Why We Sing

From Mike:
Every so often I run across a person who adds a depth of clarity for me that I want to appreciate with smiles, hugs. and celebration. I hope you enjoy Professor John Lennon.

"It may well be counter-productive to one's well being not to sing."

"Singing reflects a state of balance and a positive inner glow of contentment and equanimity. It is the audible resonant reality of our existence."

-- Professor John Lennon

Note of explanation: Throughout the narrative there are two printings for the word self. Whenever the print is capitalized the meaning refers to the individual Self. Small case print refers to the universal collective sense of self.

According to a Chicago Tribune article people who sing live longer than those who do not. Why? Singing stimulates better blood flow by increasing the efficiency of chest wall muscles in air exchange. These findings, the result of research done at the National Institute on Aging, were reported to the American Lung Association. While indisputable in so far as they go, these findings do not present the complete picture. In addition to the demonstrable physiological benefits of singing as exercise, each individual has a deeply intrinsic need for the emotional release singing provides. Actually, human sound is the mind resonating through the instrument of the body. Conceived and evolved as one indivisible unit, the human body functions as the instrument of the human mind. Because the balance of this unity is so crucial I choose to use the word BodyMind, without separation, to express this oneness

After more than half a century involved in this business of singing, I now feel the need to redefine exactly what I think 'singing' really is. As a young boy, when first attempting to master the mysteries of the 'art of singing,' I was convinced that those blessed with "a special talent for singing" were indeed privileged human beings. Today I find myself questioning whether or not singing really is a "talent." The concept that singing is an art form seems to appropriately apply only to those dedicated to its ultimate refinement.

Thinking that singing is only a 'talent' or an 'art form' is a denial of a very basic human need, the need to express emotions in a way that completely satisfies the unified BodyMind of each individual. The idea that 'talent for singing' is the prerequisite fosters the idea that sustained vocal sound must first and foremost be perceived as 'pretty.'

Spontaneous sound almost always incorporates a dimension of noise in its release. In order to communicate effectively, resonance must first release the emotional expression without impediment. Emotional release effectiveness is how well it satisfies the one expressing. With these criteria as a premise, effectiveness of and satisfaction from my own perception of singing has evolved considerably.

Singing is often considered something done by one or more persons for communication with and appreciation of others. And yet, the basic inborn response of sustained sound emission in singing fulfills a need to communicate with our Self long before taking on the guise of performance for others. Innate human BodyMind emotional expression responds and reacts to the surrounding environment.

Except for birth defects, we all begin with the ability to audibly express emotion. Most animals use sound to express emotion. The primal utterance of a newborn child is emotional resonance in response to the drastic change in immediate environment. The spontaneous release expresses the mood experienced by the neonate at that particular moment: a perfect blend of sound and movement as all energy combines in emotional release. This energy release may be observed throughout early maturation as the infant becomes more aware of the surrounding environment and emotionally responds to stimulation. Neonatal and postnatal experience is almost always an oral investigation coupled with vocal sound in response to mouth contact. Except for crying voice is at first limited to various isolated emissions.

Sustained vocal experimentation begins about the same time the infant branches out from the primal means of identification, the oral probe. As eyes, ears and fingers participate more in the identification experience vocal sound takes on a broader, more sustained dimension. From primal utterance on through early development the infant continues experiencing vocal sound and body movement as simultaneous functions. Body movement without sound is possible, but not sound without movement.

A vivid example of this association is the following incident. A young married student of mine complained how impossible it was to console her ten-month old son once crying became excessive. I suggested that the next time this happens she take his feet in one hand, arms in the other, firmly resisting any further movement. At first opportunity she tried this advice. I was convinced that minimizing body movement would minimize crying. I was not prepared, however, for what she told me happened next. He immediately stopped crying, his eyes became very large and he began to laugh deep inside his body. His laughter increased until it reached the same intensity as the former crying. For the next few months he never once varied from this instantaneous response reversal.

