Talent Is Never Enough. Talent Is The Starting Point For A Singer

If talent is never enough.... How Does A Singer Become Really Excellent?

it might be more clear and more fair to say that while talent is an important starting point for a singer, it is the quality of practice and the length of time that a singer spends on developing his or her talent that can make all the difference between those who do really well and those who remain reasonable amateurs.

(And there is nothing wrong with becoming a good amateur singer. Few people will want to take the path of a professional singer. Most will remain amateurs by choice.)

AMATEUR OR PROFESSIONAL...
I was speaking recently with a friend who is also a singer. She asked me to describe the difference between a "high level" amateur and a professional singer.

I had to think about it a bit.... I said that there were some obvious differences. An amateur will often show weak spots in an evening of singing. Some aspects of their performance might be quite "professional" - but there would almost always be a point in a song where you would see that the technique did not support the music or the phrasing was sloppy or the breathing was poor. And these problems would pop up at least several times over the evening.

The various "talents" required to sing at a professional level, were not equally developed in an amateur. It usually takes a long time for talents to mature.Talent is never enough. Instead, it is the consistency-in-action of a broad range of talents that reveals the level of the singer.

(SIGN UP FOR MY FREE NEWSLETTER -
"HOT TIPS FOR SMART SINGERS!"
from the "Smart Singers" series of publications.)

The Value of Being Consistent
A professional singer should have a high level of consistency through out an evening of singing (unless sh/e is dealing with an illness). And sh/e should be able to give a good, if not wonderful performance night after night.

Again, it takes a lot of performance practice to be able to do this. That means: lots of time spent in rehearsal and on the stage.

An amateur is not likely (nor is required) to be as consistent.

I have the feeling that most singers who take lessons would like to reach for their most professional level. But they know that they can only give so much time and energy to the work. Their lives are not just about singing. And they are happy to be singing well without the pressure to become a "professional."

When I teach singers, I keep in mind that we all want to do our best. Whether you are headed for a career as a professional singer or you see singing as a wonderful hobby, my goal is to help you to achieve your unique singing dreams.

Are you interested in developing YOUR singing voice? Please visit my Gift Shop For Singers of all ages today - and start living your dreams - whichever direction they may take you... Let your talents grow!

I wish you great singing!