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Archive for the ‘Singing’ Category

I am sure you have heard the phrase “practice makes perfect”. Do you agree with that? I don’t. This is because if you practice the wrong things, then you will only perfect the wrong things. So the phrase should be “perfect practice makes perfect”, isn’t it? So what has this got to do with your singing career and confidence building? Plenty. I will explain in a little while.

Similar to the phrase above is “knowledge is power”. What if the knowledge you have contains grave misinformation, then by applying the knowledge, then you may make grave mistakes. That can be terrible and potentially ruin your reputation as a singer or in any other careers.

There are many myths about singing methods and vocal training and such misinformation can damage your voice permanently, shatter your confidence or worse prematurely end your career. Even if the knowledge you gained is correct, it means nothing until it is properly applied. Then will you see results and feel the difference. This is when your confidence will grow. As you see better and better results, you thus will continue to grow more competent and confident. Read the rest of this entry »

We all know that in order to have a good singing voice, you must have good professional coaching and practice with a myriad of vocal exercises to achieve the voice and singing techniques of a good singer. However, the development of your singing voice will not assure you of being a good singer if you do not take care and protect your voice and your voice production mechanism.

Unfortunately many aspiring singers think that if they are not performing regularly they do not need to take care of their vocal health. If you want to be a good singer, then you have the duty of care to protect and improve your singing voice. If you don’t do that, sooner or later your voice will deteriorate and you may even sustain vocal damages which sometimes can be permanent.

Your voice tone is created when air flows through the cleft created by your vocal cords and vibrates it. To create a clear sound, your vocal folds need to come together neatly to vibrate healthily. If the membranes and surrounding tissues are swollen or damaged, then the sound produced will be hoarse and unclear. Although the damaging effects of infrequent hoarseness are not usually permanent, it is certainly is a clear sign of vocal abuse and if left unattended to may cause permanent damages to your vocal cords.

So how do you protect your singing voice to prevent hoarseness and damages? Here are some guides you may want to adhere to. Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s face it, whether you’ve wanted to learn how to become a singer or not, you’ve probably dreamt of being the lead singer of a band. Touring, connecting with fans, playing music you love – sounds like fun doesn’t it? It absolutely is, however people always overlook the amount of work and effort that is involved in order to be a successful singer. As a band you need to have a cohesive look and have good stage presence, but as the singer you are usually looked at as the face of the band, and therefore usually have to put more effort into performances. One advantage to singing in a band over other types of singers though is that your voice doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect. Let’s go into a bit more detail on these topics.

If you want to become a singer in a band, a couple things to consider would be your image and stage presence. As the singer in the band, usually people will think of you as the face of the band, so just in terms of going that extra mile your image should be on par or bit better than the band. This does not mean that image is more important than the skill of the band, it just means making sure there is a cohesive look going on. In terms of stage presence, the singer must put in a bit more effort than the rest of the band. Think about it this way; it’s easier for the rest of the band to “hide” behind their instrument temporarily and get away with it, but as the singer all you’ve got is your mic in front of you so you have to compensate by moving around, feeling the music, connecting with the crowd, etc. Standing still won’t cut it, however with practice this comes easier. Just have fun with it.

One of the advantages to singing in a band is that your voice doesn’t have to be perfect. For example, the Idol competition is for people with amazing voices. You may have noticed though that a lot of lead singers in bands aren’t actually the greatest singers. The reason why they can get away with it is because of the type of music the band is playing. If you’re in a rock band, you can usually get away with having a raspier voice (kurt cobain anyone?). Nowadays there are a lot of bands using auto tune, which corrects your pitch and gives it a futuristic sound. This is not to be a replacement for not being able to sing though as auto tune is generally frowned upon unless it is being used for the effect. There are also a lot of singers who scream for their band as well, though this really requires impeccable care for your voice. For the most part, you’ll have to work on being a good singer, but as said earlier it all depends on the type of music, and the effect you are going for.

Those are just some simple things to consider if you’re deciding to go down the path of becoming a singer in a band. It can be fun and rewarding, but takes practice and effort as well. If you’re passionate and want it bad enough, it can be achieved.

