Know if You Can Sing

You might sound like a rock star in the shower or the car, but how do you know if you can really sing? If you want to evaluate your singing voice, it can be hard to put yourself out there without knowing. Fortunately, you can find out whether or not you've got a good set of pipes by learning to listen to yourself correctly and getting constructive feedback from others.

Steps

Listening to yourself

1. Record your voice. Your sinus cavities make your voice sound significantly different in your head than it sounds to other people. This means that, if you want to hear yourself how others do, you must record it back to yourself. This is the easiest, most private, and fastest way to find out if you can sing naturally.
   • You don't have to use fancy microphones or recording technology to find out if you've got a good set of pipes. Most computers and smart phones have built-in microphones and voice recording software. Alternatively, you can go analog and use a basic cassette voice recorder or go really old school and record your voice onto someone else's answering message.
   • If you're nervous showing off your singing in front of others, this is a great way to get around the performance anxiety. Nobody needs to hear your recording but you; you can sing your heart out without fear of judgement.
2. Choose a back-up track. Despite what the auditions on American Idol and other talent shows would have you believe, singing a cappella (without accompaniment) isn't the best way to figure out whether or not you've got a good singing voice. It's important to give yourself a guide track, like a blank karaoke track, to find out whether or not you can match tones and stay in tune while you're singing. Blank karaoke tracks are readily available online, specifically on YouTube.
   • You can find simple, free, online MIDI versions of pop songs and old standards that you might like to sing. They might not sound like hits, but they'll give you a tune to work with. Also check out the pre-programmed tracks on Casio keyboards, or the instrumental version of songs from albums you might have.
3. Sing in private. Once you've chosen your song and your recorder, find a nice quiet place to try out your singing. This way you won't have to worry about whether or not anyone will be hearing your voice and judging you. Cue up your track and hit record.
   • If you've got a basement, or a garage, sneak out and settle in, or wait until you'll get some alone time. You could also just sit in the car for a while and record yourself there.
   • Remember, you're not trying to record a hit to put on the radio. You're just trying to evaluate how good your singing voice is. Don't worry about getting it all right, or the quality of the recording.
4. Sing naturally. Good singing isn't about doing those vocal acrobatics that Mariah Carey does. If you can't do that, don't worry. It's much better to be able to sing simply and carry a song in tune. Forget about warbling your voice with vibrato and flying all over the place. Just sing the song in its simplest form, or just how you sing it comfortably.
5. Listen to the playback. This is your moment of truth! After you've got your recording, take a deep breath and press play. Listen to how well you move through the chord changes in the song, whether you're able to follow the tune and hit all the notes the song requires.
   • Listen to the track in a variety of ways. Check it out on your cheap computer speakers, then plug the track in and listen to your car speakers, then check it out on headphones. Some things don't sound good on cheap, tiny speakers, but sound better coming through high quality headphones. Listen closely and listen a few times.
6. Find a song in your range if you don't like what you hear. Voices aren't all alike, and we can't all sing songs in the same range. That's why choirs are made up from different kinds of voices, and songs are written for different vocal ranges. If your recording doesn't sound great, that might be because you chose a song you like instead of one that is in your range.
   • Download a cheap tuning app that analyzes your voice and sing in your normal vocal range. When you sing alone, what feels most comfortable? Sing that. Check out where it registers on the vocal tuner.
   • Then try singing your lowest note and your highest note and note those on paper. Figure out how many notes are between your low and your high and you'll have some idea of your range. Pick a song that fits that range.
7. Take a tone deaf test. Tone deafness is a real thing. Some people aren't able to hear a tone and simultaneously match their voice to that tone which is, of course, a skill required for accurate singing. In addition to recording your voice and listening to the playback, take a quick, free, online tone-deafness test.

