I’m a bit slow to the Netflix party if I’m honest. I signed up in December of last year. I’m sure if you have Netflix I don’t need to tell you that there is an insane honeymoon period where you end up binge-watching 4 seasons back to back of 5 different shows, old & new, simultaneously. It’s ALL CONSUMING cos you can’t believe how Netflix is so there for you, across multiple devices, knows where you left off & picks up again without a heart beat skipped….
Clearly, I am still in this loved up haze.
This is all good & well until the New Year rolled around & my day was being planned around Netflix binges! I wasn’t getting back into the flow of my life especially not with my singing practice.
I decided I needed to work with my Netflix obsession not against it.
Enter Mad Men. It’s a period drama set in the 1960’s about New York based Advertising agencies culture & the people defining that culture.
I love the acting, casting, writing, script, amazing set & costume design – it’s pretty awesome all round. It’s a great reminder of how NON PC life was, smoking (EVERYWHERE), sexism (EVEN MORE than today & BLATANT), no recycling or environmental long term awareness and lots & lots of drinking (ANYTIME of the day). This got me thinking. What if I could play a type of drinking game based on THEIR drinking habits? Instead of me drinking though, I would perform singing exercises! Just re-reading what I have written makes me feel dorky BUT it was a bloody good idea & it worked. What I started to do was to perform a singers stretch or a short vocal exercise (i.e: sirens) every time someone poured a drink! I ended up getting an entire vocal workout done in a single episode! So you can imagine how much boozing was going on!
I guess what I am trying to get across is that you can sneak in ‘vocal exercise’ or anything that seems like hard work to carve out time for, where you can. Back in the day it used to be ad breaks. I would fold washing or do sit ups (this was a LONG time ago), but now I don’t watch network TV, only Netflix or YouTube & of course, there are generally no ads or you can skip them. We still want to balance our lives & have fun, creatively stimulate our minds with music & art even cos that refills our creative cup, even in the form of Netflix! I get so many ideas for songs, singing or theme-ing watching great TV shows so I won’t knock it!
My challenge to you now is to associate some kind of trigger to your favourite Netflix show & do a couple of singing exercises when these moments happen.
Ie:
Pretty Little Liars – whenever “A” texts the girls or does something crappy to them – SING!
House of Cards – every time Frank Underwood talks to you directly or cooks up/implements a nasty underhanded plan – SING!
You get the idea…..
Don’t know what to do in these moments? Siren, work through all your singers stretches, facial massage, make a cup of herbal tea with honey in it, do a quick salt gargle – anything from my Singers Rituals basically.
Let me know what you’ve decided to do – I’m always up for adding more triggers & let’s be honest, adding new shows I NEED to watch to my Netflix watch list.
Happy Netflixing & Singing
P.S. If you can spare 15-30 mins each day jump into my 14 day Vocal Bootcamp. You’ll learn more about the vocal exercises & activities mentioned above & lay down some strong foundations for your singing. Check it out here!