A beginner singer's guide

So, you love singing but you’re not sure what steps to take to become a great singer. That’s why you’re reading this right? For those of you out there who are too scared or shy to pursue your love for singing, I WAS TOO! When I was young, I was carefree and would do anything, but as I grew older, I started to feel anxious about performing and singing in front of people. I’ve been there, lived through it and come out the other side. This guide is going to set you on the right path to becoming a confident singer!

But before you dive into joining a band or joining a theatre group, you need to understand how to maintain good vocal health, so here are the 10 do’s and don’ts of good vocal health:

Do's:

1. Do drink plenty of water - In order to vibrate effectively, the vocal folds need to be well lubricated with a thin layer of mucus. Without the right amount of water, the mucus thickens making it more difficult to sing.

2. Do get plenty of rest - Being tired affects everything, even your voice! Make sure you get plenty of sleep, especially before a performance.

3. Do warm up your voice - Warming up is SO important in order to keep your voice healthy. Your voice is a muscle and needs to be taken care of. Without warming up properly your voice will wear out quickly and you could potentially cause some damage.

4. Do take vocal naps - If you find yourself shouting, talking for long periods or generally overusing your voice try to give your voice a rest for a while to avoid causing damage.

Don’ts :

5. Don’t strain your voice - Try to avoid shouting and overusing your voice. You should adopt a good breathing technique which can be used in everyday life as well as when you sing.

6. Don’t clear your throat too often - Clearing your throat causes your vocal cords to rub together which may become irritating and cause swelling.

7. Don’t drink alcohol before singing - Not only will alcohol dry out your voice, but if you sing while intoxicated your performance will definitely suffer!!

8. Don’t drink Caffeine at least 3 hours before singing - Drinking caffeine causes dehydration and the mucus in your throat will thicken.

9. Don’t eat dairy at least 3 hours before singing - Dairy can cause acid reflux and thicken the mucus in your throat

10. Don’t smoke - There’s nothing more to say here.

I have been singing for most of my life… in fact since I was eight years old. I joined a theatre group called TheatreTrain and it was here where I gained my most valuable performing experience and self-growth. I was given opportunities to sing solos at the Royal Albert Hall, The London Palladium and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. I was quite lucky to have stumbled across these experiences, but for those of you who are feeling a bit shy about performing… it’s all about taking a leap of faith and stepping out of your comfort zone! You need to go out there and find yourself some opportunities that will give you some valuable performing experience!

First of all, think about what type of singer are you and what are you looking for. For example, you might be more of a pop singer and decide that being in a band is your dream. Or you might be the biggest musical theatre fan and join a pantomime. OR you might even be in love with pitch perfect and decide to join an a cappella group or barbershop chorus! Who knows!! Now it’s up to you to take the next steps to becoming a great singer and performer. Go for it!