My Vocal History - How Long Does it Take to Get Good? 

throat nodules and subsequent surgery now tells me that I didn't know how to sing in my younger years. The advice of not straining, retraining and challenging the idea of pushing to get those high notes, is really a god-send. It has re-invigorated my passion to sing...I had given up. I'd sing, practice and my voice would become fatigued. Not so now...can sing every day without fatigue. Love learning and trying these ideas. It's actually moving in a progressive manner. Thanks for your insights Sterling. You crack me up man. lol

Thanks for sharing this story, dude. There is so much of this that is relatable. This is one of my favourite RU-vid channels👍 I look forward to hearing more original material!

Thanks for the raw and honest insights, no need to edit it. it's rare and ultra useful to hear the unvarnished truth from someone who has made it to the other side of the grind. Enjoy every minute of driving in your hard won Ferrari :) Also maybe check out interviews with Rick Rubin about his book The Creative Act. I think his philosophy may resonate and help clarify why your path was meant to be so fraught.

Just wanted to let you know.. I loved listening to you talk on this topic. You sound so real and convicted in your message. I caught myself thinking the other day that if I could sound like anyone it’d be you. You’ve got a TREMENDOUS voice and after hearing you talk about your journey it sounds like it’s like moreso “well-earned/trained” than God-given. I mean I don’t want that to sound bad. You brought a tear to my eye when you said “be gentle on yourself”. Like that one line hit me pretty good, well done brother.

So I've already commented twice, but i just want to say that i really enjoyed this video. It's nice to hear the story behind someone who is actually making this work. It came at the best time too. I'm starting my first band practice today. All I've ever done is videos. I've been releasing stuff on my channel for almost 2 years now, and somebody saw it and invited me to form a band. He played on Warped Tour and has connections to play live. It scares the hell out of me but this is exactly the encouragement I needed to start doing it live. Thanks again for all your videos man. You're an inspiration. I also had a fucked up 20s and tried to throw in the towel, but it only gets worse when you do that. Not enough booze or meds in the world to silence your passion.

i’m autistic too. thank you so much for your teaching and openness and passion. you’re an inspiration and after being a musician for my entire life as well, i feel like i’m finally beginning to understand and get this.

So glad you're happy with your voice now. Well earned!

validation, so important...but in the face of non-validation - even comments about 'you shouldn't sing - it can ebb one's confidence in singing, despite the drive to do so. But you keep going, you keep learning, you keep trying to improve, to give wings to your musical and lyrical ideas.

Nobody talks about this shit but damn it's so relatable. Thank you for being so real

Great video & insights as usual man

Great video. Thank you for your sharing.

Awesome big S ! My last gig this past Saturday..I used my compression alot more ..adding bits of fry and distortion just like salt and pepper but the compression is my main stay even that i subdue depending of course on the song thx 🙏

I really loved this talk. Thank you!!!!

Awesome as always Sterling! Thank you for being so honest and for all your perfect advice! Please keep going making these videos! Learning a ton from you!! You do it all so funny but also with so much deep knowledge! Wishing you the best for your health!

You are a great teacher and skilled singer, Im learning a lot from your videos! Big hugs from Barcelona, Spain

Validation. Probably the most important and somehow the most overlooked aspect to start singing and to keep going. Kudos to have overcome these obstacle of yours and to share all this with us.

Great honest info you have had courage to share Thx for this it’s real u Rthe real deal sir

Also on the spectrum. This is your best video yet for me, thank you so much for posting this

Another extremely informative video Sterling, very much appreciated. I’m 58 and still striving for a credible rock voice 🤪. I really must get round to taking some lessons from you!!

I relate, man, i lost my voice in 2018 and beenntrying to recover since then. I went through quite the depression and probably still carrying it lol but now after a year of not singing and accepting id never sing again i moved to another city, quite smaller one, and had to start teaching voice to pay bills. Well this lead to re motivate myself to rehab my voice, and with all of the new info on youtube and what ive learned the last years about vocal control, ive been able to get tons tons better, i feel hopeful and somewhat proficient again, and it feels like such a blessing, man. Thanks for sharing your journey, as i dont feel as alone in this rehab process haha. Thanks 😊

Man this was awesome! Thankyou

This video was really… really.. damn good man. Loved hearing your story and there’s a lot to learn along the way. You are quite funny too without actually telling jokes or anything or will bullshit. Thank u 🙏 ☮️

Me Over here just wrenching on my Ford Pinto 😂 Ha ok not quite that bad! I started from a similar place of imitating other singers and developed some really bad habits too.After a ton of work correcting my bad singing habits, which is sooo hard to do but finally starting to be happy with my voice and straining/hurting my voice significantly less. Took forever, probably one of the key downsides of being self taught. So much easier if you learn the basics from a teacher first I'm sure. Do you ever ice your throat to speed up recovery?

I had a problem with distortion because of poor mixed voice technique. I'd just push more air as I go higher. But my rasp is fine, I have no issues if I sing like this in my comfortable range, I can do it all day. Distortion is not a good substitute for compression.

Hey, I really enjoyed listening to your story. I've had similar ups and downs over the years too. I started singing when I was really young, but at about 18 I got in trouble and got incarcerated for ten years. In there, I had intermittent access to a guitar and would always sing and write songs when I could. Got a lot of validation and practice singing in front of some pretty tough crowds. (Literally and figuratively. Or both figuratively, but you get me.) But then I would go to solitary or max, not have that guitar, and just not sing. I'd have to refind my voice all the time. Then I got out in 2012 and had no fuckin' clue what to do. My first RU-vid video is of me and a buddy just plugged into a PA, and my wife recording us on a camcorder. Life of course took its toll, and my living situation was changing so often, every time I established something it fell off. Anyway, I'm trying to be more consistent now and just hearing your story was inspiring. I'm also 38 by the way, so maybe there's still hope. Ahaha. Loved the video, best of luck man, you have amazing talent and I can tell your a great teacher too.

Going to school for animation because it was your next best choice is so relatable. I always went for what was "realistic". Finally got to the point I was in Calc 3 wanting to blow my brains out and I went back to singing. A friend of mine died and it made it clear to me that life is fragile

Appreciate you man.

thank you

Thanks

New subscriber here, and this was a great video, as is all your content. Any advice for older beginners? I'm 53 and just starting out - I've had a year and a half lessons but not even close to being comfortable or confident in my voice, probably 90% of the time it just sounds awful to me. My hope is to get out into the community and sing, but my childhood was rife with alcoholism so the bar scene is just not for me; which does pose some challenges. That validation, man- it's important. Its hard enough to be vulnerable. Hoping to wrack up some cash and take a lesson or two with you. In the meantime, I will keep watching. Thanks again for sharing.

Be gentle and relax a bit already - noted.

Someday, I want to be in the audience when you take that Ferrari out for a spin.

you should do a song on anxiety

i to know how you feel bine there done that

Enjoy the hell outta that Ferrari!

hey man, do you know anything about pop singing also? or it's just rock n metal

It takes as long as it takes to be reincarnated with a naturally good singing voice.

Hey - hope you're doing well and that you find help and solutions to your problems. I'm also in the depression boat and I know it's difficult to just say something that helps. Still I wanted to let you know that for me and what seems to be many others you're greatly appreciated and in what you do, you make the world better in a way, cause you help others. After years of frustration about my singing, I finally start to enjoy it again and feel that I make progress. Apart from that, you seem to be a great guy, you have a great vocal talent and you're a good-looking dude. Hope you find a way out of these dark places and be able to enjoy life. Wish you all the best!