Others reached the conclusion themselves after struggling to match pitches or feeling uncomfortable when singing.

Yet in the vast majority of cases, the problem is not true tone-deafness at all.

Tone-deaf or untrained? How to tell the difference is an important question, because understanding the distinction can completely change the way you see your voice, your progress and your potential as a singer.

What Does It Mean to Be Tone-Deaf?

The term “tone-deaf” is often used casually to describe anyone who struggles to sing in tune.

In reality, true tone-deafness is a specific neurological condition known as congenital amusia.

People with congenital amusia have difficulty perceiving differences in pitch.

They may struggle to recognise whether one note is higher or lower than another and may find it challenging to identify familiar melodies, even after hearing them many times.

Fortunately, true amusia is relatively rare.

Research suggests that only a small percentage of the population experiences it.

This means that most people who describe themselves as tone-deaf are actually experiencing something quite different.

Why Many People Think They Are Tone-Deaf

A surprising number of adults have simply never learned how singing works.

Unlike speaking, singing requires the voice to reproduce precise pitches while coordinating breath support, vocal fold activity and auditory feedback.

These skills do not always develop automatically.

Someone who has never received vocal training may find it difficult to:

• Match a pitch accurately
• Stay in tune throughout a song
• Hear small differences between notes
• Maintain vocal control when nervous
• Coordinate breathing with singing

These challenges can create the impression that singing ability is something you either possess naturally or do not possess at all.

In reality, many of these skills can be improved through training and practice.

The Difference Between Hearing and Producing Pitch

One useful way to understand the issue is to separate hearing pitch from producing pitch.

Some people can clearly hear when a note is incorrect but struggle to reproduce the correct pitch with their voice.

Others may have difficulty recognising pitch differences in the first place.

Many untrained singers fall into the first category.

They know that something sounds wrong but cannot yet coordinate their voice well enough to correct it consistently.

This is often a technical issue rather than a musical one.

With guidance, the connection between the ear and the voice can become much stronger.

Developing this connection often involves strengthening your ability to hear and mentally process music before producing it vocally, a skill known as audiation.

You can learn more in our article, What Is Audiation and Why Is It Important for Singers?

Signs That You Are Probably Not Tone-Deaf

There are several indications that you are likely untrained rather than genuinely tone-deaf.

For example:

• You can recognise familiar songs and melodies.
• You notice when a singer performs out of tune.
• You can tell whether one note sounds higher or lower than another.
• Your singing improves after practice.
• You occasionally sing accurately but struggle to do so consistently.

If any of these sound familiar, there is a strong chance that your pitch perception is functioning normally and that your difficulties stem from a lack of training or experience.

Why Adult Beginners Often Struggle

Adult beginners face unique challenges.

Many have spent years believing they “cannot sing”, which often creates tension and self-consciousness.

Ironically, this tension can make singing more difficult and reinforce the original belief.

Adults are also more likely to analyse themselves critically.

A child may happily sing without worrying about perfection, while an adult often evaluates every note.

This constant self-monitoring can interfere with natural vocal freedom and make pitch accuracy harder to achieve.

The good news is that adults frequently progress very well once they begin learning in a supportive environment.

How Singing Lessons Help

One of the first goals of singing lessons is often to strengthen the connection between listening and vocal production.

This may involve exercises that develop:

• Pitch matching
• Ear training
• Vocal coordination
• Breath control
• Listening skills
• Confidence

Many students are surprised by how quickly their pitch accuracy improves once they begin working systematically.

Rather than relying on guesswork, they learn how to hear notes more clearly and reproduce them with greater consistency.

Can True Tone-Deafness Improve?

Even individuals with genuine pitch-perception difficulties may be able to make progress.

Although congenital amusia cannot simply be “cured”, many people can still enjoy singing, improve their musical awareness and participate successfully in musical activities.

The degree of improvement varies from person to person, but musical growth remains possible.

For those who are merely untrained, the potential for improvement is often far greater than they initially imagine.

The Importance of Patience

One reason many adults give up singing prematurely is that they expect immediate results.

Pitch accuracy is a skill that develops gradually.

Just as learning a language takes time, developing reliable musical hearing requires regular exposure, practice and guidance.

Small improvements accumulate over time.

A singer who struggles to match simple notes today may be performing entire songs confidently a year from now.

Final Thoughts

Most people who believe they are tone-deaf are not actually tone-deaf at all.

More often, they are simply untrained singers who have not yet developed the connection between their ears and their voice.

Understanding this distinction can be liberating.

Rather than viewing singing ability as a fixed talent, it becomes something that can be developed through learning, practice and patience.

The voice is remarkably adaptable, and many adults are capable of making far more progress than they ever thought possible.

If you have always wondered whether you are truly tone-deaf or simply untrained, professional guidance can provide valuable answers.

At the London Singing Institute, our adult singing lessons help students develop pitch awareness, vocal confidence and healthy singing technique in a supportive and encouraging environment.

At first, this can feel confusing, especially if you are still learning how pitch works.

So, what is an octave in singing?

In reality, an octave is one of the most important and useful ideas in music.

Once you understand it, you begin to hear melodies more clearly, understand your vocal range more sensibly, and make better sense of the notes you are singing.

What an Octave Means

An octave is the distance between one note and the next note with the same name, either higher or lower.

For example, if you sing a C and then sing the next C above it, those two notes are an octave apart.

They are not the same pitch, but they share the same note name and sound closely related.

The higher C sounds like a brighter, lifted version of the lower C.

This is why octaves often feel familiar to the ear.

Even though the notes are different in height, they have a strong musical connection.

A melody sung in a higher octave may still feel like the same melody, only lighter or more elevated.

In singing, octaves help us understand how far apart notes are.

They also help us describe vocal range.

When someone says a singer can sing over two octaves, they mean the singer can move across a span of notes covering more than two complete note cycles.

Why Octaves Matter for Singers

Octaves matter because singing is not only about producing sound.

It is also about understanding pitch, direction and musical distance.

Many beginner singers know when a note feels “high” or “low”, but they may not yet understand how those notes are organised.

Octaves give structure to this experience.

They help singers recognise when a melody has moved into a higher area of the voice or when a phrase has returned to a more comfortable register.

Understanding octaves can also make lessons clearer.

If a teacher says, “Try singing that phrase an octave lower,” the singer knows that the melody should stay the same in shape, but be placed in a lower range.

This is very useful when adapting songs to suit the voice.

Octaves also help singers avoid unnecessary strain.

Sometimes a song may be too high in its original key, but completely manageable when sung lower.

