Is It Art? Is It Science? The Mystery of the Voice Unraveled

To begin, here’s some food for thought:

The voice is a vehicle for expression and an art form, but it is also a physical mechanism and a science. 

The latter of those two definitions is something I’ve always believed has been lacking in contemporary vocal study. There seems to be a universal lack of…well, universality in our field. Or even better phrased, cohesiveness among voice instructors. 

I’ve spent a lifetime trying to make sense of the mysticism that seems to surround the study of the voice.

Every vocal instructor I went to seemed to have different terminology, different opinions on what was good or bad for the voice, new metaphors to help me embody concepts that to me, felt completely mystical. I was bombarded with contradictory information for years by vocal coaches. It took vocal damage (caused by mistreating my voice, little did I realize) resulting in speech therapy that eventually propelled me into a year of healing, studying everything I could about proper vocal maintenance and treatment and ultimately lead me to realize what we are all missing when it comes to voice:

A blending of ART with SCIENCE. 

As mentioned earlier, there seems to be sense of mysticism surrounding voice. People seem to see it as a magical talent that you either are born with or don’t have. Aside from the problematic feelings that can invoke in the average person who’s never had a singing lesson (intimidation, fear, self-consciousness), another problem with this commonly accepted theme is this: It is simply NOT TRUE. 

Voice is not some mystical, unattainable, God-given talent that only the few lucky ones are privileged enough to access (not to say that voice can’t be magical and God-given, at times). Voice is a HUMAN, PHYSICAL MECHANISM that anyone can learn to understand and control. That is why ANATOMY is one of the 5 pillars on which I’ve built my STAAR method (see more here). Meaning, if you are human, and you have working vocal cords, guess what?! You have a voice! And there is a beautiful, unique instrument built inside every one us. 

I dream of a world where Vocal Coaches, ENTs (Ear, Nose & Throat doctors), Laryngologists, and Speech Pathologists/Therapists all work in perfect harmony to ensure that every voice has its best chance to shine. For now, I do my best to create a balance in the education of my students between the ART and the SCIENCE of the voice. 

What I want YOU to get out of this post is that you have a unique, incredible instrument inside you. No matter how many people have cringed at your car singing, or said they’ll never invite you to karaoke again, know that they did so without knowledge of the bigger picture. I want you to be brave enough to embrace and explore your voice (even if it’s just in the smallest ways) because singing is NOT just for celebrities. Singing is one of the most beautifully human things we can experience and share with each other. So get back in that shower and belt one out for me!!

<3 Sav