Have you always wanted to know how to sing? Have you ever wondered how those singing sensations on reality shows learned how to belt it out? Or where tenors get the power for their stunning finales? Has anybody ever told you that you’ve got a voice only a mother could love?

The capacity to sing is a present. Though it could also be learned with apt training. In anything you wanna do, the most important thing is to have the will power to do it. If you really want to sing, you should have enough determination and want as well. Besides that, here are some other things that could help you become a singing sensation in no time:

The Mentor

To learn to sing, you need to look for mentors who could give feedback. Getting feedback is very important, especially for a performance art like singing. If you really wanna be a singer, you gotta have a voice coach. Simon Cowell is a good example of a coach who will tell you exactly where you are with your singing voice. While you gotta have faith in your talent, having a mentor is still important.  A coach could expertly listen to your voice and help you determine your current voice quality, tone, and range.A coach can guide you through a formal singing training. Try looking for organizations or choirs with vocal trainings and practices.  It would be fun and helpful to sing with a group and it would make learning be more holistic.

Breathe

An important part of singing is breathing. Before a vocalizing exercise, you should do a bit of an exercise by putting your palm on your sternum—the bottom of the lungs; that area where the rib cages meet. Inhale, exhale, and observe how your lungs expand and contract.  It is very important for a singer to learn breathing because singing ends and begins in the proper taking and releasing of air. This kind of training can teach you how to belt and control your voice smoothly and properly. Hold your breath for as long as you could—you’re gonna need this skill if you wanna sing properly. Take note, some songs may have convenient breathing pauses but there are some out there that don’t.

Know the notes

Doing your practices with the notes is best done with a group or a choir. It compels you to really listen to your voice and your tone. It can give feedback on areas of improvement. Because the mix of low notes to high notes require fast shifts and focus, there are drills dedicated to help the singer incorporate breathing while singing.  This could also be done alone; but really, the best way to go about this is to work with a group of people. Check your tones with a piano if you play one. Practice your tone by imitating the sounds of basic keys on the piano. Try increasing and decreasing your pitch to check your progress.  When you hit the notes, you are on the right track.

Pronunciation

Singing is not only about rhythm and flow, but also about words. Proper pronunciation of words in singing helps a lot. Words are composed of successions of vowels between consonants so it’s important that you practice vowel pronunciation at every pitch.  This is  culture-relative, however, since we do not all come with a singular manner of pronunciation, much more, singing. Always listen to the way singers sing. Models help in determining whether you’re doing a song justice or not.

Knowing your voice, choosing songs

We have heard it a million times, and we will say it again here.  To know your song is to know your voice. Lots of amateur singers usually choose songs by want, not by the way a song fits their voice. A choir or a coach can give you an idea which songs best fit your voice. Voices find their songs as much as songs find their voices. Your voice might’ve improved but your song choice might be bad. Choosing a song isn’t just about your taste. You could use it as a way to display your new-found vocal power. A voice has character too. Only the right song can display its beauty.

Enjoy

A lot of guides tell you what to do and what not to do. We hardly see tips that tell you to enjoy yourself and be passionate about it.  Singing is, first and foremost, expression. What’s important is that you enjoy yourself, whether or not you’re just beginning to learn to sing or you’ve been singing all your life.  Practices need not be a chore and may be done in a million ways; like karaoke or singing in the shower. Singing is, first and foremost, for enjoyment. 

The key to learning how to sing is not just about knowing the technicalities of singing, breathing right, or reaching the right notes—it’s about love and passion for expression, most of all.