Knowing this allows the singer to make musical choices rather than forcing the voice into uncomfortable territory.

Octaves and Vocal Range

Your vocal range is the span between the lowest and highest notes you can sing.

Octaves are one way of describing that span.

However, it is important to understand that vocal range is not simply a competition to see how many octaves someone can reach.

Many beginners become fascinated by the idea of having a large range, especially because famous singers are often described in terms of how many octaves they can sing.

In real singing, range is only useful when the notes are healthy, controlled and musical.

A note that can be forced once is not the same as a note that can be sung reliably and beautifully.

A beginner may have a modest range at first, and that is completely normal.

With good technique, breath management, resonance work and patient training, the voice often becomes more flexible over time.

The goal is not to chase extreme notes, but to develop a voice that feels free, balanced and expressive.

Why the Same Note Can Feel Different in Another Octave

A note may have the same name in different octaves, but it will not feel the same in the voice.

For example, a low G may feel comfortable and speech-like, while a higher G may require more breath energy, vowel adjustment and resonance.

The note name is the same, but the vocal coordination is different.

This is one reason why beginners sometimes feel confused.

They may think, “I can sing this note lower, so why does the higher version feel so different?” The answer is that the voice uses different areas of resonance and different muscular adjustments as pitch rises.

This is perfectly natural.

Singing across octaves requires coordination.

The voice must learn how to move smoothly from lower to higher notes without pushing, gripping or changing quality too abruptly.

A well-trained singer does not simply “reach” higher notes.

They learn how to travel towards them.

Octaves, Registers and Voice Breaks

Octaves are closely connected to vocal registers.

As singers move higher or lower, they may notice changes in the way the voice feels.

Lower notes may feel more connected to speech, while higher notes may feel lighter, brighter or more resonant in the head.

Beginners may also notice a break or shift between parts of the voice.

This is very common.

The voice may suddenly feel less stable, become breathy, crack, or change tone.

This does not mean the singer has done anything wrong.

It usually means the voice is learning how to coordinate different registers.

Understanding octaves can help singers approach these changes with patience.

Instead of thinking of the voice as one fixed line from low to high, it is better to see it as a flexible instrument with different areas that need to be connected.

Good singing lessons help students move through these areas gradually.

The aim is to develop smoother transitions, so the voice feels more unified across its range.

How Beginners Can Practise Hearing Octaves

Before a singer can confidently sing octaves, it is helpful to hear them clearly.

A simple way to begin is to play a note on the piano and then play the same note name higher or lower.

Listen carefully to how the two notes are related.

They sound different in height, but similar in identity.

You can also sing simple patterns, such as moving from “do” to the higher “do” in a scale.

This helps the ear recognise the feeling of completing an octave.

Beginners should practise gently and within a comfortable range.

There is no need to jump too high too soon.

The purpose is to train the ear and voice together, not to test the limits of the voice.

It can also be helpful to sing familiar melodies in different octaves, if they sit comfortably.

This teaches the singer that musical shape can remain the same even when the pitch level changes.

Common Misunderstandings About Octaves

One common misunderstanding is that a singer’s value depends on the number of octaves they can sing.

This is not true.

A beautiful singer is not defined only by range, but by tone, control, expression, musicality and communication.

Another misunderstanding is that beginners should try to extend their range as quickly as possible.

In fact, forcing the voice into higher or lower notes too soon can create tension and poor habits.

Range should grow through healthy coordination, not pressure.

Some singers also confuse singing loudly with singing higher.

High notes do not need to be shouted.

They need balance, breath support, resonance and the right vowel shape.

It is also worth remembering that not every song needs to be sung in its original octave.

Professional singers often adjust keys and ranges to suit their voices.

This is not a weakness.

It is intelligent musicianship.

How Singing Lessons Help You Understand Octaves

A good singing teacher can help you understand octaves in a practical, vocal way.

Rather than simply explaining the theory, they can show you how octaves feel in your own voice.

This may include gentle scale work, pitch-matching exercises, ear training, breath coordination and songs chosen carefully for your current range.

Over time, the singer begins to connect the idea of an octave with real vocal experience.

For adult beginners, this is especially valuable.

Many adults arrive at singing lessons with musical curiosity but little formal knowledge.

Learning about octaves gives them a clearer understanding of pitch, range and melody without making singing feel intimidating.

At the London Singing Institute, we help adult singers develop vocal confidence through clear, structured and supportive tuition.

Whether you are completely new to singing or returning after many years, understanding simple musical concepts such as octaves can make your learning more enjoyable and more rewarding.

An octave may be a technical term, but in practice it is simply part of how music moves.

Once you begin to hear it, feel it and sing it, the voice starts to make more sense.

Many singers can begin a note accurately, only to feel the pitch gradually sink as the note continues.

This is often described as “going flat”, and it can happen to singers at every level.

Understanding why some singers go flat on sustained notes is usually less about musical ability and more about technique.

In most cases, the issue is connected to breath support, vowel shape, tension, fatigue, or unclear pitch focus.

A sustained note needs more than simply being held.

It must remain supported, energised, and musically alive from beginning to end.

With the right awareness and guidance, singers can learn to sustain notes with greater stability, confidence, and expression.

The Voice Loses Energy at the End of a Phrase

Many singers go flat at the end of a phrase because their musical energy finishes too early.

This often happens when the singer is mentally aiming only for the beginning of the note.

Once the note has started, they relax too much, almost as though the work is complete.

The sound then loses direction, and the pitch begins to drop.

A sustained note needs a destination.

Even if it remains on the same pitch, it still has movement, shape, and intention.

The singer must continue to think through the note, not simply arrive at it.

This is especially important in slower songs, lyrical ballads, classical arias, and musical theatre pieces where long notes carry emotional weight.

The note should remain supported by musical purpose until the release.

Instead of thinking, “Hold this note”, a singer might think, “Carry this note to the end of the phrase.”

That small mental shift can make a significant difference.

Vowel Shape Can Pull the Pitch Down

Vowels have a major effect on intonation.

Certain vowels are easier to sustain than others, depending on the pitch, style, and individual voice.

If a vowel becomes too dark, too heavy, or too wide, the pitch may begin to fall.

This is particularly common on vowels such as “ah”, “oh”, or “uh” when they are sung without enough clarity or forward resonance.

For example, a singer sustaining a note on a very open “ah” may unintentionally allow the jaw to drop too heavily or the tongue to pull back.

The sound becomes less focused, and the pitch can sag.

Similarly, an “oh” vowel that becomes too covered may lose brightness and stability.

