There are different methods that can help you on your musical journey. Check out these tips from the team to boost your learning.
Read on for a more in-depth review of the tips included in the video.
Set goals
- Decide what you want to learn.
- Set a (realistic) long term goal and then divide your goal into measurable steps.
You can check and adjust your goals as you progress. It's easy to get frustrated if you don't advance as fast as you would like. Keep in mind that the better you become, the more you also demand of yourself. Remember, that learning is a life-long journey.
Focus = minimize distractions
- Practice in a place where you don’t get disturbed and you don’t have to worry about disturbing others.
- Log out from Social Media, turn your mobile on silent, concentrate.
It's like meditation, you have to clear your mind, ohhmmm....
Develop a routine
- Practice regularly, even if you can only do so for short periods e.g. 10 minutes a day. Regular short practice sessions are more valuable in the long run, than a marathon session once a week.
- To improve, you also need to rest - a routine helps keep the interest up and your results there.
Track your progress
- Record yourself.
- Start a practice diary/blog.
- Sing with Yousician :).
- Practice together with a friend.
Vary your exercises
Variety is important - it helps keep you interested and motivated. It's the most effective way to build your skills and keep things fresh.
- Revisit old songs you haven't sung in a while.
- Learn some fun new songs you've been wanting to try.
- Go sing some karaoke.
- Jam with your friends.
- Do some writing or improvising.
... and so on. Remember: mix it up, keep exploring, have fun!
Be mindful - Practice every moment
There's a lot of research on musicians and their brains.
- Playing an instrument - and voice is an instrument! - activates the brain like no other activity! It demands a lot of attention too, so don’t watch TV at the same time.
- You can also practice when you are not actually singing! Pay mindful attention on your breathing, posture, and the way you speak. For instance, speaking with a nasal tone - as an 8 year old kid would - is a great way to practice singing with a nasal, Axl Rose style quality.
- Learning is a social activity, so share your knowledge and learn from others. It can also be easier to motivate yourself and keep trying to get better if you feel challenged; and who doesn’t like singing with friends?
- Try to play and sing with people who are a little better than you - that can help tremendously. You can cultivate good habits from watching more seasoned singers and seeing what they do.
Tone production and staying on pitch
- Stay loose and relaxed. You should try to minimize any tension in the head, face, neck, and stomach when singing.
- By forcing yourself to try to sing outside of your range, you may strain your voice or wear yourself out. If a song has high notes or low notes that you can’t hit, don’t be afraid to transpose the song up or down. Check our blog for tips to overcome three common challenges beginner male singers face.
- Sing with as natural a voice as possible when starting out, to focus on singing the correct pitch. Be relaxed and don’t push too hard.
Posture & Breathing
- Try to begin every singing session with a warm-up to get your muscles and body parts ready for vocal production.
- You can find warm-up videos and hints in the Before and after singing collection in the Learn → Workouts tab.
- Stay loose, stay limber! Singing is fun, don’t be tense!
Check the Yousician Blog for more tips on learning to sing.