1.1.3.c Origin Stories Part 2
Origin Stories Part 2.
I met Donald Neuen as a freshman at the Eastman School of Music and worked with him for several years on his textbook and video series. Neuen had a well-deserved reputation for delivering thrilling choral performances, and I witnessed this transformative podium magic time and again. Sure, he was always working with well-above-baseline singers, but he took that raw talent and supercharged it. This came partly through clear, effective strategies for vowel formation, crisp articulation, and so on. But there was another element, best illustrated by the following exercise.
Once a group was warmed up, Neuen would ask everyone to set aside their music and sing a piece they all knew—“God Bless America,” “Happy Birthday,” or maybe a popular carol. The only requirement was that no one needed a score. He’d say, “All right, let’s sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and give it your absolute best.” The group would sing, and it was always very good. “Great!” he’d say. “Now remember how that felt because we’ll come back to it.”
Then he’d begin a fast-paced, imagery-filled exercise.
“Let’s pretend you’re the top elementary school festival choir in America—the best fourth and fifth graders in the country. Sing it again.”
The results varied based on the singers’ ages. Generally, men flipped to falsetto, and women used a clear, straight tone—but these were incidental to immediate improvement. Next came:
“Now you’re the best middle school choir…” and the singing improved further. It continued to the premier high school festival choir, then on to college singers and so on. At each stage, he’d ramp up the imagery but never mention anything technical. The singing improved at every step, and even the accompanist got in on the act! Finally, he ended their journey casting the singers as operatic superstars:
“Now you’re the world’s finest operatic singers, gathered for the greatest ‘Happy Birthday’ performance in history.”
By that point, they were having fun, and the sound was astonishing. Even if you watched a video with the sound off, you’d see the difference: transformed facial expressions, posture, and energy. They’d finish, smiling, sharing high fives, and celebrating their Grammy-level performance of “Happy Birthday.” Like a great orator riding the applause, Neuen would perfectly time the next step:
“Now go back and sing it the way you did the first time.”
The singers knew they needed to dial things back and gave a comparatively dull and lifeless performance. He let the contrast sink in before delivering his point:
“Even that was better than the way you sang when I asked you to do your best and all of that improvement came without me teaching you a thing.”
You’d see nods of agreement as the message hit home. His main takeaway never changed: “Don’t sing like yourself. Sing like someone better than you.” In other words, picture the best singer you can imagine—then be that person. Neuen didn’t mention “play” specifically, but he was tapping into that power and helping them experience their true potential. No lecture, technical exercise, or warm-up routine could deliver the message as effectively. He never taught them what greatness was or how to achieve it; he simply guided them to a more fulsome understanding of their potential.
I’ve experienced this in my own studio, too. One notable example involved RJ, a 14-year-old who struggled to access his falsetto. We tried every trick I knew with little success, and by the end of the school year, we’d made limited progress. Then he strode into his first lesson in the fall and said, “Piero, check this out,” launching into a breathtaking falsetto. I assumed he’d taken lessons elsewhere, worried I might lose him. Nope—he’d discovered his parents’ Bee Gees records and just sang along until the mechanism clicked. The key moment came when he imagined himself as a Bee Gee. The same principle behind Neuen’s choirs was at play: once RJ “became” a Bee Gee, the coordination fell into place.
These two examples—different in scale and approach—rely on the same underlying concepts.
Scientific Principles from Origin Story II
You’ve seen how Don Neuen’s imagery-driven exercises and RJ’s Bee Gees epiphany unlocked potential far beyond traditional technique drills. These transformations weren’t just happy accidents; they rest on well-established psychological and neurological principles. Before we move on, let’s take a closer look at some key scientific insights that explain why picturing ourselves as “someone better” really can elevate our singing. As always, further reading and studies are available if you want to dig deeper.
Mental Imagery & Motor Learning
Research in sports psychology (e.g., Feltz & Landers, 1983; Guillot & Collet, 2008) shows that vividly picturing yourself performing a skill activates many of the same neural pathways involved in the actual act. By imagining themselves as “the best high-school choir” or “opera superstars,” singers trigger efficient motor patterns and free themselves from self-imposed constraints.
External Focus of Attention
According to motor-learning researchers (Wulf, 2013; Wulf, Töllner, & Shea, 2007), an external focus—on the desired sound or overall effect—often yields better results than an internal focus (throat position, diaphragm movement, etc.). Neuen’s exercise shifts focus away from mechanics and onto an external “persona,” reducing tension and boosting performance.
Neuroplasticity & the Power of Pretending
The brain’s capacity for change—neuroplasticity—depends on how we practice. By “pretending” to be someone else, we bypass limiting neural pathways tied to self-doubt and reinforce more favorable ones. Functional MRI studies have shown that mental rehearsal and imaginative role-playing can reorganize cortical networks responsible for motor planning (Kleber, Veit, Birbaumer, Gruzelier, & Lotze, 2010). Repeatedly activating desired vocal behaviors—like taking on the persona of a superstar—helps carve out new synaptic connections that become the singer’s default. Over time, this rewiring transforms a fleeting “pretend” moment into a consistent, reliable vocal skill.
By adopting these tools—mental imagery, external focus, and the freedom of “pretending”—you expand your vocal potential in ways that classical technique alone may not unlock. Next, we’ll look at how new technology and a single online video opened up a world of fresh possibilities, proving yet again that creativity and open-mindedness can spark remarkable breakthroughs.
Brief Summary
This story showcases how mental imagery and role-playing can instantly uplift choral and solo singing beyond one’s perceived limits. Conductor Donald Neuen’s “pretend exercises” proved that picturing oneself as a more advanced singer can generate rapid improvement without any explicit technical instruction. Similarly, a teenage student found his falsetto simply by envisioning himself as a Bee Gee, reinforcing that imagination can be a powerful catalyst for real vocal breakthroughs.
Mental Imagery in Singing: Visualizing an ideal performance or singer triggers the same neural pathways used in actual singing.
External Focus of Attention: Shifting attention to a persona or overall sound can reduce tension and encourage freer vocal production.
Neuroplasticity: Repeatedly “pretending” to sing beyond your skill level can help rewire neural connections, making new techniques feel natural.
Immediate Transformation: Both choral groups and individuals experience tangible improvements by embracing playful, imaginative approaches.
Exercise or Activity: “Superstar Visualization”
Name Your Idol: Choose a singer whose voice and stage presence you admire (it could be an opera star, a pop icon, or a Bee Gee).
Warm-Up as Them: Before you start your usual vocal routine, spend 60 seconds mentally embodying that performer—visualize their posture, facial expressions, and confidence.
Sing a Familiar Tune: Perform a piece you already know well, but do it as though you are that idol on stage, channeling their style and energy.
Reflect: Note any differences in vocal freedom, power, or expression when you “become” someone else. Does this shift help you sing certain passages with more ease?
Refine and Repeat: Regularly revisit this visualization, mixing it with your standard technique practice. Over time, observe how adopting a superstar mindset can integrate into your everyday singing style.
Deep Dive
If you want to learn more about the science described in this lesson, check out this supplemental article, Metamorphosis of the Voice: How Mental Imagery, External Focus, and Neuroplasticity Drive Vocal Skill Development
