Are you considering singing?
Singing can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but the skill stems from how we perceive singing in our surroundings.
It is also one of the hobbies that require total commitment, particularly if you want to make a living out of it.
Should You Pursue Singing As A Hobby, Even If You Suck At It (Initially)?
Short answer – YES. Sucking is an essential part of every process, and, of course, almost everyone sucks at the beginning of anything new they try. If you feel like music is in you or are passionate about pursuing it, sucking at it should not stop you. Sucking is the gap between your current level and the next level you want to be. After all, no great musician played the instrument perfectly the first time.
When it comes to singing, what makes the difference is self-acceptance, love of practicing, and the ability to lose oneself in the process – the only secret to overcome the feeling of not being good enough and self-consciousness.
If you think you are a bad singer or know what you want in music but suck at it every damn day, don’t worry, there is always hope.
In this post, you find more about pursuing singing, especially when you feel as though you are not a gifted singer.
Three Ways To Improve Your Singing Skills
Contrary to what many people think, singing is a skill, not a talent. All in all, some great musicians are naturally talented singers.
Although you probably sound better than you think, you can improve your singing voice to get the label you crave. As with most skills, all you need is to put in the work required and tell yourself that you will never fizzle out.
So, what basically does one need to become a better singer even when they feel they are bad at it?
1. Master The Basics
Everything starts from somewhere, and when it comes to singing, you start with mastering the basics of becoming a great singer.
Notably, singing takes a certain level of athleticism due to all that diaphragm engagement and breathing going on.
To sing correctly, you need to maintain a good posture – stand or sit up with a straight back – so that you don’t feel tightness in the throat and vocal cords.
This means taking time to learn how to breathe from your diaphragm.
When starting out, it is also important to learn how to open your vowels and extend vocal range.
You can learn this by yourself or with the help of a music teacher.
Remember, your singing voice is made up of three areas, and moving between them changes the resonance of your voice.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice
If you want to sing better and be signed to the label you crave, you must train your voice and practice humming.
It takes a lot of commitment to practice until you feel the changes and buzzing in different areas.
To see perfect results within the shortest possible time, you need to exercise about two hours every day.
Ultimately, you want to develop better vocal control and avoid unnecessary straining when singing, even for long hours.
If you are already writing lyrics, you can try your stanzas repetitively until you feel comfortable with long sessions of practice.
3. Build Some Confidence
There is no way you can be objective about singing when you are burdened by fear and insecurity.
Lacking confidence in yourself makes you overly critical and less creative.
That said, building your confidence gives you the courage to sing louder and bolder, try different moves, and act crazily while showing your passion and emotion when performing.
Although you are more likely to feel stuck and uncomfortable at first, you must step out of your comfort zone, be vulnerable on the stage, and try everything new that will help you build confidence.
To avoid self embarrassment, make sure to start it slow.
First, start singing in front of a mirror, try in front of a few friends and family, then large community groups, and lastly, on stage.
How Can You Improve Your Vocal Skills?
You dream of being on stage, but you can’t hit the high note perfectly?
Every singer you admire started from somewhere.
And, of course, one of the main reasons why the stage feels to be so far away for aspiring singers is bad vocals or the fear of freezing up when performing.
That said, working on improving your vocals is a super-easy way to take your singing to the next level.
So, how can you improve your vocal skills? It all depends on the time you spend practicing singing.
Singing is a skill, and like any other, you need to put in more effort and time to develop your voice and sing like a pro.
If you are just starting, it is advisable that you start with singing for ten minutes to about half an hour every day. This should help you gain the stamina you need to sing for long hours.
Notably, when talking about 10 minutes, we are referring to 10 minutes lasting in the one and ensuring the same equality all through.
On the flip side, if you are practicing singing on your own – taking non-major private voice classes – it is advisable that you sing longer, at least one hour every day.
As you might have expected, singing 2 hours a week is much less impactful than practising15 minutes daily. That said, the thing is to practice daily, not for long hours cumulatively.
Remember, as with most other things; you need to set your vocal goals, then create much time to practice until you achieve that goal.
Five Singing Tips For Beginners
Do you suck at singing or worry because you are not “good enough”?
The good news is that there is always room for becoming a better singer. All you need is to keep on trying.
Here are some tips to unleash the talent in you and become the great musician you crave.
1. Focus On Performance
The idea here is to make your performance dynamic and interesting so that people can enjoy your sounds.
2. Advance Your Listening Skills
Throughout your singing career, you will also be playing instruments.
Listening to how the instruments are playing will help you improve how you play them
3. Record And Keep An Audio Diary
This is an absolute must when learning how to sing.
Recording yourself is fun and helps you track your performance to know where you need to improve.
4. Breath
Not breathing correctly can sabotage your singing. So, to avoid embarrassment when on stage, work on your breath.
5. Drink Lots Of Water
You could be wondering why water is appearing on this list.
Well, water plays a key role in keeping your vocal cords moist so they can open and close more easily.
Conclusion
We suck at almost everything new we start, particularly when it is demanding.
Even when it comes to singing, every great singer has people who think they suck.
That said, nothing should stop you from singing, especially when it revolves around sucking at it.
Hopefully, after reading this post, you can now make a decision and start practicing immediately.