How to Improve Your Vocal Range
Many musical people cannot sing like a pro. The reason for this is because, unlike the instruments they play, which are well practiced, often they will have neglected to pay as much attention to their singing as they did to learn their instrument.
Singing is like any skill. Some are born with it, but everybody can learn to do it. The learning of proper technique will correct the vast majority of ‘poor singing’ ailments, notably strain, squeeking, duff tuning or exhaustion. To develop control over your voice, like any instrument, skill, or sport, requires a lot of time and effort, especially to reach a professional level. This is true even of rock and roll singers, such as Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. Grohl uses his voice in an agressive way but it will never squeeks, pops or sounds strained, and this is because he has learnt to use his voice in this way over a number of years.
The development of the voice is two fold: partially developing the skills (an exercise of the mind and ears), and developing of the muscles. With practice, both will be improved and so will the singing.
How to Improve Your Vocal Range
Improving your vocal range is easy but takes effort. Every day, you should sing notes on a scale, going up, and going down, and listening very carefully to your voice and how it sounds. Use a piano or guitar if you can. You want to eliminate all signs of strain, and make it sound controlled and even throughout the range, right up to as high or low as you can get.
Keep doing this and you will find your range substantially extended in both directions after several weeks, as your muscles develop and you gain new control over them.
Remember, do these exercises slowly. The purpose is to develop control and accuracy. Try and relax. Too much effort will only work against you.
If you have the facility, also try doing this with a microphone and headphones to listen back to yourself simultaneously. This is a very different experience from doing it acoustically and benefits people who make recordings.
Why do this- it’s not very rock and roll
Granted, vocal training is not the same as snorting cocaine off toilet seats. It isn’t rock and roll. But it will make you sound a like a pro, not like an amateur. If you want to be a pro, then you need to put in the work.
I must admit I still find this difficult. I am not a natural singer, but I have come along way from sounding like a juvenile in a punk band and it has been 100% rewarding all the way. I’m taking vocal training as seriously as any other instrument now and I hope my voice will improve further over time.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
[…] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerptHow to Improve Your Vocal Range October 8th, 2007 Many musical people cannot sing like a pro. The reason for this is because, unlike the instruments they play, which are well practiced, often they will have neglected to pay as much attention to their singing as they did to learn their instrument. Singing is like any skill. Some are born with it, but everybody can learn to do it. The learning of proper technique will correct the vast majority of ‘poor singing’ ailments, notably strain, squeek […]