Anyone who has watched a young child wind up for an emotional overflow is aware that the facial muscle preparation moves with equal facility to either laughter or crying. Laughter and crying may be opposite extremes of the emotional spectrum, but think how often one leads into the other. Both are released from deep within the body moving outward to express the degree of stability the BodyMind is experiencing at that moment.

In early development when posture is still uncertain and in experimental stages vocal sound is allowed greater freedom of emotional expression. Since children unconsciously associate vocal sound with movement it seems safe to assume that audible emotional resonance is a totally integrated BodyMind expression.

Visualize in your mind's eye a four or five-month-old infant lying on his/her back in a mood of inner contentment. When awake at this age experimenting never ceases. Sustained noises play around the infant's lips as emotions find release in sound experimentation. This same oral experience continues on through later infancy to further refinement as the child adds word shapes to sustained sound. At some time in the earlier years, however, the socially imposed conditioning thought necessary in achieving maturity begins blocking free vocal experimentation.

Add to that mental image one of a little girl absently singing to herself as she plays in the sandbox, or a little boy skipping down the sidewalk singing to himself in rhythm to his movements. Both are perfect examples of spontaneous, uninhibited vocal sound. It is said that maturity is responsibility for one's actions. Who would want to be responsible for anything so basically natural as experimenting with your voice? Somehow we become imbued with the idea that mature adults don't do that. Only children make noises! Adults are supposed to shape sounds into words that express mature emotions.

The most genuinely honest emotional expression, however, comes from the children. Observe a young child's uninhibited release of spontaneous vocal sound and enjoy an intimate glimpse into the most audible expression of that individual's Self. Does this indicate that mature emotional expression too often involves a degree of deception? What happens in maturity that so effectively blocks a complete release of emotional expression? What precipitates such reversal?

I contend that singing is an inborn response in those moments of absolute emotional tranquility. Babies sing to themselves. The fact that we recognize no identifiable melodic sequence does not mean that it is not singing. Such spontaneous oral response has sustained emission, rhythm, pitch variation, and emotional expression. Like the infant, we sing because we feel good and singing makes us feel even better. When we sing to ourselves we are, in effect, communicating with the Inner-Self. It is an intrinsic means of truly pleasing and enjoying one's Self. Singing is amplification of BodyMind emotional resonance. It satisfies the need for a unified psychosomatic release not possible by any other biological means. It may well be counter-productive to one's well being not to sing.

Singing happens in those moments when no other means but sustained resonant expression can provide complete emotional release. Sometimes children are embarrassed when they realize someone is listening, but often their attention is so acutely focused on the experience at hand they are oblivious to the surrounding environment. The stimulus that initiates singing is definitely deeply intrinsic. If most children sing spontaneously then why do not most adults? Do we lose something on the path to maturity?

At the very beginning of developmental vocal interaction I find it extremely important to establish exactly how each student feels about his/her vocal sound. I ask each student who comes to me for vocal guidance the same question, "Why do you want to sing?" Usually the answer is, "Because I enjoy singing." My next question is, "Do you like what you hear when you sing?" Responses to that are quite varied but the consensus is a desire to do it better. By better they mean sound better. Is the logic that if one 'sounds better' one 'enjoys' it more? But do we sing primarily to sound better? It is a coveted fringe benefit but hardly the primary reason why we sing. Effective release of emotional expression through vocal sound is an inborn BodyMind response. The best example is newborn primal utterance. I tell my students that the human BodyMind innately knows how to effectively produce sound. After all, the second primal experience immediately after the first breath is the creation ! of sound. The quality of emission has no part in the effectiveness of its release.

Sound emission has two basic forms of release: compulsive and voluntary. Compulsive release is an irresistible urge over which we seemingly have no control such as accidentally burning one's hand. The voluntary release happens each time we open our mouth to speak. There are times, however, when these release potentials conflict with one another.

