Singing Through Sickness: A Guide to Vocal Resilience

by Dr Daniel K Robinson - January 12, 2024

Read Time: 3mins

We all understand that falling ill can severely disrupt your singing practice and performance plans. However, there’s a silver lining: there are still constructive activities to help you continue your vocal development, even when you’re not feeling your best. In this revamped guide, I’ve aimed to provide a more engaging and comprehensive read. So, let’s dive right in.

Passive Learning for Active Improvement

In this chapter, I introduce you to the enriching world of passive learning, a perfect alternative when you’re not up for much else.

YouTube is a treasure trove of extensive videos on singing. Importantly, passive learning can be as effective as active practice. Start with videos that focus on the basics, especially breath management, as this foundational knowledge will serve you well when you return to full health.

🎥 Recommended Video: Introduction to Breath Management

A New Lens on Familiar Songs

This chapter explores how viewing multiple renditions of a song can offer fresh perspectives and inspiration.

Venture beyond the initial search results on YouTube to uncover hidden gems. After that, select three versions that offer stark contrasts: perhaps one from the original artist, an acoustic version, and a genre reimagining. Pay keen attention to details such as vocal style and instrumentation.

Mastering the Art of Critical Listening

Here, we delve into the concept of critical listening and its role in elevating your singing.

For this exercise, close your eyes and listen again to your chosen versions. Focus on elements like breathiness or twang and consider the usage of long or short phrasing. If these terms are new to you, don’t fret. Check out the glossary below for quick definitions.

📚 Glossary

• Breathiness: A vocal quality where the voice sounds airy.
• Twang: A clear, focused resonance.
• Phrasing: How singers divide lines and musical sentences.

The Memory Game

Lastly, we concentrate on a mentally demanding but rewarding task: memorising lyrics.

Firstly, commit the melody to memory. Next, tackle the lyrics. As you listen, jot them down from memory, which will help cement them into your long-term mind.

🎥 Recommended Video: Efficient Techniques for Memorising Lyrics

Conclusion

Falling under the weather isn’t ideal, but as you can see, it doesn’t mean your vocal progress has to stall. To make the most of your downtime, engage with this guide and the accompanying videos. Got questions or want to share your progress? Feel free to drop a comment below—I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time, sing well!

For more about singing through sickness, check out this video…

Disclaimer: This blog post was generated by ChatGPT-4, an AI language model, based on Dr Dan’s video script (original work). For a comprehensive understanding of the topic, we suggest watching the original video above.

— TOOLS for SINGERS —

* FREE 7 Day Vocal Technique Detox
* More Vocal Exercises
* Dr Dan’s Online Singing Course