Voice Lessons: Part 4 “Deliberate Practice” – Who gives you your continuous feedback?

Welcome back! We are in week 4 diving into principle #3 of “Deliberate Practice” as shared by Geoff Colvin in his best selling book – Talent is Overrated.

This week’s principle is: “Feedback on results is continuously available.”

(Click video below for this week’s teaching.)

I love being independent. I want to do things on my own. Figure things out by myself. It is one of the reasons that I love being an artist, being creative… carving my own path in the world… I like to do it my way.  But, I am the first one to admit that there are some areas in which I need guidance.  

I studied with a coach whose motto was…

“You don’t know what you don’t know.”

It’s true. It is for this reason that if you want to up your game… play big – feedback is crucial.

Now, I wouldn’t suggest that this feedback come from your Mom, Grandpa or room-mate… unless your roommate is on Broadway or just cut a million dollar recording deal… and I don’t know about you – but my Mom loved everything I did  – no matter what it was.

Feedback – where do you get yours?

The voice is tricky… how your voice sounds in your head is not how it sounds to the audience. So judging the sound while you sing can hinder more that help.

What about recording yourself?

Yes, do it… record your lessons. Record yourself during your practice, performance or presentation.

But, because you may not be an expert in vocal technique, you may try to fix or alter your sound in way that just does not work for the long-term success of your career.

An expert vocal technician will listen to your voice and watch how you sing or speak and see the bigger issues at play.

Colvin talks about this in his book…

“Experts… understand the signifgance of the indicators that average performers don’t even notice.  They look further ahead. They know more from seeing less. They make finer discriminations than average performers. Know more. Remember more.”

So what do you do? … find a coach that is a good fit for you.

I am talking from experience… After years of  vocal study, performing all over the world, winning awards… I still take voice lessons – I get bi-monthly coaching, and this feedback is precious to me. And it is not because I don’t know how to sing… but I want to be the best I can be, and my teacher can see what I can’t see.

If we want to improve – we all need that expert feedback.

How you invest in your craft is important.

If weekly lessons aren’t in your budget, what about bi-monthly or monthly?

This expert feedback may make all the difference in “doing it your way” in a small way or “doing it your way” in a big way.

I want for you to have the biggest reach that you can.

Find a teacher or coach, if it is not me, then someone else.

Get the expert feedback, do the work, and take your unique gift to a bigger audience!

Until next time, always Rejoice In Your Voice ™!

xoxoxo, Tricia