The power of the mind and singing

[Jarom]

Here is a cool video explaining the power of the mind. I really think that just visualizing singing that high note perfectly will increase the quality of the note, and the amount of times you can hit it without strain. 

 

[Khassera]

Without watching the video (I'll watch it once I'm done with my exercises) I bet it has a lot to do with trusting yourself and trusting your voice.

Act like you rock the house and you just might.

[Elvis]

I agree and i believe in power of the mind...but there are some things you cant affect and thats emotions. They can stand in a way on any Journey, but dont stop believeing (sry i had to xD).

 

Also one thing that amazes me is something called the beginners luck! To me that has alot to do with mind power. Beacuse you step up to a challenge without any pre concieved notions and do as instructed or demonstrated and that ussually turns out better than you would hoped for or even better than someone who is doing it for many days/months/years.

 

For example, i cannot sing C5, and just by telling myself that i can or acting like i can i still wont be able to do it because i know first hand that i cant and i cant really lie to myself about it, but someone who has no clue about singing or even likes singing might be able to pull it off with info i provide.

 

Brain is a mysterious thing.

[D.Starr]

The whole point of the video is about self confidence.

Continue telling yourself you won't hit that note and sub consciously you won't.

Tell yourself you will hit that 3 pointer and you'll try harder and harder, tweak things here and there. You have to fall to learn how to get up.

In no way can you wish you'll be something in your head and it will happen, that isn't how it works. It takes discipline, a positive attitude and work. Work is the key work, but you must stay positive.

[Drucifer]

Without getting too deep, I've been into "religious science" for a while now. This video is a good starter, but you can go much deeper than this with the same idea.

I partially disagree that you can't just "wish" something and it will happen. Of course, not immediately, but constant mental focus on it will shift you into a different position where you're 'already there'. I used to have terrible pitch issues, so when I worked something about pitch into my meditation routine and within a few months, my pitch was better, much better. 

 

It was in these meditative states that I realized the placement I needed to be in to hit certain notes. When you're in that state and you let your mind do the walking, you become an observer. It's like pushing a toy boat in water, a small push will make it move pretty far. You push a thought in the right direction and see where it goes. I would 'sing' songs inside my head and pay attention to where I feel the words being pronounced internally....then practice hitting those spots in physical practice.

 

And confidence has a MAJOR play in singing. A few months back my confidence was really off track after some studio sessions with my current band. I was used to doing things one way in the studio and then I joined these new guys and it was like a free-for-all in the studio, "I don't like the 'ea' in the "yeah" you just sang, do it again." I was doing 50 takes of the same two words just get 3 people to agree if the second sylable was the exact way they wanted it....this went on for months until I put my foot down because I started crumbling.

 

I explained it like this-

"Look, we go in the studio and I do 50 takes of the same line because Johnny Guitar doesn't like what I'm doing. 1 take I get 'right', so in my point of view, 99% of the time I'm not doing good and 1% of the time I am. How can I have any confidence if you guys are trashing everything I do?" They realized I need that space in the studio to do *MY* thing. It's been a much, MUCH more comfortable situation and I've started facing our audiences again live hahahahha
 

[KillerKu]

Have hypnosis induced burn blisters ever been objectively validated by scientific study?

 

Now I've researched functional neuropathic conditions, so I do know the functional element of the brain can cross over into the hard wired region in unexpected ways (it's kind of like cross signals), but that's a pretty tall claim there.

 

A There is a functional element in brains with this power

B Hypnosis is powerful enough to cause this. 

 

Even in people with functional problems, it's a pathway that re-routes, a malfunction, it's not the power of suggestion alone as there needs to be an abnormal connection formed between the functional and hard wiring.

 

We do all have functional wiring, but most is consistent in the species as we all evolved fairly similarly (procreation, food, relationships). There is a placebo effect, but I'm not convinced this video has an accurate portrayal of the functional/hard wired brain body relatinship.

[Robert Lunte]

Cool, this is shaping up into a VERY interesting topic... 

 

I could go on an on with this, but in the back of my book... (... damn, it seems I say that a lot on this forum... ? LOL... well,, the damn thing is 600 pages now... lol)... anyways... in the back of the book is a set of essays called "Mental Imagery In Singing"... you can click on the Table of Contents link in my signature to see what we discuss... but getting to the point... 

 

For me... I have learned some important life lessons.  Two things:

 

1). Be Fearless.

