Buzz
When you sing in the shower or car, you may feel like you sing just as well as any music star, but it's hard to tell if others would share that same feeling. In fact, you can assess this by listening to your own voice with the right method. Try recording yourself and pay attention to factors such as tone, pitch, and control. The good news is, almost anyone can learn to sing well, and you just need to follow a few simple steps to improve your singing voice.
Steps
Assess Your Vocal Technique
To evaluate your singing voice as accurately as possible, the first thing you need to do is identify your vocal range. There are several apps and websites with tools that can help you determine your natural vocal range in just a few minutes. Alternatively, you can also do this by recording and listening to your voice.
- If you use an app to find your vocal range, it will guide you to record your singing through a microphone. Depending on the app, you may record for anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, typically with a song of your choice. The app will analyze the average frequency of your recorded voice to determine your vocal range.
- Vocal ranges are divided into different voice types. From highest to lowest, these voice types include soprano (high female), mezzo-soprano (middle female), contralto (low female), countertenor (high male), tenor (high male), baritone (middle male), and bass (low male).
- Each voice type is further subdivided into smaller categories, allowing for more detailed classifications of an individual's vocal ability, such as lyric and dramatic voices.
Choose a song within your vocal range to record. Once you've identified your vocal range, find a song that suits your voice type to record. Singing acapella (without instrumental accompaniment) isn't the best way to evaluate your voice, so it's better to pick a song with a background track or instrumental support.
- To assess whether you can sing in tune and stay on key, it's crucial to find an instrumental track, like karaoke versions. You can easily find karaoke backing tracks online, such as on YouTube.
- You can also use pre-set instrumental tracks from instruments like the Casio keyboard or other music tools that might be available in your album.
- Before recording, listen to tracks in different keys and find one where you feel most comfortable.
Record your voice. Your nasal passages and sinuses might make your own voice sound different to you than it does to others. The best way to evaluate your singing is by listening to a recording of yourself. You can use a recording device or a voice memo app on your smartphone and sing a melody for at least 30 seconds.
- Although you don't need to invest in advanced recording equipment to hear your voice, it is important to use a decent-quality recorder. If a recording app distorts others' voices, it will likely do the same with yours.
- If you get nervous singing in front of others, this method is perfect for overcoming performance anxiety. No one else will hear your recording except for you!
- Even professional singers often record their voices to improve their performance.
Play back the recording and trust your intuition. This is the decisive moment! Once you’ve completed your recording, take a deep breath and press play. During your first listen, focus on how well you've completed the song and how it feels to hear your own voice. While it's not a perfect critique, your instincts will tell you a lot.
- Listen to the recording in different ways. Try it through cheap computer speakers, then listen in your car, and finally, check it with headphones. The type and quality of speakers will give you varying results.
- Many people are too hard on themselves. While intuition is important, you should also seek other feedback to balance your critical instincts.
Pay attention to how well your voice matches the background music. After your first listen, play the recording again and pay close attention to how you control your voice. Check if you're hitting the right notes, meaning whether your pitch matches the background music.
- While listening to the recording, also notice if your voice sounds raspy or shaky unintentionally. This could indicate that your vocal cords are being overstrained, and you may not be fully controlling your vocal range.
Listen carefully to your breathing in the recording and ensure you don't hear gasps mixed in with your singing. Breath control may seem unimportant, but it actually has a significant impact on the quality of your singing. Listen to your recording again to see if there are any deep breaths while you're singing. Also, pay attention to whether sustained notes get cut off due to breath shortages, or if your pitch jumps unusually high just before inhaling.
Review the tone and overall timbre in your recording. Timbre refers to the overall quality of your voice. Even if you hit the right notes, your voice can still sound off if it's out of tune or if the timbre doesn't match the song. Pay attention to factors like whether your vowels are clear and consistent, how wide your vocal range is, and how well you express the rhythmic nuances of the song (your ability to adapt to different singing styles).
- When evaluating your timbre, listen for whether your voice is strong or soft, raspy or smooth, bright or deep, etc.
Improving Your Singing Voice
Test your pitch recognition. Listen to a short melody or a single note, then imagine the sound in your mind without singing it out loud. Afterward, imagine you're singing that note or melody, and only then actually sing it aloud.
Annabeth Novitzki
Music Tutor
Music Tutor
Annabeth Novitzki, a private voice instructor, states: "While some people may have natural talent, singing is a skill that can be developed and improved. If you're passionate about singing, practice smartly and consistently to enhance your vocal quality."
Practice your vocal range and singing technique every day. While some people may naturally have better vocal control than others, anyone can improve their singing with practice. Continue working on breath control, vocal exercises, and finding music genres that suit your natural timbre.
