Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti

"Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti" are the 7 words people often use when we practice our low and high notes during our singing lessons. I just came back from my second singing lesson today. I've always been a great singer when I was young. Sadly, I gave it up when I was about 12 and I lost my voice amongst the hormones a teenager faces. After watching the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006, it inspired to return to my love for music and singing. At first I sounded like a frog being strangled and a cat scraping their paws on a black chalk board. Yes, I was THAT bad.

After 2 years of practicing singing at home without any lessons. I began to improve. Of course, I wasn't amazing. I was improving with my voice as it started to developed back into it's singing range. I wasn't horrible. I was just plain good. I just need improvement! I needed to learn the breathing techniques. I needed to learn to mix my high and low notes together. I needed to learn on the tone techniques. Of course, I did strain most of the time, in which my throat would become dry and sore. Ah the joys of an amateur.

About 3 months ago, I Googled singing teachers here in Sydney. I found a website that had all the available singing teachers in the city. And 2 weeks ago, I emailed them for an inquiry for having lessons and what I needed to be improved and a little biography about what I needed them to understand. After 24 hours, I got a friendly reply back from the owner of the website. He found the most available singer in my area. He lives 21 minute drive for my place and believe me, he's been a great help.

So, I had my first lesson on Saturday the 9th of February and Dave was a nice talented singer who was patient with me to open up. We had a few voice exercises so he could see what needed work on my voice. We sang several songs:

"Stop This Hurting" by Lisette Vares
"On Top Of The World" by Edsilia Rombley

and of course I had my flaws, because after 2 years of practicing at home WITHOUT any lessons relieved the tension as I slowly began to understand and learn the opening up techniques.

I have a friend who I've recently known from Myspace named "Stuart Guthrie", a VERY talented singer from Western Australia. He's helped me out a lot by giving me some tricks and some advice on making my breathing a bit more easier and to make sure I don't put any strain on my vocals by singing on the throat and by relaxing and trying to sing from the diaphragm. He's been a great help to me.

For the last 5 days, I've been practicing and practicing. I was taught the lip bubble technique. I was taught to make sure my shoulders don't rise when I breathe. It's VERY hard to control at first, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I've had a few strains on my voice the first 2 days of singing, but the 3rd day of understanding some of the basic techniques and breathing had finally relieved the tension on my singing. I still have my flaws with the breathing and bringing my high and low notes together, but, hopefully, I will maintain the understanding and knowledge to learn it properly.

I'm just thankful that I have people helping me with my singing. I'm glad I finally made that email to book that teacher. It was worth it. My voice has finally started to slowly progress. I don't feel the tension in my throat from straining. I know it will take a while for me to fully developed my singing voice to the level that it will be perfection, but the results are going be worth the wait from practicing and lessons.

If anyone out there has any advice or suggestions. I'd definitely appreciate it. I love music. I love singing. My whole life is based around music. I just thank the Eurovision Song Contest for inspiring me to sing again. It's given me a whole new view on what I honestly want in my life. I'm doing this for all the right reasons. The whole point of me becoming a successful singer is so I can become the voice for those out there. I'll be practicing extremely hard this up-coming week.


Jordan