Episode 310 – Always Be Singing

The human voice is like music itself, and singing is a potent tool that can serve a multitude of purposes, ranging from expressing emotions to promoting physical and mental well-being. But how can you harness the power of singing in your day-to-day existence?

In this blog post, we'll delve into the myriad ways in which John Henny, the host of The Intelligent Vocalist podcast, has explored the integration of singing into various aspects of life. We'll explore its capacity to enhance skills like communication and focus while fostering deeper connections with others. Additionally, we'll discuss why it's crucial to make singing a consistent part of your daily routine and how it can infuse your life with joy. So, if you've ever been curious about incorporating singing into your everyday life but didn't know where to start, this article is tailor-made for you!

Key takeaways:

• It is believed that the very beginnings of human sound, which expressed emotions, gave rise to music
• Keeping music in your voice can really elevate how you communicate with others
• The voice is the carrier of human emotion

Singing serves as a potent means of expressing our emotions. It has the unique ability to convey a wide spectrum of feelings, from joy and sorrow to anger and love. When we sing, we harness both our bodies and voices to create a powerful sound that goes beyond the limitations of mere words.

John pointed out that our voice has a deep connection to the origins of music. In our earliest days, our primitive utterances, resembling guttural expressions, were our way of communicating emotions like happiness, love, or pain.

In moments of surprise or shock, we produce sounds that are instinctual, emerging from deep within us. Similarly, when we're overcome with sadness, we generate sounds that are beyond our conscious control.

Furthermore, singing serves as a remarkable outlet for releasing pent-up emotions. There are times when our emotions are so complex or intense that words alone cannot adequately capture them. In such instances, singing provides a healthy and cathartic release. It can also be viewed as a form of self-care. When we take the time to sing, we're actively investing in our emotional well-being.

Singing represents the pinnacle of vocal expression, highlighting our unique ability to convey emotions through our voices. There is no higher form of expression. Therefore, integrating singing into your speech can make a profound difference in how you connect with others and express yourself.

Your voice serves as a powerful tool for communication, and it's crucial to be mindful of how it comes across to others. While the pitch of your voice is one element of its overall tone, its timbre or quality also plays a significant role in shaping how people perceive your words. A nasal or harsh-sounding voice may deter listeners, while a smooth and gentle voice can be soothing and reassuring.

In this podcast episode, John highlighted a study conducted at Yale University. In this study, participants engaged in conversations that initially involved both audio and visual communication. Subsequently, the researchers eliminated the visual component, leaving only audio communication. Surprisingly, the findings revealed that when participants solely relied on auditory cues, their capacity for empathy and their ability to discern the precise emotions of the speaker increased.

How could this possibly happen?

Consider your voice as a versatile instrument that can produce a range of sounds and vocal tones, influencing how you communicate with others.

When you incorporate musical elements into your everyday speech, more people are likely to listen to you. This phenomenon occurs because your command of vocal nuances, just like a seasoned singer and musician, provides a unique avenue for engaging communication through your vocal tone.

Your voice is akin to an instrument, requiring practice to refine, much like any other musical device. Among the most crucial aspects of effective voice use is paying close attention to your vocal tone. Your voice's tone color not only shapes how your words are perceived but also determines how easily they are understood.

For instance, speaking in a monotonous tone might require others to make more effort to comprehend your message or could cause them to lose interest altogether. Conversely, excessive inflection may lead people to assume you're agitated or upset.

The key to striking the right balance with your voice tone lies in practicing different speaking styles. Experiment with various inflections, tone colors, and volume levels until you discover a mode of communication that feels natural and effectively conveys your message. Understanding pitch, its variations, and its range will help you select an appropriate pitch that prevents you from sounding overly high-pitched, loud, or strident – issues that typically don't resonate well with listeners.

Now, recall your most recent interaction with customer service over the phone. If the representative had a pleasant-sounding voice, the chances are that the call proceeded more smoothly compared to a situation where they had a gruff or monotone voice. This highlights the profound influence of vocal tone on our emotions and responses.

Sometimes, it's just about finding a vocal technique that works for you. With enough practice, using the correct voice tone will become second nature, and you'll be able to focus on other aspects of your speaking, such as content and delivery.

Singing has so many benefits that there's no reason not to incorporate it into your daily life! It can help improve your mood, reduce stress, and even boost your immune system.

Singing is a great way to lift your spirits. If you're feeling down, try belting out your favorite song. The act of singing releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. In fact, research has shown that singing can be just as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression.

Singing can also help reduce stress levels. When you sing, your body releases oxytocin, the "feel-good hormone." Oxytocin has been shown to lower blood pressure and cortisol levels (a stress marker). So next time you're overwhelmed, try singing instead of reaching for a glass of wine or a bag of chips.

Now, let's delve into the social and additional health benefits that come with making singing a part of your daily life:

Singing allows you to express yourself in a unique and powerful way. It's a form of communication that enables you to convey your emotions, thoughts, and feelings to others. Through singing, you can share your innermost thoughts and emotions, forging connections and building relationships.

Furthermore, singing serves as a means of self-expression, helping you release pent-up emotions and feelings you may have been holding inside. This release can make you feel more open and alive, adding depth to your emotional experiences.

It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to express our emotions, but singing is a great way to stay in touch with our feelings. When we sing, we are intentional about how we want to feel and what we want to convey.

As John shared, you stay in touch with and become connected to regular interactions with other people when you sing. In fact, you continue to be conscious of your emotions and avoid using singing and emotional expression solely as a form of a technical exercise.

His podcast shows how he is deliberate in guiding and motivating others. He's talking intentionally as if he's only conversing with one person. He doesn't worry too much about how many people are listening. In its place, he guarantees that when he takes a seat on his chair and opens his mouth to commence the podcast, his goal is to convey a message via music.

Singing is one of the most powerful things we can do to build connections. John suggested that you use this energy every day. You must maintain this line of communication with other people, including your significant other, your family, your friends, and your coworkers.

We also connect with ourselves when we sing. It's actually quite remarkable that the anticipation of singing makes us start to harness emotional and nervous energy. By focusing on the core vibrations produced during singing, we unlock a remarkable level of self-expression and motivation.

Singing isn't just about expressing emotions; it's also closely linked to maintaining good vocal and overall physical health. Whether you're considering formal voice lessons or simply enjoying some singing at home, you're taking an excellent step toward keeping your vocal cords in top condition. Singing serves as an effective exercise for your vocal cords, helping to strengthen the muscles in your throat. This, in turn, can contribute to clearer and more confident speech.

Moreover, singing provides significant advantages for your respiratory health and posture, promoting better breath control and physical alignment. By incorporating regular singing into your routine, you can not only enhance your vocal abilities but also relieve tension in your neck and shoulders, resulting in an overall improvement in your posture.

Singing is a great way to express yourself and build connections with others. It can help you stay in touch with your emotions and be intentional about how you want to feel. If you want to improve your mood, relieve stress, boost your immune system, or just have some fun, consider singing on a daily basis.

If you want to know more about John, you can visit johnhenny.com. There you can listen to previous episodes of The Intelligent Vocalist podcast, as well as access his blog posts. Join John's mailing list to get special offers that are exclusive to his mailing list, and stay up to date on new courses and books.