I love this song. So I googled the chords and covered it.

After watching myself on camera in my first few SuperForest videos, I noted how stupidly self-conscious I tend to get when staring into a lens. A current TV commercial for Helga’s bread opens with the voice-over: “Character is what you are unobserved”. I like that sentiment and would love to show more of myself through these songs I cover. Let’s just say I’m working on it.

Oh, and please excuse the laundry hanging to my right.

Love,
April

I had my final singing lesson last night with the City East Community College. It cost me $172 (eight lessons of two hours each), if you’re interested.

See image below for what not to do.

This is a photo of me earlier this year at Lime Street Cafe, prior to vocal lessons. Looking at it now, I can see that I am doing everything wrong (what a difference eight weeks makes, right?). Let’s postulate. 1. My posture is all wrong. To sing, and to get maximum air into that belly, it’s essential to stand or be seated impressively upright, with the shoulders back, and the head pulled back and up from behind the neck. 2. I’m leaning back and scrunching up my face, which means I’m struggling to reach a high note. If I were to attempt this song today, I would approach this difficult note by taking a much bigger breath beforehand. I would also try to gently ‘land’ on the note, rather than wince my way up to it, destroying my vocal folds in the process. This is what my teacher would call ‘belting’ and what we more commonly refer to as ‘pop music’.

Here is a list of pointers I’ve learnt over the past two months for all you budding singers out there. Please note, me dispensing this advice does not imply I know what I am doing when it comes to carrying a tune. I’m a beginner too (and proud of it).

Things to consider when singing

1. Vocal chords are like elastic bands; they can create thick or thin folds.

2. Your shoulders mustn’t move as you breathe in and out. Only your belly should.

3. Relax your voice by making continuous ‘ng’ sounds, up and down.

4. Never force your voice and, if it hurts, stop.

5. Sing as though you are an opera singer [though this is not always appropriate].

6. Approach difficult notes from above, like a claw.

7. When warming up, close your mouth and blow air out continuously. This will help you get used to using a lot of breath.

8. Never sing like you’re pushing a piano up a hill.

9. There should be no sound at all when you breathe in.

10. When singing, smile to open up the vocal chords and lift your soft palate [I Wiki'ed this. It means the "back of the roof of the mouth"].

11. Always remember: 100 per cent this [the teacher would point to her lower stomach], and 50 per cent this [she'd then point to her throat]. I believe the idea is that the breath creates the sound, not the throat.

Confused? Who are you to complain? I just saved you $172.

April

I was sub-editing an article today about creating your own blog. About three paragraphs in, I developed an unshakable urge to start my own.

I presently contribute to the sexiest, most smile-enhancing blog out there, SuperForest.org, and what I’m doing right now almost feels like cheating. I will forever be devoted to the tenets of SuperForesting, but am also excited about my new solo adventures as a budding musician. Budding musician! Ha! I know a handful of chords on the guitar and have, to date, attended a piddly total of seven vocal lessons. Needless to say, the road ahead is gonna be long. But I’m hopeful and optimistic and all those adjectives in between.

My Untitled Album is an attempt at making a long-held dream come true. I’ve always wanted to hold a CD in my hand, with a cover art image in which I’m fully clothed, featuring 10 tracks written and composed by me. I can’t say what exactly my blog posts will comprise (lyrics, maybe? snippets of songs? badly lit music videos shot in my living room?), but I promise not to be shy.

A friend recently posed the following question to me: What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? And for me, the answer dropped immediately – I’d make an album. One that makes people smile and bop their heads; a spot of butt shaking wouldn’t go astray. So that’s what I’m going to do.

I was looking at a jpeg of my paternal grandparents’ headstone last week and realised that one day, I’ll be nothing more than a name carved in granite. How can I not give this music thing a shot and see if I’m as talented as my mum thinks I am?

Yours in fear and hoping,
April