top of page

Street Smart or Book Smart?

  • Writer: Val Bastien
    Val Bastien
  • Jun 1, 2021
  • 3 min read

Updated: Aug 20, 2024

Remember my last article about how birds have an innate song template that they also develop with their parents? This got me wondering... Singers... We are a lot like this too. Many of us have sang for so long that years have blurred the lines between whether the voice was born from within or by influence.


Books arranged like a river stream on a bed of autumn leaves.
What is your singing learning style?

Book Smart

This brings me to the next question:


Are you an intuitive learner or do you learn better through other sources of information?


Are you street smart or book smart? Are you an intuitive learner or technical?


And how is this working for you?


Which one sounds most like you...


You are practical. You experiment with your voice a lot. You have great body awareness but you still can't use your voice consistently the way you want it, just by listening to what your body and voice are telling you. You feel your throat tighten when adding volume and singing higher. Vocal fatigue is a problem you are faced with often.


Or...


Street Smart

You have good technical knowledge of singing thanks to the many books you have read on that topic or YouTube videos you watch to learn vocal exercises. You have tried many scales and know your vocal anatomy real well. Still, you are struggling to apply that information in a meaningful context that actually helps you sing better. You can hear yourself straining so you worry about developing nodules.


Have these strategies increased your skills or deepened your confusion?


These two styles of learning, street smart/intuitive and book smart/technical, are equally crucial. If you want to meet your vocal goals sooner rather than later, you need to integrate a fair bit amount of both in your learning. But how do you know if what you are doing is right? Where do you find answers to the questions that can't be found in books or revealed through experimentation?


This is where I come in. As your vocal coach, I provide the information that is not readily available so that you can close the gaps in your singing. Together, we connect the dots!


When we work on your voice, I show you how to make sense of everything so that singing intuitively and technically, perfectly compliment each other.


People will notice changes in your tone and emotional delivery. They will even give you unsolicited compliments! I know this because client tell me all the time!


Your confidence will go through the roof!


You will stun your audience with your wonderful voice!


You will attract more exciting opportunities and start making a name for yourself.


You will take more risks to expand your skills.


What once seemed impossible will now be well within reach. You will feel INVINCIBLE!


If you know that something is not quite right with your voice yet...


That despite your efforts and hard work trying to figure it out on your own, you are still not satisfied with where you are at...


That vocal freedom is within your reach but you're not sure what's lacking...


I am here to help! As your vocal coach, I will tell you exactly what you are doing wrong and how to correct it. This cannot be done within the limitations of a Facebook post. If you want real results, contact me to set your free consultation here:



Go get it!


Val

 
 

Voice Yourself Singing Inc.

Studio Hours:

Monday - Friday: 4pm - 9pm

By appointment only.

Valerie Bastien, OCT

Dufferin St and Rogers Rd  

Toronto, ON

Tel: 647-209-3776

val@voiceyourselfsinging.com

© 2024 by Voice Yourself Singing Inc. All rights reserved.

This site is not a part of the YouTube website, nor is it endorsed by YouTube in any way. YouTube is a trademark of YouTube, Inc.

Disclaimer: This site is provided for educational purposes only. Please consult a health professional if you experience unusual or persistent vocal health concerns. While our lessons are designed with your vocal well-being in mind, it's important to address any underlying health conditions that may affect your voice.

Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means a commission may be earned if you click through and make a purchase.

bottom of page