New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Singing is one of life's greatest pleasures. Whether you consider yourself the next Elaine Page or are completely tone-deaf, singing is good for the soul. As the famous Ella Fitzgerald said 'there is one thing better than singing, and that's more singing!' Singing changes the hormones and neurotransmitters' levels in the brain, creating elevated mood and an immunity boost. So keep on singing in the shower and making yourself happy is important even if others don't appreciate your soprano technique. Joking aside, what ways can we improve our singing voice to make our, and everyone else's experiences a bit more pleasant?
Singing Lessons
A great first step is to invest in some singing lessons. A voice/singing coach will help you work on your vocal technique. They will encourage you to practice daily exercises to refine your natural range. They will be able to identify where your voice is most comfortable and whether you are an alto, soprano, tenor, or bass. Every voice will naturally gravitate to the range that is comfortable with minimal strain.
That's all very well, I hear you say, but we are in the middle of a global pandemic! This is true, and thankfully with the advancement of technology taking an all-important place in our lives, there are various singing coaching options online. It's useful to spend some time researching the many opportunities to discover what is right for you.
Many Individual teachers are offering online courses, the 30 Day Singer program, for instance. You can read the 30 Day Singer Review to know if this short course is suitable for beginners or improvers, alongside some handy tricks and techniques of the trade. An online singing course is ideal if you have some extra time on your hands due to current restrictions and are stuck at home singing in the shower all day.
Regular Exercises
How can you start right now to improve your voice? Incorporating daily vocal exercises have always been practiced by professional singers to keep their voices on top form. They recognize that the vocal cords are like any other muscle in the body. Just as an Olympic athlete has to train regularly to keep muscles strong; a singer must do the same with vocal cords. Be careful not to overexert the voice though, as this can be counterproductive. What do vocal exercises consist of?
If you're a beginner, it's best to start with short singing sessions of about 10 minutes, 3 times a day. Build up gradually as you would with any muscle to avoid strain. Before you start a song try this:
-
Hmm ing
-
Lip buzz
-
Mah-may-me-mo-moo
-
The siren
You may already be familiar with these exercises, but if not let me explain; Hmmming is exacting that… the hum! It's a great gentle way to get those vocal cords moving, a word of warning though, it does make your lips itch, but try to ignore it. Try humming through the notes, starting low and increasing. It's a great warm-up before you start your singathon (I'm exaggerating of course)
Lip buzzing is less about singing and more about blowing raspberries. Sounds weird? It's a beneficial exercise for learning how to control breathing—ever wondered how that amazing classical singer holds the incredibly high note at the end of a song? They have learned the art of controlled breathing. Learning how to make sound whilst slowly exhaling is the secret to holding a long note and creating a beautiful sound. So get those lips buzzing.
Mah-may-me-mo-moo is another useful exercise for breath control. It also helps you appropriately place vowels and consonants during songs.
The siren is the action of sweeping your voice up and down the vocal range. It's a great exercise to help push your range and hopefully make improvements each time.
Posture
Perhaps one of the most important but underestimated factors to voice improvement is posture. How you hold your body will determine the sounds that you can produce. A good test of this is to sing a line of a song with your head pushed forward and notice the sound. It's likely not to be that great. Then try the same line in an upright position possibly standing up. You will notice a significant change in sound quality. Correct posture is also crucial if you are keen on doing any sort of performing. Standing straight and upright shows confidence and creates stage presence.
Relaxation is also key to producing good sound. When your vocal cords are not relaxed and full of tension, sound quality is affected, and you will not be able to sing comfortably at the bottom or top of your range. Jaw and throat relaxing exercises are vital to keeping vocal cords stretched and loose.
So by applying these few tips, I'm sure you'll be singing on Broadway in no time, maybe via Zoom just for now. Stay happy, everyone.
