Your Singing Questions Answered

What is the best singing method?

The best singing method is one that works best for you. Many singing teachers will forget this, and they will tell you that you should use their methods. What you are looking for is a method or technique that helps you with breathing management, tone, resonance, articulation, and of course the principals of singing.

Why doesn’t my voice work sometimes?

There are a number of things that can cause your voice to fail you. Thinking too much about how you sound as you sing can make you nervous and you may not sound your best. Not getting enough sleep can cause your voice to feel sluggish and not respond as easily as it normally does. Singing too much the day before or the day of an audition can cause your voice to get tired. The singing muscles are like other muscles in your body. Your singing muscles will need to rest after being used. Any emotions you have might impact your voice. Crying may have a negative result on your vocal cords.

Do fat people have bigger voices?

Absolutely not. Your voice size isn’t related to your waist size. If it were the case, then all large people would have a great voice. Actually, having extra weight around the middle makes it harder to move your body and to breathe. If you’re used to that movement, then it’s not a problem. To be honest, the size of your head and throat make a larger impact.

If my voice is scratchy, do I have nodes?

It takes quite a bit of abuse to get nodes. You won’t get nodes by yelling for a day. Naturally they would swell, but it would take much more abuse to give them nodes. Keep in mind that nodes are much like calluses. If you don’t abuse the cords, the problem will not exist. If the scratchy sounds continue, try vocalizing high in your range. Nodes are usually only affecting the higher part of your voice. If you find that the middle area of the voice is all that’s affected rather than the other parts, then you may other problems.

What’s the difference between a coach, accompanist, and a voice teacher?

The coach is a person that can play the piano and will give you good advice on singing. There will be a number of things that take place during a session with a coach, some of which involve pronunciation, and singing in the right style. A coach is able to teach you the basics, and of course compliment the things that your voice teacher will tell you.

A pianist or accompanist is someone who plays the piano for you to practice singing but doesn’t offer advice. The accompanist won’t charge less than the coach.

Your voice teacher is the one that will teach you technique. While the coach has knowledge of technique of course, the voice teacher is the expert. The voice teacher will be able to fofer a lot of knowledge, even if they are not a great pianist. In your voice lesson, you can expect to work at least half of the session on technique and the other half applying that technique to repertoire.

Want to learn how to sing like a star but don’t have the money for expensive private singing lessons? I strongly recommend you take a look at Brett Manning’s Singing Success.

Your Singing Questions Answered

What is the best singing method?

The best singing method is one that works best for you. Many singing teachers will forget this, and they will tell you that you should use their methods. What you are looking for is a method or technique that helps you with breathing management, tone, resonance, articulation, and of course the principals of singing.

Why doesn’t my voice work sometimes?

There are a number of things that can cause your voice to fail you. Thinking too much about how you sound as you sing can make you nervous and you may not sound your best. Not getting enough sleep can cause your voice to feel sluggish and not respond as easily as it normally does. Singing too much the day before or the day of an audition can cause your voice to get tired. The singing muscles are like other muscles in your body. Your singing muscles will need to rest after being used. Any emotions you have might impact your voice. Crying may have a negative result on your vocal cords.

Do fat people have bigger voices?

Absolutely not. Your voice size isn’t related to your waist size. If it were the case, then all large people would have a great voice. Actually, having extra weight around the middle makes it harder to move your body and to breathe. If you’re used to that movement, then it’s not a problem. To be honest, the size of your head and throat make a larger impact.

If my voice is scratchy, do I have nodes?

It takes quite a bit of abuse to get nodes. You won’t get nodes by yelling for a day. Naturally they would swell, but it would take much more abuse to give them nodes. Keep in mind that nodes are much like calluses. If you don’t abuse the cords, the problem will not exist. If the scratchy sounds continue, try vocalizing high in your range. Nodes are usually only affecting the higher part of your voice. If you find that the middle area of the voice is all that’s affected rather than the other parts, then you may other problems.

What’s the difference between a coach, accompanist, and a voice teacher?

The coach is a person that can play the piano and will give you good advice on singing. There will be a number of things that take place during a session with a coach, some of which involve pronunciation, and singing in the right style. A coach is able to teach you the basics, and of course compliment the things that your voice teacher will tell you.

A pianist or accompanist is someone who plays the piano for you to practice singing but doesn’t offer advice. The accompanist won’t charge less than the coach.

Your voice teacher is the one that will teach you technique. While the coach has knowledge of technique of course, the voice teacher is the expert. The voice teacher will be able to fofer a lot of knowledge, even if they are not a great pianist. In your voice lesson, you can expect to work at least half of the session on technique and the other half applying that technique to repertoire.

Want to learn how to sing like a star but don’t have the money for expensive private singing lessons? I strongly recommend you take a look at Brett Manning’s Singing Success.

Vocal Tips

If you’ve been singing for awhile, you might start to feel that you’re in a rut. Below are several valuable vocal tips to help regenerate your enthusiasm and improve your performances.
Vocal Tips 1–Take a Lesson
Even if you’ve had extensive training prior to now, it’s always valuable to get fresh, objective instruction. Perhaps you’ve slacked off on your breathing exercises, or fallen into imperfect vocal habits. Phone your former instructor and schedule a “tune-up” lesson. Most trained singers and even singing teachers still get occasional lessons.
Vocal Tips 2–Mix it Up
If you have been focusing exclusively on one technique or type of song, try something different. Pull out one of your preferred recordings from high school and sing along with it. Choose a brand new tune to learn, maybe one in a style you haven’t done for awhile. When you come back to your standard routine, it will not seem so stale.
Vocal Tips 3–Do a Self-check
Review the basics and make sure you are still using good posture, breath support, plus tone placement. Check for any unwanted tension, particularly within your face and neck, as this can detract from your sound and make singing not as much fun.
Vocal Tips 4–Relax
Start each practice session and performance warm-up by means of simple stretching and relaxation exercises. One uncomplicated relaxation exercise is the “rag doll”. Standing with your feet about hip-width apart, bend forward from the hips and allow your arms, head, along with upper body to hang loosely. Shake your arms and head a lttle bit, then allow them to dangle again. Relieving tension can make a huge difference.
Vocal Tips 5–Get Some Exercise
For people with a busy performance timetable, you might have gotten out of your regular fitness schedule. For anybody who is on the road, the majority hotels have workout facilities; if not, just take a stroll. If the weather is inclement or you’re in an unfamiliar town, you can still walk in the hotel hallways. Unless you’re toting equipment, use stairs instead of elevators.
Vocal Tips 6–Pamper Yourself
Spend some time in a hot tub, get an expert rubdown, treat yourself to a favorite dessert, or re-read a favorite book. Indulge in any small luxury; it doesn’t need to be expensive.
Vocal Tips 7–Have a Jam Session
Get a group of musician acquaintances together for an informal jam session and play some old favorites. Steer clear of performance material and merely have fun! You may want to incorporate an informal dinner, and invite everybody to bring part of the meal so no one has to do all of the work.
“Wait a minute,” chances are you’ll be thinking. “So far, only half of these so-called ‘singing tips’ involve actual singing!” That is true, however consider it this way: whenever a guitar gets tough to tune, you replace the strings. Every time a piano gets out of tune, you call in a tuner. As a singer, your instrument is your body. As soon as your voice gets out of tune, it is advisable carry out the proper maintenance.
When one’s body is in good condition, you’re able to go back to your singing routine with further energy and enthusiasm. Select some fun new material to work on and hop back in. Review your fundamentals and take the advice you received in your “tune-up” lesson, and you should be back on track.