We’re all familiar with the magic that happens when siblings or other family members sing together. Genetic similarities in vocal activity can cause amazing harmonics. For a good portion of my life I listened to my sister and my mother sing, but I never really heard any similarities among our voices – until now.
Oh sure, I’ve often said I heard my mother’s voice when I would scold my children. And it was kinda scary. In fact, I fought it with all I had. But it was more about the words and the enunciation – not the voice. Recently, I’ve been noticing tiny inflections in my voice that remind me of my mother’s voice. It usually happens when I’m singing, not talking.
This past week, I’ve been recording my vocal tracks in the studio. The strangest thing happened. I felt my mother’s voice come out of my body. Little particles of vocal energy, sound waves, organic matter – whatever it is, it sparkled around me and then it was gone. Just like that.
I’ve listened to the recording many times, and I don’t hear anything that even remotely sounds like my mother. At least not like she sounds now. But perhaps I’m hearing her voice from years ago, when she was my age, and we sang in the alto section of the choir together. The altos get all the schmalzy parts you know.
So, I’m glad I’m recording my voice. I have two children. They’re boys and they don’t sing much. Maybe I’ll have a granddaughter who will hear my voice when she sings.
DINA HALL 