringing cognitive research and motor learning theories into the way we teach singing. She has written a hugely influential book, called The Musician's Mind, that I have quoted in previous blogs. In her estimation, there are four components that should be present if true learning is to occur: volition, desire, effort, and sleep.
Volition essentially means that it is your choice to participate. You are the one choosing to take voice lessons, you are choosing to practice, you are choosing to do what is necessary to improve. If you are only studying singing because it's a requirement of your major or because some authority figure is making you do it, you are not likely to learn much.
Desire means that you truly want to improve. That may seem obvious—who doesn't want to be a better singer? But, do you want it enough to actually practice? If not, then you have a dream, not a desire. I dream of being a great pianist, but I don't desire to sit my butt on a piano bench to practice for hours a day. The famously witty Oscar Wilde once said, “To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.” I wouldn't exactly call that desire.
Effort is also a necessary component. To put it bluntly, if something is easy, you’re probably not learning. Going through the motions of vocal exercises may keep your voice conditioned, but it is not going to lead to added skill. Let me be clear, we're talking here about mental effort, not about extraneous muscle engagement. Helding builds on cognitive psychologist Robert Bjork's idea of "desirable difficulties," which are described as tasks that require a considerable but desirable amount of effort, thereby improving long-term performance. Your singing regimen should include some tasks that you already perform well (the repetition of which will continue to solidify those skills) and lots of other tasks that you are just on the edge of being able to perform, or perform consistently (which will keep you stretching your abilities).
Sleep is the last prerequisite necessary in order for learning to occur. In a previous blog about the importance of sleep, I admitted that it may not be helpful to lecture students about getting enough sleep when many of you have class all day, rehearsals or work all evening, and THEN you're expected to do homework, write papers, oh, and just live your life! Still, sleep is crucial for both health and for learning. In her book, Helding presents various theories that suggest sleep makes us more able to pay attention, encourages "synaptic pruning" (essentially cleaning the brain of weak neuronal connections so the stronger connections can thrive), and helps short-term memories become long-term memories (also called "memory consolidation," which is the cognitive term for actual learning). (The Musician's Mind, p.84-86)
As we kick off the semester, you may consider briefly going through this checklist each time you practice. Remind yourself that you are choosing to sing, that you genuinely want to get better, and that you are willing to challenge yourself in order to improve. Then commit to giving your body, mind, and voice the proper sleep needed to flourish and excel.
In the comments below, type two or three goals you have for your singing this semester and this school year. You may want to consult this blog and this blog as reminders of what to keep in mind when establishing effective goals.
I'm so happy to be back at it and am looking forward to working with all of you. Let's have a great year!
Now go practice.