- Musical talent grows alongside musical ability. Begin studying vocal techniques and approach singing as if learning an instrument. The more you understand about vocal techniques, the better your practice results will be.
Learn vocal techniques. Your voice quality can be significantly improved if you have a teacher who teaches you to treat your voice like an instrument. Choose an instructor who focuses not only on pitch but also on overall technique. A good vocal coach will teach you how to stand, breathe, move, read music, etc., while singing.
- If you have friends who are studying vocal techniques, ask them who they are learning from or ask for recommendations. Choir directors, local band members, and a cappella group leaders could be useful resources for finding a vocal coach.
- Many vocal coaches offer free introductory lessons or discounted sessions. You can sign up for introductory classes to see who works best with you. Does the coach encourage you to sing? Do they spend most of the lesson talking? Do they focus only on your voice or also on your physical technique?
Learn how to accept constructive criticism. This is when you’ll know if you have a great voice or not. However, just as a guitarist must go through a challenging period of fumbling with the strings, singers also need to practice hard to improve their voice. Your voice is not something you’re born with, but a gift you can achieve with dedication and hard work.
- If singing is your passion, don’t let someone tell you that you can’t sing. Keep practicing and working hard to improve your voice while ignoring negative comments. However, some people may never be able to sing well no matter how much they practice. You may already know if this applies to you.
Join a school or community choir to practice and improve your voice. Singing in a choir is a fantastic way to enhance your vocal ability. You will receive feedback from the choir conductor and other members, and you’ll have the opportunity to work as part of a group. Amateur singers often feel more comfortable singing in a group, as their voices are less likely to be singled out.
- Singing with others can help you improve your pitch recognition and even learn more complex melodies.
- Discuss techniques for improving your singing with the choir conductor.
- In addition to improving your singing, this activity fosters social connections and boosts your happiness.
Continue to practice and rehearse regularly to improve your singing skills. If you love singing, keep practicing, even if you weren’t born with a perfect voice. A coach can help you use your vocal cords in the most efficient way possible. Everyone deserves to enjoy the joy of singing.
Use tools to test your natural ability
Take a tone deafness test. Some people are tone-deaf, meaning they can't perceive pitch properly. Many online tone deafness tests can help you determine if you're struggling with pitch recognition and singing in tune. Try to see if you can distinguish between high and low notes, or if you fall into the 1.5% of the population affected by 'amusia,' those who cannot tell pitch, tone, or even rhythm apart.
- Most online tone deafness tests consist of short clips taken from famous songs or melodies. The test-taker listens to the clip and then indicates whether the notes are correct or incorrect.
- Being tone-deaf doesn't mean you were born with a bad voice, but it does indicate that you may have difficulty singing on pitch.
- Similarly, struggling with voice control doesn't mean you're tone-deaf. A beautiful voice depends on many factors, and sometimes it simply means you need more practice with voice control.
Ask for feedback from trusted individuals. Similar to singing in front of friends and family, letting a few loved ones listen to your recording will help you understand what they think of your voice. If you have a friend who is a talented singer, ask for their feedback. If your audience isn't familiar with vocal technique, you can still ask about their initial reaction to hearing your voice.
- Choose people you trust to give you honest feedback. Avoid those who will praise your voice no matter how you sing, and don't take too much stock in those who criticize too harshly even when you perform well.
Perform in front of an audience for external feedback. To receive constructive feedback from others, try singing for an audience. Invite friends and family to watch your small performance. Go to singing clubs, participate in singing competitions, or sing karaoke. Find a comfortable place to perform and give it a try.
- Choose a space that will enhance your vocal performance. A large room with a high ceiling will make your voice sound better than a low-ceilinged carpeted basement.
- After the performance, ask the audience for honest feedback. Remember that some people may try to soften their comments to avoid hurting your feelings, while others may be overly critical. Look for common themes rather than focusing too much on any one opinion.
- Another way to gather public feedback is by performing at a train station or busy shopping area. If possible, use a microphone and a small speaker to see if people stop to listen. Just be sure to ask permission from the venue owner or manager first. Some locations, such as subway stations, may require permission from the city.
Advice
- Always warm up your voice, or you risk damaging it. You should consult with a vocal coach or search online for appropriate vocal warm-up exercises.
- Sing with a friend who has a similar vocal range to yours to get an idea of their technique. You can apply those techniques and test them on a recorder.
- If you're struggling to improve your voice, don't pressure yourself too much. Perhaps you weren't born with an extraordinary voice, and that's not your fault!
