There are some amazing new discoveries being made about the brain and singing. Researchers can measure brain function in real time with magnetic imaging technology. New findings about the role of neurotransmitters, neural networks and brain systems are coming out at an amazing rate, ushering in a new era of understanding of how we think.
One of my favorite authors on this topic is Daniel Levitin, who wrote “This is Your Brain on Music” and recently: “The World in Six Songs”. Before becoming a professor of neurochemistry at McGill University, Levitin worked as a music producer, producing numerous gold records. I have found his insights into the effects of singing on the brain to be very informative, and have confirmed what I observe everyday with my voice students: that people who sing are more likely to be happy.
Every day I go to work knowing I have the best job in the world; playing music and singing with people. And I notice a wonderful before and after effect on my students when they come for lessons: In almost every case, after a half hour on an hour of singing, students experience laughter, a bright disposition, and a general feeling of well-being.
Levitin sites a number of studies that show that singing elevates the levels of neurotransmitters which are associated with pleasure and well being. In one example , people’s levels of oxytocin, the transmitter associated with pleasure, love and bonding, were measured before and after voice lessons. The levels increased significantly for both amateur and professional singers. Other studies have shown that the levels of IgA (helpful to the immune system) increased with choral singing , and levels of Serotonin increase when listening to pleasant music.
Why does our brain shower us with good feelings after singing? Levitin makes the case that our brains developed along with singing and music as a survival mechanism. Before there were governments or nations, tribes and groups used songs and dance to build loyalty to the group, transmit vital information, and ward off enemies. Those who sang well survived.
Consider that before written language emerged, critical stories were passed on with the oral tradition of song. The Hebrew Torah, the greek myths, the Illiad and the Oddessey, were all sung long before they were first written down. So when we sing, we tap into something that is not only one of the most ancient of human practices, but we also tap into the activity that modern neurochemistry is showing to be profoundly healthy.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Singing and Laughter
I’ve been teaching voice lessons for sixteen years, and I’ve been noticing lately a common thread in many of my lessons: that singers who achieve a certain high state of mind and body awareness can experience powerful personal transformation. I call this transformation “the Release”, and it is accompanied by either laughter, tears, or “chills”. Usually when the Release happens, it’s because the student has a new and powerful revelation about their singing voice, and it triggers an equally powerful revelation about their identity.
The basics of good singing technique are not very difficult to understand; there are about seven key principles that need to be followed. But what is very difficult is doing them simultaneously. The singer generally has a sense of juggling many moving parts, and when they achieve the integration of these moving parts is when they begin laughing. The irony is that once these systems integrate, singing becomes profoundly simple. It’s really fun to see a singer experience revelations about their mind, body and identity as they tune into this integration, and laugh, (or sometimes cry).
I can pretty much count on a new student achieving the Release within the first half hour of working with me. Almost everyone laughs. (See link for a short podcast to hear some examples). It usually starts with the release of the neck, and helping a singer sing while releasing the neck. Most of us tighten our neck when we breath and when we sing, so separating the neck (I call it “decoupling”) from the breath and the active voice takes intense concentration. Then when the student realizes the profound increase in power and tone as the neck decouples, and the huge decrease in pressure as the vocal chords become active, often there is the laughter. “Can it really be this easy?”
Often the physical release of a key muscle group is accompanied by an emotional tag, or some feeling or memory that is significant for the student. “My mother never sang after she got married, so we never sang growing up”. I usually don’t get into the specifics of the emotions with the student, but I encourage them to notice the feelings and connect it to the physical release of tension. I believe singing is unique in it’s ability to tune us into the deeper truths of our minds and bodies. And I know of no other activity which can so quickly transform a person’s mood and feelings as singing. I can almost guarantee any student that they will feel better, happier and more in tune with themselves after half an hour of singing.
The basics of good singing technique are not very difficult to understand; there are about seven key principles that need to be followed. But what is very difficult is doing them simultaneously. The singer generally has a sense of juggling many moving parts, and when they achieve the integration of these moving parts is when they begin laughing. The irony is that once these systems integrate, singing becomes profoundly simple. It’s really fun to see a singer experience revelations about their mind, body and identity as they tune into this integration, and laugh, (or sometimes cry).
I can pretty much count on a new student achieving the Release within the first half hour of working with me. Almost everyone laughs. (See link for a short podcast to hear some examples). It usually starts with the release of the neck, and helping a singer sing while releasing the neck. Most of us tighten our neck when we breath and when we sing, so separating the neck (I call it “decoupling”) from the breath and the active voice takes intense concentration. Then when the student realizes the profound increase in power and tone as the neck decouples, and the huge decrease in pressure as the vocal chords become active, often there is the laughter. “Can it really be this easy?”
Often the physical release of a key muscle group is accompanied by an emotional tag, or some feeling or memory that is significant for the student. “My mother never sang after she got married, so we never sang growing up”. I usually don’t get into the specifics of the emotions with the student, but I encourage them to notice the feelings and connect it to the physical release of tension. I believe singing is unique in it’s ability to tune us into the deeper truths of our minds and bodies. And I know of no other activity which can so quickly transform a person’s mood and feelings as singing. I can almost guarantee any student that they will feel better, happier and more in tune with themselves after half an hour of singing.
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