October 2, 2011

Off-key singing

Remember this guy?
I am one of the poor souls in this world who cannot sing. It's the great tragedy of my life. In my head, I hear the music perfectly but I can't reproduce it with my voice. I can't sing! Sob.

Adding insult to injury, I noticed just today that I can't even whistle on-key. How this fact escaped me up till now, I don't know. It's weird because I can find a tune pretty easily on the piano -- by ear, in other words. I don't play well or even capably, mind you, but I can locate the melody on the keys. This tells me I don't have a tin ear. It hears just fine, thank you. And yet I can't even whistle a tune! I find this bizarre.

And it makes me wonder. If the mind of an accomplished singer could somehow be transferred into my body, would my body suddenly be able to sing -- and even sing well? Is singing just a mental trick?

What's your opinion? Would the mind of an accomplished singer be able to make the body of an off-key singer sing? I think the answer is yes.

3 comments:

Anna Guess Pick said...

Music is mathematical - http://www.math.niu.edu/~rusin/uses-math/music/

But singing on key? Well that's a whole other thing. The argument will continue as to whether it is genetic or learned. Perhaps it is a bit of both.

For sure it just doesn't happen when you open your mouth, it takes practice and even warming up before one can sing well. Think of your vocal chords like an athlete thinks of his muscles.

As for me - I can carry a tune in a bucket.

Anna Guess Pick said...

Correction:

I can't carry a tune in a bucket - but you all knew that.

writenow said...

I didn't know what you meant. It's a new phrase for me and I had to look it up. It's good to know that you are also plagued by this malady. Misery loves company.