So, I have a friend who sings really well and I've always fantasized about being able to sing, so I begged her to give me lessons. I'm trying to find my singing voice and it is SO HARD.

I found my vibrato by singing like Tiny Tim and Ethel Mermen. My friend said I sounded exactly like them. Pity I can't be pitch-perfect with my own voice which is all over the place. Oy.

Oh, this is SO cool!

I can't wait to hear your thoughts, feelings, anecdotes..all of it, as you continue.

TIny TIm! Ethel Merman! GO GE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, that's interesting GreenEyez. I would never have thought of taking a singing lesson. I have no voice for singing at all. Even my dog gets upset when I sing around the house. She turns her head away.

Frazz, Lau, thanks! I just have all these fantasies about singing in front of people. I've had to record myself, because that's how you learn what you really sound like. I try to just listen with a normal critical ear and not beat up on myself. Though my fantasies do not sound ANYTHING like what is actually coming out of my mouth. Oy.

I have sung as a performer many times..the only way I can do it is by being a character.

If the character has a pretty good voice, so do I (after far more practice and rehearsal than a naural singer needs).

I think singing is terrifying without a character.

I am so impressed that you are doing this, GE. Singing from your own voice...WOW. Please do post as much as possible on this.

Even metaphorically making sounds that may have echoes to the heart for others is such a worthy thing to do.

[[so I do not care what you sound like, in your own voice, to yourself. I care, insanely, that you just dare to do it. ANd I suspect that once you give yourself a break and DON'T listen to yourself for a while, you will be amazingly moving.

OK, so you have to sing on pitch, but if you can do that, GE, just from what I know of you, you will be so moving.]]

This applies to writing, and acting, too.

Thanks for the encouragement, frazz. It really helps.

I know someone who has an amazing voice, but won't get up at karaoke. She'll make some sort of minor medical excuse. I'll say "did you hear that drunk guy trying to sing RATT?" She still won't get up and sing.

However...

She fronts a tribute band and gets up there and rocks out and performs like nobody's business. It puzzled me until I realized in the band she plays a part, but at karaoke, she has to be herself.

So, I can see how singing as someone else is easier than finding your own voice and just singing your heart out. I really hope I can get to that place.

What are some of the songs you are working on?

Right now I'm trying to sing "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. It's one of my favorites. I would like to learn how to sing "Because the Night" by Patti Smith and maybe some Melissa Etheridge.

GE, great songs, in my view.

I do hope you have a public (or at least one I can come to) performance at some point.

Even if I don't sing for a group, I would sing for you anytime.

I also wanna learn some Linda Rondstadt, Pat Benatar and Annie Lennox, but learning them will take some time. You can't truly appreciate what they do until you try to do it!!!