How to Improve Your Singing Voice
Posted on January 1st, 2009 by monsterguide
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A beautiful and unique singing voice is a talent that some are just born with, but like all talents, you should consistently work on your singing voice to make it better. Having a vocal coach to help you out is ideal, but there are some things you can do by yourself to improve your singing voice. Help your singing voice reach its full potential using these guidelines.
- Vocal Exercises. Think of your singing voice as a muscle that needs regular exercise to strengthen and improve. Therefore, vocal warm ups and exercises are in order, particularly:
- Singing Arpeggios. An arpeggio is a group of notes in one chord played in order, going up or going down. Usually singing arpeggios as vocal exercises means ascending to higher chords and back to lower chords again, using syllables that will allow you to really “open up” your mouth and throat.
- Enunciation. No matter what grunge rock says otherwise, songs are preferably sung without a slur. Learning how to enunciate properly will also translate into your singing, since it means you are breathing properly, which will be further discussed below.
- Proper Breathing. Breathing properly is essential for a good singing voice. Breathing helps shape the sound and the strength of your voice. To check if you are breathing properly, stand tall and put one hand on your stomach. Breathe in as you normally would. If your stomach expands as you breathe in, congratulations, you’re breathing properly. If it’s your ribcage and shoulders that move, it’s time to learn how to do it properly. When breathing in, your lungs should be filling in with all that good air, causing your diaphragm and stomach to move. You can also take exercises that promote proper breathing such as yoga and tai chi. Remember, the stronger your breathing, the stronger your voice.
- Proper Posture. Proper sitting or standing posture encourages proper breathing. It can also make you feel much more confident and reassured which are two factors that can make a difference in a singing performance. Generally, you are encouraged to stand up all when singing as only professional and experienced singers can sing effectively while sitting down. To attain a good posture, imagine that you are a puppet being held up by a single string running up from your ankles, up your spine, your nape and at the top of your head. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart with your chest pushed out and lifted, to allow breathing room. Your shoulders should be rolled back slightly but relaxed.
- Be Healthy and Positive. Stress and ill health can strain your singing voice and affect your performance. Try to shake off your nerves before performances. Frequent rehearsals help with getting rid of your stage fright and performance anxiety.
- Watch What You Eat and Drink. Anything that has direct contact with your throat has an effect on your voice. Some professional singers have given up eating nuts, sugar or sugary food items, thick drinks and cold water as these can have an effect on singing voices. If you can’t completely give up these food and drink items, you can simply lessen or minimize your intake. You should also try to avoid drinks that can induce phlegm such as thick milkshakes and other sugary drinks.
- Stop Smoking. Ever notice how habitual smokers slowly develop a raspier voice after a few years of smoking? Again, anything that has a direct contact with your throat affects your voice. Unless you want to be a raspy-voiced rock or jazz singer, having a pure voice without the rasp is still the best way to go.
- Warm Up Before Singing. Again, developing a good singing voice is just like exercising, so you shouldn’t jump into it without preparation. Singing arpeggios in progressively high and loud tones back to lower ones help a lot. Singing without warm ups can strain your voice and even cause it to deteriorate. Also don’t forget to keep your throat moist by drinking lots of water!
Being born with a naturally beautiful singing voice is just the first step in being a truly great singer. Think of your talent as the raw material that you need to continuously shape to perfect and improve, and you’re well on your way to truly excellent singing.
Ask a question
on July 21st, 2009 at 8:51 am
QUESTION:i need 2 know people with good low singing vocal range…
can they go higher and sound good as they were low…
on March 24th, 2009 at 4:20 am
It can do, yes. Cold water is actually detrimental to the vocal chords though, as it causes them to tense; rather as you would if you jumped into a cold bath or plunge pool.
A glass of room-temperature water though, to sip at regular intervals, will be beneficial.
on February 24th, 2009 at 5:14 am
My music teacher says if you drink water it helps ypur voice. is that true?