The Process of Improving Your Singing Voice

If you watched this past season of the TV show competition American Idol, you know that Laine Hardy won the contest. It’s interesting because Laine auditioned before but didn’t make it too far in the competition. He went home to Louisiana. He decided to do various singing gigs for a year– which proved to be good practice for both his voice and confidence. Then, he came back to American Idol auditions– but as a helper to his friend who was auditioning. She sang and he played guitar.

That’s all he intended to do, but the judges– Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan– all begged him to audition again. Long story short, he wowed the judges and they “sent him to Hollywood,” where he ended up beating out dozens and dozens of other singers to take the title of “American Idol.” How inspiring!

When you sing, your voice is your instrument and it needs maintenance, practice and, most likely, some guidance. Never discount advice from vocal experts, since they’re there to help you improve your singing voice. With that in mind, Sing Like A Star offers you this article, which talks about the process of improving your singing voice…

Staying Healthy

First, there’s your health. What does it have to do with singing? Well, a lot, actually. Have you ever heard a sick singer? They don’t sound good. What are some things you can do to get to/maintain optimal health? Ask yourself this: “Am I drinking enough water every day?” Most people aren’t getting 8 glasses a day. Realize this: the membranes which produce the sound your voice makes do best when they’re well-hydrated.  Meanwhile, if you have a scratchy throat, don’t try to sing full volume; instead, give your voice some rest. However, you should perform semi-occluded exercises, such as a lip roll or tongue trill. Did you know that nothing you eat (like cough drops) or drink (like tea) affects your vocal folds? The only way to directly affect the vocal folds is to inhale steam. Try a facial steamer or nebulizer.

Do you smoke? You’d be surprised at how many singers smoke, but ultimately it’s not a good thing– smoking destroys your lungs and throat. As for what you eat and drink, things that could affect your singing voice include alcohol, milk/dairy products, nuts, spicy foods and coffee.

A Proper Warmup

Next, if you’re going to improve your singing voice you need to make a habit of warming up the voice before belting out big notes. Warming up the voice will help eliminate “cracks” in your voice when singing, and make it so your throat doesn’t hurt later on. Just like you’d warm up before a workout in the gym, it’s important to ease into singing. However, not just any “warm-up” will do. The exercises given at Sing Like a Star Studios are scientifically designed to provide the best results and get you warmed up quickly.

A Consistent Routine

If you’re not already singing 30 minutes a day, with the correct technique exercises (not just singing songs), now’s the time to start that – it’s important to practice with focused attention on a goal. You’ll get better at something the more you do it. Make it part of your daily routine, and do it at the same time every day. Singing along to recorded exercises from lessons at Sing Like a Star Studios is your quickest and most effective path to success.

Evaluate

Have you recorded yourself singing? If not, do so. You can use your smartphone or computer. Sing a song you know well and then listen to “how” you sang it. Make notes of what you think you did well. Ask others for their opinions. Then get a qualified voice teacher. A good teacher is a better evaluator of your vocal progress than you will be of yourself. They are professionals and know what to listen for and how to get results. Invest in yourself by training your voice with the best lessons possible!

 Know Your Tune

One thing good singers realize is this: in the beginning, before extensive vocal training with a professional teacher, not every song is meant for them to sing! For instance, think of a crooner who sings songs for seniors at nursing homes. As much as he’d like to sing “New York, New York,” the famous Sinatra song, he knows that vocally it’s just not right for his voice. You should get to the point where you can know, instinctually, whether or not a song makes sense for you to sing. You need to choose songs you’re comfortable with– some are simpler than others, while some “big” songs are “just too much for now!” Not everyone can tackle a Whitney Houston song, and that’s okay.

Find the Right Emotion

One way to improve the singing voice is to think about the emotions that go with the lyrics and then emote. When you “feel” the song you’re singing, that comes across to an audience. They feel it, too. And that’s when you make a strong connection, which should be a goal. Sing in a mirror and notice your facial expressions and hand/arm movements. Do they match the feeling of the song lyrics?

Capture the Audience’s Attention

Sometimes it’s good to sing quietly. Typically, singers want to sing loudly. Why not mix it up a bit? See how you sound quietly vs. loudly and decide what serves a particular song the best. Singing quietly can help capture the audience’s attention, especially when they’re so used to loud singers.

And Of Course, Breathe

Finally, singing is more than just what comes out of the mouth. It’s about your body and your breathing… that means you need to be in a position where you’re comfortable. Avoid neck and shoulder tension. Don’t sing with your arms folded across your chest. Unlock those knees. Pay attention to breath control. Keep your chin level, rather than lifting it up when singing high notes or tucking it down when singing low notes.

At Sing Like a Star Studios, you will learn the industry’s most cutting edge vocal technique and save yourself years of frustration. Just visit the website https://www.singlikeastar.com/  and click the ‘Get Started With An Intro Session’ button to improve your voice now!