Have you always wanted to become a singer but haven't been sure where to begin? Learning to sing doesn't have to be overwhelming, with consistent practice and the right techniques, you can significantly improve in just 30 days. This guide is meant for both beginners just starting out and for more experienced singers looking to refine their skills. We will provide readers valuable tips and important vocal training exercises courtesy of the top vocal coaches from Greater Toronto Music School. We hope that this blog post will help readers to develop their voice and gain confidence to sing more!
Singing is not some kind of God-given talent. It's a skill that anyone can develop with dedication, commitment, patience and proper training. While it's true that some people are born with natural talent or abilities, with hard work and determination, anyone can enhance their singing abilities and reach their musical goals. In this step-by-step guide, the singing teachers from Greater Toronto Music School have broken down how people can improve their singing voice and technique in only 30 days, discussing breathing techniques, vocal warm-ups & performance tips. Read on and we will equip you with valuable tools to help you elevate your voice and start to sing with confidence.
Quick Menu: Learn How To Sing In 30 Days
Step 1: Understanding Your Voice
There are several ranges that help us to categorize each person's voice. These ranges are based on how high or low a given person can sing. Before getting started with vocal training, it's important for singers to understand their own personal range and vocal type. Below, we will examine each range and what they mean:
Soprano – Soprano voices have the ability to reach higher notes with ease. A simple explanation of the Soprano voice is the highest female voice type. Within the Soprano range, we have various voice types, including lyric soprano, soubrette or coloratura soprano, which are characterized by their vocal weight, timbre, vocal quality and vocal agility.
Alto – Alto is typically referring to the lowest female voice. Within the Alto range, just like the Soprano range, there are many variations present such as contralto and mezzo-soprano. Each variation is distinguished by its vocal weight, timbre, resonance and flexibility.
Tenor – Tenor voices are bright and powerful. Men with higher voices can sing comfortably in the Tenor range. We have several variations within the Tenor range, such as lyric tenor, dramatic tenor and countertenor, each characterized by their vocal weight, timbre resonance and agility.
Baritone – Rich and full-bodied, baritone voices sit below tenor and above bass. Typically, a baritone is a male with a mid-range voice. Just like with the other vocal ranges, within the baritone range we find several variations, including lyric baritone, dramatic baritone and bass-baritone.
Bass – The lowest of all ranges, bass tones can be comfortably reached by men with extremely deep voices. Within the bass range, we find subcategories such as basso profundo and bass cantante.
For aspiring singers, identify vocal range is critical because it will help to choose appropriate pieces and exercises for each unique voice. This will make singing more enjoyable and make it easier to achieve the desired results.
Step 2: Mastering Breath Control
In order to sing with power, it's essential to master breath control. It's a foundational skill that singers will need to develop. Here's how you can start:
Diaphragmatic Breathing – Rather than taking shallow chest breaths, make sure to breathe deeply and allow your stomach to expand, engaging your diaphragm.
Controlled Exhalation – Controlled exhalation is critical for singers as it will help to develop endurance. Take a deep breath, making sure to engage your diaphragm, and practice exhaling as slowly as you can while singing a single note.
Suggested Exercise – The "4-4-4-4" Method
Remember when practicing this exercise, it's important to stand or sit with your spine straight. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Make sure to breathe naturally and pay attention to which hand moves more. If you are executing this exercise properly, the hand on your abdomen will rise and fall while the one on your chest will remain in its original position. Below you will find the steps for the 4-4-4-4 Method. This valuable exercise will help singers to activate their diaphragms and learn to control their breathing simultaneously.
Inhale deeply for four seconds
Hold your breath for four seconds
Exhale for four seconds
Hold again for four seconds
Want to learn even more about breathing exercises and control? Click here to check out the great book, Twelve Lessons on Breathing and Breath Control - For Singers, Speakers and Teachers, or contact Greater Toronto Music School today to enroll in private singing lessons.
Step 3: Strengthening Your Vocal Cords
The vocal cords (also known as vocal folds) are found in the larynx (voice box). They are two bands of smooth muscle and as air passes through from your lungs, they vibrate and produce the sound of your voice. Just like any other muscle, the vocal cords need to be exercised to work to the best of their ability. Here are some ways that you can exercise your vocal cords:
Lip Trills
What Are Lip Trills?
Lip trills (also called lip bubbles) are an important vocal exercise where the vocalist produces sound while simultaneously allowing their lips to vibrate together. They are useful for singers as they help to improve breath control, help vocal cords develop coordination and help to relax the voice. They are a fantastic warmup for any voice type.
How Do I Do Lip Trills?
Relax your lips
Steadily exhale, allowing your lips to vibrate together. You should be creating a "brrrr" sound, like a motor.
Once you've mastered the "brrr" sound, try to add a vocal tone. You can move up and down your range, creating a sound almost like a siren.