This does not mean singers should sing with artificial or exaggerated vowels.

It means the vowel must remain alive, balanced, and resonant.

Sometimes a very small adjustment is enough.

A dark “ah” may need a hint of “eh”.

An “oh” may need slightly more lift.

A vowel that feels too spread may need more vertical space.

These refinements help the voice stay tuned and vibrant.

Tension Can Disturb Pitch Stability

Singers sometimes go flat because they are trying too hard to control the note.

This may sound surprising, but excessive control often creates tension.

The jaw tightens, the tongue becomes rigid, the neck muscles engage, or the singer grips around the throat.

These habits can interfere with the free vibration of the vocal folds and reduce the flexibility needed to sustain pitch accurately.

Tension can also make the singer less responsive.

Instead of adjusting naturally as the note continues, the voice becomes fixed.

Once fatigue or pressure builds, the pitch may sink.

A stable sustained note should feel focused, but not forced.

The singer needs enough engagement to keep the note energised, but enough release to allow the sound to remain free.

This balance takes training.

It is one reason why simply telling a singer to “stay in tune” is rarely helpful.

The underlying physical coordination must be addressed.

Listening And Mental Pitch Are Essential

Going flat is not only a physical issue.

It can also be connected to how clearly the singer hears the pitch internally.

Before singing a note, the singer should have a clear sense of where that note lives.

This is often called audiation: the ability to hear the pitch in the mind before producing it.

If the mental pitch is vague, the sung pitch may become unstable.

During sustained notes, the singer must continue listening actively.

This includes listening to the accompaniment, the harmonic context, and the resonance of their own voice.

In ensemble singing, it also includes listening to other singers.

Some singers stop listening once they have produced the note.

They rely on the feeling of the voice rather than the sound itself.

However, feeling can be misleading. A note may feel comfortable but still be slightly low.

Training the ear and the voice together is therefore essential.

Accurate singing is not only about vocal technique; it is also about musical awareness.

Fatigue Can Make the Voice Sink

Vocal fatigue is another common reason sustained notes go flat.

When the voice is tired, it becomes harder to maintain consistent breath energy, resonance, and muscular coordination.

The singer may start the note well, but the voice cannot sustain the same quality until the end.

Fatigue can come from singing for too long, using poor technique, singing too loudly, speaking heavily before singing, or practising demanding repertoire without enough rest.

It can also appear when a singer is under stress, dehydrated, or physically tired.

A flat sustained note may therefore be a warning sign.

The voice may be saying that it needs better technique, more efficient practice, or more recovery.

This is particularly important for singers preparing for performances, auditions, recordings, or regular rehearsals.

Stamina is not built by forcing the voice to work harder.

It is developed through healthy, consistent, well-guided training.

How Singers Can Improve Sustained Notes

Improving sustained notes begins with awareness.

The singer must identify why the pitch is dropping rather than simply trying to correct it at the surface.

A few practical approaches can help:

• Practise sustaining notes at a comfortable volume before attempting louder or more dramatic singing.
• Keep the body energised through the entire note, especially at the end of the phrase.
• Record yourself to hear whether the pitch remains steady.
• Practise long notes on different vowels and notice which ones tend to lose focus.
• Think of the phrase continuing forward, rather than the note standing still.
• Work slowly with a teacher to identify tension, breath collapse, or vowel habits.

It is also helpful to practise sustained notes with gentle dynamic shaping.

For example, singing a note with a slight crescendo and diminuendo can teach the voice to remain active and flexible.

However, this should be done carefully, without forcing or squeezing.

The goal is not to hold notes stiffly. The goal is to sustain them with life.

Final Thoughts

Going flat on sustained notes is a common challenge, but it is also a valuable sign that something in the voice needs more balance, clarity, or support.

A skilled singing teacher can help identify whether the issue comes from breath support, vowel shape, resonance, tension, fatigue, or ear training.

With the right exercises, singers can learn to sustain notes with greater stability, confidence, and musical expression.

At the London Singing Institute, we help adult singers develop healthy technique, vocal control, and expressive freedom.

Whether you are a beginner, a returning singer, or an experienced vocalist, learning to hold notes beautifully can transform your singing.

A sustained note is not simply held — it is shaped, supported, and kept alive from beginning to end.

A song that feels easy in the late afternoon may seem heavier in the morning.

Notes that come freely in the evening may require more care earlier in the day.

For adult singers, this can be confusing, especially when progress seems inconsistent from one practice session to another.

In reality, this is entirely normal. The voice is not a fixed object that behaves identically from hour to hour.

It is part of the body, and like the body, it responds to sleep, energy levels, hydration, posture, hormones, environment, and use.

Understanding why your voice feels different in the morning and evening can help singers work with it more intelligently, rather than feeling frustrated by natural variation.

The Voice Is a Living Instrument

Unlike a piano or a violin, the singing voice cannot be taken out of a case in the same condition every day.

It is formed by muscles, breath, tissue, resonance spaces, and coordination.

All of these are affected by physical state and daily routine.

This means that your voice in the morning is not necessarily your voice at its most responsive.

Nor is your evening voice always your best voice.

Rather, each part of the day presents a slightly different physical context in which the instrument operates.

For singers, this is important to remember. A change in vocal feeling does not automatically mean a problem.

Very often, it simply reflects the body’s natural rhythm.

Why the Voice Can Feel Heavier in the Morning

Many people wake up with a voice that feels lower, thicker, slower to respond, or less flexible.

There are several reasons for this.During sleep, the voice has been resting for many hours.

Although rest is valuable, the vocal system has not yet been fully activated for speech or singing.

In addition, the body may be slightly dehydrated on waking, as several hours have passed without fluid intake.

This can affect the ease with which the voice begins to move. Posture and breathing can also play a role.

Early in the day, the body may feel less open, less energised, and not yet fully coordinated.

If the breath feels shallow or the posture collapses, the voice may seem less free than it does later on.

For some singers, morning mucus or mild swelling can also make the voice feel less clear at first.

This does not necessarily indicate illness. It can simply be part of the body’s normal process of waking up.

Why the Voice Often Feels Easier Later in the Day

By the afternoon or evening, many singers feel that the voice has become more flexible, more resonant, and easier to manage.

This is often because the body itself is more awake and coordinated.

You have usually been speaking, moving, breathing, and using your posture for hours by that point. The system is more active.

Breath support may feel steadier, physical tension may be easier to identify, and vocal folds may respond more readily once the body is fully functioning.

Mental readiness matters as well. Many adults are not immediately expressive first thing in the morning.