&

2). Be Audacious - 

 

the willingness to take bold risks.

"her audacity came in handy during our most recent emergency"

 

Fear is the #1 thing that prevents people from taking risks and rolling the dice on life. If you want to continue to be mediocre and just get by with minimum attainment of your goals in life... then let fear influence your decisions.  As soon as you remove the fear; fear of what other people are going to say, fear of failure, fear people laughing at me, etc...  Life begins to work.

 

Audacity is the attitude that becomes you, when you lose the fear. Every really cool thing that has happened to me in my life... every "lucky break" or extraordinary circumstance or opportunity I have benefited from was the result of losing the fear and being audacious enough to do it, or ask for it. It is just that simple. If you don't remove the fear and take risks, then you'll never achieve your dreams.

 

 

 

My current audacious dream?.... 

 

Im in the process of putting TFPOS into an online course system that consists of over 150 videos that will enable anyone to login and train with the system... on any device... and it will be translated into 9 languages, with sub-titles on the videos. MY DREAM now is... to get TFPOS out to 1.7 Billion more people on the planet, on every device... it is going to take a lot of work... but it will change the world of vocal training.

 

Think BIG... and take risks.... or just get in line for mediocrity. 

[MDEW]

  Visualising and running things through in your head is a great idea. But it is not going to get you very far if you do not do the work also.

Get that vision of you singing the C5 in full voice or singing that Song that has been your bane of existence but do the work also to get there.

  One thing they don't tell you about using your mind to influence outcomes is that you have to do SOMETHING toward those goals.

  For instance Take someone who wants to teach singing, people will not know about you unless you start somewhere.....Start teaching people in your neighborhood......let the word get out.....Let people know what you are doing.......The subconcious mind/ether connection works by random coincidences.......You decide to give a speach or lecture or small demonstration at a school and Robert Lunte or Catherine Sadoline happens to be there....You talk........History is made......Would not happen just by thinking in your head I am a Voice teacher you need to work towards it with the notion in mind that you are going to succeed.

[ronws]

Notice the tag line in my posts. "Winners Never Quit." That doesn't mean that winners keep doing what they are doing because they are winning.

 

They win because they did not give up or quit. That is, if you never try at all, you are guaranteed to fail. But keep working and you will win. It may take a little while, it may take quite a while.

 

As well as other sayings I learned from friends in the military. Granted, the ones I quote most often are from my friend, Lee, who was a SEAL.

 

"Can't" is not in the vocabulary.

 

The only easy day was yesterday.

 

Accomplish the objective, regardless of obstacles.

[VideoHere]

"The mind does not know the difference between that which is real or vividly imagined."

 

Maxwell Maltz

 

So true.

[Felipe Carvalho]

In my opinion, a great deal of the psychological issues related to singing comes from a excessively positive self image and unrealistic expectations in regard to the craft...

There is a culture about singers where either you are born with the "gift", or, you are not cut for it.

It's not possible to go past certain barriers without accepting that you are really not "meant" or "entitled" to anything.

You will always be your more important source of critique. And that statement Bob, is a double-edged sword. At the same time you can get more confidence from it, you can start to "vividly imagine" something that your audience does not see.

Confidence on stage should come from your work and technique. If you study your repertoire well and get your technique together, you will be able to deal with low self-esteem. If not, high morals may do more harm than good.

[Elvis]

In my opinion, a great deal of the psychological issues related to singing comes from a excessively positive self image and unrealistic expectations in regard to the craft...

There is a culture about singers where either you are born with the "gift", or, you are not cut for it.

It's not possible to go past certain barriers without accepting that you are really not "meant" or "entitled" to anything.

You will always be your more important source of critique. And that statement Bob, is a double-edged sword. At the same time you can get more confidence from it, you can start to "vividly imagine" something that your audience does not see.

Confidence on stage should come from your work and technique. If you study your repertoire well and get your technique together, you will be able to deal with low self-esteem. If not, high morals may do more harm than good.

 

 

I agree with this. I PERSONALLY found it that if i actually put myself down in a way can make me feel even better in the end if i get positive reviews or critique.

 

In other words, low expectations and being humble can be more satisfying than raising yourself on the pedestal mentaly and act like untouchable with the attitude "i know everything im the best".

