My First Singing Lesson... EVER

Before:
I have always wished I could sing. I‘ve recorded myself singing along to my favorite tunes; I sit at my desk, disregarding my actual work, searching up song lyrics and giving them a go; I even tried singing exercises from the one and only BBC the other day. I have always wished I could sing, but I’ve never really done anything about it.

Sure, the option of lessons has always been there, and some may say they are no different from the lessons you take to learn an instrument. I disagree. Singing is such an emotional part of a person, and to then go to a stranger who is an expert in that field… that’s really scary. 

My first singing lesson is in a few days and I’m half excited, half terrified. What if she laughs at me? What if I start to cry? What if she says I’ll never be good enough? It’s such a daunting experience but I’m still going to do it because, to quote Emma Watson, ‘If not now, when?’

The reason I decided that now was my time is quite simply because I want to audition for a musical and, apparently, I need to sing in the audition. For some reason unknown to any, I’m also going for the lead part and, although I understand there’s no way I’ll get it, that isn’t going to stop me from putting in 110%. 

You may be reading this thinking I’m being a wuss, and that a simple singing lesson is no big deal. Or, maybe you’re feeling second-hand nerves, possibly taking the form of sweating palms, or a rise in heart rate. I’m feeling a bit of both.

After:
Around an hour ago I was anxiously anticipating what was about to happen as I sat in the ‘waiting room’ of the zoom call with my singing teacher. I was scared but, surprisingly, nowhere near as scared as I thought I would be. I’d expected a million butterflies to swarm in my stomach, my throat to close up and tears to brim in my eyes. I was still scared, but that was inevitable.

As soon as I joined I knew I would be fine. Nervous, but fine. The lesson was absolutely amazing and I honestly cannot wait for the next one. We talked about singing techniques, went through breathing exercises and just got to know each other. 

So, how did I cope with the nerves? How did I manage to produce any sound whatsoever when my throat was threatening to tighten for the first 15 minutes of the lesson?

1. Remember to smile. I went in there with a smile and I left with an even bigger one. Smiling can trick your brain into happiness, as well as making you and the person/people you are talking to feel more comfortable. It honestly works wonders and takes next to no effort.
   
2. Remember they are there to help you. Whether learning to sing or paint or dance, your teacher is there to guide you towards improvement. Why would they possibly do anything to stop you succeeding?
   
3. Ask questions if you’re confused. Today, my teacher and I probably spent more time talking than practising techniques, which is totally fine! Not only does this further strengthen your relationship (thus making you feel more comfortable), it also means you will understand what you are doing, which should mean you’ll improve faster. They are trained in this skill, so take advantage of your time with them (I certainly did and I don’t regret it one bit).
   
4. Don’t feel embarrassed if you get something wrong. When I messed up on an exercise today, I was undoubtedly embarrassed. That is, until she took a different route, breaking down the exercise into easier tasks, and when we tried again… I did it! Your teacher will do whatever they can to help you and they really won’t mind if you don’t get something straight away.
   
5. Give everything a go. Sure, I felt a bit silly going ‘shhhhh’ and ‘zzzz’ in front of this woman I’ve never met before, but I did it anyway. Your teacher isn’t going to judge you and they ask you to do these seemingly strange things for a reason. So, why not give it a go? 
   
6. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Everyone’s different and everyone learns at different rates. My friend also had a singing lesson with this teacher and told me they established what her range is. I didn’t get this far today, but that’s okay. When trying something new, focus on your own development and skills, and focus on where you need to improve, not your friend. 
   

What have I learnt from this experience? I’ve learnt that it’s actually really fun trying new things. I loved every single emotion I felt because of it: the nerves which grasp you in their tight grip and then melt into adrenaline as you begin; joy as you realise how much fun you’re having; relief when it’s all over and pride as you go through the ‘holy moly, I can’t believe I just did that!’ emotions. 
It’s honestly amazing and I encourage you to go and give that thing you’ve always wanted to do a try! I donkey dare you (you have to now, it’s the rules).

I hope this helped :) Have an epic day, you deserve it xx

• Chloë