5 Tips to Improve Your Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, often in a rhythmic and melodic manner. It’s a form of musical expression that uses the human voice as the primary instrument. Singing can take many different forms, from opera and classical music to rock, pop, and other styles of contemporary music. Singers use their voices to produce notes, phrases, and songs, often accompanied by musical instruments, making it a powerful way to express emotions and communicate musical ideas. Point Blank offers numerous singing and songwriting courses to help you achieve your vocal goals, no matter your experience. Alright, lets get it! Here are five vocal tips to improve your speaking voice:

1. Hydration

Staying hydrated is important for maintaining a healthy vocal apparatus, obviously. So drink plenty of water to keep your vocal cords lubricated and reduce the risk of hoarseness or throat irritation. Staying hydrated helps keep your vocal cords moist and flexible, which can prevent hoarseness, soreness, and other vocal issues.  You should avoid dehydrating substances such as alcohol and caffeine, which can further dry out your vocal cords. Instead, try adding some lemon. Lemons are natural mucolytics, which means that they produce plenty of thin mucus that helps you develop a natural, beautiful, singing voice. Drinking water regularly throughout the day is a simple and effective way to maintain vocal health.

2. Breath control

Good breathing is key to strong and controlled vocal production. Practice deep breathing exercises to strengthen your diaphragm and improve your ability to sustain long phrases or deliver powerful speeches. Good breath control is crucial for effective vocal production. By strengthening your diaphragm, you can improve your ability to take in large amounts of air, which can give your voice more power and projection. Deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing or yoga breathing, can help you develop the right breathing muscles and techniques to support your speaking or singing. Additionally, being mindful of your breathing during speeches or performances can help you maintain control and avoid running out of breath mid-sentence.

3. Warm-ups

Before singing or even speaking, it’s important to warm up your voice. Gentle humming, lip trills, and other exercises can help loosen up your vocal cords and prepare them for use. Warm-ups are an important part of any vocal routine. Just like stretching before physical exercise, vocal warm-ups help prepare your voice for use and reduce the risk of injury. Gentle humming, lip trills, and other exercises can help to loosen up your vocal cords, increase blood flow, and warm up the muscles involved in speaking or singing. Incorporating regular vocal warm-ups into your routine can help improve your overall vocal performance and prevent strain or damage to your voice.

4. Proper posture

The way you hold your body can affect the quality of your voice. Stand up straight, relax your shoulders, and open your chest to allow for optimal airflow and resonance. Proper posture plays a key role in the quality of your voice. When you stand up straight, relax your shoulders, and open your chest, you create more space for air to flow and your voice to resonate. This can help improve your voice projection, clarity, and overall sound quality. Additionally, proper posture can also help reduce tension in your neck, shoulders, and back, which can prevent discomfort and strain during speaking or singing. So, maintaining good posture is not only good for your voice, but also for your overall comfort and well-being.

5. Voice projection

To project your voice effectively, speak from your diaphragm and use your chest, rather than your throat, to produce sound. This will help you achieve greater volume and clarity while avoiding vocal strain. Voice projection is about using the right techniques to make your voice carry and be heard. When you speak from your diaphragm and use your chest to produce sound, you’re able to generate more volume and clarity without straining your throat or vocal cords. This technique, known as chest voice, allows for greater control and power in your speaking voice. To practice speaking from your diaphragm, try placing one hand on your stomach and speaking from that area, rather than from your throat. This will help you feel the vibration of the sound being produced and get a sense of what it feels like to speak from your diaphragm. With time and practice, you can develop this technique and improve your voice projection.

Remember, these tips are just a starting point, and there is a lot more to learn about improving your speaking voice. Consider enrolling in our Singing course, where you’ll learn essential techniques that will help you sing and perform like a professional vocalist. Or check out our Vocal Musicianship to help you cross the bridge into musical collaboration and creativity through a deeper understanding of harmony and the musical language. No matter your musical goal, we have something for everyone at our L.A. & London, as well as our online school. So what are you waiting for? Take your skills to the next level.