Singing in Private

The ‘stand up in a room full of other fellas and actually sing out loud?? part’:

Yes, it can seem an onerous proposition, but the fellas most likely to hold that view are the same ones who are quite comfortable belting it out at the football, rugby or in the pub!

If it helps, most fellas feel that way to some degree at the beginning, so you’re with an understanding crowd. All it takes is one lungful of air and you’re off!

The ‘I don’t want to spend every weekend singing at a competition/performance’ part:

Men are often put off by joining a choir as they can be quite formal and geared towards public performances and competitions.

Couldn’t agree more. The Sing Your Rocks off approach is a mellower, more free-thinking affair. It is about singing for singing’s sake. Singing the songs we like, together, until they sound great, and then adjourning to the pub.

There are times when we may fancy a little adventure out, bringing our considerable talents to the attention of our community. However, it is by no means mandatory. Fellas sound good singing together and that is what Sing Your Rocks Off is about.

Why not come along and see for yourself? – we run free taster sessions so you can get a feel for it – just let us know you’re potentially interested via the form on the right and we will get in touch. Or download the ‘would you like to know why men don’t join choirs’ free guide.

Would you like to know why men don’t join choirs?

It is true to say that choirs up and down the country struggle to find men to join the ranks. Even traditional Welsh male voice choirs are finding it increasingly difficult to find new blood to swell their ranks.

There are some compelling reasons why men decline to join an established choir, which we will list below and then explain how there is another way.

Yes, it can seem an onerous proposition, but the fellas most likely to hold that view are the same ones who are quite comfortable belting it out at the football, rugby or in the pub!

If it helps, most fellas feel that way to some degree at the beginning, so you’re with an understanding crowd. All it takes is one lungful of air and you’re off!

‘I’d be embarrassed to audition, and I’m not sure I can sing anyway’

Many formal choirs do have an audition process to go through in order to win a place in the ranks. And it is terrifying to stand in front of an existing and established choir and sing your best. It’s worse than that dream you had when adolescent, where you suddenly realise your naked, and wake with your heart hammering in your chest. It seems a lot more like a punishment than a possible new beginning.

We don’t audition at Sing Your Rocks Off. You just come and join us. Join in (you won’t be able to help yourself – the atmosphere will grab you). And before you know it, all those anxieties about fitting in, being judged and the quality of your voice will have fallen away. Everybody else in the room will know how you feel, because either they’re feeling it too or they remember it.

Everyone who has a voice can sing. Anyone who has sung in the bath, chanted or sung along in the pub can sing!

‘Aren’t choirs about religious and formal music?’

Yes, some are. There are many church, light operatic and classical choirs the length and breadth of the country – some very good ones too!

Men often drop out of, or are putting off joining a choir because of the song choice and how much of a part they have within any piece. Chris Samuel, leader of the community choir The Magnificent AK47, wrote a brilliant piece for The Guardian about men’s reticence to sing in choirs. In it he said: ‘Men and women sound great together, but they obviously have distinctive vocal qualities which can and should be explored individually. Giving your basses the occasional lead vocal to a pop cover is not the same as getting your men to sing a Georgian toasting song together’. Read the full article in all its glory here http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/jun/13/how-to-get-men-to-sing-in-choirs

Sing Your Rocks Off takes a different approach to the formal norm. The music we sing is for us, relevant to us. We might include a sea shanty, a song from the valleys, an old drinking song, or something we have come up with ourselves. We want to include a repertoire that engages and entertains every member in our choir.

‘Will I have to do performances and competitions?’

A lot of men are put off joining a choir for this reason. Both from the point of view of singing in public and how much time that will eat away.

Sing Your Rocks Off is a community choir. It’s not compulsory to perform in public. And like many community choirs we did not set ourselves up to be a performance/competition choir. We are set up to have a lot of fun and enjoyment in singing together.

What tends to happen is that as confidence grows, the thought of sharing your new-found talents with a wider audience, becomes more appealing. However, until that day dawns, it stays just between us.

‘How will I learn the songs – I don’t even read music?’

It’s an uncomfortable time, when you start learning something new – you don’t quite know where you’re at with it, and might make mistakes.

At Sing Your Rocks Off we do it the easy way. Sing a phrase and then repeat it back until it’s learned, and then move on to the next bit. There is absolutely no requirement to have any musical experience or to be able to read music.

We simply utilise aural and oral learning – the same techniques you used to learn nursery rhymes and football chants that forever stay in your memory. We piece the songs together and build them up bit by bit. You will be amazed at how much you can learn and how long it stays.

Live a little, laugh a little, Sing a lot!

We hope that the information on this site has proved to you that nothing needs to stand in the way of the fine menfolk of Ilkley getting together in a spirit of camaraderie and enjoyment in order to Sing Your Rocks Off

Contact Ged on ged@singyourrocksoff.co.uk or call on 01234 567 890 to book your free taster session or to join our ranks!