Test for a Good Singer

Posted on January 30, 2004 20:23 PM EST

I am proposing a very simple test to judge for yourself if you sing well (in case you have any doubts, that is). Let me put a disclaimer here to say that there are exceptions to all rules and tests, including this one. I wrote this almost 5 years back. Rehashing it here.

I know lots of people who just can't sing, and I know there are lots of others who really want to sing, but lack the confidence. There are also many amateurs who do sing, but don't know if they are doing it well. To actually judge if a person really sings well, you need to consider a lot of factors, many of them very subtle and technical (w.r.t. music). But all those fundas are for professional singing.

I am no professional singer. I sing mostly for myself and whoever / whatever is fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to be within hearing distance when I am singing. Once in a while I might sing to impress a girl, but those once-in-a-while moments are becoming fewer and fewer. Unless I am sleeping or concentrating really really hard on a job at hand, chances are, I am singing a song - if not loud, at least in my heart. I have been known to sing even at times like brushing teeth, eating food, during a class lecture, or when some other song is playing on the radio / tape / stage. Sometimes, at work, I will burst out with a song all of a sudden, unexpectedly even to myself.

For the kind of 'personal singing' I am talking about, this simple test should be enough to judge if you are a good singer. Just see if you can say 'yes' to the following :

1. You listen to lots of music, have opinions about what you listen, and do regular singing (doesn't matter if it is in the privacy of your bathroom or in front of a big audience).

2. You enjoy your own singing and do it without any complexes or hangups or doubts or lack of confidence.

3. You always find yourself drifting off into the mood of the lyrics you are singing. I mean, if you are singing a sad song, you feel the sadness in it, and things like that, regardless of what is actually happening in your real life. Of course, if the lyrics reflect your life, all the better.

If you said yes to all of the above, you can take it from me that you sing well (yeah, I can tell that without even listening to your voice !)