Processing Constructive Criticism

I am a good singer.

Sometimes I sound terrible. The number of strange things that I have found in my voice over the last couple of weeks of recordings is quite astounding.

Sometimes, I have a strange whistling resonance that comes along with a low note. Sometimes, there is a grating, gritty humming sound I didn't expect. Sometimes, my voice will slide all over the place. And sometimes, I yodel.

Before working on the album, I never noticed these little details.

Now I spend a lot of time with them.

Simon's feedback on most vocal tracks is something along the lines of "It sounds really great but there is a wonky thing going on on that one note. You sound like an electric drill".

Feedback like that can be off-putting but it is necessary. Ok, perhaps the bit about the electric drill was a bit harsh. Then again, when he said it, I noticed it, too. That makes it a good metaphor for the sound and useful because I can't fix what I can't hear.

If you are struggling with criticism, collaborating creatively and improving at anything will be really hard. It can be difficult emotionally because you're really invested in your work. Doing something creative is always a bit of an emotional gamble.

However, if you are too sensitive about the feedback you get, you will only hurt your long-term progress. You'll also miss out on the opportunities to work with people who can teach you a lot.

Of course, criticism should be delivered in a kind way, but even if it doesn't always come in your preferred language (electric drill), you can still get a lot of value from it if you can disregard your emotional response.

I always assume that criticism from skilled people who take an interest in my work comes with very good intentions. When it stings, I pretend the other person speaks a different language or has a different vocabulary. Imagining that the sting is due to language difficulties helps me not get hung up on how the message was delivered and look for the meaning instead.

Also, it gets easier with time. Like anything else, working with criticism is a skill you can improve with practice.