5 COMMON MISTAKES BEGINNER SINGERS DO

ktvocalbusiness
Jun 1, 2021
5 min read

Move head / chin.
Shout out the high notes.
Don't open mouth.
Have tension.
Don't have good posture.

The word 'MISTAKE' is usually associated with something negative and disappointing, although it shouldn't be perceived that way . I always tell my students, and I am telling you as well now, that you should love mistakes because they are good for you. You are allowed to do as many mistakes as you want, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced singer.

Every single mistake you make, makes you the artist you are and teaches you something new, even if you don't realize it. Through time you will gain more experience, you will learn how to overcome, avoid mistakes and most importantly build the confidence and courage to be easy on yourself. Embrace your mistakes, be patient, because you are human and you are not alone.

The following information doesn’t apply to everyone, they are common mistakes that i have encountered from my experience. If you notice any of these while your singing try out my quick solution tips.

MOVE HEAD / CHIN.

As people we instinctively extend our neck, move our head / chin up or forward, when singing a melody that goes higher in volume or pitch. That gesture doesn’t help sound to come out properly and it usually causes tension and straining, which is something a singer should avoid.

Practice in front of a mirror to check if you do that, because usually you don‘t realize the bad habits you do while singing. In order to prevent this from happening, first of all understand that this act doesn’t encourage healthy sound production.

When you understand that, you can use a little trick when you sing until you get used to keeping your head straight. Place your thumb on your chest, and index finger of the same hand on the corner of your chin. Find the right place so your hand is shaping the letter ‘L’ and is touching both your chest and chin.

That is the right head placement. Make sure when you sing your fingers stay in the same shape and your head doesn't move up, or pushes your index finger. Keep doing it until you can sing with your head staying in the right place, without using your hand.

SHOUT OUT THE HIGH NOTES.

Power is not volume. Singing Power is inner strength, support, the right adjustment and coordination of good sound production, placement, and space adjustment. If you combine these with emotion you get the magic sound you are looking for.

Understand that shouting is not power, it is straining and if you constantly do this you will probably damage your voice. I don’t want that happening to any singer, so make sure you know what you are doing or seek proper guidance.

Try and concentrate and listen to yourself, or record yourself on your phone and listen back to figure out if you are shouting while singing higher notes or when a song increases volume.

Some signs of shouting and straining are:

- Coughing/choking after singing

- You can see your veins in your neck more than before

- Tickle or pain in throat

- Loss of voice or fatigue

In order to prevent strain you need some training and guidance. Make sure you are using good breath management and support. You can check out my online mini course ‘Dynamic Breathing’, if you want to get started and improve your breathing for better singing and speaking’

Link below:

https://www.udemy.com/course/diaphragmatic-breathing/learn/lecture/26384552?fbclid=IwAR3qs3moDRV-fKJmQxC27yAlFOHSfr6tBZcglsICmnVCCsxK5IQkcM0yUZU&referralCode=CF1C1B3A3CFBFB6742F8#overview

REMINDER: Don't forget to articulate and open your mouth.

DON'T OPEN MOUTH.

Singing needs more effort and energy than speaking. If you don’t articulate clearly while speaking or don’t shape your vowels well, you need to step up your game for singing. It is very important to articulate your vowels while singing, relax your mouth muscles, tongue and jaw.

Your mouth space is your amplifier, and in order to create good sound you need space. In order to get you started on this try and yawn with your mouth closed, and then yawn allowing your mouth to open. Concentrate on what you feel inside your mouth, when you create space.

All vowels ''A, E, I , O , OU'' should be open, round, and spacious. To practice that, think that you are singing a song to someone who is deaf and he has to be able to know what you are singing from the shaping of your mouth. Try that first by just mimicking singing without producing sound, and then sing a song normally.

Good vowel placement is key to good singing. Even my website logo uses the right vowel placement.

HAVE TENSION.

Any kind of tension is a singer’s enemy. It might sound like a minor detail but it plays a massive role in good and healthy singing. Because we are working with muscles inside our body, and the body is involved in the singing act, we need to be relaxed in order to produce good sound.

What I do with my students at the beginning of every lesson, and which you should also practice before a performance, is a full body stretch and tension release. Start from your head, mouth, tongue, jaw, cheeks, neck, shoulders, arms, waist, hips, legs, feet. Don’t forget to breathe normally while doing this and take your time… We want to release and not create extra tension.

DON'T HAVE GOOD POSTURE.

As in your everyday life, and whilst singing especially, you must stand straight and feel grounded on your feet. Slouching in any way interferes with everything that needs to work right for correct voice production. Always use a mirror when practicing in the beginning. The mirror is your singing buddy.

If you have a problem with standing up straight stand against a wall while you sing. I will leave an example below showing how you should stand.

Download your Free Detailed Posture Checklist:

At the end of the day all we want is a steady airflow, and we want the desired sound to come out in a healthy way. We need to develop good technique and combine it with feelings and emotion. That is what singing is about, it is a form of expression. Although its a never ending process and that is what makes it interesting, challenging and exciting.

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If you are experiencing singing problems or blocks, make sure to experiment with the information above, and find what’s right for you. If you still need help depending on your level, seek out good teaching guidance. Even Beyoncé has a vocal coach till this day because you always need to work on your voice. It’s like exercising.

Feel free to ask me any questions or book a lesson with me through my website if you want to work together on improving your voice and unlocking your inner singer.

All links below

Happy practicing from,

Your voice teacher

Katie Miltiadous

Xoxo

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