[musictlk] mirrors and singing

[Sandra Streeter]

I’m totally blind myself, so the mirror isn’t an option for me, either—but never fear: as we in the NFB believe, blindness isn’t the obstacle. Having had some one-on-one time with a local vocal therapist, much of what’s been stressed is the value of tactile and physical feedback re how well we’re collaborating with our own voice. Meaning, if you feel like your chest is collapsing, it probably is; also, she has accommodated my need not just to get a muscle memory sense of how it feels to breathe well, but also, to watch her by lightly placing a hand, say, on her middle, which gives me a sense of what I should be aiming for in my own breath control. Another benefit to working one-on-one with someone is that they can point out when things are going well or poorly for you—e.g., I’m not always aware of when I falter on some high notes (mostly a nervous thing), but my instructor can, in a constructive way, bring it to my attention: “Did you feel how you were backing away from that note?” If you’ve participated in choirs, you may already have a good sense of things, but working one-on-one with someone helps you become mindful of vocal technique as a soloist, and to be able to apply what you may have already learned in large groups to soloing. Hope this helps some, and feel free to ask any more questions—there are plenty of people willing and able to give you input from a blind person’s perspective.



Regards,



Sandra
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Little Prince 


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