How Do I Practice Singing?
One of the questions I get all the time (especially from new clients!) is:
“How should I practice singing?”
And the answer is definitely not:
“Sing the entire song from beginning to end a million times and just hope it gets better!”
Or:
“Keep singing scales. And more scales . Until you get better. “
I can hear the voice of one of my mentors, Dr. Meribeth Dayme right now. She haaated scales and thought they were boring!
Those two examples above may feel like practicing, but most of the time, it’s really just…. repeating.
Good, effective singing practice is much more specific and intentional than that!
Would it also surprise you to learn it should also be….kinda fun?
Start With a Goal
Before you sing anything, ask yourself:
What am I actually trying to improve today?
Maybe it’s:
- Getting through a tricky phrase without running out of breath
- Cleaning up your diction
- Making the lyrics more conversational
- Fixing a rhythm that’s been kicking your butt
- Improving your mix or belt (some people don’t believe “mix” exists, but that’s for later!)
- Getting a high note to feel free and supported
- Memorizing a section
- Working on dynamics or phrasing
You do not need to fix everything in one practice session.
Let’s be real. Who can do THAT???
In fact, don’t even try. You’ll just end up frustrated, and more likely to give up (seen it!)
Choose one or two things and work on those.
Yup. You heard me!
One or two things.
Don’t Always Start at the Beginning
This is one of the biggest mistakes singers make, so listen up!
You have trouble with eight measures in the middle of the song, so naturally you start at measure one every single time.
Why are you doing that if the problem is in the middle???
Go directly to the problem. Face it head on!
Take the difficult phrase out of context and work on it by itself.
You might speak the lyrics.
Clap the rhythm.
Sing it slooooowly.
Sing it on a vowel. Then another vowel.
Try the technical exercise your teacher gave you, like the countless weird ones I give MY singers (my motto: “weird works!”)
Then… put the words back in.
Once it feels better, add the measure before it and the measure after it.
That is practice made smart!
Separate the Problems
Sometimes a phrase feels “hard,” but there may actually be several different things going wrong at once.
Is the pitch inconsistent?
The rhythm tough?
The vowel off?
The breath not so reliable?
The register transitions tough?
The consonants unclear?
The acting choices are not at all defined?
If you try to solve all of those things simultaneously, your brain has a lot to juggle, not mention judge harshly!
Break the phrase apart.
A singer who can identify why something is difficult is already halfway toward fixing it.
Use the Exercises From Your Lesson
Your vocal exercises are not random warm-ups designed to fill the first ten minutes of a voice lesson.
At least, they aren’t in MY world!
If your teacher gives you an exercise that helps with a particular technical problem, use that exercise when the same problem appears in your song.
That is where technique becomes useful.
Instead of thinking:
“First I do my exercises, then I sing my songs,”
INSTEAD, think:
“These exercises are useful tools I can use to make my songs feel easier ”
That is a much more productive way to practice, doncha think?
It’s also worth mentioning that you do not need to do scales or arpeggios or “traditional” vocal exercises if you hate ‘em.
Mind blowing, right?
Going back to Dr. Meribeth: she suggested that students use parts of an easy song as a warm up, and/or use fun sounds (trills, slides, silly voices…get creative!)
Bottom line is that if you enjoy scales/traditional exercises, have at ‘em! MANY of my singers LOVE THEM!
But, I have many that don’t…and some that appreciate a combo of the traditional/wacky.
Find what works for you, because that is what you will stick with!
Record Yourself
I know. Ohhh, I know.
Nobody enjoys this at first. The faces I see when I suggest this!
But recording yourself is incredibly useful!
What you hear while you are singing is not what everyone else hears.
Record a short section and listen back.
You may notice:
- A word you’re swallowing
- A pitch that isn’t quite centered
- A habit of rushing
- A breath in the middle of a word
- A phrase that sounds much better than you thought it would!
You do not need to analyze every single second of your singing (please, just don’t!)
Just use recordings as information! It cuts down on your learning time,too! Those that don’t record don’t progress as quickly.
Stop Practicing Mistakes
If you sing the same phrase incorrectly ten times in a row, you are not getting closer to fixing it.
You are getting very good at doing it incorrectly.
Stop.
Sloooooow it down.
Change the exercise.
Take the words out.
Ask yourself what is actually happening, and what you are feeling when you make those sounds.
If something begins to hurt, feel strained, or get progressively worse, that is also a sign to stop.
Repetition is not always better, if you’re repeating what doesn’t work for you!
Short, Focused Practice Counts
You do not need a one-hour practice session every day to make progress. You’re most likely not auditioning at the Metropolitan Opera!
For many singers, 15–20 focused minutes can be incredibly productive!
Five intentional minutes on a difficult section can sometimes accomplish more than 45 minutes of singing through songs without a plan.
Consistency matters more than marathon sessions.
If you are into physical fitness at all, you may have heard several instructors say something along the lines of : “any time you can devote to exercise is worth it”, right?
Same goes for practicing singing!
Practice What You Learned — Not What You Think You Remember
After a lesson, write things down, or make a quick voice note on your phone.
“Do lip trills” is not as useful as:
“Use the lip trill here because I’m pushing too much as I move into my upper register.”
The more you understand why you are practicing something, the more independent you become as a singer.
And that is ultimately the goal, right?
A Simple Practice Routine
If you have absolutely no idea where to start, like many beginner singers, try this:
5 minutes: Gentle vocalizing and exercises from your lesson (this is why we record, people!)
5 minutes: Work on ONE difficult technical section in a song
5 minutes: Work on lyrics, rhythm, phrasing, or interpretation
5 minutes: Sing through part or all of the song and see what changed . THIS is what Dr. Meribeth called “practicing performing”, and it’s CRUCIAL! If you don’t practice singing at least a part of your song all the way through without stopping, you won’t feel as prepared for actual performing, which may not be the goal for all of you but is the goal for a huge percentage of singers.
That’s twenty minutes.
And it is far more useful than singing the song 6 times and calling it a day.
Practice Smarter, Not Just Longer
Singing improves when you learn how to diagnose problems, experiment, and make adjustments. The other big one is learning how to feel how you make sound!
That skill takes time ,but it’s worth it!
So the next time you sit down to practice, don’t just ask:
“What should I do?”
Ask:
“What am I trying to make easier?”
That question will make your practice time much more productive!
Ready to learn what your voice can do, and be guided through the process? I’ll help you find the perfect things for your specific voice to practice,too!
Schedule something with me now and we’ll get this goin’!