To train artists is to embrace chaos

We voice teachers, especially if we came through the academic voice system, LOVE stuff that’s ordered. Measurable. Made into a rubric. SHOW ME THE DATA, right? Show me the direct line from A to B. Show me the cause and effect.

But here’s the thing, y’all.

SINGING IS ART. And art is messy and weird because humans are messy and weird. We respond to art in unpredictable ways, much to the chagrin of folks who recreate financially successful art only to have it flop. Artists have to navigate this reality and still find it within them to keep creating meaningful art.

Yes, we voice teachers can and should study the science behind all of the stuff our students’ voices need, but perfectly executing a particular vocal fold configuration can’t guarantee human connection between our singer and their audience member.

There is no committee-approved list of songs that will guarantee that singer a career.

There is no textbook on songwriting that will help them automatically create or arrange a chart-topping hit.

Of course they will benefit from having control over their voices, knowing their music theory and history, crafting songs, playing their instrument well, and all of the other skills they can build. But no amount of training can protect an artist from the chaotic parts of creating and putting our art into the world.

Before we go on, I’m gonna drop a hard truth here. Ready?

I think we voice teachers have a tendency to dive hard core into the measurable and academically-approved parts of singing because it often feels safe. We know the outcome ahead of time. We can easily predict and experience success. Wanna sing with thicker vocal folds? Check. Wanna release tongue tension? I got you. Need to know all of the key signatures and modes? Let’s do it. We know when these things are correct. We know when they’re done. Don’t get me wrong…there’s nothing wrong with ticking off these boxes. They’re necessary and important.

But as soon as it’s time to step into the squishy, twisty unknowns of being an artist, we suddenly have to face the very real possibility of our client’s failure… Of them not making a real impact with their last performance, even though it was technically great… Of making an album that fell flat… Of making a music video that was incredibly meaningful and well-done, but that didn’t land in the marketplace. We know all too well that these are all things that happen to the most amazing artists among us. Maybe they even happened to us.

Too often, voice teachers leave artists to figure out the chaos alone, outside the safety of our studio. And without the tools to build their own style and identity and mission for their music, they either (1) stay stuck in our studios working on vocal function and deferring to our authority, (2) flounder and give up, or, (3) if they’re in the very lucky few, figure it out on their own.

We can choose to be brave alongside our students. To explore their artistry with them. To help them figure out what they really want their mission and identity and style to be. To persist through revisions and collaborations and marketing and all of the discomfort of putting our work in the world. To live with them in the space of making meaningful art with no guarantees.

Creating is a pendulum that swings back and forth between chaos and order… formless and formed… messy and orderly. They both have their place, and we need to embrace both if we are to truly serve our artist clients.

Thankfully, even though there are no easy answers or direct paths from A to B, there are many great tools available for fostering the creative process and embracing the chaos, and I would love to share them with you.

If you’re a voice teacher or a vocal coach who wants to add a chaos-friendly, artist-focused approach to your already fabulous voice training abilities, join me in this semester’s Teacher Development Circle, which starts Friday, Aug 27.