Your voice is an instrument and just like any instrument, it takes practice, learning some specialized techniques and fine tuning to master.
Every professional singer knows how important it is to practice and train in order to get the best from their voice. Even the most talented voices need constant work to sound great.
We have put together the three things you can begin to master if you want to learn how to improve your singing voice using these training techniques that professional singers use.
Listen To Your Voice
The voice you hear inside your head is different to what other people are hearing. You may think you sound great while others are covering their ears.
Record your voice and play it back so that you can hear exactly what you sound like to others. Alternatively, cup your hand around your ear with your palm open to your mouth while singing. This will allow you to hear your true voice over the music and the voice in your head.
This is also a good way to establish your vocal range which helps you to figure out which notes you can reach and which are out of your reach.
Play around with your tongue, breath, throat and mouth while repeating vowel sounds to change the vocal sounds you are making while recording. It is often surprising how changing the shape of your mouth or pressing your tongue against your pallet can produce an entirely different pitch or tone.
Sing With Emotion
Songs that are filled with emotion are easier to connect to. Singing with emotion is also a good way to cover some typical voice flaws. This doesn’t mean that crying through an entire song is necessary. Understand the lyrics of the song and form a connection with it.
Bringing the right emotion to the song is key. If the song is happy and filled with energy, smile and think happy thoughts to bring cheerful and positive energy to the song. Focus on emphasizing specific words that are meaningful in the lyrics or express emotion on certain syllables for sad songs.
Use The Correct Volume
The ideal is to sing at a volume that isn’t too loud or too soft but somewhere in the middle. The air that is pushed over the vocal cords determines how loud or soft a voice will be.
Too little air and the voice is likely to be soft and breathy. Too much air and the voice is going to be loud and booming. Practice to find a happy medium between the two. Also, practice projecting to elevate the sound of the voice rather than shouting.
Controlling breathing will also help with a voice that is too nasal or too chesty. Too little air can result in a voice that sounds nasal and can present with problems controlling pitch. Too much air passing over the diaphragm can enhance lower notes but make it more difficult to reach notes in the upper registers.
Always remember that practice is key to learning how to improve your singing voice. However, it is recommended to not overdo it which can permanently damage the vocal cords.