Day 23: Listening for What You Don’t Like
Yesterday, you focused only on what you liked in a single performance of your chosen song. Today, we flip the lens—your job is to be brutally picky about what you don’t like, and, more importantly, why.
The goal isn’t to tear the singer down—it’s to identify technical or stylistic choices that don’t resonate with you, so you can avoid or adjust them in your own singing. The more specific you are, the more useful your notes will be. Don’t worry about using the exact right or most technical words—no one is grading you. As long as you understand what you wrote, it’s perfect.
Today’s Task:
Listen to the same performance as yesterday. Write down the technical choices you notice that you don’t like, along with the reason they don’t work for you.
What to Listen For:
- Phrasing: Are there spots where the line feels rushed, disconnected, or too drawn out?
- Breath Use: Do phrases collapse, run out of air, or have awkward breaths?
- Vowel and Resonance Choices: Are there vowels that sound strained, nasal, or muddy?
- Dynamics: Is the volume unbalanced or does it change abruptly in a way that distracts?
- Rhythmic Placement: Do notes drag, rush, or feel out of sync with the groove?
- Ornamentation/Agility: Are there runs or embellishments that feel forced or out of place?
- Registration Choices: Are shifts between chest, head, and mix jarring or uncoordinated?
- Articulation and Diction: Are words unclear or over-enunciated in a way that disrupts flow?
- Tone Color: Does the tone feel too bright, too dark, or inconsistent for the song?
How to Practice:
- Listen once through to refresh your memory.
- On the second listen, pause to jot notes on any technical choice you dislike.
- Next to each note, write why it doesn’t work for you—be specific.
- Keep your notes objective and technical. Avoid “I just don’t like it” without explanation if you can.
Why This Matters:
Knowing what doesn’t work for you is just as valuable as knowing what you like. Being clear on why helps you avoid making similar choices and shapes the direction of your unique sound.
Tomorrow: We’ll broaden your perspective by listening to a few other people perform the same song, and compare what works and doesn’t across versions.
