Vocal Training | Wanna Play Music

The more you learn about your voice and vocal technique, the better you will sing, and the longer you'll be able to sing without straining your voice. Yes, voice-strain mostly comes from not knowing the difference between projecting and just plain pushing too hard. A good voice teacher will not only help you to find your range and to get your best tone, but he or she can also guide you in many other ways, such as in getting the most expression out of your singing. Training your voice is the same as a guitarist or a bass player learning their instrument.

Tips for better singing
Warming up before going onstage is really important. Singing some scales, rehearsing some hard parts of songs, and otherwise getting your vocal cords stretched and ready for the stage will help you every time. You've seen runners stretching and twisting before a race. This is the same thing.

Breathing is a huge part of singing, so practice breathing. A voice teacher will help you here if you aren't sure when to breathe so that you don't overbreathe or underbreathe (nothing like a big gasp for air in the middle of a word!). Breathing should seem natural, but unfortunately some songwriters compose songs that don't always give you a lot of chances to catch your breath between phrases. Sometimes it's helpful to have sheet music and to mark places where there are good opportunities to take deep breaths. Use any trick that works. Just don't run out of air in the middle of a line, and you'll do okay.

If you smoke, quit. Few things are worse for you, and for your singing voice, than smoking--period.

Singing along with a CD or MP3 or the radio can also help you to learn the subtle things that make a good singer and a good singing performance what they are. Pay close attention to how the singer holds notes, how they hang onto vowel sounds, or how they attack certain words to emphasize them. If you have a favorite singer, then spend some time getting inside of their style and study it. If you have questions about how to do something this singer does, write them down and ask your voice teacher or someone who has been singing professionally.

Among the tips you hear most often is: Stand up straight! An important part of good singing is good breath control, and if you slouch over or slink down in a chair, you won't get it. Why? Because of the way your lungs work. They work by a large set of muscles under them called the diaphragm working to pull air in and push it out. If you hunch over, then you put pressure on your diaphragm and cut down on its effectiveness and your control.

And while we're talking about your diaphragm, a big, heavy meal can weigh on it, giving you a too-full feeling and making it hard to keep proper breath control. If you're hungry before a performance, just have something light, like fruit or a few cookies--enough to keep you satisfied until after your performance. Save the pizza pig-out for after the show!

What will make me a great singer?
The best advice that vocal instructors give is to pay attention to what you do. Recording your singing is a great way to hear what you're doing right and wrong. In addition, don't "sleepwalk" through songs. Listen to how other singers sing a line or a verse, and try to figure out when they're breathing, how they're playing with a song's rhythm, and how the voice carries the melody. Singing regular exercises each day will build your stamina, make you more aware of the pitches that you're trying to sing, and keep your voice in top shape.

Singing with confidence is an an important part of becoming a great singer. If you aren't sure you can hit the notes or remember the words, you won't come across to the audience as confident. In addition, when you don't feel confident, you probably won't sing your best. Remind yourself, "I can do this!"

Feeling relaxed is a big part of successfully coming across as a great singer. If you're tired or overexcited, your singing won't get your full concentration, and concentrating is vital to good singing.

You'll have butterflies before you go on stage--everybody does, even longtime singers and pros. Feeling anxious about your performance is actually helpful. Your sense are heightened and the adrenalin is pumping. The key is turning that anxious energy into performance energy once you hit the stage.

Where do I get help?
Check with your local music store, as well as with your school or church choir director. The choir director might give voice lessons, or recommend that you join the choir and learn along with the other members. The people at the music store will know a voice teacher, or someone who teaches an instrument and voice. Check your phone book, too, under musical instruction. If your town has an opera society, check with them to see if they have vocal instructors (even if you don't like opera, you'll find that the teachers know all the best ways to become a top singer).