Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Audrey (its SUCH a cool name !)" <letmusiclive4ever@a...>
"Audrey (its SUCH a cool name !)" <letmusiclive4ever@a...>
Date:  Sun May 6, 2001  5:10 am
Subject:  Re: Trying So Hard and Still Not Good Enough


--- In vocalist-temporary@y..., > I just wanted to say that I get SOOO frustrated!!! I mean it seems
as
> if no matter how hard I try or how well I sing, I am never good
> enouogh. It sucks. I just finished my jury,and my grades ranged from
> an 88 to two 95's, and everything in between- the two 95's were from
> voice teachers I talk to regularly abput sinigng in general, so yeah
> they like me. It just sucks. I get so sick of comments like "Good
> potential" When I am singing my heart out. Does that mean I am not
> good yet but I might be someday? I wish I could tell every judge in
> there that I went into my jury hoarse,a dn that I had just barely
> gotten my high notes back after weeks of not having them due to
vocal
> misuse. I wish I coudl tell them I leanred four of my songs in 1
> month- the month OF my jury,after my teacher and I dropped them due
> to tooo mcuih techincal difficulty, or my not being able to get the
> high notes becayuse I was sick. I wish they could see so many
things,
> but that's not the case. they see me for all of 5 minutes, and just
> grade what they (think) they hear- some vocie teacher told my I am
> not a hgh soprano, when let's jsut say, mty friends play the "Let's
> see how high Clarissa can go" game). Do any of yall feel like I do?
> Like you will alwyas be the girl with the "pretty voice" and nothing
> more. BTW I HATE that comment. I don't want to have a pretty voice,
> I want a vocie that will blow peopel away. So if youa re one of
thsoe
> many many voice students who will always be the cute girls
> with "Pretty voices", or are just frustrated in any way, please
post.
> thanks yall!
>
>
>
> Clarissa

This post seems to have generated some negative feedback (along with
some positive as well) and I'd like to make further commentary upon it
if I may.

Don't take it as a personal insult if someone tells you that you have
"good potential". This is, I believe, a great compliment to all that
you are as a singer at this point. As I see it, this comment usually
means 1) you have a lot of talent or 2) you are on the right track to
where you want to end up. They are saying not that you aren't cutting
it now but you will some day, but more that you ARE doing very well
right now and if you continue, you can do really great things. You
have the potential to be really great if you just keeping working as
hard as you have been. It can be frustrating to hear this comment made
over and over again, as on jury sheets, but it just means that more
people are recognizing how much you could possibly achieve in the long
run.

Having a "pretty voice" or a beautiful tone isn't a curse. You have
something on the likes of the late and stupendously great Maria Callas
who is generally acknowledged to have a less than "pretty voice",
although she could achieve marvelous feats with it. Don't be afraid of
it. Use it to your advantage. If you have a naturally beautiful voice,
explore it and see what you can do with it and what powers it
possesses and then it will no longer be JUST a beautiful voice. It
seems you are well on your way in doing this.

"I get so sick of comments like "Good potential" When I am singing my
heart out."

Props to you for devoting yourself to your music. You have one up on
many of the other music students I come in contact with.

Above all, "Don't let the man get you down". I know how cliche that is
but really, you can't let what other people tell you impede your
progress toward what you want to accomplish. It just takes up more
energy that could be spent doing something more productive towards
getting what you want.

I hope this helps a little :)

Audrey


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