Reese's Pieces "If You Can't Sing It, You Can't Play It!"

September 19, 2008 at 4:35 PM

"If you can't sing it, you can't play it." This was a principle that my violin instructor embraced. Before she would accept an individual as a student, she would have them come to her piano, and she would proceed to play parts of scales, stop, and have those wishing to learn violin complete them by singing or humming the notes. She would also test them especially on flats and sharps, half steps and whole steps and things of this nature. If the individual was unable to follow along and sing on key, she would not accept them. Her beliefs were that if you can't hear the notes in your head and sing them, it is very difficult or impossible to play the violin where there is nothing to indicate where the notes are to be played other than what you hear. This principle has always made sense to me. But out of curiosity, is there anyone who has taught violin to a student who could not sing in tune but could play the violin successfully?

From Terez Mertes
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 4:38 PM

Dang, that would b really cool, having a teacher like that. It might have given me some confidence in those absolute beginner days, three years ago, as I am a lifelong choral singer. Otherwise, learning to play the violin has been starting from ground zero for me.

It seems to me there are surely people who can't sing for beans, though, who can sing through the violin, if you will. I hope others respond here - this is interesting.

From Laurie Niles
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 5:04 PM

It's not true, though I'd say there's a high correlation between being able to sing on pitch and play on pitch. But I've definitely run across very talented musicians who play on pitch but can't maneuver their voices to do so.

From Tommy Atkinson
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 5:18 PM

I'd like to think it's more of a case of "if you can't HEAR it, you can't play it." Singing is something you make your voice do - some people have a very difficult time singing on pitch (especially without any singing training), even if they can still hear it. You can see this at conservatories who have sight-singing classes and ear training classes. When I was in college, there were tons of vocal major who just dominated the sightsinging part of class, but struggled in ear training. Many instrumentalists struggled a lot in sightsinging, but did much better in ear training. There were also people who were just awful in both classes. Granted, this is only anecdotal evidence but I think it holds a little weight.

From Laurie Niles
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 5:41 PM

BTW I sing on pitch but in a rather froggish way! Even some children can have rather froggish and unreliable vocal abilities, esp. if they have not been part of an early music program that got them singing a lot.

From Anne Horvath
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 5:46 PM

My first teacher used the statement: "If you can sing it, you can play it".

I can sing in tune, but the quality is *cough* not so pretty. I get all of my students singing in their lessons, from the get-go. It is obvious which kid has had any sort of choir training, whether in school or church.

(And it is such a pity that churches don't seem to be cultivating children's choirs like they used to. The emphasis has moved towards "Praise Bands", which perform rock songs during the service. Not quite the same as formal choir training...a shame, really).

I do have students that have a terrible time singing in tune. They are also, without exception, the students that have a terrible time playing violin in tune. Sometimes, with diligent patient work, this can improve.

Very interesting question!

From Debra Wade
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 6:19 PM

I'd like to think it's more of a case of "if you can't HEAR it, you can't play it."

I would lean more toward the point that Tommy made. I know a few violinists (and one cellist - do they count? :-) that can't even sing a basic melody but they have excellent intonation.

I myself am vocally trained, but I can't always "sing" my music - but I can hear in my head as clearly as if I were singing it which I believe translates just as well.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on September 20, 2008 at 12:04 AM

I agree with everyone who said, "If you can't hear it in your head, then you can't play it." I can not carry a tune, to my disappointment. I remember when I was a beginner (kid) and I heard Eine Kleine for the first time, I thought "My violin is my voice."

On a more mechanistic approach, think of a computer with music stored in it. Its output channels include voice and an instrument being played. Some people have both outputs working, and some of us only have one.

From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted on September 20, 2008 at 6:01 PM

Where learning to be a better singer has helped me on the violin is that it's helped me deal with anxiety. I used to be very self-conscious about the sound of my singing voice, which I still don't really like very much, but I've learned to live it with since I joined a church choir, which I enjoy. I'm never going to have a vocal solo--but at least I can sing in tune, so I can help that way. As I've become less self-conscious about my singing voice, I've also become less self-conscious about performing on the violin and viola.

What I don't like about this teacher's approach is the deterministic nature of it: the use of this test to label students as being globally unfit and unable. I'm of the opinion that most people can learn to sing it, and by extension, learn to play it.

I guess if she's busy and only wants to take a small number of students, this is as good a screening test as any, but I think she does a disservice by pretending it means more, globally, than it does.

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Reese's Pieces "If You Can't Sing It, You Can't Play It!"

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