Later in the day, concentration, emotional connection, and responsiveness to music may all feel more accessible.

This can make the voice seem freer, even when the change is partly psychological as well as physical.

Why Some Singers Experience the Opposite

Not everyone sings best in the evening. Some people feel freshest earlier in the day and more fatigued later on.

A voice may become less reliable in the evening if the body is tired, if the person has spoken a great deal, or if stress has accumulated throughout the day.

This is why there is no universal “best time” to sing. What matters is learning how your own instrument behaves.

Some singers feel vocally centred in the late morning. Others find the afternoon ideal.

Some discover that early evening offers the best balance of energy and control.

Rather than assuming there is a correct time for everyone, it is far more useful to observe your own vocal patterns with honesty and curiosity.

Daily Factors That Influence Vocal Feeling

The difference between morning and evening is not caused by one thing alone.

Several factors often combine. Hydration is one of them.

A well-hydrated body generally supports easier vocal function, whereas dryness can make singing feel less comfortable and less responsive.

Sleep quality also has a strong effect. A poor night’s sleep can leave the body sluggish, tense, or less coordinated.

Stress is another major influence.

Even when it is not obvious, emotional pressure often appears in the jaw, shoulders, neck, breath, or tongue, all of which can affect the voice.

Food, caffeine, reflux, allergies, medication, room temperature, and how much you have already spoken during the day can also change the way the voice feels.

This is one reason singers benefit from thinking of vocal work as part of whole-body awareness rather than something isolated in the throat.

The Difference Between Feeling Different and Being Unhealthy

A voice that feels different is not always a voice that is in trouble.

Singers sometimes become anxious when the voice feels slightly thicker, less agile, or less brilliant than usual.

However, variation is part of normal vocal life.

The important question is whether the voice still functions healthily overall.

If the voice warms up sensibly, responds better after gentle use, and does not come with pain or persistent hoarseness, the difference may simply be part of its daily cycle.

On the other hand, if discomfort, strain, or significant loss of function continues over time, that deserves attention.

Healthy singers learn to distinguish between natural fluctuation and genuine warning signs.

That distinction brings both confidence and better judgement.

How to Work with Your Voice More Wisely

Rather than expecting the voice to behave identically at every hour, it is better to adjust your approach according to how it feels.

In the morning, a gentler start is often wise.

The voice may need time, space, and careful warming up before it feels fully available.

That is usually not the moment for pushing high, loud, or demanding material immediately.

Later in the day, when the voice feels more responsive, it may be easier to work on more expansive singing, repertoire, or technical challenges.

Even then, awareness still matters. A freer feeling does not mean unlimited stamina.

The most helpful singers are often the ones who listen well to their instrument.

They do not become fearful of variation, but neither do they ignore it. They respond intelligently.

Why This Matters for Adult Learners

Adult singers are often highly observant, which can be a strength. However, it can also lead to over-analysis.

If the voice feels different at different times of day, some adults assume that something is going wrong or that they are inconsistent by nature.

In truth, this awareness can become useful once it is guided properly.

The voice changes because the body changes. That does not mean you are regressing.

It means you are working with a human instrument that responds to real conditions.

Once adult students understand this, they often become calmer, more patient, and more effective in their practice.

They also begin to realise that vocal progress is not measured by identical daily sensation.

It is measured by growing skill, deeper awareness, and increasing ability to respond well under varying conditions.

Final Thoughts

If your voice feels different in the morning and evening, you are not imagining it.

The change is real, and in most cases it is entirely natural.

The voice reflects the condition of the body, and the body is never exactly the same from hour to hour.

For singers, the goal is not to eliminate all variation, but to understand it.

When you learn how your voice behaves across the day, you can warm up more intelligently, practise more effectively, and sing with greater confidence.

At the London Singing Institute, we help adult singers understand not only how to sing, but how to work with their individual voice in a thoughtful and informed way.

That kind of understanding often leads to more freedom, more consistency, and far greater enjoyment in the long term.

It helps to understand on a human, biological level exactly what is happening when you are/are not singing- it can help you to understand others’ voices as well.

This will be a beginner’s guide/starter kit into the world of the voice.

I would like to note that in this article I will be mostly focusing on what is happening in the head and throat, I will not be delving into what is happening with the chest down as extensively, but I will touch on this subject.

It is important to know that singing would not be possible without the help of the chest, lungs, back, abdomen and diaphragm.

Vocabulary

Before describing how the different muscles and pieces interact with each other, I’ll start by describing what each of these things are, and their general function in the body.

Larynx

A hollow, muscular organ that creates a passageway from the mouth to the lungs. The larynx contains the:

• Epiglottis: A flap of cartilage behind the root of the tongue. This covers the opening of the windpipe when swallowing.
• Thyroid cartilage: Commonly known as the “Adam’s Apple.” It is important to note that everyone has this (female and male), while it is more prominent in men, women still have them as well. This is a shield- shaped structure that forms the anterior and lateral walls of the larynx.
• Vocal folds: Folds of membranous tissue that slant inwards from the sides of the larynx to form a small slit across the glottis in the throat. Their edges vibrate when air passes through, which produces the voice.
• Cricoid Cartilage: a crucial structural foundation for the larynx.

Hard Palate

The bony front part of the palate (the roof of your mouth)

Soft Palate

The soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth. When raised, it forms a seal between the mouth and the nasal cavity. During swallowing, this action prevents food from entering the nose.

Cricothyroid Muscle

Attached to the front side of the thyroid cartilage and outer sides of the cricoid cartilage.

Arytenoid Cartilage

Two cartilages attached to the back of the cricoid cartilage. Responsible for your vocal folds opening and closing.

Thyroarytenoid Muscle

Muscle within the vocal fold, attached to the front of the thyroid cartilage and the back of the arytenoid cartilages.

Mucosa

Inner lining of some organs and body cavities.

Trachea

Commonly known as the windpipe. Extends from the larynx to the bronchial tubes, bringing air too and from the lungs.

Uvula

That little dangly thing in the back of your throat. It helps prevent food and drink from entering the nasal cavity when swallowing. It lubricates the throat with saliva production, and also is responsible for some specific speech sounds. (yeah, that little thing is actually super important!)

Esophagus

A long muscular tube that helps transport food and drink from the mouth to the stomach.

Bronchial Tubes

Commonly known as the Bronchi, they filter warm and humidify air, which protects the lungs with mucus.

Diaphragm

The primary muscle of respiration. It’s a dome shaped skeletal muscle that separates the heart and lungs from the abdominal cavity. The diaphragm actually moves involuntarily (like the heart pumps on its own). When you hiccup, it’s actually your diaphragm spasming !

