Learning to sing after 60 advice needed please

I’m an instrumentalist and have accompanied many singers. I have a very good friend who is a singing teacher and she has taught many older adults. She is very encouraging and people really make very good progress. Singing is very good for us in many ways and is really good fun. Go for it. It’s never too late.

Well done you for joining a choir and better still you've discovered you have a talent. Would be great to try to improve this further and I would think, like others, that the choir master might be the best person to advise you on trying to develop your talent further. Best of luck!

BTW it’s vocal cords not chords.

Whingey

Got kicked out of a choir for making an awful noise. Wouldn't have cared but the only man in the choir sounded like a braying donkey. Male privilege as usual

It’s not male privilege. Choirs often have so few men they can hang on.
Although braying donkeys shouldn’t!

Go for it! Professional singer and teacher here.
Practise every day breaking it up into short sessions. You are a sight reader which is a great advantage. Keyboard skills help too.

A recommended weekly/fortnightly session with a singing teacher would be ideal. Not just a pianist but one who knows about vocal technique.

YouTube has lots to offer, but keep away from belt technique or the West End unpleasant nasal sound. Look for a standard classical approach.
Yes to a degree if you can fit it in.

Age wise, be positive. You may not end up at La Scala Milan but daily, and I mean daily, practising will show good results. Domingo carried on singing to his 80s and I sang Carmen in my sixties!
The physical and mental benefits of singing are immeasurable. There is something about singing with a group of people which defies description.

Good luck 🎼

Lots of places now have Singing for Fun choirs for people who can't really sing but do want to join in.

The choir I belong to has sessions in 3 local areas , cost £35 per term and sings at local street markets, school fetes etc. We get a small donation towards the running costs but we also have a collection bucket for our chosen charity.

We have huge fun and actually sound fairly reasonable!! We are often asked back to events. There is no pressure to perform.

And it feels fabulous! And, I can't sing.

I used to be able to sing the high notes when I was younger but now I'm lucky to reach the low notes! I'd love to learn to sing again but I don't think my vocal chords would like it after all these years. I did join a group some years ago but we had to stand a lot and I can't do that any more. It would be nice to sing again but I think I'd be embarrassed. So any advice from others would also be most welcome

Or the really fun one that meets quite near you.

During lockdown I had some singing lessons via zoom.
dragonfly .... please do not be put off. There is a lot you can do with breathing and posture, and lots of fun to be had! Join an online singing course, and join a community choir!

If you are still interested, Dragonfly, mine would take you on. She has a pupil who is over 80 and who has just passed some exams.

I enquired about singing lessons and was told I was too old to improve as my vocal chords were too stiff.

I'm not sure about that. You would need to contact one of the exam boards about registering for the exam as an individual rather than via a teacher.

Thank you! I will follow that up.
Can you tell me how difficult it is (administratively) to do singing exams @Luckygirl3? Would I be able to do them from online lessons?

Got kicked out of a choir for making an awful noise. Wouldn't have cared but the only man in the choir sounded like a braying donkey. Male privilege as usual

singwell.eu/best-online-singing-course/

This gives an overview of what is available online.

There are quite a variety of online singing lessons (e.g. www.30daysinger.com/free-singing-lessons) so it is worth googling this. Google singing lessons for choir singers to start with or you will get pop stuff, which can be a different technique. It is a good cheap way to start. Posture and breathing are everything!

Good luck - I run community choirs and have sung in classical groups for my whole life. I am so glad you are thinking of getting involved with singing - it is very good for you. Good luck!

Perhaps speak to the Person who runs the choir regarding help and guidance. I am sure that they will be able to assist as you sound like you are really enjoying singing again.

I have the opposite story. My mother told ne not to sing upfront of other people as I was tone deaf.

DH bought me singing lessons which I love.

My singing teacher runs some choirs and encouraged me to join one.

I love it and my confidence has grown.