 

And there are people who are not cut out to be singers. But that selection is not made on vocal range and technique, because thats something we all can learn and achieve but instead the artistic aspect of singing. Bob Dylan vs Bruno Mars if u know what i mean. Every artist cn be a singer, but not every singer can be an artist if u get what i mean. And bad or "hightened" mental attitude can make you or break you.

[Robert Lunte]

"The mind does not know the difference between that which is real or vividly imagined."

 

Maxwell Maltz

 

So true.

 

 

Great... Yes, this is true. If you repeat the same goals and visions in your head over and over again, eventually you tend to  make decisions in the  material world that take you down a path to get there. 

[carp]

In my opinion, a great deal of the psychological issues related to singing comes from a excessively positive self image and unrealistic expectations in regard to the craft...

There is a culture about singers where either you are born with the "gift", or, you are not cut for it.

It's not possible to go past certain barriers without accepting that you are really not "meant" or "entitled" to anything.

You will always be your more important source of critique. And that statement Bob, is a double-edged sword. At the same time you can get more confidence from it, you can start to "vividly imagine" something that your audience does not see.

Confidence on stage should come from your work and technique. If you study your repertoire well and get your technique together, you will be able to deal with low self-esteem. If not, high morals may do more harm than good.

That's an interesting take on the subject.  I wonder if the 'problem'  you describe is more prevalent with singers.   It makes sense that it would be.  Since some people can sing (more or less) without ever having worked at it, while others can't do it at all, they might tend to believe they have a gift.   Most of my musical experience is with guitar playing and while no doubt there are plenty of non-self-critical guitarists who think they are better than they are, it seems that a more common tendency is to be overly self-critical.   

 

I certainly am very self-critical, of my guitar playing (which isn't too terrible) and my singing (which really is), and a more positive mindset can only be helpful to me.

[MDEW]

   A singer HAS to be perceived as confident whether he/she is or not. That is part of the "fake it till you make it". The "Mind Game" that you have to play, with yourself.

The first thing that the audience will notice is whether you are intimidated by them or not.

  As far as the performance itself  "Go through that in your mind....Be confident and know that you are going to give a great performance because you have done it a thousand times in your mind".  But do the training and the work FOR REAL also. But also remember that "accidents" happen. When they do, be confident then too.     

  Maybe you cannot "Restart" the song in a play or opera but in other forms of entertainment you can. Even Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney and others have restarted a song even on live TV when things started to go south. And when bad things happened they played it off as "One of those things" and kept going.

[Singingnewbie]

Accidentally saw an article and thought to start a new topic "Judgement is the route of nervousness" but i will post it here.

 

 

Confidence And Peak Performance With Mike Cunningham

 

 

We’re sat in the San Bernardino mountains in South California at the VocalizeU Winter Retreat. Both feeling particularly jet-lagged but listening to the song ‘My Fire’ by band Jealous Michael. Simon the drummer is the receptionist at Southampton’s River Studios. He’s a bloody good bloke! And talented too, check them out here and you can download their stuff on iTunes.

We’re feeling extremely privileged here at the Winter Retreat with lots of VIPs to talk to, including none other than American singer/songwriter, Wendy Moten. Wendy began her career as a supporting vocalist with Michael Bolton. She was then signed with EMI, and is best known for the single “Come On In Out of the Rain” which was a #8 hit in the UK in February 1994.

After a little chat, one thing she said really rang true to us:

‘Judgement is the route of nervousness, not actual stage fright but the apprehension of what people will think’

Which leads us perfectly to todays talk with Mike Cunningham.

A peak performance coach, Mike teaches in performing arts colleges across the country in overcoming stage fright and encouraging focus. His work aims to encourage positive and present thought processes and building confidence in performance. It’s incredibly important for Mike to help people gain a shift in mindset. Working across the board with professionals such as athletes, businessmen, actors and musicians, it’s clear to see a correct mindset for peak performance is paramount in all performance industries.

Essentially, it’s about the emotional state of mind. It occurred to Mike that there should be an updated way to get effective results. He draws inspiration from his varied clients, whether it be a comedian or public speaker. Though his work spans across industries, the approach to perform your best is uniform. The state of mind is ultimately the same. People who are engaged in what they’re doing, actually engage the audience more.

In singing, ’peak performance’ is often defined by not worrying what people think.
When you consider what some of the really amazing singers do; they are transfixed in their delivery. There is an emotional change by you just listening.