Abdominal Cavity

Where your liver, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, liver, digestive and reproductive organs, and kidneys are located.

What Happens When We Sing? How Does Everything Come Together?

Air comes out of the lungs, through the trachea and into the larynx.

The vocal cords touch and then are forced apart by air pressure from the lungs, and this produces sound, which is called phonation.

That’s all singing really is!

When singing higher pitches our vocal cords vibrate faster, and when we sing lower our vocal cords vibrate slower.

This is why I really don’t like the vocabulary that we use when singing; “High notes” and “low notes”.

This gives a false notion that we are moving our voice up and down, when really we are technically just producing different levels of pressure.

In Farsi, they say “thick notes” and “thin notes”.

These would be my preferred choice of words.

When our vocal cords vibrate slower, the actual folds become shorter and thicker- more loose.

When they vibrate faster they are longer, thinner and tighter.

Think of the strings on a guitar, the low E string is thick and tied just a bit looser, and the higher E string, which is thinner and tighter.

This is much better imagery for singing.

Because we say “high note” and “low note”, this causes an association in our mind that physiologically we are using our throat to go up and down to hit notes.

When we sing and our larynx is raised too high, this can actually cause us to strain and create tightness in our throat that can have negative implications on our vocal cords.

Our larynx raises and lowers naturally, but ever so slightly.

For more healthy singing, we should try our best to keep the larynx lowered as much as possible – to maintain comfort.

When the larynx is raised too high, this can lead to a choking sensation: the tongue is not relaxed and there is overall tension surrounding the vocal folds, which makes a “squeezed” sound.

So How Do We Control Pitch?

The main muscle used when singing higher is the cricothyroid muscle.

This muscle contracts and pulls the thyroid muscle down and forward on its hinge, pulling them away from the arytenoid cartilage.

This then pulls the vocal folds in a way that makes them longer and thinner.

So, when there is air pressure coming up pushing through the folds, it creates a higher frequency.

The main muscle when singing lower is the thyroarytenoid muscle, which scrunches the vocal folds up by pulling the arytenoid end of the vocal cords closer to the thyroid end.

While the thyroarytenoid muscle is contracting it becomes firm.

This causes the mucosa that is covering the vocal folds to become looser, which is why they then vibrate slower and create a lower frequency.

Connecting the Dots

To maintain a relaxed feeling in our throat, this is where using the rest of our body comes in.

Singing does not only include mechanisms in our throat.

Vocalising comfortably is about trying to feel relaxed in the throat, neck, and jaw, while having an engaged core.

Singing should never hurt, it should feel like a sigh or a yawn.

When one yawns, the larynx is lowered and relaxed, as the soft palette raises
and creates room for vocal resonance.

Breathing deep and low (meaning that you allow the lungs to fill completely and your stomach to expand) into the body is important when engaging the core.

Many times, the phrase “take a deep breath” causes singers to raise their shoulders and chest – this creates tension on the neck and further disrupts singing.

I like to say that learning how to sing is like learning yoga for a beginner.

You can’t do a split on your first try, and balance takes time to internalise.

We learn how to slowly stretch our vocal chords, and manipulate our voices and resonances in new ways as well.

It can be very helpful to physically see exactly what is happening in your body and throat when singing.

Try to sing or speak and see if you can imagine which muscles are moving.

Put your hand on your neck and feel how with every word or note, it can shift. Get to know your body and your voice in a new way.

Citations:

• Anatomy for Vocalist
• Anatomy of the Voice
• Glossary of Singing Voice Terminology
• University of Minnesota – Physiology

The voice is made up of two different registers.

The chest voice, the head voice, and what I call the middle voice- which is a mixture of the two that lies in the middle.

In order to find these registers in your own voice/body, all you have to do is pay attention to how and where you feel your body vibrate or resonate while you sing.

When you are singing in your chest voice, if you put your hand on your chest , you can feel it vibrate.

You can also feel your chest voice engage when you speak.

Imagine you see your friend across the street and want to get their attention by loudly saying (not yelling) “Hey !!”

This is basically what it feels like to belt- which is singing in the chest.

When you sing in your head voice, you can’t feel anything in your chest.

As for the middle voice, you feel some vibration in the chest, but not as strongly.

Exploring Vocal Registers and the Siren Exercise

An important thing to acknowledge, is that, in singing, there is no clear cut “this note should be sung with chest” or “this note should be with head”, it is more about what feels good for you, what artistic decision you’d like to make, personal taste.

One person might want to sing a song with more chest than another.

A great way to play around with where one register ends and the next begins in your voice (as it is different for everyone) is to sing what I like to call a “siren”.

Start by singing any random note in the middle of your range, and then slide up to the highest note you can sing.

Then slide all the way down, and slide back up again.

If you put your hand on your chest, then you can feel the resonance change in your chest.

It’s also a fun vocal warm up. Don’t be afraid of when your voice “breaks”, this is simply your voice going from one register to another.

The vocal cords are muscles that need to grow and be stretched.

If you are not used to singing the notes that are cusping the registers, it is completely natural for your voice to get “confused” or “break”.

Your voice isn’t actually breaking, it is just switching and this rapid transition is what you feel/hear.

Try doing this exercise slowly. Make sure you are not straining or pushing your voice.

If your voice “breaks” or feels tired/uncomfortable, take a pause.

Then come back, take a breath, and try again.

Building Vocal Flexibility and Navigating the Passaggio

Think of your voice just as you would any of your muscles; your legs for example, how flexible are they?

If you have never done a split before, do you suppose you could get your body to do a split by the end of the day?

Growing your range is the same.

When strengthening your chest voice, mix and head voice, all you need to do is warm up a bit every day and be kind to yourself.

Learning technique comes with time.

So with time and training, you will be able to sing smoothly and healthily from one register to the other.

This brings me to…

The passaggio.

If you haven’t heard this term before, then I am glad to present it to you.

Meaning “passageway” in Italian, the passagio is the tunnel that brings us singers safely from A to B, or the chest voice to the head voice, rather.

While it is a dark tunnel, and one difficult to navigate in the beginning, there is a way – with some patience.

Balancing Technique Through Vocal Transitions and Overlapping Notes

Depending on if you are ascending or descending, the exact place that you switch technique on the scale can change.

It’s a bit of a balancing act between how much air and pressure you use, and how much of your head versus your chest you’d like to use.

As we go up the scale from the chest voice to the middle voice, we tend to bring up the chest voice, and from the middle into the head we tend to bring up the middle voice into the head.

