A lot of singers believe vocal struggle is purely physical.
If something feels hard, the assumption is:
• “I need better technique”
• “I need more range”
• “I need to practice harder”
But in my experience, many vocal issues aren’t vocal at all.
They’re musicianship issues.
What happens when musicianship is weak
When singers struggle with:
• pitch accuracy
• rhythmic stability
• interval awareness
• harmonic context
…the voice often takes the blame.
What I see instead is:
• tension from uncertainty
• guessing instead of hearing
• over-singing to compensate for insecurity
When you don’t know where a note lives, your body tries to muscle its way there.
Musicianship reduces cognitive load
Strong musicianship means:
• you hear the note before you sing it
• you understand how it fits harmonically
• you anticipate where the phrase is going
That reduces mental strain — which reduces physical strain.
Singing feels easier not because the voice changed, but because the brain is doing its job.
Why singers resist musicianship training
Many singers have been told:
• “You’re just a natural”
• “You sing by feel”
• “Theory will ruin your instincts”
In reality, musicianship doesn’t replace instinct — it supports it.
When singers develop:
• basic sight-reading skills
• ear training
• tonal awareness
they stop relying on luck.
The connection between confidence and clarity
When singers understand what they’re doing:
• entrances are cleaner
• tuning improves
• blend improves
• confidence increases
Not because they’re louder — but because they’re clearer.
This is why I’m such a strong believer in pairing vocal training with musicianship and theory. The voice thrives when it isn’t guessing.
If singing feels harder than it should, the solution might not be more vocal reps. It might be stronger musical foundations.
Interested in strengthening your musicianship skills? In this playlist, I cover the basics of sight reading, ear training and dictation.
Don’t guess – start training your ear today!
Your voice will thank you.
Leave a comment