Sing if You Have a Bad Voice

Singing is a fun and joyous practice, but not everyone feels confident sharing their voice with others. You may love to sing, but miss opportunities to do so because you don't like the way you sound. By learning to stand straight, breathe properly, and support a note, you can learn to improve your singing voice.

Steps

Supporting Your Voice

  1. Stand upright. This will have a significant impact on your ability to deliver strong notes. Stand up straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart, and look straight ahead without lifting your chin. Place your hands on your lower back to lift your sternum, and maintain it in that position when you have lowered your hands.[1]
    • Imagining a string pulling you upright from the top of your head can help you maintain your posture.
    • Try to stay relaxed as tension will compromise your voice; keep your shoulders down and abdomen relaxed.
  2. Breathe steadily. Do not gulp air, even when trying to maintain a long note. Breathe quickly and steadily. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, inflating your abdomen (diaphragm), keeping your shoulders relaxed as your breathe.[1]
    • It may help to imagine a rubber ring around your abdomen. As you breathe in try to expand your abdomen and push against the ring.
    • Use all of your breath. Don't sing in a breathy voice, as this releases air you need to support your notes.
    • Stay relaxed, as tension in your body can impact the quality of your sound.
  3. Warm up your voice. Always warm up, as this will improve the quality of your voice and prevent strain or damage to your vocal chords. You can try humming, massaging your jaw, or saying any of these warm up exercises:[2]
    • "The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue, the tip of the tongue, the teeth, the lips."
    • "A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer."
  4. Train Your Ear. You may have a lovely tone when you sing, but if you sing the wrong notes the effect will be spoiled. Train your ear by playing notes and singing them. Warm up by singing "do re mi" scales.
    • Consider learning an instrument, such as guitar or piano. This will improve your ability to distinguish notes.
    • Try out an ear training app.

Finding Your Voice

  1. Explore your range. Your range is the span between the highest and lowest notes you can sing. Practice singing up and down a scale to tell what is most comfortable for you. To do this, sing the note that is most natural for you, and gradually take the pitch up and down without straining your voice.[3]
    • Try singing vowels. This can be a great way to explore your range.
  2. Never strain your voice. If your singing hurts, or feels uncomfortable, stop. If you feel you have to "push" to reach a note, you are straining. If you want to reach a note outside of your range, don't force it. Instead, take time to expand your range.[3]
    • Drink room temperature water to keep your vocal chords hydrated.
  3. Practice singing clearly. Learn to articulate while you sing, ensuring the way you pronounce words does not interfere with the delivery of the lyric. Place varying emphasis on the words you are singing, giving extra weight to important words or words on prolonged notes.[4]
    • Try exaggerating your facial expressions as well, practicing in front of a mirror.
    • Be mindful of your tongue. It should rest at the bottom of your mouth with the tip touching the back of your teeth.

Improving Over Time

  1. Take lessons. A good vocal teacher can help you train your ear and expand your vocal range and power. Get an experienced teacher, or take classes from a professional singer who has received extensive training.
    • If you live near a university with a strong arts program, call the music department and ask if any graduate students give classes.
  2. Set a regular practice schedule. You may choose to practice 20 minutes every day, for instance. Each time you practice, be sure to utilize excellent posture, thoroughly warm up, and focus on your breathing.
    • Try a variety of breathing and vocal exercises to determine what feels best and works for your range.
    • As with any muscle, the muscles used to sing can tire and strain; be mindful of this, taking breaks between exercises, and always warm up thoroughly.
  3. Sing in many different styles. Practice singing jazz, pop, R&B, folk, country, and rock. Your voice may be better suited to some styles than others. Singing along to CDs can be a great way of experimenting with new types of genres and ranges.
  4. Pursue opportunities to sing in public. Singing in front of a crowd (either solo or in a group ensemble) can be a great way to build confidence. Also, singing with a group can help refine your ability to sing in tune and allow you to learn from other singers.
    • Karaoke can be a fun and accessible way to sing in front of a crowd. With such a wide selection of options, you can pick a song in your range and take center stage!
    • Church choir or a local singing group can provide an opportunity to sing in a group on a regular basis. There is safety in numbers; singing in a choir can help build confidence.

Mastering a Song

  1. Listen to a variety of songs. Pay close attention to the vocal range. Try singing along with those songs to determine your comfort level with the highest and lowest notes in the composition.
  2. Choose a song that suits your voice and vocal range. It can be very tempting to pick songs by your favorite artists or in your preferred genre. For those of us with a limited vocal range, finding the right song is crucial to a successful performance.
  3. Record yourself. Once you have selected a song, try singing it a few times, and then record yourself singing it. Play the recording back, paying attention to your tone, pitch, and articulation. Try again (and keep the original recording), and play it back once more to help refine your delivery.
  4. Experiment! Adjust the melody of the song to be within your range, taking the notes down or up an octave. This strategy can help you practice songs outside of your range and determine what feels most comfortable.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.singwise.com/cgi-bin/main.pl?section=quickRef&doc=Breathing_InAPinch
  2. ↑ http://www.entnet.org/content/vocal-warmup-put-your-best-voice-forward
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/voice.shtml
  4. ↑ http://www.vocalist.org.uk/diction.html
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