Singing for Dummies

You’re probably familiar with the “Dummies” books.  There’s a book for those who feel like they’re a “dummy” when they work on the computer…when it comes to quoting the Bible…or as far as cooking is concerned.  Luckily, many people nowadays are proud to proclaim their dummy status because they realize that other people may be feeling the same way.  In fact, mastering humility may be an important first step in the learning process.

Certainly, this is true when it comes to singing.  But what does singing for dummies really means?  If you’re just beginning to sing, you may feel like a dummy when it comes to the process.  This is not unusual.  Many greater singers may have felt as if they needed a “singing for dummies” guide when they first started out.   But they took the time to learn from the best…honed their craft…and were eventually able to move from singing for dummies to singing for dollars.

Consider this to be your 21st century “singing for dummies” lesson.

The first lesson you need to learn is that, no matter how great your mother thinks you sound in the shower, you could benefit from voice lessons.  With the lessons, you’ll be put through the paces of proper breathing and vocalizing techniques.  Your warm-ups will become more productive and the constant critiquing will help to strengthen the quality of your vocal delivery. 

If you don’t have time to take vocal lessons at your local college or community center, you might consider online voice lessons.  With today’s technology,  you can learn tips from a master—without even leaving the privacy of your own home.  Through interactive websites, you can even communicate back and forth to your teacher, allowing you the feedback that could prove critical in improving your performance.  Voice lessons could give you the professional edge that will help you to advance more quickly in the music field.

Also, it’s not enough to sing on pitch and to be able to move from one register to another with ease.  You also need to “work” a song so that it has the potential of having a profound emotional impact on your audience.  After all, singing is, in essence, a form of communication—and often what you’re communicating are feelings.  Think of any great vocal performer—Tony Bennett, Rod Stewart, the late James Brown.  While each of these singers had a vastly different style, the one thing they all had in common is emotional range.  The greater your emotional range, the better a singer you will become.

Another key aspect of singing that many beginning performers overlook is dealing effectively with nervousness.  While being anxious before a performance can be common, such tension tends to have a negative impact on your sound.  Therefore, it’s important that you engage in muscle relaxation exercises before every rehearsal and each performance.    That way, you should be in top emotional form when it comes to impressing an audience, talent scout, record company executive, or an American Idol judge.