How Self-Care Can Help You Become A Great Piano Vocalist
How Self-Care Can Help You Become A Great Piano Vocalist
By: Sam de la Haye
I remember learning to sing and play like it was yesterday!
I remember locking myself in the piano rooms for hours upon hours.
Making songs up, exploring what all the keys did, singing my heart out!
To be honest, that time in the piano rooms was my sanctuary. It was my self-care! As I was being heavily bullied at boarding school with nowhere to run and no one to talk to or understand how I felt.
But the music did….. And it allowed me to shed those tears that I could not show outside those four walls.
Have you heard the song by Irene Cara, “Out here on my own”
The second verse:
Until the morning sun appears
Making light
Of all my fears,
I dry the tears
I've never shown,
Out here on my own.
I sang this song over and over and over again!
It just got how I felt!
You see, learning to sing whilst playing the piano can be incredibly rewarding. But as any experienced musician will tell you, mastering the art of music takes dedication. To become a great piano/vocalist, it's important to practice regularly and stay consistent with your practice sessions.
Now for me, it was easy to be consistent because the feeling I felt when I sang and played was incredible!
The release of my feelings and the Joy that replaced those dark thoughts had me addicted!
And looking back, those regular visits to the piano not only allowed me to improve at lightning speed, but it healed me. It was my self-care
The Importance of Self-Care
This week I am hearing a lot about self-care. But to be honest nowadays…[after Kids], I’m not one for stopping and doing nice things for myself. - yes, I love to help others… but I take little time for myself!.
So this morning, someone added me to a sewing WhatsApp group, and it finally HIT me…our physical and mental well-being are essential components of becoming an accomplished musician.
When we make sure to get adequate rest and nutrition, our bodies have enough energy and focus to practice. Additionally, if we’re feeling emotionally drained or stressed out, coming to the piano can just release it all!
But it's also essential to take some time away from the piano too! — whether that means a 30-minute nap, A walk with your dog or a hot bath —so that you can come back refreshed and ready to practice more effectively.
Creating a Routine
Ok hand up….. who here LOVES routine and who here HATES it!
For years I resisted routine - I’m the adventurous, spontaneous type who decides the following day to move to a different city to live in…. Well, I used to be before I had children, but now my routine is my favourite comfy blanket and my secret weapon!
Personally, I think it's essential to have a regular self-care routine but also one for practising music as well.
But if you are like me, consistency is a HUGE problem! … I don’t trust myself… yup, being left to my own devices is a BAD BAD move… so I join groups - for example, I have a small running group that I run with. I run a woman's only choir in my village that holds me accountable to sing and compose parts for them
Creating an effective routine doesn’t have to be difficult and can simply be to set aside one morning a week when you will practice something on the piano or sing for a certain amount of time—BUT YOU HAVE TO STICK WITH IT! This is especially true for beginners who may not have had much experience with playing or singing before;
The main point is that consistency is KING when learning how to do something new. If you stick with your routine, even if it’s only 15 minutes per day at first, your skills will improve over time.
But how do you stay motivated? I hear you cry.
It can be easy for discouragement or boredom to set in if you don't see immediate results from practising. To stay motivated during those times when progress seems slow, try setting yourself little goals - mini-ones that you can accomplish in one sitting.
So, for example, mine would be to focus on one verse in my left hand, or if I was working on my voice, it might be to practice a particular line - but add that nuance that I wanted to sing.
I found listening to other musicians whose work inspired me so helpful. When I wanted to improve my diaphragmatic breath, I would watch Faith Hill, Mariah Carey and all the greats over and over and over again—watching how they effortlessly held their voice during their belts.
- It was super motivating.
- I copied them, and over time I got it!
It also helps to break up longer practices by taking short breaks throughout; this way, instead of trying to “power through” hours at once without giving yourself any time off, you’ll be able to remain focused throughout each session without feeling overwhelmed.
One tip: Practice your singing whilst your driving to work! No one can hear you, and it actually gets addictive….
So to wrap it up, I want to introduce the idea that Consistency is KING! Whether you want to learn to sing and play the piano for your well-being or you want to be the best and become PRO - in order for this consistency to come naturally and easily, it's important not only to practice regularly but also prioritize good self-care habits that support your musical journey.
Need some help with being consistent and staying motivated?
I will be doing a FREE Four-part Masterclass series starting Thursday, April 13th 2023
“Seek Your Truth”: 4 Steps To Awakening Your Creative Musical Self: How to find your authentic singing voice whilst accompanying yourself on the piano through songwriting and playing covers without reading a note of music.
Not only will you receive tons of motivation and accountability, but you will also learn basic skills in piano, such as improvising around chords whilst singing. - Yes, beginners can do this I promise…
But I will show you can find your authentic singing voice, and most importantly, I will be showing you how I use music for my self-care through songwriting.
