Train Your Voice

There are numerous people within our world that absolutely love to sing and are grasped by the proposal of training their voice. While there are vast and various distinguishing methods, demonstrated is a productive and safe style to train one's vocals. Note that these steps can take quite the time and commitment. Be willing to input your motivation. You may practice these techniques on your own time, either with further professional vocal training, or for your own talent development. Please use these methods to branch off into finding what works for you as an individual. Celebrate the gift of singing you have, as all of our voices are unique and beautiful in their own way. Enjoy your time practicing and training your voice!!

Steps

  1. View the prospects listed in "tips" before moving on to the steps. The "tips" show certain valuable references on correct singing, such as raising the soft palate, breathing and posture, jaw placement, breath control, and other aspects. The steps provide vocal warm-ups which may be beneficial as part of a vocal training practice. Enjoy!
  2. Begin with the basic solfege (by sound) notes: "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do," while ascending the pitches along with a piano or keyboard accordingly. The object is to decline back down to the pitch "do," by singing "do, ti, la, so, fa, mi, re, do."
  3. Sing "mi-mommy-made-me-eat-my-m&ms" on the notes "do re mi fa so fa mi re do." Start out by singing "mi" while moving the pitch up higher on the notes "do re mi fa." "Ya" is to be sung on "so fa mi re do." The note "so" is one pitch higher than "fa," and therefore, it is necessary to imply on one pitch higher with the word "ya" before going back down the scale. Try to connect the notes and the words sung on the melody in a smooth fashion. This is called legato.
  4. Sing "do mi so mi do" while repeatedly singing the word "ha" on the notes. Ascend the word "ha" on the notes "do mi so," and descend the word "ha" on the notes "mi do." Sing this warm up in staccato, meaning, making each and every note short and separated, yet with control.It is best to place your hand on your stomach to make sure you are doing this exercise correctly. Each time you say "ha" while making sure the breath is coming from your diaphragm, you should feel a slight shaking feeling in your stomach, and the hand that is on it.
  5. Sing the pitches "do re mi fa so mi do." Sing "zi-ya" on the pitches. "Zi" is to be sung on "do re mi fa" in legato. Make these notes smooth and connected. "Ya" is to be sung on "so mi do." It is supposedly sung in staccato. Make these notes short and separate, just like you sang "ha." Putting these concepts together requires practice, as it involves transitioning between concepts. When singing "zi," try to keep the jaw relaxed. Do not open your mouth too wide. In fact,sing this note with a rounded mouth that is only slightly open. This way, you will achieve a soft sound that is round and full. When you sing "ya," do not widen the mouth once again. Slightly elongate the shape of your mouth. Because this also involves arpeggiation to some extent, it is always best to leave your hand on your diaphragm.
  6. If you notice the keys on the piano, note that the pitch "do" occurs more than once along the keys. The entire range of notes from one "do" to the next is called an octave. As your vocal range expands, you may achieve the ability to sing several octaves. To practice this, a piano would be very helpful. Press the key of the note "do" on the piano. This may be anywhere, depending on the type of instrument you have, such as a soprano, alto, or mezzo. Note that your voice will be traveling in an uprising fashion, so choose the spot accordingly. Start from a pitch you can comfortably sing. If you are an alto, it is best to start at a spot further down on the piano. Likewise, if you sing soprano, start higher. Mezzos should find a spot somewhere in between, midway throughout the keys. If you do not know your vocal type, make an estimate and find what works for you. Press the key "do" on the piano, and match pitch with your voice. Hold out this note as long as you comfortably can. Then, press the "do" one octave higher than the one you were singing and match pitch, holding it out accordingly. If you find this is too high for you, either start lower from the beginning, or you could try half of an octave by going from "do" to "so" instead. After singing the higher note "do" match pitch with the lower one again and sing it out to a comfortable extent. If you are a beginner, this may be enough octave training for the day. If you choose to persevere and move on, try singing out the note "re" as long as you comfortably can, then matching pitch with the higher note "re" and holding it as long as you may. Then hold out the lower note "re" once more. Try this practice with the notes "mi, fa,, so, la, ti, etc. depending on the stretch of your range. This exercise is intended to lengthen and strengthen the range of your vocal chords. Please be cautioned of straining your instrument.
  7. The basic solfege method is a system of symbols for each of the solfege pitches. The symbol for "do" is a fist. The symbol for "re" is a slanted hand with the side of your hand facing towards you, as should your thumb. Your finger tips should point slightly to the left. The symbol for "mi" is a flat hand as if you were placing it on a desk, and the side of your hand should face you once again, as should your thumb. The symbol for "fa" is a thumb's down symbol with the inside of your thumb facing outward. The symbol for "so" is a flat hand with the palm facing outward. The symbol for "la" is a cupped hand that faces downward. The symbol for "ti" is a fist with the index finger pointing up and slightly to the left. Then, bring your index finger back into your fist to make "do." You could attempt to master this method by practicing it over and over to gain the ability to symbol the notes faster. This could be an enjoyable and inspirational way to practice, as it helps to signal the notes while singing each of them. See what works for you. :)
  8. Begin with the solfege symbol "do" while singing the pitch. Hold out this note to the extent of your comfort. Then, sing and signal the note "re" while holding it out. Then, go back down and sing the note "do." The object is to move on and sing from "do" to "mi," then "do" to "fa," then "do" to "so," then "do" to "la" then "do" to "ti," then "do" to "do," or as far as desired.
  9. If none of the above work, try taking classes. You can find classes in your area online or in your local paper.(They probably will cost money!)

