The Kaleidoscope of vocal terminology
As we near closer to Winter Solstice (one of my favorite times of the year!), I am reminded of how voice is non-binary. Voice and vocal terminology is a spectrum of many, many things. The kaleidoscope of Solstice, as the kaleidoscope of voice, reveals itself in the reflection - what are we mirroring? What are we lighting up? What are we keeping in shadow? Why do we feel the need to create absolutes when the world of voice, pedagogy, performance, artistic pursuit, is really anything but absolutes?
Oh, I had answers in my 20s, and into my 30s. And then…life revealed that more questions than answers was the way to grow fully.
What if we approached voice as a kaleidoscope and a spectrum of color and possibility and released the absolutes? How freeing could that be????
When we throw around terminology, we can often get caught in the trap of right vs wrong; good vs. bad; and we can often misinterpret what is being asked of us, or what we are actually asking of ourselves.
Attaching a value judgement ironically has no value. It is limiting, confusing, and stifling.
Exploring the voice through physicality and possibility may seem like jumping without a net, but the possibilities are endless! Having someone to guide you through the process is crucial, so you can replicate that freedom - not just physically, but within your mindset.
Listen, I get it. Releasing some of these “terms” can be scary because somehow they give us a sense of tethering what we are doing to what we think we know. Is it true or is it a crutch? It’s often difficult to release the terminology fully, so I say, redefine it for yourself! What do those terms mean for your psyche, for your voice, for your physicality?
Frankly, if they were meant to be absolutes, we’d all sound the same.
Slowly just start changing the questions you ask: “am I doing it right?” can change to “what does it feel like physically?”
Make a list of questions you tend to ask yourself, or assume about yourself. You may know what many of them are now but you might find some as you practice, so pay attention and write them down. Then look to see how they serve you, if they serve you. How can you change the narrative? How can you open the kaleidoscope of observation to discover another angle, another hue, another reflection?
Don’t be afraid to explore!!! You are not confined to a box of absolutes!!! You are unique, individual, fluid and full of possibility - so why would you limit that by letting terminology define you?
This season, find your reflection and observe. Discover what else is possible. Get curious!! And truly get excited about the process and the discovery.
with fierceness and fondness,
