How to Sing better

Many people think singing is a natural gift- either you have talent, or you don’t. I disagree with that point of view. I believe talent is something that needs to be developed with training and discipline. Many times in my teaching and performing career, I have seen supposedly less talented individuals leave the so-called gifted (but undisciplined) individuals in the dust. I believe that desire, discipline and perseverance will always surpass natural gift.

Anyone can learn to sing better, with the right training, along with a commitment to daily vocal practice. Good voice training and voice lessons involve a series of scales sung on certain sounds that are designed to develop the muscles of the voice correctly. The hard part is finding the right teacher and the right vocal technique, and then finding the time and discipline to practice every day.

If you really want to become a better singer, you will make a daily practice routine the most important thing you can do every day. This might mean getting up earlier to do it before work or school, or it might mean that it is the first thing you do when you walk through the door at the end of your day. Remember there is a “cause and effect” law in operation here- what you put into it is more or less what you will display in your singing as a result.

You will need to do vocal training exercises that build and develop both your lower and upper registers, then connect the lower register to the upper register smoothly so you get rid of the break in your voice. The vocal muscles that enable you to sing smoothly from the bottom of the voice to the top need to be exercised every day, just like you exercise your body with a workout.

Working on a weekly basis with the right voice teacher or vocal coach is essential. That person should be an expert in building the “mix” sound in the upper register. Just working with a pre recorded CD or DVD program can get you started, but if you want to keep getting to the next level, you will need to work with a teacher who knows how to get you to the next level. Otherwise, you are “warming up” every day but not necessarily improving your skills.

With discipline, perseverance, and the right vocal training, you might soon see that you are more talented than you thought!

I wish you all the best as you reach for your dreams! Tricia Grey, MM

At Sing Like a Star Studios you can learn the vocal technique of the stars. If you don’t live near Atlanta, you can take voice lessons with Skype. Click on the GET STARTED tab at the top of the page to register for a professional vocal evaluation and consultation.