As we descend it is the opposite, the head voice is brought down into the middle voice, and the middle into the chest.

If we go back to doing the “siren” vocalization, you can see for yourself where the voice transitions as it ascends versus as it descends.

I call these confusing transitions “overlapping notes.”

For me personally, I transition from my middle voice into my head voice around a G5 when I am singing classically.

As I ascend, I add slightly more air and head resonance on the F in order to prepare and “soften” the transition, so rather than changing abruptly, it is more of a gradient.

I tend to transition into the full head voice lower in my register when singing pop.

The upper passaggio is a bit more challenging to navigate than the lower passaggio- so much so, that many people are unaware that they have a transition in their lower register.

Register Choices and Stylistic Decisions in Contemporary Songs

For my chest voice I can bring down my middle voice all the way down to a C3 before changing into my chest voice.

However, I can make the choice to change into the chest voice a bit higher as well, and even sing up to a C4 with chest.

We learn with trial and error.

Depending on the song, we can choose to sing the same note in a different register.

Why don’t we check out a song together?

In the song “Good Luck Babe” by Chappel Roan, Chappel starts the song in her chest voice, with a little bit of air.

She likes to do a bit of a “yodel”, which is quite literally just changing from one register (the chest voice) to another (the head voice) rapidly, making an intense “break” sound-completely on purpose.

As the song progresses into the pre-chorus and she ascends “you only wanna be” Chappel sings into a mixture of the chest and head, then back to the chest ”the one that I” then back into mix “call baby”, until finally she sings fully in her head voice for the chorus, “you can kiss a hundred boys in bars…”

Later in the song for the bridge, she sings the same notes that she sings in the pre-chorus, only this time, rather than singing in her mix, she uses her chest voice and belts.

Experimenting With Registers to Personalise Your Performance

Now you can choose a song by any artist and analyze which registers you think they are singing in throughout the song.

You can sing along and try to make the same technical choices as them, or you can experiment with using different registers.

This adds texture, depth, and musicality to the song and your version. Have fun !

PS. Don’t be discouraged if you feel that you are not capable of belting the bridge like Chappel, she herself sings this song a step down when singing it live as it is difficult for her as well.

Not just a simple mechanism snuck away in the subconscious labyrinth of our brain, when brought to the main focus, breathing holds the answer to any of your “why can’t I sing that” or “why doesn’t this work” questions.

The “appoggio”, coming from the verb “appogiarsi” which means “to lean against” in Italian, is how we refer to the “support” of our voice in the music world.

Support does not just come from our breathing and our lungs, but our entire body.

It starts with our feet, our legs, our pelvic floor, the abdomen, our lower back and our ribs.

Like strong trees planted in the ground.

The Truth About Airflow and Phonation in Singing

A common misconception in singing is that to hit a note, whether high or low, you require more air.

This is false, you simply need to use your air more efficiently…

Air goes through the vocal folds to create phonation, but too much air can make the voice sound weaker or thinner.

The extreme of this is whispering- pretty much all air and no phonation.

Breathing in, of course, is important- but don’t misconstrue taking in more air with exasperation.

It’s the control of the release and the amount of pressure that is let out.

Think of a balloon. It has a lot of air, and the opening of the balloon represents the vocal chords. When you hold the balloon from the top and pull it open to let out a bit of air, it makes a pitch.

Depending on how far apart the lips of the balloon are, it changes the level of noise coming out, and if you open it completely, the air comes out all at once and makes no noise at all.

Correct Breathing Technique for Singers vs Shallow Breathing

First we have to talk about breathing correctly when it comes to singers.

What I see in a lot of my students is when I ask them to take deep breaths, I see them breathe high in their chests.

For example, their chests rise and their stomachs become smaller, creating tension in their shoulders and necks, which can make singing more difficult.

This type of breathing, shallow breathing, is common with athletes.

When training for a sport, especially a sport that requires plenty of running, people are trained to breathe in such a way that they can take in a lot of oxygen for it to be quickly released.

What singers do is the opposite, breath should be taken in low into the body so it can be held for longer- to sustain longer phrases.

To help my students find their lower breath, I ask them to lie on the ground and let their bodies breathe naturally.

The stomach rises with inhalation, and lowers with exhalation.

When we sing we should get used to our stomachs getting bigger, which is difficult when the societal expectation is for us to be as skinny as possible and to “suck it in”.

We have to be more comfortable with letting ourselves fully breathe and loosen the abdomen.

Finding Strength Through Breath, Posture, and Vocal Space

The next step is preparing ourselves to sing. After taking a nice deep breath, loosening the abdomen and feeling the ribs expand, we then find our strength.

• Feet should be shoulderwidth apart
• One foot slightly in front of the other.
• Knees not locked, but slightly bent.
• Spine straight with pelvis tucked in (no arching of the back)
• Neck aligned with your spine.
• As you sing, then engage your core.
• When standing in this position, if someone comes up to you while you are singing and tries to push you over, you won’t budge. This is what I mean when I say “singing strong”

With the initial inhale, I like to think of a “shocked” breath.

Imagine you were just told new information you had no clue about, the type of gasp you naturally take in creates a perfect space in your head and vocal passageway to sing comfortably.

Your larynx lowers and is relaxed. This, paired with standing in the right position, is the formula to have healthy support for singing.

If you aren’t sure what I mean, put your hand over your throat where your Adam’s apple is, and try to yawn.

You’ll feel that this part of your throat- the larynx- lowers. And in your mouth, the little dangly thing in the back of your throat (the uvula) will lift.

Now you’re ready to sing comfortably without pushing or straining.

Body Engagement Exercises to Strengthen Vocal Support

Here are some tips that I find really work to find more support in your body while singing:

Singing while planking.

I know this sounds really bizarre, but this is a great way to find strength in your core and also check in on your posture.

When an elbow plank is done the right way, the head, neck and spine are aligned, and the pelvis is tucked in.

You also find that you need to take deep and controlled breaths in order to maintain the position, and while you sing, you can feel the core working to get the notes out.

It is definitely difficult, and a workout, but it’s great training.

You can try this with some phrases in whatever song you’re working on. When you stand up to sing it again, you will sing the song much easier.

Wall sit

This is a great way to connect your mind with your body, and engage your legs!

When in the correct position for a wall sit, your back is flat on the wall with your head aligned- touching the wall, legs boxed out- as if you’re sitting on a chair.

Try singing some phrases you found difficult in the past, you’ll see how much easier it is.

Squatting as we sing

Do you have a note that just isn’t working? Try doing a slow low squat as you are singing the note, you’ll see that your body does all the work for you.