For years sound technicians fussed about the audible humming (not always in tune) of the late Arturo Toscanini when conducting recording sessions. Because he always did it, it was almost as if he had an uncontrollable compulsion to audibly hum. I recall the late Jan Peerce, Toscanini's favorite tenor, once confided to me how he loved hearing the Maestro's voice, even in out-of-tune competition with his own, because without that sound it would not be Toscanini.

Nothing expresses the inner-resonance of Self so completely as sustained spontaneous vocal sound. The quality of vocal resonance is a strong indication of emotional stability at the moment of emission.

Why do we learn to suppress that which comes from within? Excessive laughter and crying in some adults causes throat-ache, and in some instances, hoarseness and temporary loss of voice. And yet, should not these two inborn emotional responses provide even greater release if psychosomatic resistance is minimized?

My students were always amazed that in the first few minutes of vocalizing I could hear if he or she were experiencing some kind of emotional turmoil. Upon several occasions I was accused of having a crystal ball that allowed me insight to suppressed emotional turmoil. When asked how I could tell if they were in a state of imbalance I always answered, "I hear it in your voice." Emotional upheaval has been studied from almost every possible perspective except vocal sound.

The BodyMind instinctively emits sustained resonance in moments of extreme emotional stress. These emotional sounds are only a hint of the individual's potential structural resonance. Every designed structure has a resonance uniquely its own. That resonance depends upon its spatial vibratory displacement. Inanimate structural vibrations are more constant and only vary as the structure moves round its axial vortex in response to gravity. For the animate, living structure the same principle applies except for the variables of emotion, thought, and flexible movement. Total structural resonance occurs when all combined parts suspend in synchronized balance equalizing the pull of gravity. It is the optimal resonance of which the structure is capable. That pulsating absolute of total suspension between movement and complete rest referred to as equipoise.

Conscious awareness of the mood that begets 'singing to one's Self' is one key to unlocking that goal. Volume is only one factor of many contributing to the completeness of this resonance. Vocal talent and quality are not even a consideration. The psychosomatic satisfaction experienced from the release constitutes its effectiveness. Human vocal sound is the resonance of Self-Expression.

The BodyMind wants to sing in those moments when the Self is in a mood of satisfied acceptance. That mood appears to best express itself in the resonance of sustained vocal sound. Alone, in a satisfied mood, singing to one's Self, one usually makes no judgment concerning the quality of singing, only that it feels good. It is the most effective means of expressing the emotional state of well being experienced at that moment. Singing to one's Self usually happens when the BodyMind is preoccupied with activities that provide intrinsic pleasure. Think of the positive feedback one experiences singing while bathing or showering. There is neither too much nor too little stimulation. The BodyMind's functional effectiveness is on autopilot, in a state of emotional tranquility.

I remember an experience while sitting in a major airport during an extended layover. Almost all seats in the terminal were filled with people. Some were reading, others were sleeping or just lounging in boredom. Across from me was a gray headed Afro-American lady sitting with her eyes closed. For no apparent reason she suddenly began to sing very softly. For a short moment I felt embarrassed that I was witness to such Self ­intimacy in a public place. She sang church hymns completely oblivious to anyone or anything around her. When time came for my departure I was reluctant to leave. I have never enjoyed waiting in an airport so much as that day. As I stood up to leave she opened her eyes for a brief moment and gave me a lovely smile. I leaned over and whispered my thanks and appreciation to her for allowing me to share in such an intimately beautiful experience of Self-communication. She only smiled and continued singing. I will carry that memory to my final breath. The mere thought of it brings a smile to my heart and a deep feeling of inner contentment.

Singing is a condition of supreme intimacy with the BodyMind Self. The vocal sound that emerges is as much a part of Self-Image as any visual reflection. BodyMind resonance is audible manifestation of one's Self-Image. Hence, the conjured up image of a happily preoccupied person engaged in stimulating activity, removed from judgmental environment, absently whistling, humming or singing to one's Self. At such times the degree of Self-Esteem does not consider if the sound is good enough to share with others, only that it satisfies a deeply personal need. The mood that begets singing to one's Self is a pleasurable compulsion and creates a tranquil state of being. Any voluntary attempt at singing reawakens the BodyMind's memory of tranquility and begins a release toward that end. I believe singing fulfills a very basic requirement for complete BodyMind expression. Most BodyMind releases are strictly biological with minimal psychological involvement. Totally effective human vocal sound requires complete psychosomatic participation. Vocal sound is different from other biological responses but can be as compulsive as any other.

