Auditions and shows are full of opportunity to get heard and be noticed! Singing can be terrifying for some, whilst others love to show the world their vocal talents.
So what makes a great singer? Are we born to sing? Can anyone learn to be a singer that everyone wants to hear?
Pete Moody is a singing teacher and has been coaching professional singers over the last ten years. He has helped Popstars, X-Factor Finalists and West-End performers and appeared as a Vocal Expert on TV shows. Pete believes that anyone can develop an amazing voice.
As a child Pete loved music and performing but he had a major problem, he could not sing well or in tune at all! He was asked to sing in a school show and got laughed at by his friends. Pete was fairly stubborn and refused to give upon his dream. From that moment he decided to make it his mission to discover how to sing like the professionals. So what’s the secret?
“I’m glad that I started as a bad singer. It gave me the opportunity to learn everything from scratch and take nothing for granted - that’s why I am able to sing in different styles and teach so many different kinds of performers now!”
With over 600,000 YouTube views, Pete’s singing advice is now used by singers all over the world. Pete says that the difference between a professional singer and everyone else is quite simple – “A professional singer knows what sound they are about to make before it happens, whilst everyone else generally hopes that the sound will come out right!”
Follow these top tips from Pete to help you become a better singer:Make singing fun! Find songs that you love and you are more likely to practice. How you feel about singing will show in every performance so make sure you feel good as you practice. Enjoying singing practice will help you find confidence in your sound.
Build your song piece by piece! Don’t be too eager to get through a song in one go. Remember that every single sound is important so take time to experiment with each of the sounds until you are happy with the results.
Learn to breathe! Breathing opens up space in your body which helps you get a great sound as well as helping you to sing long notes and phrases. Place your hands just above your hips and, as you breathe in, feel your body expand like a balloon blowing up. Practice letting the air out slowly and gradually with a gentle ‘ssss’ hiss sound
Lose the words! As you start to practice, replace every note with the sound ‘DUN’. Removing the words will help you concentrate on the notes. The sound ‘D’ sound at the beginning of the word ‘DUN’ will help you get a strong start to the sound whilst the ‘N’ sound causes vibration in your mouth and cheeks which helps you to know that you are singing the right note. Once you can ‘DUN’ a song then put the words back.
Get with the beat! Clap the rhythm of the words you are singing. Make sure you start in the right place. Clapping along will help you begin to feel the rhythm of your song.
Move your mouth! The shape of your mouth will change the sound you make. Try singing an ‘A’ sound with a wide open opera style shape then sing the same sound with a wide smile shape to notice the difference. Use these two shapes to experiment with how to sing words in your songs.
Record your singing! Use your mobile phone to record your singing. It’s impossible to hear yourself as others do when you are singing so listen to a recording to decide what works and what needs work.
Be Dynamic! Use changes in volume to make your singing interesting. Volume changes create emotion and keep your audience interested throughout the song! Stay safe! Your singing voice is controlled and shaped by muscle. Like any other muscle it needs both regular exercise and rest. If you feel uncomfortable, stop and take a break. Drink plenty of water to stay in top shape.
Don’t panic if you can’t afford professional training! Whilst some are lucky enough to have singing lessons, there are lots of great websites, books and other resources for singers. Don’t forget to watch Pete’s videos on YouTube for some professional advice!
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