Stay in control. You want to keep the trill consistent without stopping. If you're finding it difficult, support your cheeks with your fingers to start.
Humming Exercises
What Are Humming Exercises?
Humming exercises are effective vocal warm-ups where vocalists produce sound with closed lips, allowing vibrations to resonate in both the face and head. They help singers develop resonance, breath control and vocal cord coordination while simultaneously reducing tension.
How Do I Do Humming Exercises?
Relax the jaw and lips. The lips should be closed but not pressed tightly together. Teeth should be slightly apart and tongue resting comfortably behind the lower teeth.
Breathe deeply through the nose, making sure to engage the diaphragm.
While exhaling, produce a gentle "mmmm" sound. Keep it light and resonant. Vibrations should be felt in the lips, nose and head.
Practice two ways; sustain a single tone and practice gliding up and down throughout your vocal range.
Remember, if you feel tension in your throat relax your neck and shoulders. Keep airflow steady to avoid breaks in the sound.
Step 4: Expanding Your Vocal Range
With regular exercises, proper technique and consistent practice, it is possible for vocalists to increase the natural range of their voice. If you want to expand your range, try the exercises below, provided by the top singing teachers at Greater Toronto Music School:
Vocal Slides (Glissando)
What Are Vocal Slides?
Vocal slides, also known as "glissandos" or "portamentos," are smooth transitions between pitches where the voice slides from one note into the next instead of jumping directly. This technique adds emotion, flair, and expressiveness to a performance. It can also be used as an exercise to increase a singer's range.
How To Do Vocal Slides?
Start with a note, whether it's low or high, that you can sing comfortably and clearly.
Choose your target note. This is the note that you want to slide towards. It could be lower or it could be higher.
Slide towards that pitch instead of jumping directly there. This will mean that you touch on all the tones in between your starting point & target note.
Remember to control your breathing and focus on keeping steady airflow. Slides can be done gently or with more intensity. Try to vary the speed and volume of your slides.
Head Voice and Chest Voice Training
What Is Head Voice & Chest Voice Training?
To answer the question 'What Is Head Voice & Chest Voice Training?', we must first answer the questions 'What is head voice?', and 'What is chest voice?' . Chest voice is lower, fuller and more powerful. The sound resonates in the chest and it's typically used to access lower and mid-range notes. Head voice, on the other hand is lighter and brighter. Singers will use head voice to access higher notes and the sound resonates from the head. So, simply put, head voice & chest voice training refers to developing strength & control of these registers and being able to transition between the two seamlessly.
How To Train Chest Voice
Starting with humming is an effective way to train your chest voice. Choose a comfortable low note and slowly move up your range. Make sure you feel vibrations in your chest as you hum.
Speech-based exercises are effective to develop the chest voice. Start by speaking naturally in a comfortable, projected tone. Start with a simple word like “Hey!” or “Yeah!”. You'll notice that it resonates in your chest. Next, sing it on a single pitch, keeping the sound strong and connected to your natural speaking voice. Practice calling out words like “Hey!” as if getting someone’s attention, then hold the note to build vocal strength. Finally, apply this technique to songs by speaking the lyrics first, then gradually turning them into singing while maintaining the same chest resonance.
Sing scales descending scales in low register. Choose a simple syllable like "la" or "na" for these scales.
How To Train Head Voice
Start with light & breathy sounds, singing from mid range to high range. Notice you will feel the vibrations shifting from your chest to your head as you move into the higher notes.
Gently sing high notes with a soft & airy tone, accessing your head voice. This is called singing falsetto.
Gently glide through your range. Pick a syllable, like "woo" or "ee" and move from low notes to high notes, transitioning smoothly into your head voice.
Octave Jumps
What Are Octave Jumps?
To understand the question, 'what are octave jumps?', we must first understand the definition of an octave. In music, an octave is an interval between two notes, one of which has twice the frequency of vibration as the other. Simply put, a C to the next C above or below. Octave jumps are a vocal exercise where the vocalist sings a note and then right away jumps to the same note in a different octave. Octave jumps can be up or down in pitch. Octave jumps are commonly used in vocal exercises, pop, rock, and classical music to add range, power, and emotion to a performance.
For more information about octaves, intervals and other key music terminology, also read: How To Read Sheet Music For Piano, Guitar Drums & Other Instruments
How To Do Octave Jumps?
Choose a note that you can comfortably & clearly sing
Find the same note, either an octave higher or lower.
Control your breathing and maintain power and stability across the jump. Taking a deep breath and engaging your diaphragm before staring will be helpful.
Start with using simple exercises, such as singing "na" and make sure to stay relaxed! At first, you can use a slight glide to make it a bit easier.
For high notes, engage the head voice or mixed voice and for low notes support the sound with your diaphragm.
