So You Want to Sing?

Here's a list of the 10 Secrets you need to know:

1. Find a place to practice without distractions.
2. Set a time of 30 minutes to an hour each day for rehearsal. I recommend one hour per day at the least; and try to get in a practice 5 or 6 days a week.
3. Being comfortable and relaxed in your rehearsal environment is very important. I suggest wearing workout attire or loose fitting clothing.
4. Try to clear your mind of anything non-singing related. Singing has been known to be a form of meditating and with a little focus, it can be very soothing and healing.
5. When choosing your music, your best choice as a beginner is something not too complicated, usually performed by a “GOOD VOCALIST”. The best way to learn is by watching and listening to those who sing correctly.  I personally like the great opera singers however there are many great singers to choose from in every genre (type) of music.
6. Use backing / karaoke tracks, or sing along with your favourite artists / cds. I suggest both methods.  Backing tracks will allow you to hear what your own voice sounds like, helping you to develop your tone and pitch. While singing along with the artist will help train your ear to the correct notes and various styles of singing.
7. Use a recording device; whether it be a web cam with sound, karaoke on-line, or something as simple as a tape recorder. You will need to do this fairly regular in the beginning to learn when you are in your “correct voice” and when you are not. 
8. Get comfortable with your own voice and the practice area. What I mean is, find a place where you are able to make as much noise or hit as many bad notes as needed, without feeling embarrassed, shy or uneasy in anyway.
9. Take at least 10 minutes to warm-up before you begin singing. During this 10 minutes, notice any tense areas in your body and begin relaxing them. For example, think about your jaw, tongue, neck, shoulders, arms, back, and chest, while you relax these areas. You can learn more about how to relax these areas before a performance or rehearsal in an upcoming article.
10. Devote some time every day to breathing exercises, since it is the fundamental key in singing better and protecting your instrument; your voice. Whether your goal is to sing in a choir, for friends and family, at the campfire, or to become the next big singing star, at the very foundation of all great singing is learning how to control your breath using your diaphragm.

Remember, the basic fundamental factor of singing is breathing properly which is something that should be practiced several times daily.

Proper breathing technique can be done:

• discretely while waiting in line getting your morning coffee or while sitting in class,
• on your commute to work or school, or
• as a means to relax the body through meditation. 

How to Breathe Properly

Basically, proper breathing technique can be done just about anywhere you are.  The basic rule in beginning to breath properly or from the diaphragm is to inhale (breathe in) through your nose and exhale (breath out) through your mouth.

Try this …

Take a deep breath in through your nose and breath out through your mouth.  Breathing from the diaphragm is the art of expanding and collapsing the middle and upper abdomen, the area from the pelvic up to the lower chest cavity.  When breathing fully from the diaphragm, the shoulders will not raise and lower when a breath is taken. The middle area (torso) of the body will expand on the *breath in* (inhale) and collapse on the *breath out* (exhale).

1. There are two times when your body does this naturally, as you are sleeping, and
2. when you yawn.

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