Authored by Matt Saunders in Music
Published on 02-18-2009

Learning to sing requires perseverance and controlled technique. Here are a few helpful tips that will strengthen your singing voice.

1. Relax

You cannot sing when tense, and a lot of people find anxiety when practicing their technique. Relax your body and in particular your facial muscles and jaw; sounds will come out a lot smoother when you chill out and “let it happen.”

2. Drink!

Water. And plenty of it. It keeps your throat lubricated and your brain awake.

3. Cut out dairy

Milk, cheese, thick drinks and other dairy products cause excessive mucus which can have a very bad effect on your ability to sing. To combat this, drink plenty of water which will thin it all out, but it’s best to stop eating it altogether.

4. Work on your posture

Your breath travels from your lungs straight up through your mouth. If its passage is blocked in any way, it won’t be able to get out efficiently. How you stand has a big effect on how you sound. You should be standing with your legs about shoulder-width apart. Your chest should be lifted to give your lungs plenty of room to expand. Your shoulders should be back and relaxed.

5. Stay awake

Notice that when you get really tired, just talking seems a struggle? Get a substantial amount of sleep because the first thing that is affected by fatigue are the vocal chords.

6. Diet is important

What you eat will reflect on your performance. Make sure you cut out dairy products and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. You may also take vitamin supplements to help improve the efficiency of your vocal chords.

7. Karaoke!

Do karaoke! It’s a great way to get confident singing in front of others, and because its karaoke, nobody really cares how good or bad you are – it’s all a bit of fun!

8. Put weight on your diaphragm

Lie on your back with a heavy object (a book, your laptop etc) covering your diaphragm. Breathe deeply, and slowly. Over time this will strengthen your voice and give you more vocal power.

9. Feel it

Emotion is an important part of singing. You don’t really have to make people believe in what you’re saying – what’s important is that you believe it. If you do, all the feelings of happiness, anger and whatever else will make you feel better, give you greater conviction and generally make singing more enjoyable.

10. Another reason not to smoke

’nuff said.

Take note of these tips and you will be well on your way to achieving the voice you want – but don’t give up, it will take time!