Sound of Silence

I hve just finished a week of recording as a background and occasional foreground vocalist. The arrangements were very taxing vocally, and so I decided to put myself on complete voice rest when not actually in the studio. No chatting. No phone. Seems like such a little and yet nearly impossible thing, but I know that Janis Siegel sometimes does this, and it works for her.

This "practice" had the immediate effect of allowing me to sing everything that I was asked to, effortlessly and without strain. Instant benefit. A few days had passed before I realized that I was receiving another and greater benefit. I was happier. Everything that had been overwhelming me became manageable. Or smaller. Or not all that important. My own practices seemed to deepen. The cat seemed happier, too.

I think I begin to see that the silence imposed by some religious orders has a luminous side. Something exists in the quiet that is not there in the noise. Or it is, but I don't notice it. I felt as if I was noticing more. More able to pay attention, less distracted. An article in th NY Times about multi-tasking says: The human brain, with its hundred billion neurons and hundreds of trillions of synaptic connections, is a cognitive powerhouse in many ways. “But a core limitation is an inability to concentrate on two things at once,” said René Marois, a neuroscientist and director of the Human Information Processing Laboratory at Vanderbilt University.

I think being quiet gave me one less thing to juggle, as there was no longer an obligation to comment on everything ... or on anything at all. So now I have a new motto: Sing or Shut Up. Would that be Canta aut Tace in Latin? Help me out, Educated Readers!

Of course, tomorrow night I am singing at the Metropolitan Room, and so will have to hope for the gift of honeyed speech between songs. But the next day...

Comments

[Deborah]

Thank You for this insight. I learned the hard way last month, when I was felled by strep and a virus. Silence has it's virtues, even though it may be difficult, while going through the experience. I found the same thing with my voice, too! I hope that you had a fabulous time at the Met! I miss you!

[Mark DiGiacomo]

There are some great reflections on the creative process on this site -- the makings of a book?

I will be at the Metropolitan Room next Tuesday. It was a thrill to see your New Year's Eve show and I couldn't pass up the chance to see you and Annie Ross on the same night.

Mark DiGiacomo