Step 5: Improving Pitch and Tone
In music, pitch talks about how low or high a note sounds, determined by the frequency of vibrations in the vocal cords. Tone refers to the unique quality of the voice and is determined by various factors such as breath control, resonance and vocal cord tension. Having strong pitch control will make sure that a singer can sing in tune and sound pleasant. Tone can make the voice more expressive and give a singer their own unique vocal style. Try the following suggestions to improve your pitch & tone:
Practice singing scales every day. This will do wonders to strengthen your vocal control and to develop your ear. By practicing daily, you will develop muscle memory and train your voice to hit the right notes with ease. It will also help you to strengthen vocal coordination and move smoothly and accurately between notes. Make sure to sing with consistent and steady airflow and to pay attention to the vibrations you feel within your body, this will help you to refine your tone. You can try singing in different dynamic ranges (soft/loud) to give you better tonal flexibility.
BONUS: Try singing your scales with a vocal tuner. This is a fantastic external tool that will point out when you are a little bit sharp or flat and help you to sing with more accuracy. Click here to see our favourite one.
Singing with a digital piano or acoustic piano is another fantastic way for singers to improve their pitch as it will provide a clear reference for each note. This trains the ear to match and stay in tune. It encourages controlled and consistent vocal performance which effectively strengthens tone. Over time, practicing along iwth a piano improves vocal stability and gives singers more confidence.
For vocalists looking for a beginner digital piano to help train their voice, the vocal coaches at Greater Toronto Music School recommend the Alesis Recital. It's afforable, features the full 88 key range, ships right to your door and has many great features. Click here to check it out.
Step 6: Practicing Daily Singing Exercises
As with any skill, consistency is so important to improve your singing voice. With as little as 15 minutes dedicated to vocal training each day (although more is better!), both aspiring and experienced vocalists can notice great results in as little is 30 days! Here is a suggested practice routine to get you started.
Warm-Up (5 min) – Lip trills, humming, and sirens.
Breath Control (5 min) – Deep breathing and exhalation exercises.
Pitch Training (5 min) – Sing along with a tuner or piano.
Song Practice (10-15 min) – Sing a song that challenges your range and technique.
While practicing each day, remember to enjoy the process! Choose music that you love and look forward to singing each day and have fun.
Step 7: Performing with Confidence
Singing can feel quite personal and makes people extremely vulnerable so it's no wonder that many vocalists feel nervous to perform in front of others. With regular performances, vocalists will gain so much confidence so we encourage all of our students to perform early and perform often! If you are curious about performing but feeling nervous, here are some tips to help you overcome:
Record Yourself – Nothing helps us improve like listening to recordings of our performances. You will find many things that you love about your singing and will be able to identify the areas where you need to focus on improving.
Sing in Front of a Mirror – Seeing yourself in action will help you to ensure that you are singing with correct posture. It will also allow you to check out your facial expressions so you will know exactly how you look and if you would like to change anything before performing in front of an audience.
Perform for Friends or Family – Perform first for supportive friends or family members, or even your own personal vocal coach. Performing in front of people who love and support you will make you feel comfortable enough to allow yourself to be vulnerable. They will also be able to provide you with constructive criticism in a kind and non-judgemental way.
Join Singing Classes Near You – Private or group singing lessons with experience vocal coaches will help to accelerate progress and provide you with personalized feedback tailored to your needs.
FAQs About Learning How to Sing
1. Can I learn to sing in 30 days?
While mastering singing takes years, in as little as 30 days you can notice significant improvements to your voice if you consistently dedicate time for vocal exercises. It can take years of study and practice to become a master.
2. What are the requirements of being a singer?
A good singer should develop breath control, be able to sing accurately, have a powerful voice, a large range and confidence to perform.
3. How do I become a professional singer?
The first step is to train your voice. Practice daily and build your repertoire. Consider taking private singing lessons, joining a local choir or composing your own music to post online.
4. How can I improve my singing voice fast?
Consistency is the key! Set aside time each day to work on your vocal exercises and grow your repertoire. Make sure to warm up to avoid straining your voice, which would be a major setback in your progress.
5. Do I need vocal coaching to become a singer?
While it's possible to learn on your own with resources such as YouTube, a professional vocal coach will provide feedback, correct your mistakes and provide personalized guidance for you to reach your goals as quickly as possible. At Greater Toronto Music School, we have many great options for singing classes in Toronto and online.
Conclusion
With the right approach and dedication, singing is an art form that anyone can learn. Implement the steps in this 30 day guide to enhance your vocal abilities and build confidence quickly. No matter if you aspire to perform professionally or want to sign karaoke with your friends, stay consistent and you will see the results you desire! Start today and enjoy your steps to singing success.
We sometimes use affiliate links to products on retailer sites. If you click on those links and make purchases through them, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
Comentarios