Author Bio: As you can see, singing in a band has its perks, but at the same time there are much more factors to consider when learning How to Become a Singer. Find out how you can get started at http://www.howtobecomeasinger.net

Are you dreaming of a singing career someday? Whether you are aspiring to be the next American Idol or just want to impress and have fun with your friends and family on your get-togethers, why not try having singing lessons?! There is a part in all of us that we want to leave a good impression whenever we sing in front of them. We always give our best, letting it all out, but sometimes, it is never enough. But still, we never stop wanting to have that gentle and soothing voice that will make us the center of every karaoke nights.

Here are some tips that might be useful:

a. Identify the type of your voice. It is very important for you to know how high or low your voice can manage to reach. It is never smart to try singing a very high note out of your safe zone. It may lead to embarrassment from peers. Also, when you know what songs are suitable to your type of voice, you can easily carry the performance right.

b. Develop your pronunciation and diction. Practice is the best solution for this kind of problem. Get a book and read it out loud. If you can record it, then do it, so you can review where your weaknesses are. It is best to exercise your mouth and jaw before doing it though. Perfect pronunciation and diction is a big help in singing. Your audience won’t be bothered by your performance if it is not flawed by it.

c. Study the proper breathing. If you have that knowledge, you can easily reach high or lengthy notes without much effort. If you are athletic or fit, you can easily learn this. Swimming and running is a good exercise for this.

d. Be yourself and don’t imitate others. You should have your own style and flair. Be original and distinct. Don’t try to be Mariah Carey if your voice is in the Britney-Cher category.

e. Don’t scream or yell! Please, we have toddlers to do that for us already. Doing just may cause damage to our vocal chords. And besides, we have to admit, it is not the right thing just to cover our incapability to reach high notes. Stick to your voice range. Be safe then and again.

f. Accept criticism. Don’t flinch when people give comments to your ability. It is best to accept it weigh it down. That is what we need for us to be able to be better singers.

g. Take good care of what you have. Don’t abuse your voice. Don’t smoke. That is one reason why people who smoke lose their voice earlier than those who don’t. Avoid cold drinks especially after singing.

And lastly, the best advice will be practice, practice and practice. That is the best way we can make sure we are ready to perform in front of a large or a small crowd. Even professional singers can’t get enough of this just to perfect their craft. There is nothing wrong if you want to aspire for a better singing voice than you already have.

Author Bio: Jessica Norman an avid music fan. Read about her tips on singing on the internet on her site learn to sing 123. Visit her site if you want to learn to sing. You might want to try out her tips on singing guide.

One of the most important things that we love in this lifetime is music. It touches our lives in so many different ways. We expressed ourselves through different music from different situations that’s happening to us. Some people use music to be their voice when they can’t speak or rather chooses not to. They draw on to music when they feel love or betrayed; when they lose hope or feeling victorious; when they realize their dreams had came through or when they fall. Sharing music to others, letting them know what we feel; especially, sharing it with the people who really matters to us.

Sometimes, it can be the only thing that we can hear when everything seems to be lost?

When I was a kid, my mother forced me to have piano lesson for the summer vacation. I was nine years old. Every afternoon, I have to walk a mile just to attend my piano lessons at my teacher’s house. I am not her only student; there is this other girl my age, though, she is taking voice lessons. I didn’t know her then. She was from another town. Every week days, it is the same routine. Me, patiently waiting at their receiving area while the other girl finishes her lessons. We just say hi to one another then, for we were never introduced. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you ever wonder if you can really learn how to sing online? Would you like to be able to sing, but either you don’t have the money for a private voice teacher or you live somewhere out of the way where such a teacher would be very hard to find?

And so you’ve been wondering about alternatives, and you may have found that online course and thought to yourself, “Wouldn’t it be nice if this thing actually worked? I’d love to know if I could actually learn how to sing right at home, in front of my computer.”

And the answer is, yes, you can learn how to sing at home. However, it only works if you go about it the right way. Read on to discover three keys for how to become a singer with the help of online singing lessons.

1. Take it Seriously

It will only work if you work it. I know that’s a clich?, but it’s true. Maybe you won’t have to face your teacher and be embarrassed if you didn’t practice. But you know you’re not a kid anymore. You’re not practicing for the teacher anymore. You’re practicing for YOU. So do it. Read the rest of this entry »

When choosing a singing instructor, one has too many considerations to think. The very first thing one would ponder is how much it would cost them. Singing teachers can be expensive. Others charge per session, the others by the program that it offers.

