To sing well, you have to practice every day. Not everyone can get singing lessons. If you can't take singing classes, try practicing on your own or using a singing training program. Here are some things you can do yourself to sing better. The process may take some time, but you should start as soon as possible to see results faster.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Getting Started
Step 1. Start with breathing exercises
Breathing exercises allow you to better control your pitch and singing resistance. It's no secret, singers who can breathe deeply consistently will have a better vocal range.
- Practice opening the base of your throat. Relax and open your jaw like a fish out of water. Start relaxing your facial muscles every now and then in between.
- Try some of the following breathing exercises before you warm up:
- Start by taking a few deep breaths. Imagine the air is very heavy as you take a breath.
- Let your breath in, down your belly button, into your diaphragm. Exhale and repeat several times.
- Take a light feather and practice keeping it flying, as if she were herding a feather with your breath. Blow the feathers really high, and try to keep them flying overhead.
- Don't let your chest deflate while keeping your feathers in the air. Try to keep exhaling from your diaphragm.
Step 2. Next, start warming up
Your vocal cords are made up of muscles, just like your biceps, and need to be stretched before lifting weights. You can warm up in a number of ways.
- Practice your major scale, starting in the key of middle C, and lowering the key by half before increasing it. Don't push yourself until you actually sing, and try to do it slowly. As you continue to warm up, you will get better at the articulation of the notes in the scale.
The notes you'll be practicing start with C-D-E-F-G-F-E-D-C and move up or down a note and a half on the new chord
Step 3. Find your voice range
Voice range is a measure of the accuracy of the notes you can sing between your lowest and highest notes. Try it with classical music scales (you can find them easily through a simple internet search) and see which lows and highs are impossible for you to sing.
Step 4. Try to sing along to a song you like by keeping a recording device near you
Make sure the music isn't too loud and that only your voice is picked up by the recorder. Once you've finished singing it, check to see if you're singing in the correct key. Also check if you:
- Pronounce words, especially vowels, clearly. At first, over-pronounce the words; practice to be able to pronounce it correctly.
- Breathe properly. Difficult vocal parts will require you to stretch your voice for longer periods of time. You have to have strong breathing for this.
Step 5. Drink lots of water
Drink lukewarm water for best results, as this will loosen your vocal cords. Give your body time to absorb the water. Avoid dairy products or thick drinks such as fruit juice before singing.
Step 6. Practice every day
Every day, do breathing exercises, warm up routines, and record singing. Listen to the parts you can't reach with your voice and keep trying. To master another one, the practice can take several weeks.
Part 2 of 3: Developing Your Voice
Step 1. Learn to use your nose
Good singing involves some use of the nose; this is our body's resonance box. To avoid making your voice sound like a nose voice, your throat should be wide enough without being blocked by your tongue (slightly sticking out, touching the back of your lower teeth when singing vowels). Nose sounds are often heard in country songs and some in R&B/Gospel songs, but can be unpleasant to hear.
Step 2. Learn to “mute” to produce a more rounded sound
A round, resounding sound is formed from opening the throat and limiting nasal sounds. This is called "silencing". However, be careful. If you cover it too much, the resulting sound can sound too groggy.
Step 3. Practice singing vowel forms
Again, try to form the sound with your diaphragm. You should pay close attention to the shape of the vowels, not the consonants.
- Do not engage your neck muscles in singing. Try to stay upright but relaxed.
- Practice keeping the back of your mouth open as you form vowels. Practice sounding the "ng" in your practice; the back of your mouth is closed. Now practice sounding "aaa", like when you open your mouth at the dentist. The back of your mouth is now open.
Step 4. Practice shooting high notes
High notes are like sugar on a cake: not always necessary, but awesome when done right. You probably know your range by now so you know which highs you can hit and which you can't. Make sure you practice to hit the notes you haven't been able to hit. Practice will make it perfect.
Imagine you jump while shooting a high note. Maybe you jump on a trampoline, or just jump in the air. Imagine you hit your highest point while shooting that high note. Take enough breaths and keep your mouth open. Shooting high notes doesn't mean you have to amplify your voice
Step 5. Continue your breathing exercises
Make breathing exercises a continuous practice opportunity. The better you breathe, the easier your singing training will be.
- Try this breathing exercise where you inhale and exhale with a hiss. The goal is to establish consistency:
- Inhale for 4 seconds, then hiss for the same breath for 4 seconds.
- Inhale for 6 seconds, and hiss for 12 seconds.
- Inhale for 2 seconds, and hiss for 10 seconds.
- Inhale for 4 seconds, and hiss for 16 seconds.
- Inhale for 2 seconds, and hiss for 16 seconds.
- Inhale for 4 seconds, and hiss for 20 seconds.
- Inhale for 2 seconds, and hiss for 20 seconds.
Part 3 of 3: Putting It All Together
Step 1. Enroll in a singing competition
Expect reasonable things for your appearance; If you've been singing for less than 3 months and have no formal singing training, it's going to be more difficult–but this is what you want, right?
If you're serious about becoming a singer, you'll need to get used to singing in front of large crowds, and in stressful situations. Maybe you are used to singing alone in your bedroom, but it is very different from singing in front of tens or even hundreds of people
Step 2. Make sure you have a good teacher if you are serious about developing your skills
Your singing coach will be able to give you excellent feedback right away, along with tips and tricks. They will set the schedule for you and help you achieve the goals you set for yourself. Singing coaches are essential for anyone who wants to be serious about becoming a singer.
Step 3. When you're confident, sing an unaccompanied song and upload your video to YouTube
The positive feedback you get will far outweigh the negative feedback you receive.
Tips
- If you don't have any teachers or are too shy to sing, try practicing with a friend who likes your singing voice or who also likes to sing. Ask them to come over to your house and practice in a small room and keep doing it until it lasts 5 or 6 months. This is very helpful.
- Don't force your exhale. Your breath should flow.
- Whenever you remember, practice breathing properly. Proper breathing will build stamina and allow you to sing longer.
- Sit up straight with good posture – don't slouch and keep your vowels straight.
- Remain in the sung key. This is similar to singing in harmony when other notes can be sung alongside the main note. Experiment! Your voice will develop as your speaking voice becomes your singing voice. To sing it, imagine that all parts of your voice project your speech larger, to do this is to inhale and exhale properly.
- If you're a little afraid that your voice isn't good enough to upload on YouTube, ask your friends for their opinion and then sing it in front of more unknown people until you feel ready to upload your performance on YouTube and follow the good comments instead of the bad ones.
- Instead of pushing your tongue behind your teeth, try to place it on top of your lower teeth, almost sticking out. Relax your jaw for best results.
- To help you do this breathing exercise, (which is also used in meditation) place your hands on your stomach to feel the correct movement. For men, a tight belt can also be worn to be pushed by your stomach.
Warning
- Do not drink milk before singing because it can cause sticky mucus in the mouth and throat.
- Do not smoke. It damages your lungs and vocal cords, while you need them both to breathe and sing!
- Don't sing too much and too long at the beginning. The vocal cords are muscles and need time to build strength and endurance.
- When singing for a long time, you need to take a sip of honey cough medicine, or suck on a sweet cough candy.
- Clearing your voice with a harsh cough can hurt your vocal cords.
- Don't hold onto the lyric paper as it undermines the style/selling point of the song. Keep your head up and look around you as much as possible, but don't be locked in people's eyes or expressions.
