Are you interested in learning how to sing? Fantastic! Regardless of whether you’ve been singing along to your favourite tracks while taking a shower for years now, or this is your first attempt at becoming a singer, you’re definitely on the right track. And here’s the great thing – singing is a skill, and just like any other skill, it can be mastered. But the best part about singing is that unlike most skills, you don’t need any expensive lessons, or even a university degree in music, to learn how to sing. All you need is some basic tips on singing techniques that will help you start singing well from the very first time you try. So let’s get started…

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1. Learn How to Breathe Like a Singer

Before making any sound, it is important to mention breathing. At this point you are no doubt saying to yourself "Of course I know how to breathe, thanks very much." Well, you probably do know how to breathe but the act itself becomes quite different while singing, and it might become one of the most important singing techniques for beginners. While breathing normally, you probably always inhale air using your chest, and that is why your shoulders move up and down. This is exactly what you have to avoid while singing because while singing, you need to breathe using your stomach; thus, while doing this, you place two hands – one on the chest, the other one on your stomach – while inhaling, the former one should not move whereas the latter one does.

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Why is this relevant? Well, abdominal breathing allows for an even stream of airflow during singing. Therefore, the notes produced would be smoother and even, instead of being shaky and tense. Moreover, since there is a bigger reserve of air, you are not going to feel winded during your performance. One of the easiest ways to practice this is to lie down on your back with a book placed on your abdomen. Then inhale, trying to raise the book with your stomach muscles. Exhale slowly and evenly, causing the book to drop down. This only needs to be done for several minutes daily, but the effects will be noticeable soon enough.

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2. Warm Up Your Voice Before You Sing

Would you consider going on a run without warming up first? Well, your voice operates similarly; before you use the muscles responsible for singing, you should warm them up first. Neglecting this aspect is the number one mistake made by newcomers in the industry. However, when it comes to warming up your voice, the good news is that it does not have to be complex or time-consuming; even five to ten minutes can make a huge difference! Here are a couple of quick ones:

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The first technique that we are going to explore here involves something called lip trills. You will need to press your lips loosely together and blow air through them so that they vibrate, producing a sound very similar to that of a motor boat. This time, you should hum a certain pitch while doing it. This warm-up exercise is among the best exercises as far as warm-up goes because it is not hard on your voice and engages breath support which was mentioned in our first technique. Another technique that should be tried out is a simple hum. Again, start with the midpoint of your comfortable range and then sing a simple scale ascending and descending. The key here is to relax; do not strain yourself trying to hit the highest notes. The last technique we will cover here involves sirens. Sirens involve producing a sound similar to that of a fire truck and sliding your voice from the bottom to the top of your comfortable range and vice versa.

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3. Find Your Natural Posture

The last point may shock you, but your body position influences your voice production very significantly. Singing is a physical practice and your body position will help or make things difficult for all other aspects. The best part about proper singing body position is that there are no tricky or difficult points here. Position your legs to have them about a foot's distance apart from each other. Make sure that your knees are bent a little, not straight. Raise your chest while lowering your shoulders down to relax them. Do not tense your neck muscles by bringing your shoulders closer to your ears. Have your head held straight, with your chin in line with the horizon. Your arms should be relaxed at your sides. This is how your body should be positioned.

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In case you catch yourself sitting while singing, the same rules will apply. Sit tall but not stiff, make sure your feet are on the ground, and do not bend forward to your musical instrument or music stand. There is one small tip to help you get your posture correct – stand against the wall and lean against it by putting your feet, bottom, shoulders, and head slightly against it. This will be the exact posture that you want once you move away from the wall. You will feel weird at first, but you will soon adapt to it. Posture technique for singing beginners is free and highly beneficial.

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4. Stop Pushing and Start Placing

What may be surprising to new singers is that even louder singing or high singing does not necessarily involve forcing your voice. In fact, one of the surest ways to make yourself sound off-key or to strain yourself is to force and push your voice too hard. Rather than thinking in terms of how hard you need to push, consider where you place your voice. Singers call this technique resonance, which may sound complicated from a technical perspective but is very easy to apply.

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If you want to create a forward and bright sound, imagine your vocal tone right behind your front teeth – sort of a lip buzzing. Try humming a tone, and feel the buzz in your lips and face. If you have felt this buzz while humming, that is your resonance at work! To create a richer tone on a low tone, picture it being placed in your chest. You may even feel slight vibrations in your sternum area by placing your hands there while singing a deep tone.

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One of the most fun ways to sing for newcomers is experimenting with placement since you can immediately experience and feel the effects of your work. Sing the same note, but try to change the "place" from which the sound comes out. What happened to the sound? This means that you learn to form your own voice, and it is such a fantastic feeling! And the main thing to remember is that when it starts to hurt or tighten up, you better stop.

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5. Train Your Ear Alongside Your Voice

If you have the world’s most gorgeous voice, but don’t know when you’re out of tune, you will find singing difficult. Ear training refers to learning to hear and produce pitches correctly, and is one of the most effective methods for beginners and yet one of the most ignored techniques for singing. The good news is that nearly everybody can learn to sing in tune with regular training. It is quite uncommon to suffer from tone deafness. People who believe they cannot sing in tune have simply not devoted adequate time to ear training.

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Below is a simple exercise that you can practice on a daily basis: play a single note using an app for piano practice (you have a wide selection of them available for free on your phone) and try to match the pitch with your voice. Take your time and see whether you manage to match the tone played with your own voice. Apart from that, you can even use song recordings and see how accurate you are compared to the singer who is singing the same song. This will help you create a close relationship between your voice and ears, and it will become easier for you to sing anytime you want.

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You Are More Ready Than You Think

And here's what you should remember about learning how to sing: Everything lies in the right attitude towards training and a little bit of patience. In other words, you shouldn't rush because, just like every good singer who ever lived, you too are able to sing perfectly well, all you have to do is breathe, get ready, be tall, be relaxed, and listen.

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