Testing your voice in front of others

1. Perform for your family. You've given yourself your best shot at finding out whether you can sing: you picked a song within your range, learned out to sing it using the right technique, and practiced until you had it memorized. Now it's time to put your voice to the test in front of your family.
   • Pick a room that will help you present your voice at its best. A large room with high ceilings will make your voice sound better than a carpeted basement with low ceilings will.
   • If you get nervous or embarrassed, stop singing and start over. You aren't in Carnegie Hall; this is about your voice, not your stage fright issues. Those can be addressed later.
   • When your performance is finished, ask your family to give you an honest opinion. No matter what they say, you should probably take it with a grain of salt; they may try to save your feelings or give you a good ribbing, as families sometimes do. However, their reaction should give you an inkling about whether your voice is good. If you feel confident enough to keep going, it's time to take it to the next level.
2. Perform in public. There are many opportunities to perform in public: you can go to an open mic night at a club or lounge, sign up for a talent show, or do karaoke. Find a venue that works for you and prepare to sing a song for strangers.
   • As you sing, watch the crowd's reaction. They aren't as invested as your family in making sure you walk away with your self-esteem intact, so you may be able to get a better sense of whether your voice is easy on the ears.
   • Have a friend in the crowd ask some strangers whether they thought you were a good singer. Random strangers don't always appreciate being polled, so you shouldn't place your singing future in their hands; just collect opinions and continue taking steps to determine whether you have a good singing voice.
3. Try busking. Another way to get feedback from the public is by busking in a train station or in a busy shopping area. If you can, set up a microphone and a small amplifier so that people will be attracted to your singing. You can sing for free or set out a hat or bowl in front of your setup to make a little cash while you conduct this personal experiment.
   • Choose a popular, seasonal song to draw more people in.
   • If people seem to avoid the area instead of drawing closer, your voice may not sound appealing. This could simply be a result of bad amplification, so don't let it completely dishearten you.
   • Don't base your conclusion on how much money you make or how many people gather around. Commuters and busy shoppers don't always take the time to stop and acknowledge buskers, but that doesn't mean they didn't like the sound of your voice.

Improving your singing

1. Learn to take constructive criticism. If you have a wonderful singing voice, you will know it by now. If not, you'll likely also know it. But, just as a guitar player has to go through an awkward period of fumbling over the strings, singers have to work hard at singing to improve their voices. It's not something that you're born with. It's something you can work on with dedication and practice.
   • If someone tells you that you can't sing, but you've got a passion to work on your voice, then continue practicing and working hard to get your voice improved. Don't listen to the noise. Even so, some people can just never sing no matter how hard they practice. You should already know if this is you.
2. Take voice lessons. Paying someone to teach you how to use your voice as an instrument can make a big difference in how well you sing. Choose an instructor you can trust to give you honest feedback about your ability.
3. Stick with it. If you've concluded that you don't have natural singing ability, but you love to sing, keep working at it. Your instructor will be able to help you make the most of the vocal chords you were born with. The joy of singing is available to everyone who wants it, not just people who are naturally gifted.
4. Try joining a community choir. Singing as part of a choir is an excellent way to determine whether you have a good singing voice. You'll get feedback from the choir director and the other members of the choir, and you may get the chance to hear your voice as part of a professional recording.
   • Jump at the chance to sing a solo. You'll get more one-on-one instruction from the choir director, and when you perform you'll get more feedback than you would as part of the group.
   • Talk with the choir director about ways to increase your singing ability. You could also ask the director point blank if he or she thinks you have singing talent.

Tips

• Always warm up your voice, or you might damage it and not be able to sing for days!
• Sing with a friend that has the same vocal range as you, so you can get a taste at how they sing and the techniques they use. Use those techniques and test them out on a voice recorder. Some voice recorders are inaccurate and make your voice sound terrible, so use a good quality one.
• Try to find a song to start out with and then after that practice singing day and night. Then sing in front of a crowd or a few people. If you are shy, you could video yourself and put the recording on YouTube.
• Try to find a style of music that works best for you. Also, when writing music, don't be afraid to think outside if the box. Remember, the only rules to music are to have musical notes, and have words, or some kind of sound.
• You can also sing with earplugs in. Not too tight, but snug enough that they don't fall out or that you can't hear the muffled tune in the back round. Or just put your index finger in one of your ears.

Warnings

• Don't strain your voice, drink lots of water
• Be prepared for criticism
• Don't embarrass yourself! If you really can't sing, maybe work on it in private until you are ready. Don't go out in public sounding like a dying cat!

Related Articles

• Become a Soprano When You're an Alto (for Females)
• Be Good at Showchoir
• Let Your Voice Shine
• Learn to Sing

Sources and Citations

See also

• Heal Your Vocal Chords
• Be a Singer
• Prepare and Relax Vocal Cords Prior to and During Singing
• Have a Good Singing Voice
• Harmonize
• Sing
• Sing Better if You Think You Are Bad
• Make Your Singing Voice Sound Better
• Sing Vibrato
• Become a Good Singer

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