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Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

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Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#11

Post by ghostpepper »

bobbiechen wrote: post #8
tastysandwich wrote: post #2

I have a habit of singing publicly. I did not realise this was socially abnormal until I was about 21. I suppose it helps that I have a pretty decent singing voice (baritone), but I'm also quite loud and my voice really projects (so I'm told). I can't stop though. I made a compromise - I won't sing in public places (eg train, walking through the city), as people will think I'm mad. But I will whistle. And I'll sing a…

To paraphrase an idea I heard whose source I forget: all kids sing, but at some point they start to feel ashamed about it. And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it", which becomes a cycle as the only people you hear singing are way better than you. I don't really know how I got out of it, but at some point, I figured out how to sing again, and then in front of other people again. I…

> And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it"

I wonder how recent a phenomenon this is. I would imagine that all throughout pre-history everyone singing along was much more normal than everyone sitting quietly and watching one person sing.

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#12

Post by ghostpepper »

t-3 wrote: post #10

Contrary anecdote: My grandparents are over 90, but they're lifelong members of a religious community that considers music and dancing sinful. Personally, I quite enjoy singing and music, but it seems strange that an attention-seeking activity would be correlated with longer life.

There's nothing inherently attention seeking about singing - I'd guess that most people who sing only do so when they're alone because they don't feel they're "good enough" to sing publicly.

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#13

Post by elSidCampeador »

tastysandwich wrote: post #2

I have a habit of singing publicly. I did not realise this was socially abnormal until I was about 21. I suppose it helps that I have a pretty decent singing voice (baritone), but I'm also quite loud and my voice really projects (so I'm told). I can't stop though. I made a compromise - I won't sing in public places (eg train, walking through the city), as people will think I'm mad. But I will whistle. And I'll sing a…

I'm the same way. I sing all the time. To the point where when I moved out of my old apartment, my old roommates told me that their life had become 'without music' since I left. Because if I'm not singing, I'm either whistling a song or listening to a song.

Back in high school, my family knew that if I started to sing while I was studying, it was because I had managed to figure out a gnarly maths problem or finally managed to grok a concept that I wasn't able to get for a while. It's my only (and honestly, best) outlet for my feelings, I feel. And like you said, when I'm down, I just belt out a couple songs and I genuinely feel much better.

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#14

Post by tastysandwich »

bobbiechen wrote: post #8
tastysandwich wrote: post #2

I have a habit of singing publicly. I did not realise this was socially abnormal until I was about 21. I suppose it helps that I have a pretty decent singing voice (baritone), but I'm also quite loud and my voice really projects (so I'm told). I can't stop though. I made a compromise - I won't sing in public places (eg train, walking through the city), as people will think I'm mad. But I will whistle. And I'll sing a…

To paraphrase an idea I heard whose source I forget: all kids sing, but at some point they start to feel ashamed about it. And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it", which becomes a cycle as the only people you hear singing are way better than you. I don't really know how I got out of it, but at some point, I figured out how to sing again, and then in front of other people again. I…

Maybe I'm lucky in that while my dad is an OK singer, my mum is completely tone-deaf.

To hear her is an experience in dissonance I can't fully describe. It's the worst you can imagine, like a caricature only seen on TV.

Yet she does not care one bit, and will happily walk around belting out Mariah Carey at the top of her lungs. To the haters (her family) she says a resounding: "Whatever!"

Now _that_ inspires confidence!

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#15

Post by _tik_ »

wussboy wrote: post #5

Church choir communities are fun, supportive, flexible (you can walk into any church choir and belong), exciting (yes, I would like to go on a cathedral tour this summer!), and long lasting (sing into your 80s why not?). I heartily recommend them. They are demanding, however. Think twice if you both sing and have small children. But they sure keep the mind sharp. Pro-tip: if you’re an atheist, join an Anglican or Epi…

I am looking for a choir group to join. I did not see young or middle age members in all the choir groups I visited.

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#16

Post by _carbyau_ »

tastysandwich wrote: post #14
bobbiechen wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To paraphrase an idea I heard whose source I forget: all kids sing, but at some point they start to feel ashamed about it. And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it", which becomes a cycle as the only people you hear singing are way better than you. I don't really know how I got out of it, but at some point, I figured out how to sing again, and then in front of other people again. I…

Maybe I'm lucky in that while my dad is an OK singer, my mum is completely tone-deaf. To hear her is an experience in dissonance I can't fully describe. It's the worst you can imagine, like a caricature only seen on TV. Yet she does not care one bit, and will happily walk around belting out Mariah Carey at the top of her lungs. To the haters (her family) she says a resounding: "Whatever!" Now _that_ inspires confiden…

I lived with a housemate who was similarly tone deaf. One day as they were walking around singing a song I knew well and it was really getting on my nerves... and then I realised they are at home, singing because they are happy/content.

There is no way I would be the person to dump on my housemate's happiness while they are in their own home, over something as trite as tone!

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#17

Post by muglug »

_tik_ wrote: post #15
wussboy wrote: post #5

Church choir communities are fun, supportive, flexible (you can walk into any church choir and belong), exciting (yes, I would like to go on a cathedral tour this summer!), and long lasting (sing into your 80s why not?). I heartily recommend them. They are demanding, however. Think twice if you both sing and have small children. But they sure keep the mind sharp. Pro-tip: if you’re an atheist, join an Anglican or Epi…

I am looking for a choir group to join. I did not see young or middle age members in all the choir groups I visited.

Generally only the really professional church choirs have members in their 20s and 30s. If you want to sing with younger people you generally have to seek out people you know who sang in university, and found a way to keep it up.

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#18

Post by krrrh »

tastysandwich wrote: post #2

I have a habit of singing publicly. I did not realise this was socially abnormal until I was about 21. I suppose it helps that I have a pretty decent singing voice (baritone), but I'm also quite loud and my voice really projects (so I'm told). I can't stop though. I made a compromise - I won't sing in public places (eg train, walking through the city), as people will think I'm mad. But I will whistle. And I'll sing a…

There was (or is?) a guy in Vancouver who would stroll around his neighborhood singing opera at full volume. I’ve had lots of conversations with people who bring him up in groups and we all trade stories the first time we heard him, and we called him Opera Man. I don’t know anyone who didn’t find it delightful.

Edit: I found this little piece on him. It’s so cool, I must have first encountered him 15 years prior to this being written.

https://scoutmagazine.ca/2019/06/03/opera-man/

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#19

Post by LZ_Khan »

t-3 wrote: post #10

Contrary anecdote: My grandparents are over 90, but they're lifelong members of a religious community that considers music and dancing sinful. Personally, I quite enjoy singing and music, but it seems strange that an attention-seeking activity would be correlated with longer life.

It's kind of narrow minded to singly attribute singing as an attention seeking activity, although it can be. It's fun without anyone around, and singing is as much for the listeners pleasure as it is for the singer's ego.

Re: Singing: The key to a long life (2008)

#20

Post by _ptf7 »

laurieg wrote: post #4

To those thinking "I want to sing but I just can't sing." I encourage you to get one on one lessons with a professional. I started out not being able to sing at all. Couldn't match the pitch, I just sounded like I was trying to "talk in tune". My voice would get very tired very quickly too. It took a long time, but the change is huge. I can sing in tune now. I can sing much higher. It sounds pleasant. My voice doesn'…

I have been wanting to work with a professional. Any advice on how to find one ?
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