Singing Is Not POTS Friendly, But I Don't Care Anymore

Those with POTS know that controlling your breath for what is needed to sing properly, can be really bad for the heart. Well I do not care anymore and I am once again getting more serious into my singing and vocals. If you haven't been following me for long, then back in 2008 while I was chelating for the first time I started taking some local vocal lessons. They were really pretty awful. In some ways I think I was better than the teacher and all she talked about was breathing. /sigh That's really the only thing these teachers talk about and I can get that type of advice on Youtube. There are hundreds of vocal coaches on Youtube making videos...

Most local vocal teachers are really meant for kids who have no idea what they are doing and it's mostly for chorus or practice. There is only 1 teacher in the area that sounds promising, but it is just too far away and with my health issues, I'd never make it to lesson. What I want is a teacher who will sit down with me and help me increase my range, strengthen my head voice and other more tehcnical things. The one good thing that came about the lessons was it boosted my confidence. Just this alone  makes my singing about 1000 times better. When I'm insecure about it, I tense up, can't breathe and it just sounds horrific. Singing in front of her and a few others, really helped me there. However it's been so long, that I need to get back into practice with it. Karaoke night anyone? lol

I have to give credit to someone I know from an online game. Hi Ray! He pushed me to make my first cover song and to post it on Youtube. Listening to that cover now (which is about a year old), I can tell I have made a lot of progress in my singing since then. I've gotten nothing but positive feedback on Youtube, so I guess I must be doing something right. Singing runs in the family for sure. Every single Aunt and Uncle on my mother's side sings, plays guitar or at least has done it at some point in their lives. My mom sings very well too and I guess growing up around all of this singing made an impression on me. During high school, I decided to go into band instead of chorus. I always wonder if I made the wrong choice, but at least now I can pick up where I left off and start singing again.

When I'm singing a song, sometimes I can just feel the norepinephrine begin to course through my veins. I think this is normal for any singer to an extent, but with POTS it is like I have downed 10 espressos. Sometimes my heart rate does affect my singing. It can cause shortness of breath and make passages sound as if I am out of breath due to bad technique, but it is simply because my heart rate is 170 at the moment. haha Guess what though, I do not care anymore. I am learning to control my POTS while singing and to push through it any way.

Above I embedded my latest cover song, which was requested from someone on Youtube. It is from the band Epica, a Dutch symphonic metal/death metal band. I don't like the screams and grunts in it (don't worry I don't do those), but the other vocals are beautiful and I give it my best shot. I recommend listening to the original to get an idea of how it is supposed to sound.

I may start putting some of my covers up here. Let me know if you think that's a good or bad idea. I want constructive feedback. Thanks!