Help! I need advice from singingers!?

Question

hey, my name is paula, and ive just started voice lessons, and i had my second voice lesson on Monday. It went well. But what I've found out is that, well for 6 years I've been smiling while I sing. And well just recently my teacher told me that I have to break that habit, to sing with my mouth shaped like "O" And its not easy, so any idea of how to break this habit? If you could help me that would be great thanks! I would apperiacte the help!

Answer 1

Sorry, I don't know what are singingers.

Answer 2

Okay, just so you know not all vocal teachers teach the same. While it is good to learn to sing with an O just as many teach you to smile. I am an opera/broadway singer for the most part. The reason for the singing with an O is your vowels seem brighter. Don't get stuck in a rut however. Practice both. It is great when a singer is resiliant. Good luck and if you don't feel comfortable have her explain why she wants you to sing that way. Practice both.

Answer 3

The best advice that anyone can give is to begin with the idea that you are not supposed to focus on how you sound. Think about you're posture, breathing correctly, your tounge, and your face. Smiling may be a hard habit to break, and it isnt that you shouldn't smile but 'smile with you're eyes' is the appropriate term. When you sing, you should still be interested in the piece and focus and show your emotions through you're expression, but you don't need to smile all the time.

Answer 4

It sounds like you're stuck in the "performers" mind-set. Its as if you have to smile because you're always performing for someone. Well, that's great if you're in a really cheesy musical, but for the most part, you don't need to smile to be a great performer. Keep that in mind. The audience wants to hear your voice, not see your teeth. Just remind yourself during voice lessons that you don't have an audience, so focus on sounding good, not looking good.

Answer 5

you need to practice in front of a mirror and look at yourself sing. Look and see if you're smiling, and if you are, then practice putting you mouth in the shape of an O. i think that's the only way.
Good Luck.

Answer 6

try saying oh with a smile...then with your mouth like an o....work in front of a mirror and pronounce the words as if you were reading them, then try it in song as you watch yourself in the mirror. I am a "singinger" as you call it (LOL), and I had a problem like that for awhile.

Answer 7

The easy answer is the same as the punchline from the old joke:
"How do you get to Carnege Hall?"
The answer?
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Very simply put, the ONLY way to develop good habits and tobreak old ones is to practice them the right way, and to continually do it.
Studies have shown that it takes about 27 days of steady work to develop a new habit. (I don'tknow where they got that number, though.)
For the next 27 days, every time you practice, DO IT RIGHT! and eventually, you will develop the good habits that your instructor is teaching you.

Answer 8

Well you could try to think of something sad while you are singing. Something sad that has a happened to you in the past. Or you could try pouting- turn your bottom lip out- there is no way you can smile if you have your bottome lip pouted out.

Answer 9

Of course it isn't going to be easy. First of all, it isn't going to just happen miraculously overnight, and even with hard work, it will take time. Try practicing with a mirror. Keep working with your teacher, they will give you feedback; that is what they are there for. Oh, and yes, practice, practice, practice.