09/10/2024

Best Beat

Setting the Rhythm for Your Music

Singing Tips and Techniques to Help You Perform Your Best

Singing Tips and Techniques to Help You Perform Your Best

Singers, perhaps more than anyone else, understand the power of the human voice. They use this instrument in their performances, like a violinist would use a Stradivarius, creating musical works of art with their voices. Like any fine musical instrument, the singer’s voice requires attention and care if it is to maintain the best possible performance quality.

Tip 1

Don’t smoke. Smoking irritates the lining of the throat and reduces your lung capacity. Remember the straining, guttural quality of Janis Joplin’s voice in the later recordings? That sound is the product of years of smoke damage to ones vocal chords. Even a few puffs before a performance can leave your throat feeling raw and your lungs short.

Tip 2

Dress appropriately. Your mother always told you to wear your scarf and jacket when the weather turned chilly. It turns out her advice is sound. If you plan to perform in less than comfortable conditions, dress appropriately. When the Backstreet Boys performed at the US Airways Center during the ice skating exposition, Kristi Yamaguchi & Friends, they were all dressed in winter coats and thick scarves. It wasn’t merely a fashion statement. It was an attempt to make sure their voices lasted through the whole performance in the ice cold temperatures.

Tip 3

Warm up. Just like any other instrument, the voice can find itself a bit out of tune before a performance. Running through a series of vocal warm ups, like the famous Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi, gets your vocal chords back in tune and ready for action.

Tip 4

Relax with a cup of hot tea. If your throat is feeling a bit scratchy, a cup of hot tea may be just what the doctor ordered to soothe the inflammation and restore your voice to its optimal performance levels. As an added bonus, the warmth of this liquid may also serve to break up any congestion that might impede your air supply during your performance.

Tip 5

Hire a vocal coach. The best musicians have learned to play their chosen instruments from excellent instructors. The human voice is no different. A vocal coach can guide you into reshaping your voice to meet its full range of sound. In addition, many vocal coaches will have connections within the music industry so you may find that the singing instructor you hire today is a former client of the music agent you have been trying to get noticed by.

In summary, the singer’s voice requires the same amount of care as any other musicians instrument. Failure to provide the proper care for your voice can result in the same devastating results as a musician not caring for their instruments, only with greater severity, as your voice cannot be replaced. By following the tips provided in this article, you can help to insure that your vocal recordings and performances will continue to be of top quality for years to come.