Focus

[Rob Beck]

Fascinators - Hats that ain't hats …

Thanks for doing the translation work Bill, I was wondering how to go about explaining a fascinator - I thought they existed everywhere! A picture paints a thousand words!

[Randi Gormley]

I read a lot of old books and the word "frock" is pretty much used for any dress -- although tbh is seems to be only used when worn by young ladies. In modern times, think of Lovey from Gilligan's Island. She wears frocks. posh is also a word in the USA -- at least in Greenwich, CT -- where it's used to describe anything upper class. People who use 'posh' out here generally are mimicked by talking with your teeth closed (not clenched) and using the phrase "top drawer' a lot.

[billkilpatrick]

I read a lot of old books and the word "frock" is pretty much used for any dress -- although tbh is seems to be only used when worn by young ladies. In modern times, think of Lovey from Gilligan's Island. She wears frocks. posh is also a word in the USA -- at least in Greenwich, CT -- where it's used to describe anything upper class. People who use 'posh' out here generally are mimicked by talking with your teeth closed (not clenched) and using the phrase "top drawer' a lot.

I say posh - top drawer is pushing it ... - Bill (from Bridgeport)

[stevedenver]

Not only is "singing and playing" a skill, but (just) singing is a difficult one, too, for some of us! I hate nothing more than having no instrument in my hand, and having someone ask me, "how does such-and-such a tune go?" Left with nothing but my voice to go by, I often have trouble conveying the tune in a recognizable manner, whereas if I played a few bars of it, it would be much easier (to me) and more recognizable (to the other person)... Singing requires much more conscious effort than playing does, at least for me, and comes out sounding worse. Go figure.

As for texting and driving, I doubt I could even do that. Mainly since I've only texted about 20 times, ever. LOL

bratsche

I always thought my singing sucked, so i played guitar. I sang as a kid, then didnt.
Until.....one day someone told me a had a decent voice. This at a jam where the jam leader was.....challenged and the songs were way slow. I helpoed him out, as it was a sinking ship.

So......
Heres what helped me, not that i am likely to make the VOice.
I bought the berklee ann peckham contemporary singer book and cd, and, warmed up, and practiced for a month, daily. My pitch and muscle control got decent.

I could know where my vocal cords needed to be in order to sing a tune.

Anohter thing i found out, is that i can hear a song a hundred times, but if i dont sing it,i dont really know it, ala memory. This is like knowing the principles of bike riding versus getting on the damn thing first time. Or, mindfulness. I can sing along with many rock tunes, but, i couldnt sing them alone until i made teh effort, ie i memorized the lyrics and tune. It makes you really get and internalize the melody. Then you can sing it to someone without an instrument, really!

I am no evangelist, but, bratsche, i tell you this, SING. It is not hard, and you can do it, and ive layed out above a $22 tip, from amazon, that really helped me get confident, and build my vocal cords. Privately.

they are indeed muscles, and the ones you use to sing high are differnt than those to sing low, ie like aductors and abductors.

Singing is so much fun, release endorphins, is neat because it is the ultimate musical instrument to express yourself, and, the more you do it, the better you get. Singing with others is often, even better, and you will get there.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I am trying to pass to you a vehicle to have this joy, regardless of age or skill. I say this because i learned this rather late. I have since taken singing lessons (very uncomfortable for me at times) and , i have now had pros tell me they llike my singing. Its never to late, and the CD and book is a way to practice and build confidence. The confidence thing was what inhibited me. That, for me, was the turning point. Like they say, dance like know ones watching. Ditto singing. I am a very tightly wound guy, and i am learning to let er rip!

Go for it.

[Beanzy]

Great approach stevedenver & really good to see such encouragement. It's too easy not to try, but can make so much of a difference if people encourage you to step out on the journey. A good guide or map like you suggest is a must.

[bbcee]

Fascinators - Hats that ain't hats …

Thanks for asking, Kevin - I thought fascinators were those faddish three-lobed things with magnets AKA fidget spinners, translated to UK English! God knows why ...

AND I learned where posh came from. Seems like it's one of those words that's always been there, (probably because it's sounds like what it is).

From one 'Merican to another ...

[JonZ]

If you tend to lose focus during practice after your first run through, do this.

Do your first run through.
Work on one piece of it that needs improvement.
Move on to a different first run through.
Work on one piece of it that needs improvement.
Go back and do a new first run through on the previous first run through.

There is a diminishing return on consecutive repetitions. This kind of jumping back and forth has been shown to be a more effective form of practice. You should actually randomize several goals for a practice session. Noa Kageyama discusses this at http://www.bulletproofmusician.com, along with other techniques.

[DougC]

My wife says "Hoy-tee Toy-tee" for posh.

And after 17 years of Irish Sessiun playing at the pubs. Nothing can distract me. Nothing...

[Kevin Stueve]

Thanks for asking, Kevin - I thought fascinators were those faddish three-lobed things with magnets AKA fidget spinners, translated to UK English! God knows why ...

AND I learned where posh came from. Seems like it's one of those words that's always been there, (probably because it's sounds like what it is).

From one 'Merican to another ...

Yea I knew everything but fascinators. Although it was nice to be reminded where Posh came from. I used to do some software consulting with a gentleman from the Orkney Isles and got a chuckle out of the difference in meaning of "pissed" and "quickie" between our two cultures.

[sbhikes]

What helps me:

1. Play these tunes for 10 or more years.
2. Listen to the music at work.
3. Spend time in silence, such as commuting to work or hiking, and during that time, practice the tunes in your head or sing them out loud.

After a while, you get to where if you lose focus and mess up you'll automatically be able to sort of fake your way back into it. Nobody will ever notice. You might even fake a few "wrong" notes that actually sound pretty cool and then you can just say you meant it. After 10 or more years, you'll be able to pick up anywhere in the middle of the tune and keep on going. You won't have to start over or anything like that. You'll even get to a point where you can teach a tune to yourself from memory, which is pretty cool.