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Do You Want to Sing Better This Year Than Last Year?

If You Want to Sing, SING!

But beware! Muscles have Memory. Your muscles will memorize what you’re doing—right or wrong. So, I suggest that you do the following::

Make Some Deliberate Plans

Don’t get stuck in the rut of just thinking about and wanting to sing.  You don’t have to know the entire path from where you are to where you want to be, but you do need to take the first step; write down your vocal strengths and weaknesses. “But,” you might say, “I don’t really know what those are.”

By admitting that, you’ve actually taken the first step, and the second step is to get some feedback and evaluation from someone with training. This can be a current or former choir director, a neighbor with some musical/vocal training or even a visit to your local community college music department. You can also schedule a Face to Face Online Training session with me. Let whoever it is know that you are wanting their opinion on how you do with the the basics, or, if you’re more experienced with the more advanced areas of singing.

If You’re A Novice

Get feedback on the basics including the ability to accurately match pitch, rhythm patterns, imitate simple and complex phrases etc. The more advanced areas include how you treat phrasing, diction, dynamics and expression.

If You’re An Experienced Singer

If you know you need to improve your breath management and pitch accuracy you’ve got a good start. Maybe you need to add to that list the ability to smoothly move from lower notes (chest register) to higher ones (head register) smoothly.  Or, are you trying to figure out how to go from just singing a song to really mastering it with full, creative expression.

If You’ve  Started Your List Here Are Some Training Options

Self-Training

If you are a motivated, disciplined person you can accomplish quite a bit yourself assuming that you have good foundations like good posture, breathing and a musical ear. You also need to have had some musical experience be it in a choir or perhaps you’re part of a family who does music together. Your tools should be a good set of vocal training CD’s or videos along with getting feedback from those around you with some experience and training.

Local Voice Teacher/Coach

The key here is to find someone who has had systematic training. Not just someone who happens to be a good singer.  Doing something well, and teaching it are two different things. What works for one may not work for another. That’s why teachers are trained. You also need someone who relates to your age, culture and musical goals at least to some degree.  Sometimes a local college can help with suggestions and their staff might well teach outside of school.

Face to Face Online Training

It just so happens that I am an experienced Vocal Coach myself. And, I have been teaching via online video chat for a while now. We’ve found this to be a powerful tool. I regularly teach students from around the country and even as far as 8 time zones away. Skype, FaceTime, iChat etc are great tools and any webcam system works. Click here for more details.

Get Started Today

Depending on your goals, budget and where you live you can find a way to take the next steps to being a better singer right now. And, I can tell you from personal experience as well as from watching lots of students that using your voice the right way is a lot more satisfying than just getting by.

If you have any questions, submit it via the Ask the Vocal Coach form on this page. I’d love to hear from you.

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5 Comments

  1. Good Principle! Another scary way to say it is, PRACTICE MAKES . . . PERMANENT, no matter what you’re practicing. 8 hours of singing with bad habits doesn’t make you a better singer. It just reinforces the bad habits. It’s all about building careful, healthy foundations, then letting lose and having fun with it. Singers are vocal athletes.

  2. Hi Chris! I have your copy of ultimate choir warm ups and its really very helpful to me, i was using it since last year April of 2013 and been vocalizing everyday at least 1 and half hour, and i see the improvement and difference of it. Hopefully i can pass it to as i teach to our small music clinic at church. Thank you and God bless you. :)

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