Sing Better English needs a new name!
I started this blog in 2014 to help singers unchain their tongues from the single version, neutral, inoffensive English taught in language schools all over the world. I wanted to get close-up and technical with English in song so that they notice other singers’ techniques. To give them the freedom to play with the language, to wake it up.
As I’ve listened and written about different singers and their songs, I’ve noticed more and more myself. Things I hadn’t consciously noticed as a casual listener, but had felt. Tiny changes in the shape of words or the spaces between them that make the difference between a so-so song and an emotional connection. Because that’s why we invent language and sing it to each other. To connect. Human heart to human heart.
I know it’s impossible to put your finger on the magic. You can read all the How to Draw books you want, but it won’t necessarily turn you into Leonora Carrington. But the more you listen, the more you notice, the more you’ve practised and prepared, the more likely it is that you’ll be free to let the magic in. And you’ll have no idea how you did it.
That’s what I’m blogging about now – the things we don’t consciously notice that speak straight to our hearts. Things like this, this or this. If you sing, you’ll find tips. If you write songs, you’ll find inspiration. If you listen, I hope you’ll find my thoughtful musings interesting.
I don’t always write about English, but always about the shape of words in the mouth of a singer who cares. How Japanese theatre can help you express yourself. Why the order of words matters in Australian lists. And why the British version of The Voice has a lot to learn from the Russian version.
If you’d like me to feature a song, please ask. If you’d like help with singing or songwriting in English, please ask.
Sing Better English 