What prevents everyone from cutting loose when we sing the national anthem? Fear that a stranger will hear? Not wanting to attract attention? Not everyone participates when singing hymns in church. Why? I have seen normally articulate persons reduced to mumbling at the singing of a familiar Christmas carol, as if embarrassed that someone might hear their singing voice. Judgmental environment is counter-productive to spontaneous vocal sound.

Circumstances in recent years convince me that singing is not a selective talent allowed to some and not to others. I believe it is an inborn response within each of us; but for some it becomes blocked at an early age. Babies and children sing. If that ability is nurtured and continues past a certain age, we say it is a 'talent for singing.' For those not successful in continuing past that age we say they have 'no vocal talent.' Negative feedback from a judgmental environment at a very impressionable time has made them unduly Self-conscious of their singing voice to the point they no longer try when others are around.

Effective oral communication need not always have a listener. Sometimes it is enough to communicate only with the surrounding environment. That lady in the airport gave no thought to anyone around her. Since we are part of that environment we are, in essence, communicating with our Self. Those inhibited persons who loudly proclaim that they "can't carry a tune in a bucket" are really admitting to Self-consciousness about their vocal sound. They are Self-programmed to believe they have no ability to reproduce what they hear.

Some years back I had an unusual learning experience with a fellow faculty member who wished to work on her voice as part of therapy in reassessing her Self-worth. Our first session was devoted mostly to posture and breathing with little attention to vocal sound. The second session quickly established what appeared to be an inability to match pitches. I played a five-note scale on the piano, reproduced it vocally, asking that she do the same. She looked me straight in the eye and said, "How do you make your voice go up and down like that?" In all the years of teaching with thousands of questions, that was a first! For the moment I ignored the question and began inquiring about her musical exposure during the formative years in the public schools. She confided that the sixth-grade music teacher assigned her to study period rather than have her in the mixed vocal ensemble.

I immediately initiated evasive tactics directing her attention away from conscious thought of singing and matching pitches. I asked her to sit down, lean her arms on the edge of the piano with her head down on her arms and her eyes closed. This way she shut off all visual awareness of her immediate environment. I began making vocal noises (much like a police siren) on the interval of a perfect fifth, asking her to join me. This continued in unison until we covered the span of an octave.

It is my experience that anyone can reproduce noise pitches, but when the word 'sing' is used, far too many scenarios completely change. As she began to feel comfortable I went up the scale one tone and she followed. We completed an entire scale with all pitches 100% accurate. Raising her head and opening her eyes her smile was ear to ear. "Does that answer your question about how I, and now you, do that?" I asked. At a later session she sang a lovely rendition of Amazing Grace completely in tune. Change the focus of attention and perception also changes.

Once habitual mind-set is securely Self-programmed words only make dents on the human shield of habit. If concentrated focus is not totally psychosomatic (combined BodyMind focus) the word-dents remain nothing more than what they originally were ­ dents.

It is my experience that much of the vocal sound brought to me by young university students almost always has some kind of 'false-face' quality. Changing such contrived response is not easy. My experience in accomplishing this is diverting attention away from what they think they hear. If you have ever heard a playback of your recorded voice you know what I mean. What you hear externally is not what you are habituated to hear internally. Many voice teachers tell students not to listen to their sound because it cannot be accurately heard. That's like telling a portrait painter not to look at the picture they are painting. It is difficult for me to accept that the most sophisticated sound-producing instrument divinely created is designed with the inability to monitor its own sound. Inaccurate sound monitoring is nothing but Self defeating. To correct this misperception I use various tactics always keeping in mind that the diversion must be sufficiently stimulating to avoid what !

