Working on Songs: From “Getting It Right” to Growing as an Artist
How to practice with clarity, confidence, and humanity—and how to know when to move on or revisit a song.
Many singers approach songs with a very specific goal in mind:
Learn the notes.
Get the rhythms right.
Memorize the lyrics.
Make it sound “good.”
Move on.
This makes sense. For many of us, this is how music learning was modeled—especially in instrumental lessons. I often think of my own beginning piano training, where once you’d mastered the notes, rhythms, and (sometimes) memorization, it was time for the next piece. I would get really frustrated when the process slowed down to work on technique. BLECH!!!
But singing—and especially singing as a whole human—asks for something different.
When we reduce songs to something we “finish” or “perfect,” we miss one of their greatest gifts: songs are vehicles for skill-building, expression, and human connection.
Songs Are More Than Notes and Lyrics
Yes, learning pitches, rhythms, and text matters. That’s part of the work.
But songs are also:
Opportunities to build coordination and ease
Containers for exploring breath, balance, and resonance
Places to practice communication, vulnerability, and choice
Invitations to deepen our relationship to language, story, and meaning
A song doesn’t stop being valuable once the notes are learned.
In many ways, that’s when the real work begins.
Song Learning Is Cyclical, Not Linear
One of the biggest shifts I invite singers in the studio to make is this:
Songs are not linear projects.
They are cyclical relationships.
Songs move in and out of focus as your skills, awareness, artistry, and life experience evolve.
Here’s a framework I use often:
1. Exploration
Curiosity leads.
You’re learning notes, rhythm, text, and style. It may feel messy—and that’s appropriate. Mistakes here are information, not evidence of failure.
2. Skill-Building & Coordination
This is where focused work happens.
You might be exploring vocal coordination, articulation, rhythm, movement, physical organization, or expressive choices. This phase often feels challenging in a different way and that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
3. Integration
Things begin to organize.
You stop less. Flow increases. Old habits may briefly reappear as your system recalibrates.
This is where trusting the process is essential.
4. Ownership
The song becomes reliable.
You can sing it expressively, adapt to different situations, and stay connected even when something unexpected happens.
Important permission:
Not every song needs to reach “Ownership” right now—or ever.
Some songs are meant to teach us something for a season. Others are meant to be returned to later, with new eyes, ears, and life experience.
Leaving a Song Is Not a Failure
Many singers feel that stepping away from a song before it sounds “the way it should” means they’ve failed.
I want to gently challenge that.
Letting a song rest can mean:
You’ve learned what it currently has to offer
Your system needs time to integrate new skills
The song will benefit from a future version of you
Revisiting a song later—after growth, experience, or life change—is not regression. It’s evidence of artistic maturity.
You may hear the text differently.
You may relate to the character in a deeper way.
You may make new expressive choices.
You may discover new vocal colors.
This is where singing moves beyond technique and into human connection.
Practicing Isn’t Doing Everything at Once
Another common trap is trying to fix everything in every practice session.
Instead, I encourage singers to practice with clear lenses.
On any given day, your focus might be:
Rhythm and pulse
Diction and clarity of text
Vocal coordination
Skeletal balance and ease
Movement vs. stillness
Character, intention, or storytelling
Listening, observing, or reflecting
Depth builds faster than overload.
Focused practice builds confidence.
Scattered practice builds frustration.
When Avoidance Shows Up
If you find yourself procrastinating, it’s rarely because you don’t care.
More often, it’s because:
The task feels unclear
The expectations feel too high
The nervous system feels overwhelmed
Avoidance is information—not a moral failing.
When fear shows up, it often means you’re standing right at the edge of growth.
A Weekly Repertoire Check-In
One simple way to bring clarity is a short weekly check-in:
Ask yourself:
What is this song teaching me right now?
What am I actually practicing when I work on it?
What does it need next—focus, rest, or rotation?
Songs are not just things you sing.
They are places you grow.
You’re not behind.
You’re becoming.
