(no subject)

[darchildre]

At choir tonight, I had one of those weird situations where someone gave me a very nice compliment but it was, unfortunately, a compliment that is completely untrue. I'm never sure how to deal with that.

One of the people who sits near me was talking about how she likes sitting near me because I have a strong voice and usually am one of the first people to get the part done - "You're an extraordinary sight singer."

Y'all, I am abysmal at sight singing. I am the worst. Instead, I have a very good ear and a happy facility for memorization - if I hear my part two or three times and get to sing it on the third one, chances are I will have it down.* And by the time we get to the concert, I probably won't need the sheet music anymore, which allows me to watch the director better.

So one is torn between refusing a compliment and then bragging about the things one is actually good at, or accepting a compliment that's very wrong. It's difficult.




*Also, I'm a first soprano, so I can always always hear my part at the top of the chord. Having been a first soprano all my life means that I am incapable of singing any note but the top of the chord, because first sopranos are the equivalent of that one kid who gets through high school without ever having to study and then has no good study habits in college. (I was that kid also.)

Comments

[katherine]

Nothing like being on top of the chord! Also having the melody lots of the time.

[sfred]

I sympathise with that experience!

[schneefink]

Yeah, first sopranos have it easy ^^

[bladespark]

This is making me miss singing in choir a little bit. One of these days I need to find the time to join a community choir or something.

[frenchroast]

OMG, I feel you so hard on this. I'm exactly the same--I can't sight read to save my life, but give me 2-3 chances to sing it, and I'll have it. First soprano fist bump of solidarity!

I'm always just completely amazed at altos/other parts, because it is so much more work to even *hear* their parts.

[florescent_luminescence]

Maybe you could say "Oh that's kind of you to say!" or something to that effect?

[tricksters_queen]

That's me, too. So much. I can't read music very well, and certainly not quickly, but I hear my part, and I'm good to go (pretty similar for piano playing for me, too.) I never had to work very hard to get it down for the same reasons. :-/

I also agree with "Oh, that's kind of you to say!" which is true, and doesn't require getting into the ins and outs of it with the giver of the compliment. :)