Singing

Grandmanorm Go for it. I was a very latecomer to singing having been told at 13 that I was tone deaf. I did a try singing course and discovered I could sing in tune. I still have a lot to learn but after at least 5 yrs in a community choir I joined a choral society as well. I struggle a bit with sight reading but it improves as you go along The buzz from a good perfomance is amazing!
What sort of music are you doing?

Been singing with the same chamber choir for nearly 50 years( can't believe I've just typed that!) several of us have been with the choir for nearly as long as I.There is nothing that quite hits the spot like a difficult five part madrigal sung without a mistake. It's like flying.

Singing.....best therapy ever.

As some of you will know I run a community choir and also a huge community choirs event for the Three Choirs festival. I am positively evangelical about singing - it is a joy! And everyone can do it! So good for you - lots of jolly endorphins flying about; a chance to socialise, keeps the brain alert - I could go on.

Just do it! Hundreds of community choirs out there - non-auditioned, sing jolly music - what's to lose!?

When I return to the UK, joining a Community Choir is something I want to do. I think it would be wonderful.

And even if you can't read music and think you can't sing there are many community choirs and voice workshops such as the ones run by by daughter in London and around the UK where you can start as a complete beginner and be singing in4 part harmony by the end of a session
Look up naturalvoicepractitioners

You are right maniac - at the workshops I run, we start with rounds so everyone is singing in harmony straight away and then move on to 4 part harmony. People are always amazed at what they can achieve.

I remember once getting 100 WI members singing African chants - they loved it!!

Singing is just fab, I joined a chior last September and enjoyed it so much that I joined another one. I used to sing in my school choir and that wasnt yesterday. Can sing in tune and I do read music, but Did find it hard at first, I m sure I would be rubbish as a solo. Would be interested in what part everyone sings. I sing 1st soprano, omg, sometimes I think I'm kidding myself..... But I find it the best thing in the world to banish the blues. Sorry I didnt do it sooner. Love to have some training.

I am a second Alto, probably should be a Tenor.

I haven't tried singing since my parathyroid op two weeks ago which involved digging about in my throat. I am bit worried that singing might be difficult as my throat feels a bit tight at present.

Perhaps I need to give it a bit more of a chance.

The music for our next concert sounds brilliant, bits of. Elgar, Coronation Ode, Mozart Coronation Mass. Handel Coronation Anthem.
I hope I can do it. I might have to be a Tenor we have two other lady tenors in the choral society.

I've posted this before but as I now see that more of you are getting the singing bug - check out cyberbass.com - go into majorworks - choral midi files and you will find a huge portfolio of music all split up into voice parts. in my choir we practice our parts this way between rehearsals. Just click on your voice i.e. sop1; sop2; alto; tenor; bass etc and a little screen pops up and your voice part is played electronically. It makes life so much easier.

We sang in parts and all sorts of songs. The main one for the evening was The Rose (made famous by Bett Middler).
There is no piano just the teacher starting us off after teaching us our parts.
I sing soprano.
This is a light hearted choir re. music, which suits me just fine.

I always sang soprano but in last 30 years have gradually moved down to alto then tenor and now sometimes even sing the bass line!!

Don't you think there are some people who just can't sing in tune? Me for instance. When ever I try, I can hear it sounds awful, and no one can guess what I'm trying to sing . I can imagine it's a great feeling to sing all together though.

I love my choir - I call it my weekly Prozac! If you're not in one, join now!

Some singing teachers insist no one is truely tone deaf. Confidence in singing a note is essential if you get scared your voice seizes up and you will never get it. A few places have "new to singing" courses. Try HF Holidays. It's what did it for me!

Thats not an ad GNHQ!

I am in my second year of being in a community choir and we performed our latest concert last Saturday. I absolutely love it and can't wait to get back into it after Easter.

Very envious of you all.

I am absolutely hopeless and cannot sing a note. I sing (well make a noise) all the time and I drive hubby nuts. It must be extremely gratifying to be able to give people so much pleasure just by singing to them.

grandmanorn your choir sounds wonderful. I sing in one too, but lately it has gone from "sing for fun" to "sit around whilst the other parts practice for hours". So I'm thinking of leaving and joining one again which has nothing to prove!