Singing in the Rain… Sort of

There has always been one talent I have been extremely envious of, and this is the ability to sing. Unfortunately, I was never blessed with pipes worthy of melodic creativity in any situation, other than the shower. Having said that, when I croon a tune, while the water is streaming, I sound pretty good, in my opinion.

So why do I sound great in the shower and nowhere else? Apparently, it is not my voice. It does not improve or change no matter where I sing. However, the acoustics around me make an amazing difference. There is a handful of ingredients you need to make your voice sound awesome, and a shower basically has them all.

Now, there are some improvements you can make to really jazz up your vocals. First, the material of the walls is very important. Bathroom tiles do not absorb sound, so when you sing, your voice bounces around the cubicle and sounds more powerful.

Next, there is the size of your auditorium. Unless you have a patron of the arts who looks after you, most showers are quite small. This is a big plus because your singing sounds louder, and your bass is increased.

Reverb is very important in singing, and fortunately, the walls of a shower throw back an echo of your vocals, making them sound richer and more ornamented.

A shower is also a place where you are usually alone, and consequently, it is a perfect, cozy place to flex your musical muscles. Turns out, there is quasi-scientific proof that being in the shower, feeling the gush of warm water down our backs, and being free from all life’s distractions, makes you feel relaxed and happy.

Your brain is even triggered to release the feel-good hormone dopamine, which soothes nerves and lifts the spirits.

As for the singing part, it is in our DNA to sing. It is a lot better than screaming when we want to release emotion. Opening our vocal cords helps lower stress, boosts lung function, and even enhances memory.

Did you know, Pavarotti loved to sing in the shower? Perhaps I should try out for the Scugog Choral Society, although I doubt they would put a shower stall in the middle of the stage, at the Town Hall Theatre.

Jonathan van Bilsen is a television host, award-winning photographer, published author, columnist and keynote speaker. Watch his show, ‘Jonathan van Bilsen’s photosNtravel’, on RogersTV, the Standard Website or YouTube.