Have you always dreamed about singing, but don't know where to start? If you'd love to improve your vocal skills, but can't afford to take lessons, we're here for you. In this article, we'll give you tips for getting your voice in tip-top shape, plus show you different ways to learn how to sing.

Things You Should Know

  • Learn warm-up exercises that help you take deep breaths so you can make rich, resonant sounds.
  • Sing the highest and lowest notes you can hit to find your vocal range.
  • Exhale steadily as you sing so the sound comes from your chest instead of your throat or nose.
1

Warm up your body and vocal cords before you sing.

  1. Exercise your body and stretch your vocal cords to prevent injury. Vocal experts recommend moving your body around to get the blood flowing before you do vocal warm-ups. By stretching your vocal cords, you keep them loose so it's easier to make sound.[1] Plus, if you warm-up your vocal cords, you're less likely to injure them. Here are a few simple warm-ups to get you started: [2]
    • Exhale completely, relax your stomach muscles, open your mouth, and let all the air back into your lungs. Repeat this, and make an "sss" or "fff" sound when you release the air. These sounds exercise different vocal cords.
    • Hum or sing high notes, alternating with low notes to help stretch out your voice.
    • Exhale as you tilt your head down to 1 shoulder. Then, breathe in as you bring your head back up. Repeat this in the opposite direction.
    • Practice singing a short, 5-note scale. Go slowly and really focus on clearly singing each note.
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2

Develop good posture.

  1. Stand straight and tall so you can make the best sounds possible. It's hard to produce clear rich sounds if you're hunched over and your lungs can't expand. Instead, plant your feet and imagine that a string is pulling you up from the top of your head. Keep your knees loose and bring your shoulders down. Try to release all tension from your muscles.[3]
3

Find your range.

  1. Your vocal range reveals the notes you can sing between a high and low point. Most people have a range of around 1 to 2 octaves. To find your vocal range, drop your voice and sing or hum the lowest note you can—hold the note for 3 seconds. Then, bring your voice up until you reach the highest note you can sing or hum and hold the note for 3 seconds. The span of notes in between your highest and lowest notes is your vocal range.[5]
    • Download apps like Vocal Coach or Swiftscales to help you find your range. You could also sit at a piano and match your highest and lowest notes using the keyboard.
    • Keep in mind that your range might vary a little bit from day to day, especially if you're ill or tired.
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7

Improve your lung capacity.

  1. Do breathing exercises to support your voice and prevent gasping. It's no surprise that singers who can breathe deeply and consistently get better mileage out of their voices. For a simple breathing exercise that you can practice anytime, open and close your jaw as though you're a fish out of water. Flex your facial muscles a few times and take a few deep breaths. Let the breath fall to your belly before you steadily exhale.[9]
    • To challenge yourself, time your breathing—breathe in and see how long you can hold the breath. Then, steadily release the breath for the same amount of time. With practice, this strengthens your lungs.
    • To exercise different muscles, make a hissing sound as you exhale.
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9

Calm your nerves if your voice is shaky.

12

Stay hydrated throughout the day.

Expert Q&A
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  • Question
    How do I stop my voice from shaking when singing?
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    Try taking in a deep breath down into your ribs, and hold your rib cage out. That can stabilize your breath and therefore your voice.
  • Question
    How do I find my vocal range?
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    Warm up your voice, then hum down and drop your voice as low as it can go. The lowest note you can hum that still sounds clear is the bottom of your range. Then, hum up as high as you can go. The highest note that you can hold for 3 seconds is the top of your vocal range.
  • Question
    How do you stretch your vocal cords?
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    Try humming or singing as high as you can, then slowly go as low as you can. Keep singing up and down your range for a few minutes. High notes expand your vocal cords, while low notes shrink them, so this can help stretch out your vocal cords to make them more pliable.
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References

  1. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/warmingup.shtml
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/basics.shtml
  4. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  5. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  6. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  7. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-monroecc-voiceclass/chapter/basics-of-singing-2-warmups-and-practice-technique/
  8. https://vocalist.org.uk/breath-control
  9. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  1. https://www.ox.ac.uk/research/choir-singing-improves-health-happiness-%E2%80%93-and-perfect-icebreaker
  2. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/articulation.shtml
  4. Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  5. https://utswmed.org/medblog/vocal-cords-care-qa/

About This Article

Amy Chapman, MA
Co-authored by:
Singing Coach
This article was co-authored by Amy Chapman, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association. This article has been viewed 2,440,573 times.
25 votes - 84%
Co-authors: 168
Updated: January 8, 2023
Views: 2,440,573
Article SummaryX

If you want to learn how to sing, practice singing a series of vowels, letting your voice come from your diaphragm, or deep within your chest. If you want to practice a song, try singing along to a song that you like with a voice recorder nearby. Make sure the music is quiet so the recorder can pick up your voice, then listen to the recording to see if you are singing on key and articulating your words. To learn more about how breathing exercises may help you become a better singer, keep reading!

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