There are some people who seem to be born with a beautiful voice, but even the professionals have to work hard and get plenty of practice to maintain their abilities. There are lots of steps and tools you can use to become a better singer, from using SINGORAMA to hiring a professional voice coach, exercising your voice and your body, and using breathing exercises and proper posture.
Develop Your Voice – Tips for Practicing Singing
The first thing you must do is develop your voice. You can do this by doing the following:
Get Training
One of the major ways that you can become a better singer is to hire a vocal coach or take some group lessons, perhaps your school or church choir. After all, your voice is a muscle that you must work out to develop- just like you would any other muscle.
When you have a professional voice coach, they can provide you with techniques that will improve your voice.
Know Your Range
Becoming better at singing is about knowing and sticking to your range. Some singers have a broader range than others, but everyone has that sweet spot where their voice sounds best. There are 7 major ranges:
- Soprano
- Mezzo-Soprano
- Alto
- Countertenor
- Tenor
- Baritone
- Bass
Focus on Your Breathing
Learning to breathe properly is a critical part of becoming a better singer. You must make sure that you are taking a deep enough breath before you sing a line so that you will have the air you need to carry out the whole phrase.
Inhale through your belly, not your chest- this will improve your sound and allow you to maintain control of your voice.
Learn Proper Singing Posture
Most singing teachers/coaches suggest that you stand when you sing instead of sitting in order to get the best sound. When you sit, your muscles are collapsed, which can hinder your ability to breathe properly. You must keep your head up and aligned with your shoulders.
You should think of your spine as a straight line extending through your head. Allow your jaw to drop and let your tongue relax toward the front of your mouth.
Your shoulders should be relaxed. The back of the roof of your mouth should be lifted as if you were going to yawn to allow the air to flow through.
Warm Up Ahead of Time
Singing is not the warm up because your focus is on trying to sound good instead of your form and technique. Voice warm-ups isolate problem areas and help expand your range. One important thing to keep in mind is that the warm up is not meant to sound good.
In fact, most of them sound quite obnoxious and even silly. If you don’t want to disturb anyone else, you may want to find a private place to do them. You should warm up your upper and lower voice.
Your upper voice is breathier and sounds lighter than your lower voice- which is loud & solid. Your lower voice is close to your typically talking voice and your upper voice can be found by mimicking an opera singer.
Recognize Pitch
The best way to learn how to recognize pitch is to sing along with a keyboard or piano if possible. Press on a key, and as it rings out, try matching it with an “AH” sound. You should do this for every note.
Practice Daily
The more you practice singing, the better your voice will become- after all, as we have said, your voice is a muscle- you must exercise it. While it’s true that we all have a natural range, that can be extended by getting lots of practice and exercising your voice.
You can sing along to your favorite songs on the radio for practice. Of course, you are not likely to have the same voice as your favorite singers- but don’t get discouraged, sing in your own voice instead of trying to mimic others.
Some are born with a beautiful voice- some are not. However, everyone has to work to maintain their voice. You can use these tips to help you become a better singer over time.
You can also consider using SINGORAMA for some extra help, especially if you are not able to get a voice coach for some reason.