subject: Singing For Dummies [print this page] Singing For Dummies Singing For Dummies
The good news about singing is that ANYONE can learn how to sing. And not just how to sing, but how to sing really well!
Singing is a skill just like playing tennis or riding a bike and it's going to take a little bit of time and effort to get it right, but you can definitely do it.
So where do you begin if you're brand new to singing? The best way to learn to sing quickly is to find a really excellent vocal coach and take voice lessons from him or her.
Finding a good teacher is actually harder than you might think because there are just so many bad teachers out there. If you wind up with a teacher who has no business teaching singing, the consequences are this: You'll pay a lot of money (voice lessons are pricey!), spend a lot of your time and energy, make little progress and feel frustrated. The worst case scenario is that your teacher can have you doing things that will permanently damage your voice.
So let me tell you how to get a really kick-ass teacher right from the start. If you have a university or college close to you, and they have a music program, pop in there and ask the secretary to put you in contact with the head of the voice department. Also get the info of a couple of the voice teachers on staff there. Contact each of them and set up consultations. These shouldn't cost you anything. If the teacher tries to charge you, do a little negotiating and say that you're considering paying a lot of money for lessons and you just want to be sure that you're a good fit for each other.
When you meet with each individual vocal coach, you'll want to ask them to sing. Seriously! The voice instructor should sound nothing short of incredible. If they sound so-so or just OK, then you should definitely move on. I mean, if THEY can't even do it, how are they supposed to teach it to you?
Now this next little trick is really crucial. Good singing requires the singer to keep the voicebox (the larynx) in a low and stationary position during singing. Ask your prospective vocal coach what their opinion is on the position of the larynx. If they give you an evasive answer or don't know or seem indifferent to the issue, you should absolutely move on. This is the most fundamental thing that vocal students learn in prestigious vocal programs worldwide and if they don't know or care about it, they probably won't be able to help you in the long term.
Now assuming you don't have the money or time to pay for voice lessons and drive to a university once a week, there's another great option.
If you'd rather work from the comfort of home and still make excellent progress, Singing Software is a great choice. The most widely used learn to sing course in the world right now is Singing Success, which has been used by top celebrity singers like Keith Urban and Hayley Swift to improve their singing. This is truly singing for dummies and probably the cheapest option available to you as a beginner singer.
If you work hard, practice and keep growing with an open mind, you'll find yourself singing more beautifully than you ever thought possible. I've seen it happen a thousand times in my voice studio. You can do it. Take action today and good luck!