Tips

  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Pour your emotions into the song and use facial expressions while you sing.
  • Pick a song suitable for your vocal range. (With notes you feel more comfortable singing.)
  • Chest voice is usually a deep sound produced at the lower part of one's range. Head voice is softer and more gentle. Likewise, mask voice is a combination of the 2 and you can feel this vibration slightly below the eyes on the bones of your cheeks when you are singing in this register. Registers are simply the prospect of getting as many parts of your body in vibration as you sing. You will be able to know which register you are in because there is something called a "break" in your voice from one register to the next. Sing a note that is in the lower end of your range. As if a siren, move the pitch you are singing upward, allowing it to rise. If you go high enough, and depending on where you are with developing your vocal range, you will experience a "break" in the sound of your "siren" where the vocal sound gets cut off. This is natural, and we all have this "break." The range of your voice before you reached this break was sung in chest register. The sound produced after the break in a softer voice was sung in head register. Mask voice, which is in between the 2 distinguishing principles, was sung throughout the median pitches of your given range, before you reached the "break" point.
  • Breathe in through your nose, then plug your nose with a free hand. This is how it should feel when you sing. Practice singing without feeling the exhalation of the breath in your nose while you sing.
  • The soft pallet should always be raised. The object is to leave as much hollow space on the inner part of your mouth, so as to produce a sound that is round and full. Lower your tongue, allowing it to rest on the bottom of the mouth. Elongate the jaw slightly. Your lips should form a small, round, circular, shape. Be sure not to open your mouth too much, as it may block the hollow passage of the roof of your mouth.
  • Singing louder and singing softer should take the same amount of breath support, and vocal strain should not be experienced, either way. Using diaphragm breathing, these variations can be controlled throughout the song. Try alternatively bringing your right and left hands forward, one after and over the other. This technique is used to add volume to your voice to sing in forte or fortissimo.
  • Start from an estimated guess as to what you feel the note sounds like to match pitch. Move the pitch of your voice up and down the scale as a siren until you match the desired pitch. You will be able to hear and feel when you meet this match.
  • Begin with your hands on your stomach, placed on top of each other. Breath deeply and serenely through your nose so that the breath makes your stomach expand. As you exhale, your abdomen should contract slightly. Your inhale should be deep to the full capacity extent in order to hold out notes and phrases, and for the purpose of singing in legato. The exhalation should be mellow and slow, conserving every last bit of breath to input into your voice before taking the next breath.
  • Place the feet shoulder width apart and slightly bend your legs. (to ensure they are not locked, as locking the knees for a lengthy period of time could result in unconsciousness.) The back should be straight. Your neck should line up with the rest of your spine. The head should be not be tilted to either side. Focus the gaze straight ahead, keeping it relaxed.
  • Enunciate, or bring out, the consonants of the words in the song. You may also wish to place an emphasis on certain words.
  • Tuning involves singing the "target" of a note. This means singing exactly what the note should sound like, and not singing sharp or flat. You know you are singing flat when the pitch you are singing does not sound correct and is slightly, very slightly, lower than the note on a piano, etc. You know you are singing sharp when your voice is producing a pitch that does not sound correct and sounds slightly higher than the pitch you are attempting to sing on a piano or in a song, etc. Sing a particular note while taking your index finger, and gently, very gently, pushing it towards the center of the forehead. This seems to produce a psychological effect on most singers to be able to hit the exact pitch. Be careful with this one if you will, being very gentle.

Warnings

  • Make sure to rest your voice and give it plenty of liquids, particularly water.
  • Be careful not to strain your voice
  • Some common mistakes to avoid are smiling while singing, under singing, over singing, pushing out too much air, and pushing beyond one's natural range. These are common causes of damage of the vocal folds. Be cautioned of these.
  • Note that if you feel any type if physical strain or especially to the extent of pain, stop practicing. This may be due to practicing these techniques in an incorrect fashion. Seek to speak with a vocal trainer, choral director, or a specialist of the vocal folds. They will be able to show you what is being done incorrectly, and offer insight for self-improvement.

Things You'll Need

  • A piano or keyboard (if you wish)
  • A voice
  • An open mind
  • A longing to explore different styles while inputting natural talent and creativity
  • Patience

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Sources and Citations

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