musical talent

[ForTheLoveOfLea]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:29pm

Do you think that having a good voice is something you are born with and simply have to uncover, or that anyone can be a good singer? And if someone start singing, is there a point where the singer stops improving or do they keep getting stronger all the time? I've been wondering that ever since I started voice lessons. Discussions, please?

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:33pm

I think that in order to anywhere with voice, you have to have been good from the beginning. For example, you can take voice lessons for years but if you have no vocal talent, chances are you never will. Voice lessons will improve your voice but they can't make a talentless person amazing.

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:38pm

there has been much discussion on this topic. one of my opinions is that you can never stop improving. even professional singers, on broadway and in other areas, still continue to take voice lessons. as you age, your voice naturally changes, and you can always discover new things about it.
about being born with it...you have to be born with something. but voice lessons can greatly improve what natural talent you have. but voice lessons can only do so much for someone who is completely tone deaf.

[ForTheLoveOfLea]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:54pm

I ask because I have been taking lessons for a year and a half and I completely recognize a major difference. I can throw out high A's like they were nothing but I couldn't even sing a good B above middle C when I started. Was I born with a good soprano and just never realized it, or did I develop it through lots of work? Because I dont see how I can add over an octave to my range over the course of a year.

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:04pm

it was always there...but you probably weren't singing in the right placement to reach the notes. now you've learned how to properly use your voice, so it's easier, and you know how it feels, so you can do it!

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:07pm

I do believe that some people are born with "better" (I don't want to say that word, but I can't imagine what else to say) voices (ie tone quality) or higher or lower chest voices than others, and development of the voice can only come naturally. Forcing it kills the voice. Permanently.

But, if you study enough and practice you can sing. I think many aspects of the voice develop with training.

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:21pm

If you want to have a better than average voice, you have to be born with natural ability. Singing lessons will help you improve a lot, but they can't make you have an amazing voice. If you are just plain bad, extensive lessons will maybe give you a passable voice, but you gotta have something to work with.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:25pm

Your voice is a muscle. No matter how naturally talented you are, you need to work it out and stretch it like any other muscle. I've been amazed what I've been able to achieve with continuing training in my 30s and 40s. Never stop working on it and it will never cease to reward you.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:32pm

I think the beginning has to do with talent and natural ability, and how much potential your voice could have. And I agree, you can never stop improving your voice... you can never stop learning and extending your range, even learning the mechanics of singing a song. You need to take the talent you have, and try and reach your highest potential with it. Your voice has always been there, but developing your voice will increase the ability of what you can sing.

--korenglish

[Caleb]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 12:36am

Stephen King said something about writing ability that I think translates into all creative fields. He basically said that there are four levels of talent: terrible, competent, good, and great. His theory is that no terrible writer can become a competent writer, and no good writer can become a great writer, but that it's very possible to turn a competent writer into a good one. I think the same apllies to singers or musicians. If you're plain awful, there's no helping you, and then there are the Joan Sutherlands or Maria Callas of the world, who trained a lot, but had an x-factor that they were probably born with. But there are probably tons of people who were okay who are now good through training and practice.