There are group lessons to be considered. It is cheaper and enjoyable if you are an outgoing person. You have people to ask for if you don’t understand some things about the lesson, or someone to share the lessons with, to talk to, share ideas, etc. Though, friendly competition among the students will arise, it is still worth it. With these lessons, you can have singing partners whom you can practice with. You can also meet new friends in those classes that may remain even after your programs. Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve found this article not because you wanted to learn how to be a terrible singer, but is curious about why on earth would people want to sing terribly, am I right?

Well, you see, many people think that they can sing pretty well, but you know better. They aren’t any good at all. Just go to any karaoke club and you will know what I mean.

So how about looking at it this way. If you know how to avoid terrible singing habits, then you will be able to sing better, won’t you? Below are some tips to improve your singing.

Shouting instead of singing – Unknown to many amateur or even some professional singers when doing a fast tempo song, they are shouting instead of singing.

Sometimes this happens because of bad sound check by the sound technicians and the singer could not hear herself/himself and thus resorting to shouting. Other times it is through sheer singing bad habit or ignorance.

Shouting out a song, unless the song requires you to do so, like in certain rock or heavy metal songs not only sounds awful and terrible to your audience, if done persistently over a period of time can cause permanent damage to you vocal cords.

Singing Without Warming Up – Warming up your voice before a performance is crucial for voice care. Singing when your vocal cords are cold, especially when singing high notes will make your voice sound very tight and stressful. Furthermore, it could also lead to permanent voice damage in the long run.

Not Cooling Down – Cooling down your voice with the right vocal exercises is just as important as warming up. After a performance, your vocal cords are strained and stressed. You need to cool it down to ensure good voice care so that you can continue to sing powerfully and beautifully.

Smoking – Think of all the tar, poisons and heat pelting at your vocal cords every time when you smoke. Don’t you think you are destroying your voice? Is it any wonder why singers who smoke have raspy voices?

Drink Alcohol – Alcohol consumption dehydrates you. That means that your vocal cords are vibrating without enough lubricant fluid and the constant rubbing of your dry vocal folds during singing will damage them. Furthermore, if you drink before a performance, you may forget the lyrics of the song you are singing and makes you look like a drunken dork on stage. Isn’t that terrible?

Not Getting Enough Sleep – When your energy level is not at its peak, do you really think that you can put up an energetic singing performance?

Singing Out Of Vocal Range – You may want to impress your audience by singing very high or very low notes which are not in your vocal range. This is a terrible mistake as your voice will not only come out as sounding badly strained, it is also awful for your audience’s ears.

If your vocal range is limited, then source out vocal exercises that can widen your range. Some vocal exercises can even increase your range up to more than octave in just weeks.

Drinking Honey Or Milk – Ok, I hear your howls of protest because many people think that drinking honey actually sooth their throats. Well, drinking honey, sugary drinks and dairy products will cause a build up of phlegm. When your vocal folds are coated with a sticky film of phlegm, do you think they can vibrate freely enough to create the resonance for a good singing voice?

So if you want to sing terribly or cause damage to your vocal cords, then follow the above bad sining tips. If not, just stay away from these bad singing habits and develop a fabulous singing voice through good vocal exercises.

Author Bio: Chris Chew is the resident author at Vocal Exercise Singing Lesson and Ballroom Dance Lessons

So you want to be a good singer and have heard people talking about good breathing techniques and terms like breathing with your diaphragm. But what is the proper breathing technique or how can the diaphragm breathe? These questions will be answered in this short article.

You see, if you want to develop a wide singing vocal range or to improve your stamina to hold your notes, it is then imperative for you to develop good breathing techniques.

A good breathing technique is essential for breath control, vocal stamina and to even increase your vocal range. If your breath is restricted only to your chest area, you will never be able to get the effortless floating voice, excellent tonal quality or hit the really high notes.

Unknown to most people, most of us are prone to faulty breathing habits which we developed unconciously since we were children and these bad breathing habits follow us into our singing.

