How can I improve my interpretation, "reciting" ability or just voice expressiveness?

Question

I've been taking some singing lessons lately and I really feel like the main error I have to absolutely correct is lack of emotions and expressiveness in my voice. My teacher some times tries to make me interpret the song, reciting it instead of singing to improve on that aspect but I'm not even close to satisfied with the results. Reciting it makes it even more evident my incapability of expressing emotions through my voice.

As a person, I'm a bit of an introvert, not like shy, but I don't talk a lot. I think the problem with expression is true for my voice generally, even when speaking. I use a "flat" tone and volume but I don't really know how to work on this. Note that this problem is only true for my voice. I've never had any problem in communicating emotions with my facial expressions and words.

Any suggestions, exercises or even an explanation on what kind of role all this has in singing?

Answer 1

Some actors only take parts where they can be themselves. What you see is pretty well what they are like in real life. Watch a good character actor, and you'll be convinced that's what they're like in real life. Except they're not. They take on a different persona - characteristics, gait, facial expressions, accent, etc.

You seem like you need to do a fair bit of pretending - not just in singing, but maybe in other aspects. Sounds odd, maybe, but try thinking of some emotions - love, hate, tenderness, timidity, victoriousness, loneliness come to mind. Imagine what the person who wrote the song was going through at the time of writing. Often it's actually what the song is about - it's a sort of cathartic act, if you like. Try to be that person in that situation.

If the song's about losing a loved one, put on a sad face, and sing in a completely different way than you would with a song that's about someone who's just fallen in love.

Your teacher should help with this: finding songs which require one emotion in particular, and persevering with it until you show that emotion - eventually it will become part of you - second nature. I remember in a choir some time ago, the conductor was having trouble getting us to sing as he wanted. He wound us all up and made us pretty angry. We sang it again, and he finished by saying 'Thank you. That's exactly the way it should be sung. And that was the only way I could get the emotion to come from you!'