I refer to as "psychosomatic posturing." That refers to habitual BodyMind attitude believed necessary for sustained vocal sound. The most effective means of accomplishing this end is suggesting specific conscious body movements that divert attention away from auditory perception. It is almost fail-safe. I recall one student who released an incredibly beautiful vocal sound ­ but only when braiding his pigtail behind his head while vocalizing. Such diversions allow the release of vocal resonance not experienced since childhood. But at that time the resonating body had not yet finished growing and maturing.

A lifetime hardly seems sufficient...to become consciously aware of the vast range of vocal resonance involved in the intricate process of reflecting the complete Self within each of us. Audible communication with one's Self through the sustained emission of singing is more effective than merely talking to one's Self. We may talk to our Selves in anger and sadness, but usually one does not sing when emotions are violent and in turmoil. Singing comes naturally when the BodyMind experiences oneness with Self and the cosmic universe. Then, all vibrations are in tune with Self and the Infinite. Singing is a vehicle of smooth transition between the conscious and the subconscious mind. Singing reflects a state of balance and a positive inner glow of contentment and equanimity. It is the audible resonant reality of our existence.

-- John Lennon
Revised May 17, 2000

From Mike:
Anyone wanting to learn to sing can do that. Carl Stough proved that. The issue is how long it takes and the many diversions in the way if it takes longer than one can reasonably set aside time and perhaps money for. I hope the above article gives you more reason to learn to breathe better. If you breather right you can sing. If you sing you do not necessarily breathe right.

I have developed special techniques, some are outlined in the Secrets of Optimal Breathing Manual. They greatly accelerate the size and coordination of the breathing cycle and thus allow a radical shift towards sound production that is virtually impossible with out this strictly body centered approach. I will be teaching these techniques to massage therapists seeking Continuing Education Credits and to other wanting state of the art breathing development skills. See Optimal Breathing School

From a Breathing Times subscriber:
Subject: Article-"Why Do We Sing"

Greetings Mike! Thank you for sharing with me the wonderful article, "Why Do We Sing." It is well-written, and I will share it with my very good friend and voice teacher. Many thoughts in this article have been expressed by my teacher, and my personal experiences relate so well to the truths in this article.

A conductor I once worked with called singing "A living emotion." When we are emotionally upset, singing is very difficult if not even impossible. Several years ago while attending a voice performance class, a woman found herself unable to sing. She had an argument with her husband prior to coming to class. I suggested she call him and ask if they could have lunch and talk through their problems. She was hesitant, but called him and came back to me beaming as he was pleased to hear from her. Her heart was happy and she found the release to sing quite beautifully that morning. The old expression kids would shout at one another, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" is simply not true. We can damage others so much by our words and misdeeds of conduct. Words of kindness, gentleness and encouragement are soothing, often healing to the listener. Our world needs words of hope.

Some years ago my 15-year-old son was quite ill in the hospital. Across the hall was a 2-year-old baby boy, a drowning victim. He was on a ventilator and had been in the hospital over a year. He lay in a crib with just a diaper and rubber pants. He was a beautiful little boy, and the family did not come around him very much. I went in to see him, his name on the wrist tag, was Matthew. How interesting it was to me that when I would stroke his little arm and brush his hair and call him by name that his breathing pattern would change, Mike. It was almost like a sigh. To me, his breathing pattern was an emotional response, but they said he was brain dead. Witnessing the breathing pattern, called me to question the nurses, but they gave no hope for his recovery. I have not forgotten that little boy and believe there is much much more to the human spirit that only God, fortunately, truly knows. We human beings just seem to mess things up.

Well, it is getting late here. Thank you for sharing and especially for your sensitivity. You must get so much e-mail to read. One day I should like to shake your hand. Thank you for your web site and words.

Best wishes,

-- Linda, a Songbird

From Mike:
Thank you for the kind words.

If you can breathe well you can sing. If you sing you do not necessarily breathe well. I encourage everyone to study the breath.

See Results