Are you a Vocalist?

By reading the title of this topic I am pretty sure you have already answered yourself in your mind without even thinking twice. Most people do this because at least once or twice in our life we sing along to a song on the radio or test our vocal superiority in the shower; where to as if in the presence of a fellow mate; we might get a unconstructive response. Well this might not be the same for everyone since there are individuals that really just did it right the very 1st time. But this doesn't mean that those who didn't get it right the very 1st time can't sing.

Once you have failed the 1st challenge, most people tend to completely avoid trying again or if they do they will sing with the fact back in their mind that they can't really sing and would not take it up seriously or they might even try to make a joke of it.

Once again I'm not trying to say that this happens to everyone, but this is what happens in general. I'm also not saying that everyone can sing, but what I am saying is that if you have the slightest aspiration to maybe discover the fact that you might be able to sing, at least give yourself a proper opportunity.

In my mind I don't think that I'm a perfect vocalist, but the only reason I am confident in the fact that I can sing is merely because people told me so. Now, please don't confuse your mom or gran as my definition of "people" since I am pretty sure that relatives will always say that you sound like a star which might lead to great disaster.

Now if you are still reading this then I'm sure you might have some interest in what I have to say.

The Story

My story goes way back to when I was round about 16/17 years old and played a bit of guitar, not much but just enough to keep myself entertained. I would always just hum or sing along softly and to me I would always sound completely off note but didn't have much concern about it. I eventually made a new friend that also played guitar that invited me over to his place to show me how much fun it can be to play guitar together and this to me was a whole new world and I absolutely loved it. Somehow I got hooked to the music and started playing guitar more and more. I started writing songs, but singing was kept at low priority and merely featured as a hum.

After a while playing the songs over and over again I got the confidence to actually start singing the words out instead of just hearing it in my head. While visiting my friends’ house again playing some of the tunes I wrote, I started singing to the song where as my friend found it quite good. This step might sound silly but for me it was quite a big step since I am a very shy person. A couple of weeks went by and we had this entrepreneur’s day at our school where I had a gaming stand going. About 3 days before the event my friend came to me and told me that he entered me for a Coca Cola music event. Yep, as any normal person I was a bit cross but I was phoned by his father who invited me over to their house to work on one of my songs. His dad use to be a respected local musician back in the day which I didn’t even know about and he helped me to get a song up and going.

The day came where I had to do my song which obviously made my nerves do back flips and I was completely stressed out. Our school had one of the best choirs in our country and the very same national coaches were judges in this show which made me feel so much better... or not. I’m not going to go too much into the actual performance but I was completely amazed when I actually at the end of the day got 1^st place for the event.

The morel of the story is that I never knew that I could actually sing until someone pushed me a bit.

Getting to the Practical

Every person’s voice is different and unique, so there is no right or wrong way about how to sing. Get a comfortable song and style to practice on which suits your voice best. Don’t try and start on a vocal range which is out of your voices reach. Your voice is a muscle which needs to be warmed up just like any other muscle in your body & starting off on a range which is going to put strain on your vocal chords can cause irreparable damage.

Before jumping into the deep water try singing in your low voice, but keep it at a low note. Play around and get to know your voice and what it is capable of. Soon you will notice that when you sing at a higher volume that your voice will change to a higher level, this is your high voice. A lot of vocalists; including myself; can’t sing the notes that divides their low voice from their high voice and therefore sings in a mixed voice.

Singing in a mixed voice takes lots of practice on how and when to switch between the two without it sounding completely weird. Also be careful not to break into falsetto unless it is your intention. An example of mixed voice is where the vocalist starts with the 1^st verse of a song, singing it in a low to mixed melodic voice, and then when the chorus starts he/she will switch to his/her high voice with the music giving the song its origins of power and impact to the listener. Singing in a low voice with powerful instruments; like a distortion effect on a guitar; will make your voice fade away into the music.

Singing along to a song on the radio while driving in your car with your mom, is not the best way to explore your higher voice. It will most probably freak her out and she might get out of your moving vehicle. If you are alone in the car, then you can crank it up a bit and this will make all the difference, letting you explore your high voice in all its motion.

The best place to practice your voice to its full potential is karaoke nights! Don’t get too drunk before attempting this as you might think you sound allot better than what you actually do. Choose songs that you know you can have a good practice on. If people think you suck... then you know that you are doing something wrong or you might be a little too drunk. If you are convinced that you still can’t sing, then you might find your talent in something different.

After getting to know the capabilities of your voice, try singing a bit higher songs, but not too high once again. Stretching your vocal chords at a slow rate can make you sing at a higher note. Personally this is where I am at the moment. I practice every day, even if it’s only for 30 minutes. The voice is a muscle and people who say that you can’t increase your vocal range, doesn’t know what they are talking about. The best way to get your voice at its peak level is to attend a professional trainer who can assist you with practical exercises to enhance your voice.

Unfortunately this is up to where I can give you my advice. Remember; give yourself a chance to develop your talent if you really want to accomplish it. This doesn’t only go for singing, but anything, if you put your heart to it.