In Summary

As singers, it is easy to forget that singing is a sport. It’s a full body experience, it’s exercise.

We think a lot about what is going on in our throat, and forget to focus on our body and the strength it has.

When we let our body do the work, singing feels so much more natural and free.

Related Articles:

• Harmony in Body and Voice – The Alexander Technique Has Huge Benefits for Singers
• Vocal Health: Top Tips for Looking After Your Voice
• How to Sing Vibrato

This often-overlooked technique can help you achieve a brighter, more powerful sound by using the pharynx—the space behind your nose and mouth—to amplify and shape your voice.

When done correctly, it can transform the quality of your singing, giving your voice more control and clarity.

It’s also essential for developing a strong pharyngeal voice, adding extra brilliance and focus to your sound.

What is Pharyngeal Resonance?

Pharyngeal resonance refers to how sound waves are naturally amplified within the pharynx, creating a richer, more resonant tone.

Unlike chest resonance, which relies on the body’s lower cavities, or head resonance, which uses the skull, pharyngeal resonance utilises the throat as a resonating chamber.

This creates a clearer, more penetrating sound that helps the voice project without strain.

Essentially, the pharynx acts like a funnel directing sound toward the listener.

By using this space efficiently, singers can amplify their voices, enhancing both the volume and sound quality.

Pharyngeal resonance is essential for styles such as classical music, opera, R&B, or musical theatre, where projection, clarity, and tone are significant in performance.

How Pharyngeal Resonance Supports the Pharyngeal Voice

The pharyngeal voice is a vocal register that often bridges the gap between the chest voice and the head voice.

When you engage the pharynx correctly, you unlock this register and smooth out transitions between your vocal ranges.

Using pharyngeal resonance helps balance the sound, making it more stable and focused, allowing you to move fluidly from low to high notes without sudden shifts in tone or quality.

When you improve your singing with pharyngeal resonance, you also strengthen your pharyngeal voice. This combination provides:

• Improved clarity and projection: Pharyngeal resonance makes your voice sound clearer and more focused. It also naturally amplifies your sound, allowing you to project without pushing or straining your vocal cords.
• Smoother register transitions: By developing this resonance, singers can smooth out the transitions between their chest and head voice, making it easier to sing across different vocal registers without losing control.
• A brighter, more vibrant tone: Pharyngeal resonance adds brilliance and energy to your voice, allowing your tone to shine, especially in higher ranges.

Why Pharyngeal Resonance is Important for Singers

Incorporating pharyngeal resonance into your singing can make a huge difference.

Not only will your voice sound clearer and more vibrant, but you’ll also notice improvements in your control and stamina.

Here’s why improving your singing with pharyngeal resonance is a game-changer:

• Stronger projection with less effort: Pharyngeal resonance acts like a natural amplifier, giving your voice more power without needing to push harder.
• Richer tone: It brings fullness and brightness to your voice, making your singing more engaging and dynamic.
• Longer vocal endurance: Since pharyngeal resonance amplifies your voice naturally, you can sing for longer periods without feeling as fatigued.

How to Develop Pharyngeal Resonance

Improving your singing with pharyngeal resonance requires time, practice, and proper guidance. Here are some key exercises and tips to help you strengthen this technique:

Master Breath Control

Pharyngeal resonance is deeply connected to breath support. Diaphragmatic breathing—where you use your diaphragm to control airflow—is crucial for maintaining steady pressure and allowing the pharynx to resonate fully.

Practise breathing exercises that strengthen your diaphragm, ensuring you have enough breath support to carry each note with clarity and power.

Focus on Vocal Placement

Start by humming at a comfortable pitch and pay attention to the vibrations in your throat and nasal passages.

This helps you become more aware of how the pharynx resonates.

Gradually shift from humming to open vowels such as “ee” or “ay” to encourage a bright, forward sound.

Experiment With Forward Vowel Sounds

Vowel sounds like “ee” and “ay” naturally engage pharyngeal resonance. Practise singing scales using these vowels, focusing on keeping the sound clear and resonant.

Pay attention to how your voice feels and sounds when it resonates in the pharynx.

Engage in Resonance-Building Exercises

Vocal exercises that target the pharyngeal region are crucial for developing this technique.

Try working with lip trills, tongue trills, and other exercises that activate the pharyngeal space. A vocal coach can guide you through specific exercises to help improve your resonance and overall vocal technique.

Work With a Vocal Coach

While self-practice is important, a trained vocal coach can give you personalised feedback on how to effectively engage your pharyngeal resonance.

They can guide you through proper techniques, correct any missteps, and help you unlock the full potential of your pharyngeal voice.

Conclusion

Pharyngeal resonance is a powerful and often underappreciated tool in the singer’s vocal toolkit.

It enables singers to project more clearly, sing with greater control, and maintain a vibrant tone without overworking their voices.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced performer, improving your singing with pharyngeal resonance can elevate your performance, helping you sing with more ease, clarity, and power.

Boost Your Singing Skills at The London Singing Institute

If you want to develop your singing abilities further, why not explore adult singing lessons at the London Singing Institute?

Our expert singing coaches specialise in helping adults improve their technique, no matter their starting point.

Through our tailored lessons, you’ll master pharyngeal resonance and develop essential vocal skills that will unlock your full potential as a singer.

Join us today to start your vocal journey and discover how pharyngeal resonance and other key techniques can transform your singing!

“Back to Basics with Your Singing” is not just a catchy phrase but a guiding principle that ensures the longevity and health of your vocal abilities.

By continually revisiting the basics, you can refine your technique, avoid bad habits, and enhance your overall performance.

The Importance of Revisiting the Basics

Even the most skilled singers can benefit from going back to basics. The fundamentals of singing are the foundation upon which all advanced techniques are built. Revisiting these core elements can help:

Reinforce Good Habits

Consistently focusing on the basics helps you reinforce and maintain good habits that are essential for healthy singing.

Over time, even experienced singers can develop subtle bad habits that may lead to strain or vocal damage.

By returning to basics with your singing, you can identify and correct these habits before they become ingrained.

Prevent Vocal Strain

Proper technique is crucial for preventing vocal strain and injury.

Singing with incorrect posture, poor breath control, or improper vocal placement can significantly strain your vocal cords.

Revisiting the basics ensures that you are using your voice in a healthy and sustainable way, allowing you to sing with ease and longevity.

Adapt to Changes

As your voice matures and changes, the basics provide a reliable framework to adjust your technique accordingly.

