Singing sans your instrument can be excruciating!

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this post is only for those who are most comfortable singing and playing, and feel that's where they sing the best. It's not for those...

• who are NOT confident playing at the same time as singing.
• who play with bad, crunched posture.
• who actually DON'T have good enough vocal technique to sing well while playing.

Psychological issues of singing without playing

When your brain learns to do something, it programs as much of the action into automatic as it can in order to accomplish the goal much more efficiently, easier and faster. The brain literally lays down myelin sheath fiber highways around the neural synapse pathways it wants to memorize. If you change a factor, especially as significant as what the side limbs of your body are doing, it can throw the auto button back to manual! Then you start thinking about the "how" instead of the "what" that you are communicating.

The result can be frozen or guarded stance, missing body & facial language, numbness and other performance fails. Vocal issues and limitations creep in, sabotaging your confidence even more. There's no way your voice can do it's best when your brain is occupied with so much conscious thinking.

Physical issues of singing without playing

When your hands aren't playing, they don't know what to do and tend to fall like dead weight. This makes your arms into 'ribcage anchors'. Then the dropped, tight ribcage allows too much slack and uncontrolled movement in the dome of the diaphragm. Think of this as the kiss of death to breath control!

Without the familiar instrument at your hands to brace against, your head tends to drift forward. This again adds to the collapse of the ribcage, and also the tightening of the throat. Then the chin starts coming up and forward to hit notes which had been easy when you were playing simultaneously. Think of this as the kiss of death to tone, range, pitch ... and say hello to vocal strain!

What you can do

There are some ninja tricks that can help you sing as well - if not better - without your instrument! Please understand that every singer is unique. You may not be aware of what you're really doing and it's best to work with a coach who can diagnose your particular issues and fine tune these tactics for you. That said, here are 3 suggestions:

1. Check your posture

Stand flexibly tall instead of crouched forward. Balance your head over your heels intstead of your toes. Make sure the upper curve of your back is flexibly straight instead of pronounced. On stage, use body language of the magnet instead of the blowhard (interesting term isn't it?). In the studio, know how to position yourself at the mic so you are flexibly tall.

2. Use your hands

As I mentioned, the position and action of your hands affects your breath control, and breath control creates vocal control. If on stage you have a mic or mic stand in your hand, learn to use your grip to widen your ribcage. Mostly keep the butt end of the mic 45 degrees down, and the head of the mic right at your mouth. Squeeze it - not continually, just as you articulate your lyrics. Done correctly, this should create a pulling sensation that makes you tall and wide, opening your throat and ribcage. Just don't pull it away from your mouth much.  If singing in the studio, hold a backscratcher or the equivalent stick-shaped object between your palms, which should replicate the ribcage widening that happens when you play your instrument. Gently squeeze the stick between your palms to open your ribcage and brace your head back over your spine.

3. Focus on the point of the spear... the message

Here's where not having an instrument can help you. If you don't have to worry about playing the right chords, and you use these other ninja tricks so your voice feels controlled and strong, you can focus your mind even better onto the message and the person to whom you're singing.

Why I keep giving away the farm

I'd like to take a moment today and tell you why I create All Things Vocal blog and podcast. I put so much into it I've been told by many people that I 'give away the farm'. Actually, they are right... if you can't afford professional vocal training at all (keeping in mind I have a course that's just $19.95) then it is my purposeful intention that you can improve your vocal ability for free from the information you read and hear on All Things Vocal. You can help by sharing it with others. You can sign up for my newsletter at judyrodman.com to get monthly blog updates so you don't miss one!

However, there's so much more I can help you with. If your voice is important to you, and you want to go farther with more proven techniques, look into my training courses and/or take one-on-one singing or speaking lessons with me in person or online. The improvement you'll experience is fast... even one lesson can jump-start you to your next level of ability.

Your questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome! Do you play and sing? What's your experience with/without your instrument?