How to find your voice

What draws a person to express themselves through music is a mystery. Usually a recording or a particular performance just at the right moment sparks the desire. And then it can take years before the impulse drives someone to pick up an instrument and learn to play it.

For some playing an instrument can be a part of a life long creative process, where the instrument is integral to expressing the voice within.

Leonard Cohen

Canadian songwriter Leonard Cohen has spent his life creating poetry and music with the aid of a guitar. He is, in a way, Canada’s Bob Dylan. They both are singer/songwriter guitar players who are famous for not being able to play their instruments well, and are more like orators than singers.

Exercises for a better tomorrow

In the video above Leonard Cohen talks about his musical development and the essence of his songs, and how he learned what he needed to express and share the discoveries he made.

Finding your voice begins by developing the necessary skills to imitate the music you’re inspired by. Then comes discipline, having the will to commit to the process of discovering your voice. A good teacher and/or studies at a music school can point you in the right direction.

Use creativity to tap into your voice

Improvising and writing music, whether songs or instrumental compositions, put you in touch with your creative self. You don’t have to wait until some future time to be creative. Be creative.

The drive to improve your technique arises from the desire to better express yourself. This is the point when teachers can be helpful.