At Musical U we’re always excited to see our members set and then meet their musical goals. We’re all about positivity, encouragement, and helping musicians of every level to find their confidence and unlock their natural musicality.
One of the best ways to boost your own motivation is to hear from someone else who is on a path toward success. We asked one of our members, “Clatoof,” to share about her experience and encourage others. We’re thankful she agreed!
Musical U: Thanks, Clatoof, for taking the time to answer some questions about your experience with Musical U! We’re excited to share your thoughts.
Tell us a little about yourself.
Clatoof: I joined Musical U to improve my singing and to feel more confident about performing solos and harmonizing with other singers. I don’t read music well and I’ve struggled with rhythms, too, so I have been working to improve in those areas, too.
MU: What’s your #1 favorite music track?
CL: “Skylark” by Linda Ronstadt is one of my favorites.
MU: Before joining Musical U, where were you stuck?
CL: I sing mainly with my Church choirs (with the “traditional music group” and later the “contemporary” group). Some things changed and we didn’t seem to have the time we used to have to learn the music. What I had been doing before was way too inefficient, so I needed to do something to improve my sight reading and ear training.
At the same time, I moved from being an alto to the soprano section and our new director was giving us more challenging music and asking me to do some solo singing. Now I could no longer fade into the background of the alto section and suddenly, I felt like people would actually hear my voice so I needed to be sure I was on pitch. This is something I still struggle with!
The other thing I started doing was singing along with my husband’s “guitar jamming” friends. I was trying to improvise harmonies, something I had never done before and I wanted to be more comfortable with that. I have been taking voice lessons with my choir director and even though I was in my mid 50’s when I started, it really helped my range and confidence and is more fun more than I ever imagined! But, even with that, I felt I needed something more.
MU: How did you become interested in Musical U? Why did you decide to try it?
CL: I was searching for apps to help me and I stumbled upon SingTrue. As I worked through the levels, I kept getting email offers. I was intrigued but I was working more at the time and was afraid I wouldn’t be able to devote the time to it. Finally, things seems to just be right, so I joined Musical U.
MU: What information has stood out during your journey?
CL: I like that there are so many modules and discussions to choose from. There’s truly something for everybody, no matter what your musical level or interest. As a singer, I’ve been most interested in the interval training modules for now, but I’ve also enjoyed the games and discussions about various topics from types of music to musician injuries and exercises.
MU: What’s the main benefit you’ve got from Musical U so far? Why is it important to you?
CL: I’ve been challenged to try singing and playing – which has been difficult for me since I don’t really play piano. I have seen an improvement in my singing and identifying intervals so far. I also enjoy the encouraging and positive attitude at MU. Everyone is accepting of where you are musically and willing to help with questions. It’s great to have such a non-judgmental group.
MU: How have your plans changed along the way?
CL: I’ve only been part of Musical U for a few months and I want to say focused on my main goal of singing and identifying intervals better. That being said, some of the other modules and discussions have opened me up to the idea of expanding my learning to other things. I’ve not had much education in music theory and I look forward to seeing what else I can get into. I’m guessing it will all make me a better singer in the end.
We’re grateful to have had some time with Clatoof and to learn more about her musical journey. We wish her the best as she continues on and we’re thankful to have her encouraging spirit in our community!
