Learn How To Sing: The Hidden Shortcuts To Your Voice

Singing is a skill that many of us desire but feel is beyond our reach. This article aims to demystify the process, providing a step-by-step guide on how to sing. 

To learn how to sing, reading a step-by-step article isn’t going to cut it. You actually have to get out there, get out of your comfort zone, and take lessons with someone. You can’t be the judge, unfortunately. Personally, I have had many times where I thought I was singing the right way or the correct pitch and the professional that was teaching me showed me otherwise.

Reading these ideas below is just a starting point, in other words.

When people learn how to sing, they:

1. Get Lessons

2. Study the greats

3. Practice Regularly 

4. Put the work to practice in a live performance

5. Get advice

6. Can take creative criticism and put it into practice.

This is not an easy task or an exhaustive list of what to do. It’s a great way, in my opinion, to understand what is needed and a place like Real Brave can help you get there- or any music school, private teacher, or enterprise. (I just am biased because Real Brave is the best)

Remember: find someone who you can trust and who will give you the best, actionable advice that comes from a place of truth. 

Step 1 Understanding Your Vocal Range

To learn how to sing effectively, you must begin with a fundamental step 

Understanding your vocal range. 

Your vocal range encompasses the spectrum of notes that you are capable of singing comfortably, stretching from the lowest to the highest notes.

Understanding your vocal range

• Your vocal range encompasses the spectrum of notes that you are capable of singing comfortably, stretching from the lowest to the highest notes.

Identifying Your Range

• To find your range, start by singing notes that feel most comfortable for you. Gradually move towards higher and lower notes until you reach points where it becomes challenging to maintain pitch and quality. These points mark the boundaries of your range.

Seek Professional Guidance

• Consulting a vocal coach is highly beneficial for this step. A coach can provide an objective assessment of your range, offer personalized advice, and guide you in exploring and expanding your vocal capabilities.

Use Online Tools and Apps

There are several online resources and apps designed to help singers identify their range. These tools often include virtual keyboards or pitch-detection features, allowing you to match your voice to specific notes and thus determine your range.

Understanding Range Categories

• Familiarize yourself with the different vocal ranges, such as soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass. Knowing where your voice fits within these categories can guide your song selection and vocal exercises.

Recording Your Voice

• Record yourself while singing scales. Listening to the playback can help you better understand where your voice sounds most natural and where you might struggle.
• Importance of Warm-Ups 
• Always start with vocal warm-up exercises before attempting to define your range. This ensures that your voice is prepared and can reach its full potential during the exercise.

Note Your Comfort Zone

• While identifying your range, pay attention to your ‘comfort zone’ – the range where you sing most effortlessly. This zone is crucial for selecting songs and exercises that suit your voice.

Regular Practice and Patience

• Remember, finding your vocal range is not just a one-time activity. Regular practice and patience are key as your range can improve and expand with proper training and techniques.

Step 2 Mastering Breathing and Posture for Singing

The key elements of singing, breathing, and posture, are interconnected and vital for producing a powerful and controlled voice. Here’s how to hone these aspects:

Understanding Diaphragmatic Breathing 

• Breathing for singing is different from regular breathing. It involves using the diaphragm, a large muscle located at the base of the lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing allows for deeper breaths and better control, essential for sustaining notes and maintaining vocal strength.

Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathing

• Lie on your back with a book on your stomach. As you breathe, focus on making the book rise and fall, rather than your chest expanding. This exercise helps you become more aware of using your diaphragm for breathing.

Good Posture for Singing

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and distribute your weight evenly on both feet. Keep your spine straight, shoulders relaxed and slightly back, and your chest open. Good posture ensures unobstructed airflow and better vocal projection.

Posture Exercises

Incorporate posture exercises into your routine. Yoga and Pilates are great for developing core strength and improving posture, both of which contribute significantly to better singing techniques.

Breath Control Exercises

• Practice holding your breath for a few seconds, then releasing it slowly. Gradually increase the duration. This exercise enhances your ability to control your breath while singing, allowing for longer phrases and steadier tones.

Relaxation Techniques

• Tension in the body can affect breathing and vocal quality. Use relaxation techniques like stretching or mindfulness to reduce tension in your neck, shoulders, and back.
• Routine Practice Regular practice is essential. Integrate breathing and posture exercises into your daily routine to make them second nature.

Applying Techniques to Singing

• Once you’re comfortable with these techniques, apply them while singing. Pay attention to how they improve your control, tone, and ability to hold notes.
• Feedback and Adjustment Record yourself singing or practice in front of a mirror. This can help you identify and correct any posture or breathing issues.

Professional Guidance

• A voice coach can provide personalized feedback on your breathing and posture techniques, helping you to refine them further.

Step 3 The Importance of Practicing Scales in Singing

Incorporating scales into your singing practice is crucial for developing pitch accuracy, vocal agility, and control. Here’s how to approach scale practice effectively:

Understanding Scales

• A scale in music is a series of notes ordered by pitch. For singers, practicing scales involves singing these notes in succession, which helps in understanding and navigating the musical scale with your voice.

Starting with Major Scales

• Begin with the major scales as they are the most fundamental in Western music. Focus on the C major scale initially, as it has no sharp or flat notes, making it simpler to learn.

Using a Piano or Keyboard

• If possible, use a piano or keyboard to play the scale as you sing. This provides a clear reference for the pitch. There are also many online tools and apps that can simulate piano notes for this purpose.

Gradual Progression

• Start slowly, ensuring accuracy in pitch before increasing speed. It’s important to hit each note clearly and precisely.

Exploring Different Scales

• Once comfortable with major scales, explore minor scales, and then more complex variations like chromatic or blues scales. Each type offers different challenges and benefits for your vocal training.

Incorporating Intervals

• Practice singing intervals within scales. An interval is the distance between two pitches. Singing intervals help improve your ear for pitch and enhance vocal agility. Daily Practice Consistency is key. Incorporate scale practice into your daily routine, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Varying Vowel Sounds

• Practice scales using different vowel sounds (e.g., ah, eh, ee, oh, oo). This helps in vocal control and flexibility across different sounds and languages.
• Recording your scale practice sessions can help you identify areas for improvement, such as pitch accuracy or consistency.

Seek Professional Feedback

• A vocal coach can provide invaluable feedback on your scale practice, offering tips and exercises tailored to your voice.
• Using Scales in Songs Apply your scale practice to songs. This helps in understanding how scales are fundamental to melodies and improves your ability to navigate songs musically.

There isn’t a straight line when it comes to learning how to sing. To learn how to sing, unfortunately, there is the inherent ability to sing in the first place. Understanding pitch is key pun intended) when you learn how to sing. One of my least favorite things as a teacher who tried to teach others how to sing was the idea that everyone could get pitch correction. This is somewhat true but I found it to be very difficult. For starters, we all hear pitch differently. I do not have a perfect pitch personally but have what is called relative pitch. This means that if someone asked me to sing a specific note, I can get pretty close without help- even sometimes nail it more often than not. 

For those with perfect pitch, it’s a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because you know a note when you hear it no questions asked. The problem, in my opinion, is that it can get in the way of your playing. I have seen many instances where a song doesn’t resolve and the student is beside themselves. Others where when listening to something dissonant while clutching their ears. From a composition standpoint, yes, it’s helpful to have a perfect pitch.

Not understanding pitch can be a huge issue when training to learn how to sing. Please consult with someone you trust about this- your voice is an instrument that is a part of you. There is no place in this world where people want to point out that you can’t learn how to sing because of a pitch inability but since it’s a personal part of you, unlike a guitar for example, people can take it too far. Be you, just beware.