Learn to Sing Well

A few of the Zhineng Qigong members (USJ Centres) meet at Mr Gan's house on Saturday evening, 17 November 2012 for another session of insightful learning on how to sing better.

 

One of the important abilities in order to sing well, according to Gan, is to breath from the diaphragm – not the lung or the upper body.

 

A singer needs to control the air when expelling, and breathing from the diaphragm gives one more air to work with. This is using the dantian chi from the abdominal energy, which Qigong practices also emphasize on.

 

Do click here to view photos courtesy of yours truly (KC). When in photo album, hit F11 key for larger displays.

 

 

 Left: Brenda Lee, Grace Lim, Gan, Tioh, Cindy Lim, Linda, Annie, LimBB

 

According to Gan, if one practises running – be it long distance running or run until panting for breath – one would be able to strengthen dantian chi.

 

So looks like running, qigong and singing are all inter-connected. One discipline strengthens the chi, the other harnesses it while singing uses it. Unfortunately, to many of us, to sing well is a dream; and “breathing from the diaphragm” is like a mystery.

 Serious stuff interwoven with humour

Gan demonstrated in singing this difficult-to-sing Chinese classic – Huang Zhao Jin – by using the head voice (that resonate in the head or nasal area of the singer), as opposed to resonating in the throat or chest (the natural singing voice). So his voice sounded like female but could sing much higher note/pitch. An example of singing by using head voice is something like the song “Staying Alive” by Bee Gees.

 

On a lighter note, one of the qigong members asked me whether I did request to sing Hotel California. Ha ha ha … that would be asking for trouble again. Do click here to read.

 Individual demonstration and assessment by Mr Gan ... Brenda Lee

 Mode and expression in accordance to the song ... Tioh’s turn

  Tan loashi ... yeah, your turn to sing ... :-)

Gan demonstrating in singing Huang Zhao Jin, a tough Chinese classic, by using head voice … so his voice sounded like female but able to sing with much higher note/pitch.

Special thanks to Gan, one of the chi gong members from USJ, for his untiring effort and patient in teaching us – free of charge – how to sing well. BRAVO! Being a successful businessman, singing is Gan’s hobby. He travels to Banting to learn singing from higher sifu and have occasional competition sessions among his group.

 

 

Do click here for the first singing session.

 

 

Posted by KC Leong