10 tips for learning to sing in tune
Are you a beginner or experienced singer looking to improve your intonation and fine-tune your vocal technique? Do you know melody, but sometimes find it hard to sing in tune? When it comes to singing, it's easy to hit the wrong note. Don't panic, singing in tune is a skill that can be worked on at any age and at any level. Do you dream of competing with your favorite singers? Musical ear, tessitura, breathing exercises or even lessons with a music teacher, discover 10 tips for learning to sing in tune and no longer be afraid of false notes!
Warm up your voice with the right exercises
The first step before singing is towarm up your voice. To do this, perform exercises fromvocal warmup to relax the muscles of the throat, diaphragm and mouth. This will not only help you avoid tension, but also improve the quality and accuracy of your singing, while avoiding a few false notes due to a poorly awakened voice.
Here are a few exercises you can do to train your voice before singing:
Vocal scales: move up and down musical scales using syllables such as "do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do".
Lip trills: make vibrations with your lips, producing a sound similar to that of a car starting up. As well as relaxing the facial muscles, this exercise eases the transition to higher notes.
Vowel vocalizations: sing a series of vowels (such as "a, e, i, o, u"), varying the tonality. This helps control the voice and improve articulatory clarity.
Arpeggios: sing a series of arpeggios using syllables or short words. This exercise strengthens the stability of your voice and improves the fluidity of your singing.
Sing a cappella songs
Once you feel ready, start singing a cappella. A cappella singing allows you to develop vocal independence without relying on an instrumental track to guide you. You need to be able to maintain the melody and rythm on your own.
Singing a cappella is also an excellent way to check your pitch. The absence of accompaniment highlights possible variations in your singing and forces you to concentrate more on the intonation or pitch of your voice. You'll know instantly whether you're in tune with the melody or whether adjustments are needed to improve your pitch.
Avoid strain on the vocal cords and adopt the right posture
To preserve your vocal cords and avoid singing out of tune, don't strain your voice. Vocal strain can not only impair the quality of your performance, but also lead to false notes. To avoid straining your voice unnecessarily, make sure you get enough rest, especially before important musical events. Make sure you stand up straight when you sing, and adopt good posture. To do this, keep your back straight and relax your body, especially your shoulders and jaw.
Last but not least, all singers will tell you: stay hydrated! Drinking plenty of water helps keep your vocal cords well hydrated, whether before, during or after vocal training.
Learn to breathe properly
Learn to breathe deeply and use your diaphragm for solid vocal support. A good breathing technique will help you keep your voice in tune and control your breath better. Learning to breathe for singing will also help you to modulate the intensity of your voice more precisely.
Tip: start with a deep breath to fill your lungs with air. Inhale slowly through your nose, inflating your diaphragm, then exhale gently through your mouth. Repeat this process several times to help you control your breath.
Develop your musical ear
Strengthening your musical ear enables you to perceive the nuances of the melody with precision, and to quickly correct any inaccuracies. Regularly practice active listening to a piece of music or a song, trying to identify the different notes, intervals and chords. You can also practice reproducing melodies or chords by ear, without the aid of an instrument. As a singer, ear training is just as important as singing itself in making progress.
Record yourself singing
This tip may seem simple, but it's essential for any singer who wants to check and improve his or her intonation. Record yourself during your singing sessions. By listening carefully to your recordings, you'll be able to pinpoint areas where you tend to make false notes or lose your intonation. This will enable you to identify the specific problems you need to work on, whether in terms of accuracy, stability of tonality or breath management.
Tip: film yourself singing. This will enable you to check your posture on the videos and make sure you're standing up straight enough.
Sing regularly
As with playing a musical instrumentdedicate some time each day to singing or doing a few exercises. If resting your voice and not forcing it is essential, practicing every day remains indispensable, especially if you want to improve and succeed in singing in tune. Don't have time to sing 6 hours a day? Good news: the secret lies not in duration, but in regularity. A short 15-minute series of exercises, or an hour-long singing session, is more than enough for hobby singers who want to improve their skills. In the shower, in the car or while you're cooking, take advantage of every moment to sing and work on your voice on a daily basis.
Take lessons with a singing teacher
While learning to sing can be self-taught, calling on the services of a music teacher can help you to improve and, above all, tolearn how to place your voice correctly to avoid false notes. Your singing teacher will guide you through personalized exercises and advice. You'll also work on more technical aspects such as breath control, posture and articulation, essential elements in learning to sing in tune.
🎤 Accompaniment by a singing teacher is not an obligation for amateur singers. On the other hand, taking lessons can be essential if you want to progress and reach a better singing level.
Use a musical instrument to accompany your voice
Are you a musician at heart, as well as a passionate singer? Use your musical instrument to work on your vocal accuracy! Using a piano or guitar, for example, allows you to visualize and hear the exact notes of the song, making it easier to align your voice with the melody. What's more, this approach allows you to adjust your singing immediately in the event of a false note. By combining your voice with a musical instrument, you work on your musical ear and refine your singing.
Do you dream of taking up the piano, but think that learning music is difficult if you haven't started at an early age? Newzik proves you wrong with 5 reasons to learn to play an instrument as an adult that will motivate you to take the plunge!
Practice transposing your voice to a song
You love a song, but when you try to sing it, it's a guaranteed false note? Transpose the score into a tonality that better suits your tessitura (or voice type). Rather than forcing your voice into an uncomfortable tonality (and risking injury to your vocal cords), learn to recognize your tessitura, i.e. the set of notes in which your voice effortlessly settles. Transpose your favorite songs into your own style and find your natural vocal range.
💡 With the Newzik app, you can transpose your scores in an instant to suit your tessitura.
Professional singers' secret to perfect vocal pitch? Time and practice. So be patient and keep working to achieve your goals and become the singer you've always dreamed of!
🎶 Access all your sheet music with a single click, wherever you are, thanks to the Newzik interactive score reader ! At home or with your teacher, annotate, play or scan your scores in real time. Your music lessons have never been so much fun! Download the application now! Let's sing!
