Kristi, even a busy person can sing in the shower or bath every day. There is a running joke on the Mudcat about me singing in the shower, because in a thread on how we learn songs I said I print out lyrics and tape them to the shower wall and practice there every day. (I do, really.) Choose the songs you want to sing and find the most comfortable key for you. Use a tape recorder to practice sometimes and listen back to yourself critically. Take a tape recorder to your lessons and listen to yourself later. Turn the radio off in the car and sing the songs you are trying to learn. Practice singing scales. Every voice can sound better with practice. Gradually expand the range of the scales every day and the range of the songs you are singing (move up a key) and you will be able to stretch your voice to reach higher and lower notes over time as you develop those muscles. Keep going even if the tone sounds bad because it will improve over time. It takes months, but if you are consistent you will get there. It is just like working any other muscles... you have to do it routinely on a regular basis (like every day). The stronger your muscles become in placing them in the right way to make the sound, it will become easier to stay in pitch and get the best tone your voice can make. Whatever voice you were born with, you can learn to use it in a pleasing way. I love to listen to Louis Armstrong sing What A Wonderful World. What if he had shut up when people heard him sing in his rough voice? What a loss that would have been.

Whenever I bring up learning vocal technique people knee-jerk react thinking I am talking about everyone having to learn opera to be a singer ---- I AM NOT SAYING THAT! And I have never said that. That isn't possible anyway, because not everyone is born with the kind of vocal cords that can make that type of sound, and as I stated earlier in this thread, there are MANY types of singing styles in the world and they all have their rightful place. I mostly listen to traditional Irish, and Scottish recordings, although I do have a couple of Andrea Bocelli CD's that I like, but as Andrés said, opera is meant to be heard live.

My latest favorite recording to listen to is the sean nós singing of Robbie McMahon (of Spancilhill) on his tape The Black Sheep. Since it is Robert Burns time again, I got out the CD's of Jean Redpath singing Robert Burns songs.

alice flynn