Tips on how to become a better singer?

What are some tips on how to become a better singer?

• mostly on how to train and make my voice better

• Answer:

  Singers' posture is the foundation of proper breathing, and therefore the foundation of singing. (Standing) from the top: Your head should be level with the floor and you are looking ahead, not up or down. No tension, just placed as so. When singing everything should be loose with no stiff tension. Tension causes things to be incorrect even when you know the right way and use it. Next, Roll your shoulders back. Rolling your shoulders back elongates the spine and thorax or chest cavity and lifts the sternum, the bone in the middle of your chest. This allows space for proper breathing. Keep your knees loose, so that they can bend. Don't lock them. Keep your feet shoulder width apart. One foot can be a little farther forward than the other if that is more comfortable for you. Imagine yourself as royalty. This is all perfectly natural and normal. It is simply the way you present yourself--with poise and self-confidence. (Sitting) additional information: When sitting it is important to keep all the same posture techniques used for standing. Make sure you sit as far forward on the seat as possible and keep your feet flat on the floor. When you have proper posture you can learn to breath properly. Correct breath support and control is the gateway to good singing. To learn the proper way, you've got to know which ways are wrong. Improper ways to breath when singing: 1) Clavicular breathing ~ shallow breathing--the shoulders lift 2) Costal breathing ~ heaving like when you are sick 3) Abdominal breathing ~ from just the stomach excluding use of the top of the lungs To understand diaphragmatic-intercostal breathing, the proper breathing for singing, it is import to understand basic breathing for life. Breathing for life is nearly the same with only a few slight alterations. How we breath for living: 1) involuntary impulse of the brain 2) the diaphragm contracts and flattens to enlarge the thorax or chest cavity 3) the costal or rib muscles expand causing the air pressure to drop within the lungs. the air pressure inside then equals to the air pressure outside the lungs. 4) exhale Modifications used when singing: 1) more air is required 2) quicker inhalation 3) longer periods of exhalation requiring control 4) voluntary--you determine how and when **It is impossible to breath correctly if you are not using proper singers' posture.** Ways to make sure you are breathing correctly when singing: 1) Make sure your shoulders and upper chest don't raise when you inhale. 2) Make sure you are expanding all around. The stomach, sides, and even the back The laying down exercise is great for practicing proper breathing. You should practice it every night before you go to sleep. When practicing, pay attention to the appoggio, or the moment of balance between inhaling and exhaling just like breathing for yoga. Before bed breathing exercises: Lay on your back and wait until your breathing deepens and evens. You will feel expansion around your stomach, sides, and even back. This type of breathing is the ideal form of healthy breathing and the breathing we use for singing. 1. Practice inhaling over a count of 10 and gradually grow to a count of 15 and as high as your lung capasity will allow. 2. Use inhalation explained in (1). Exhale with a hiss of air. It will sound like "tissss...". Work your exhale from a 10 count to a 15 count and so on. 3. Use inhalation explained in (1). Exhale with a hiss of air and pulse using the abdominal muscles. ("tisss, tisss, tisss,...) Work your pulsed exhale from a 10 count to a 15 count and so on. Remember: When people refer to singing from your diaphragm it is ment to be a locational reference. The activities of the diaphragm are completely involuntary. You don't control it--your brain does. Proper breathing takes time to develop. You have to keep practicing to build stregth and endurance. After you've established proper breathing you can move on to vocal placement which leads to resonace and that pretty singing tone and colour you desire. Vocal mechanism placement: We'll start with the voice box or larnyx. You can feel it in the center front of your neck. Swallow while touching it. Feel how it lowers? That's the position it should be in when you sing. You can't really mentally control it, but if you've gotten rid of your tension it should be just right Locating the soft pallet: With your tongue feel the top of your mouth behind your teeth. Its hard there--that is the hard pallet. Move your tongue farther back to where it is soft and fleshy. This is the soft pallet. Raising the soft pallet: When you yawn the soft pallet naturally raises. For many vocalists it helps to raise the eyebrows. When singing imagine that you have one of those really great paper party drink embrellas. Imagine putting against the roof of your mouth and opening it. That's what a raised soft pallet is like. Proper mouth opening/space: If a singer doesn't open their mouth enough it cuts the power out and hinders projection. When singing the mouth should always be opened wide enough to fit two fingures vertically between the top and bottom rows of teeth. Sorry this is so long, but this is what you need to get started. If you are really interested in singing you should try to locate a skilled professional for vocal lessons. Nothing can replace the help of an experienced professional. Good luck and happy singing! Practice practice practice!