Ed Sheeran and Kendrick Lamar

This is part of our recurring series
"& Stuttering" 

Did you know that many famous singers who stutter began singing to overcome their stutter?

Singers like Ed Sheeran and Kendrick Lamar started singing as an outlet. Dr. Barry Guitar of the University of Vermont says that, "understanding what dramatically reduces stuttering during singing may eventually help us understand stuttering better."

Dr. Guitar offers the following comments on why singing may work to reduce or eliminate a stutter:

  • In singing, we use our vocal chords, lips, and tongue differently than when we talk.
  • There is no time pressure in singing nor is there any communicative pressure.
  • The rhythmic pattern of music tends to help regulate a person's breathing.
  • There is now evidence that the brain functions differently for singing than it does for talking.
  • When we sing, we generally know the words of the song by heart. Sometimes "word retrieval" or searching for the words plays a role in stuttering.

Want to read more about singing and stuttering? Check this out: "When I put some melody and rhythm behind my voice, the stutter lost all its power"

Posted March 30, 2018