Nerves arise from worry that people won’t like the performance. The state of mind is based on what the audience will think, but sense of flow is about enjoying the moment and the music without fear of judgement. This results in the audience actually being more impressed when the performer is relaxed and immersed in the experience.

People find auditions challenging because of the goal they set themselves. Imagine a singer, auditioning in 2 weeks time. The performer believes if they get it, then somehow their life will be transformed. The ultimate goal is to get someone to like it. But what if they don’t like it? What if it goes wrong? No matter how much you think about it, you can’t change what someone will think. The power is out of the singers hands. That is the nature of worry, and creates a desire to sing it perfectly. In this ‘worry state’, if someone focusses more on technique and is note perfect, this can result in a lack of passion, flow and expression throughout the audition piece. In an audition situation, the singer may have already decided that those on the audition panel are the ones in control. So in order to regain control, the focus is overemphasised on technique. This can then result in the performer singing differently to normal.

What’s more, an anxious performer is unnerving to watch. An approach of singing it for the love is more likely to get more positive results. Then long term happiness is ultimately preserved, because you will land the jobs right and true to you.

When it comes to mistakes, the fun is in the chase of trying to be better. There’s always something you can raise the bar for, something else to strive towards being a better performer. Its never-ending, with more things to practice and build on.

“You will become clever through your mistakes” – German proverb

Being present is key, and this includes not dwelling on errors as they occur. Review them at a later date with a tutor or coach who can help you be objective. Remembering how singing felt in the moment when you were relaxed and singing for the love of it, when it was free and flowing, but not what you thought you needed to do to make it the best. The skills and state of mind are already there, but just apply them at the time instead of attempting to achieve perfection.

The big question is – how do you replicate a performance that you’ve been practicing? The answer the performer must understand is that… YOU DON’T. This is impossible and that’s ok. Going with the flow and seeing what emerges is key. Different qualities and emotions will occur through different performances. Expectation to be perfect every time is the problem.

 

[VideoHere]

In my opinion, a great deal of the psychological issues related to singing comes from a excessively positive self image and unrealistic expectations in regard to the craft...

There is a culture about singers where either you are born with the "gift", or, you are not cut for it.

It's not possible to go past certain barriers without accepting that you are really not "meant" or "entitled" to anything.

You will always be your more important source of critique. And that statement Bob, is a double-edged sword. At the same time you can get more confidence from it, you can start to "vividly imagine" something that your audience does not see.

Confidence on stage should come from your work and technique. If you study your repertoire well and get your technique together, you will be able to deal with low self-esteem. If not, high morals may do more harm than good.

 

Felipe,

 

All this quote is saying is the mind doesn't discriminate. .....good, bad or indifferent.  

[Felipe Carvalho]

It does not discriminate Bob? So you are saying you dont find Lou Gram a good singer?

 

[VideoHere]

I don't follow.  I believe you can will yourself to things both good and bad through the power of the mind..I'm just saying why not harness that power and direct it towards things you love.

[Robert Lunte]

 

 

In my opinion, a great deal of the psychological issues related to singing comes from a excessively positive self image and unrealistic expectations in regard to the craft...

There is a culture about singers where either you are born with the "gift", or, you are not cut for it.

It's not possible to go past certain barriers without accepting that you are really not "meant" or "entitled" to anything.

 

I missed this before... its really good... LOVE this,

 

"... It's not possible to go past certain barriers without accepting that you are really not "meant" or "entitled" to anything."

 

So true. I think as voice coaches we tend to see our more then fair share of this attitude... The flip side is, most people can train and get better and sing at least decent... some pretty darn good if you work at it and have a good program and teacher. But I think this vibe we see sometimes that goes something like this, "... I want to sing great, so I'm going to go look for that one secret tip that is for free on YouTube, that will make me sing better"... has become more and more prevalent in the last 5 to 6 years... I truly believe, its because of YouTube.  The overwhelming noise that is now on YouTube... that didn't use to be there regarding singing technique videos, is creating the impression that you can just watch a Youtube video and sing like Fran Cosmo in 15 minutes... ?

 

[Gsoul82]

Here is a cool video explaining the power of the mind. I really think that just visualizing singing that high note perfectly will increase the quality of the note, and the amount of times you can hit it without strain. 

 

 

If you think about it, this might be why many singers close their eyes when they sing.

[JackCee]

"The better voice does not mean a better singer" - Luciano Pavarotti