For example, if you find your chest and shoulders heaving when you inhale you, then you are not breathing correctly. Many people do not practice deep abdominal breathing for fear of looking fat. However, you cannot sing powerfully or hit the high notes unless you use deep abdominal breathing.

Another wrong assumption amongst novice singers is that noisy breathing equates to deep breathing. How can that be? Because if you breathe noisily, it is an indication of a constricted throat and pray, how can you sing well if your throat is tightened by your breath?

The correct way of breathing is to breathe in deeply but yet silently. So try breathing in sips rather than in gulps which will put more pressure on your throat and lungs. Your belly should move out effortlessly with each inhalation.

The following are just a few breathing exercises to develop your singing breath.

Begin by lying flat on your back. Take a deep breath and feel the wave of movement start at your chest and diaphragm area which is about around your stomach area. Feel your chest and diaphragm expanding but make sure you do not move your shoulders. Relax your belly muscles and let the wave of breath reach your belly and feel your tummy expands as you fill your lungs full of air.

Exhale and feel your belly deflating and then practice another deep breath and once again feel your chest and stomach expand with no movement of the shoulders. The expansion of your tummy should be outwards and not upwards. Close your eyes and feel your chest, diaphragm and tummy expand outwards. Then feel the muscles at the sides of rib cage expand at the same time. This is the correct way of breathing technique of a good singer.

In this next exercise you will need a lighted candle placed about 7 to 8 inches away from your face. Then breathe in deeply as you have learned in the previous exercise, expanding your chest and abdomen with no movement of the shoulders. Then exhale by letting out the air in the direction of the flame, bending it in the process but not flickering it or extinguishing it.

You will need to breathe out in a steady stream in a controlled way and not in gasps. Your objective is to bend the flame and not to flicker or extinguish it. By doing this, you are practising how to hold a note steadily when you sing.

So if you want to be a good singer, one of the most essential thing you must to is to master your breathing technique.

Author Bio: More free singing and musical articles by Chris Chew at How To Sing Better Singing Lessons and Learn How To Dance Lessons

Singers are usually intimidated upon hearing their voices amplified by the microphone. However, this is the tool is very important to make you hear your voice and for many people to her you too. This will also make you enjoy while singing if you use it very well.

You have to have techniques on how to handle and take care of your microphone. Here’s how you can take control of the microphone instead of it intimidating you:

1. Don’t put your fingers or hands on the part of the microphone where it catches most of the sound. This will forfeit the purpose of using the microphone. You may not be heard and understood very clearly by the audience.

2. The mesh head of the microphone can be taken out and washed once it is removed. This part of the microphone becomes stinky from too much saliva that accumulates. You can wash the foam inlay after removing it gently. You have to be sure that it’s completely dry before replacing it to the microphone. If not taken care of properly, the sound quality that your microphone produces might not be on the optimum level.

3. Checking the sounds from the microphone is totally different when doing it in an empty hall. The people’s bodies and clothes absorb a lot of sound. To set the correct volume of your microphone, you have to rehearse and do your sound checks in a hall full of people. This will make you know the optimum volume of your microphone when you perform.

4. When using the microphone, the sounds produced inside a hall or outside are different. Weather can also be a factor that makes the outputs different. The air molecules are dry and sound is carried faster on a dry day. On the other hand, on a wet day, the molecule is heavier when it is damp. It means that the sound cannot travel that fast, making it duller when heard. One example is you can clearly hear large vehicles passing outside by on a dry day than on a damp day.

5. Change the equalizer on you track to increase the bass when singing in lover notes. By this, you don’t have to sing low notes louder than necessary. This will also make the sound of your lower register stronger.

6. When starting to hit higher note, pull the microphone away from you. This will not overpower you audience.

A singer needs enough projection for the whole listening public to hear. However, things have changed with the advent of the microphone. It has become the best friend of the best performers in the whole world. It might be a very small device; yet, it can make somebody more powerful than himself onstage. When you want to perform, the microphone is the right gadget to be trusted, your best friend that will let you hear yourself and enjoy you own voice. See what technology can do!

Author Bio: Jessica Norman always wanted to learn to sing. From her own experience, You can find vaulable insight into the learn to sing software and voice lessons on the internet on her site learn to sing 123. Visit her site if you want to learn to sing. You might want to try out her vocal training guide.