Singing Voice Lessons – When Should You Get Singing Help?
I am often asked the question “When should I take singing voice lessons?” or “When do I know I need singing help?” These are good questions and they are ones I had my self before I ever took my first lesson. You can probably hear this coming but….. it all depends. Let me explain and why I feel the way I do.
It’s important to put in your time and get familiar with the abilities and the limitations of your voice. In my interview with Jesse Nemitz who is a master instructor at Brett Manning Studios in Nashville we talked about this very subject. You can get the interview here. He also feels it’s important for someone to spend time working on their voice before jumping into singing lessons. I recommend you work through a good program with a systematic approach first to accomplish the following;
- Get the basics of proper vocal production down.
- Explore and experiment with your voice to find out more about it.
- Learn your trouble areas or where you have limitations
- Start developing the musculature required to sing without strain (you can’t get around this…it takes some time).
You will eventually reach a stage where you can’t improve any further without a trained ear listening in and directing you. Also, the investment of time you have already put into your voice will make the singing voice lessons more valuable because you will be even more coach-able.You will better understand the concepts your vocal coach is communicating. (Learn basic concepts first by putting in the time because most likely you can figure it out with a good home study vocal course).
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned vocalist there are always aspects of our voices we can improve. Even Andrea Bocelli has a vocal coach and trains daily.
I know I am going to get this question:
“Wouldn‘t I improve faster starting my singing out with a vocal coach?”. If you are a beginner I would say “No”, because your body will still have to adjust as you learn new coordination’s. You still have to put in the time to train. If you have put in some serious practice time and understand your voice then you will benefit quickly from singing lessons.
OK, let’s sum it up. Here is my recommendation.
- Invest in a proven program. Some programs are so good you will make big improvements from just doing the exercises.
- Learn proper techniques (start squashing your bad habits).
- After you put in your time with the material then start working with a coach.
Until next time, just keep singing.
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Singing Tips For Karaoke
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Master Your Voice & Conquer the Stage!
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Build Your Confidence!
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Win Your Audience!
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Perfect for Competitions, Pageants & Auditions!
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Dramatically improve your voice!
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Master Microphone & Stage Technique
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2 CDs for Vocal Technique (1 Male and 1 Female)
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DVD Demonstrating Stage Technique
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12-page Booklet crammed with awesome information; features “Look Like A Star,”
“Sound Like A Star,” “Survival Guide” and much more.
And the price is very reasonable for all this Karaoke education. I don’t want to sound pushy here but if you sing karaoke and you want to bring the crowd to it’s feet then I strongly suggest you get this program. I have ordered it and waiting with child-like anticipation. Or, you can wait until I give my review and make up your mind then. I have almost every program from the Singing Success library and I have never been disappointed.
- How To Use A Microphone! – Today’s tip is about microphone control, and how to use one properly! Here are three pointers on how to do it: 1) When singing at a normal volume, hold the mic about the distance of your thumb away from your mouth. …
Singing Tips: Vocal Warm Up
The benefits of warming up your voice cannot be overstated. It’s one of the most important singing tips your can ever get. Even someone who has been performing on stage for years will notice a difference if they warm up properly before stepping up before the crowd. Read on to hear our story.
It was about 45 minutes before show time. We just finished getting our outfits and hair adjusted just the way we wanted. It’s usually pretty quiet in the green room as the artists go through our lyrics and try to imagine the show ahead going great.
Ever since I started working on really improving my voice a few years ago I have always warmed up before I sing. This time instead of doing it all by myself, I decided to suggest to a couple of the other members of the group that we should do a warm up together. They replied, “No Problem.” I thought they must be humouring me.
We started off doing some light humming, making sure we didn’t reach too high. Then it was the multi-purposed “lip-rolls” or “lip bubbles” to a simple scale that started low, climbed up and octive and came back down again. Since they were new to the “lip-rolls” I went over the basics with them;
- Relax your lips.
- Pinch your cheeks as to make your lips loose.
- Add a deep “uh” sound.
- Keep your airflow even.
The guys laughed a little because we all looked silly and sounded even goofier.
Next it was a siren like “wooo” that imitated…well…a siren. The key here was to keep the sound connected from the chest voice to head and then back down to the chest voice. (It’s harder that it seems especially if your voice isn’t warmed up).
We then did some scales on a light “ah” sound.
In about 10 minutes the warm up was done. I was about to get a surprise during the first intermission in the green room.
At the break Jim walks up to me with his head slightly tilted and eyes opened a little wider that usual and says, “Man, did my songs ever seem easy! That warm up we did sure opened my voice right up. You are going to have to teach me those exercises.”
It was a great feeling for me to take some of the singing tips I have learned and help my friend out. The main point of this post is to have a warm up routine you do before you sing on stage, at Karaoke or heck even before you close the shower curtain.
A Master Vocal Coach Shares His Secret Singing Tips
Recently I was able to get into the mind of an incredible vocal coach in a 45 minute interview. Some of the insights he shared with me were quite interesting.
We talked about things like; what makes a great student; new ways of looking at the chest, head and falsetto vocal registers; three unique exercises to warm up your voice and more. He also laid out what he would do if he were a new student over a 1, 3 and 12 month voice training program. Great information.
What I admire about Jesse is he never just sits on his existing vocal knowledge. He is constantly learning more about his craft. He even admits in the interview that his teaching is ever evolving. He continues to apply new discoveries regularly sometimes going against conventional approaches. In our time together it was obvious he is passionate about helping others get the most out of his singing tips. I should know since I have been a student of his for over a year.
In the interview Jesse even demonstrates some techniques I could apply after the first listen. If you have never had a lesson or are interested in hearing some useful singing tips you can get the interview by signing up to my singing tips news letter.
Visit the site below and grab yourself a copy of this exclusive interview that was a blast to make!
Often Forgotten Singing Tips
If you are just starting to learn how to sing better, there are a few things that will that will really help you as you begin your journey. Some of these singing tips may seem pretty basic but these along with the information you will find on SingingTips.org will lay a firm foundation for you on improving your singing. Tips are great however I recommend you really start imagining yourself as a good singer. Remember to begin with the end in mind. Who knows, one day you may be even better than some of the pros out there.
Here are some singing tips you should follow once you have made a commitment to improve your voice.
1) Properly hydrate your body – develop the habit of drinking water all day and especially before singing. Your vocal chords are flesh and without water you risk damaging them. Water provides hydration for them just like oil for your car’s engine.
2) Get proper rest – you will learn that you muscles in your throat need to be loose to sing. By not getting adequate rest your body will feel tired and tense. It is not recommended to sing if your tired.
3) Dress in comfortable clothes – if your clothes are too tight, especially around your abdomen, you will simply not be able to take proper “singer’s breaths”. More on that later.
4) Put on flat shoes with good support – when singing its important to wear a shoe that allows you to stand in a way that encourages correct breathing posture. A flat soled shoe will help you get the needed support and balance for this.
5) Practice good posture – Having good posture when you sing is essential to proper breathing. A secret to great sound is deep breaths that fully engage your diaphragm. That cannot happen if you have poor posture. Try this: relax your shoulders and stick you chest out slightly. This helps you stand straight and helps you sing to your potential.
6) Stand upright with your feet no farther than shoulder width apart. This allows you to keep your body movements under control while singing.
7) Relax your legs – don’t let your legs lock because it causes extra strain on you feet which is uncomfortable. Allow your body weight to be evenly distributed.
These are just a few of the singing tips that are helpful especially when you are just starting out. You will find that each teacher will have their own advice. Take all the tips in because it will make you a better singer.
