Probing Question: Can anyone be taught how to sing?

Think back to the last birthday party you attended. When the candles were lit, did you join everyone else in belting out the "Happy Birthday" song - or were you too self-conscious to do more than mouth the words? Our everyday lives are full of situations where we are expected to sing: parties, worship services, and even sporting events, where the national anthem is often played. (The Star Spangled Banner is notoriously difficult to sing, with a range of one and a half octaves. Is a decent singing voice a toss of the genetic dice or can anyone learn to sing? "Everyone who can speak can learn to use a singing voice," said Joanne Rutkowski , professor of music education. "The quality of the voice is dependent on many factors; however, barring a physical vocal disability, everyone can learn to sing well enough to sing basic songs." While some factors are genetic, Rutkowski says growing up in a musical environment strongly influences whether someone sings well and confidently. "We have evidence," she noted, "that the primary factors are growing up in an environment where parents, other adults, siblings, and other children are singing and interacting with a child musically." So how does a self-proclaimed "bad singer" learn to sing? "Many people who have difficulty singing are trying to sing with their talking voices - the voice they are used to using," said Rutkowski. "We typically speak in a lower and limited range, and the singing voice is higher than our speaking voices.