Training never truly ends for any committed performer. Many of the most established singers continue to take vocal lessons throughout their careers, in the same way that athletes rely on coaches.
Singing lessons may not be accessible to everyone, but voice training at home is something anyone can do to further their craft. Whether you have just started learning how to sing or you’re already landing gigs, there’s always room for improvement. Learning how to sing better will boost your confidence as a vocalist and expand the range of material you can perform, opening doors to new opportunities.
But what does it actually mean to improve your voice?
When learning how to get better at singing, you are likely to find that your vocal range – the spectrum of notes from high to low that you can reach – will expand, and that the clarity and strength of your voice will improve. This is all down to better technique and breath control, which you can achieve by incorporating a regular singing practice routine into your week.
1. Master your warm-up
Singing teachers have varying views on what makes the best warm-up, it is universally acknowledged that warming up the voice is essential for singers.
As voice teacher Victoria Rapanan explains, the purpose of vocal warm-ups is “to get the blood flowing, stretch the vocal muscles, release tension, and prepare you mentally for singing.”
Warming up will help prevent injury to the voice and ensure that you can give your best shot to a practice session or performance. And on that note (pun intended), “ideally, you should warm up every day,” says songwriter Sarah Spencer, not just before a performance, to “help grow and unlock the skills that you already have.”
How long you need to warm up depends on how regularly you sing, Rapanan says. “If your warm-up is efficient and balanced, you may be able to warm up your voice much faster than you think,” she says. She proposes a simple three-step warm-up that starts with descending scales, followed by ascending scales, and then longer sustained notes.
Some of the other most effective warm-up techniques, according to Ditto Music, include yawning, humming, lip trilling (vibrating your lips), and loosening your jaw.
Jacobs Vocal Academy has an expansive range of popular vocal warm-ups of varying lengths on its YouTube channel, including five minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and everything in between, which is handy for fitting a warm-up into the time you have available.
2. Establish a practice routine
Consistency is key to learning how to sing better. A warm-up routine is about preparing your vocal muscles to sing, but practice is about honing your technical skills through regular exercises.
It’s important to schedule your practice sessions into your routine, ideally on multiple days of the week. There’s no right or wrong here; it’s about making it work around your schedule, fitting in a length and frequency of session that feels realistic to you.
There are many ways you could structure a practice routine. Singing teacher Sandra Smith suggests the following routine on her website:
- Start by stretching.
- Do some breathing exercises.
- Warm up your voice.
- Practice a song you are working on.
There are lots of other exercises you could incorporate into your routine too.
3. Work on your breath control
Have you ever run out of breath just as you’ve reached the most climactic note in a song? You’re not alone! Singer Adam Mishan describes breath control as the “No. 1 thing that could destroy or break your singing voice.”
A really important part of breath control is diaphragmatic breathing, according to School of Rock. The diaphragm is the muscular dome that helps you breathe in and out, located beneath the lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing is often referred to as belly breathing. “A weak diaphragm leads to shallow breathing, which results in shortness of breath during singing,” School of Rock says.
Breath-related exercises for singers include:
The SPLAT technique
One popular exercise for diaphragmatic breathing – and to loosen abdominal tension – is the SPLAT technique, which stands for “singers please loosen abdominal tension.” Singing teacher Rosie Secker explains.
Hissing
This helps to develop control over a sustained exhalation, which is “crucial for singing longer phrases,” according to School of Rock. First, take a deep, diaphragmatic breath, and then exhale slowly and steadily, making an “sss” sound – like a snake – through your mouth. You can time yourself, and gradually increase the duration of your hiss. Repeat three to five times.
Blowing through a straw
This helps to stretch and reset your vocal cords, according to School of Rock, which advises to “take a straw, place it in your mouth, and do a pitch glide from your lowest to your highest note.” You can then repeat it for a few minutes and try adding some accents by engaging your abdominals, and then humming a song through the straw.
4. Train yourself to sing in tune
The more notes you hit, the better you will sound. The good news is, you can learn to sing in tune by practising with music, and it can also help to sing as part of a group such as a choir.
5. Expand your vocal range
Have you ever tried to sing one of your favourite songs, but struggled to hit some of the higher notes? Expanding your vocal range will enable you to grow your repertoire. Good posture, breathing, and hydration are all key.
Eliette’s Music Academy offers exercises for expanding your vocal range, including:
Sirens
Start from a comfortable note and slide your voice smoothly up (you can use an “mmm” sound) to the highest note that you can reach, and then descend to the lowest note. Keep the sound relaxed, and repeat a few times.
Octave jumps
“Sing a note, then jump to an octave higher or lower,” says Eliette’s Music Academy. “Repeat this process, being mindful of your technique. Focus on maintaining a smooth, consistent tone while jumping between registers.”
6. Maintain good vocal health
Taking care of your vocals is “just as important as rehearsing your set list,” according to WaterBear: the College of Music. Among its tips for maintaining good vocal health are taking a break when you feel vocal strain, hydrating with water, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and avoiding unnecessary shouting.
7. Get yourself out there (and grow in confidence)
Once you’ve been practicing regularly at home, performing is the next step to improve your vocals. It’s a chance to practise all sorts of things, from singing with a microphone to harmonising with others. Before you start landing professional gigs, there are lots of other opportunities for exposure. Why not attend an open-mic night at your local pub? You could even make a social out of it and invite some friends to do a karaoke night! Experimenting is also a chance to find the best singing style for your voice.
