On Stuttering

Stuttering is a brain glitch in which the right side and left side get confused. Oddly enough, it often doesn't happen when singing. I had a student who had a slight stuttering problem. So we sang his words in pitches as close to what sounded like speaking as possible. This worked!

I find in teaching that brain tricks work. When the brain associate speaking with singing, it became less intimidating and more more doable. It wasn't noticable that what was supposed to be spoken was actually being sung. We were using tones that were fractions between actual detectable notes that you would able to identify on a piano.

Speech Impediments

Most speech impediments I see are lisps. Even saying the word "lisp" or "lisps" is difficult. To reframe what seems very difficult, we place the tongue, teeth, and jaw where we want them, and slowly create a muscle memory affect. We only pick up speed when the desired correction has been made, and the brain has had time to catch up to our speech. When the two are aligned, we have more effective speech.

On Results

Over the past two years, I'm finding a common theme about people performing what they've learned. I've noticed that people are employing techniques when I tell them to. They end up with a strong sound. When it's time to do it on their own, it's as if nothing was retained. Clients get used to having to be corrected.

Combating this is a huge part of the training. There's a split second between me giving direction and the client's execution. In that time, the person forgets and goes right back to the old way. Quality of service is important, and in order to benefit from it, conscious awareness is key.

Focused attention is critical to success. This doesn't just apply to the training. Clients must use what is taught in their daily lives. Our voices are always with us. We don't have the inconvenience of carrying an instrument around, as our voices are the instruments. But not using the techniques makes the time and financial spend useless. And people stay right where they are.

A deeper level of focus is required. It's not your typical day to day paying attention type of focus. I'm now devising focus exercises to force the brain to slow down. One of the ways I'm doing this is by pattern interuption and redirection. I also use visualization techniques. The goal is to slow the brain down to fill in the split second between receiving direction and following it.

Change...that's what it's about. To achieve it, we must change permanently. What's your opinion?