Whether you’re recovering from illness, adapting to age-related changes, or simply trying out new styles, a solid foundation in the basics makes these transitions smoother and more effective.

Boost Confidence

A solid grasp of the fundamentals gives you the confidence to tackle more complex pieces and perform confidently.

Knowing you have a strong technical foundation lets you focus on expression and artistry without worrying about your vocal technique.

Which Basic Should You Focus On?

When going back to basics with your singing, it’s essential to concentrate on the core elements that form the bedrock of good vocal technique. These include:

Proper Posture

Proper posture is crucial for optimal breath control and vocal projection.

When you stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weight evenly distributed, you create a stable base for your singing.

Your shoulders should be relaxed, and your chest lifted, allowing your lungs to expand fully and your diaphragm to engage effectively.

This alignment supports your breathing and allows your voice to resonate freely, producing a clear and powerful sound.

Regularly checking and correcting your posture can prevent the development of tension and ensure that your body is supporting your voice in the best possible way.

Effective Breathing Techniques

Effective breath control is vital for sustaining notes, managing phrasing, and maintaining vocal health.

Diaphragmatic breathing, which involves engaging your diaphragm rather than shallow chest breathing, is the key to achieving this control.

By focusing on deep, abdominal breaths, you can increase your lung capacity and improve your ability to control the flow of air as you sing.

Daily breathing exercises, such as sustained hissing or breath counts, can strengthen your diaphragm and support, allowing you to sing longer phrases and maintain a steady, controlled tone.

Remember, mastering breath control is an ongoing process that requires regular practice and attention.

Clear Diction and Articulation

Clear diction ensures that your audience understands the lyrics, enhancing your performance’s impact.

Paying attention to vowel shapes and consonant articulation can significantly improve your clarity and precision.

Diction exercises, such as tongue twisters and specific articulation drills, can help you develop better control over your speech muscles and improve your overall enunciation.

Additionally, understanding the nuances of different languages and dialects can further enhance your ability to communicate effectively through song.

Regularly practising diction ensures that your message is conveyed clearly and that your audience can fully appreciate the emotional and lyrical content of your performance.

Regular Vocal Exercises

Regular warm-ups and vocal exercises prepare your voice for singing, improving range, flexibility, and stamina.

Scales, arpeggios, and lip trills are excellent examples of exercises that can help you develop a more agile and versatile voice.

These exercises warm up your vocal cords, help you explore the full range of your voice, and increase your ability to transition smoothly between different pitches.

Incorporating vocal exercises into your daily routine keeps your voice in peak condition and allows you to tackle more challenging repertoire confidently.

Remember, consistency is key, and even a few minutes of daily practice can significantly affect your vocal development.

Practical Tips for Focusing on the Basics

To effectively go back to basics with your singing, consider the following tips:

Dedicate Time for Regular Practise

Dedicate specific times in your practice schedule to focus solely on the basics. Consistency is key to reinforcing these fundamental skills.

Set aside at least 15-30 minutes daily to work on posture, breathing, diction, and vocal exercises.

Making these elements a regular part of your practice routine ensures they become second nature and form a strong foundation for your singing.

Use a Mirror to Monitor Technique

Practising in front of a mirror can help you monitor your posture and facial movements, ensuring you maintain proper technique.

A mirror allows you to visually check your alignment, observe any tension in your face or neck, and make necessary adjustments in real time.

This visual feedback is invaluable for developing self-awareness and ensuring that your body supports your voice correctly.

Record and Listen to Your Practise Sessions

Recording your practice sessions allows you to listen critically and identify areas for improvement.

Hearing yourself from an external perspective can reveal nuances and issues that may not be apparent while you are singing.

Use recordings to track your progress over time and note areas that need attention.

This practice can help you develop a more objective ear and effectively refine your technique.

Seek Professional Guidance

Even experienced singers can benefit from working with a vocal coach. A professional can provide personalised feedback and help you refine your technique.

Vocal coaches have the expertise to identify subtle issues and offer tailored exercises and strategies to address them.

Regular sessions with a coach can provide ongoing support and ensure you continually improve and maintain good vocal health.

Those looking for top-tier vocal instruction should consider taking singing lessons with us at the London Singing Institute. We specialise in adult vocal education, offering personalised lessons catering to your needs and goals.

With a team of highly experienced vocal coaches, you can expect to receive expert guidance and customised training plans designed to help you master the basics and advance your singing skills.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned performer, the London Singing Institute provides an excellent environment to refine your technique and achieve your vocal aspirations.

Stay Patient and Persistent

Mastering the basics takes time and dedication. Stay patient and persistent, and remember that continual improvement is a gradual process.

Progress may sometimes be slow, but consistent effort and a positive attitude will yield significant results over time.

Celebrate small achievements and stay motivated by reminding yourself of the benefits of solid foundational skills.

Wrapping Up Back to Basics with Your Singing!

Going back to basics with your singing is essential for maintaining a strong foundation in your craft.

By revisiting these fundamental elements, you can refine your technique, expand your vocal range, and even reignite your passion for singing.

Remember, no matter how experienced you are as a singer, there’s always room for improvement and growth.
So, take a step back and revisit these basics. You never know what hidden talents you might discover!

Here are our ten favourite warm-up techniques that will help get your voice ready for your best performance every single time.

Make sure to spend at least 10-20 minutes to warm up before you sing to give yourself the stamina and power you need.

1. Yawn

You’re not getting ready for bed, but yawning is a great way to get relaxed and ready your voice for a good range of notes. Just make sure to do it the right way. Open your mouth as wide as you can to take in as much air as possible, and then sigh it all out through your nose.

2. Hum

Again, there is a specific way to hum for your warm-up. The ‘h’ sound is one of the gentlest on your voice box, which is why it’s such a great one to ease you into your session. Place the tip of your tongue on the back of your teeth and work your way up and down your scales, making each note sound like an ‘h’.

3. Emergency Sirens

This time, take your ‘ooo’ sound and start it at the bottom of your vocal range, gliding smoothly to the top of your range and back down again. Make sure to hit every note on the way up and the way down.

4. Pitch Glide

This is a lovely, easy technique to use. Pick your favourite two octaves and make an ‘ooo’ sound or an ‘eee’ sound as you work your way up and down them. This helps you to warm up both your chest voice and your head voice.

5. Straw Prop

This warm-up requires a straw, which makes it a bit more fun! Start by humming from the bottom of your range to the top through the straw. Then go back down again. Then, you can play around with humming your favourite songs through the straw.

6. Jaw hang

Drop your jaw as low as you comfortably can. Make sure you are not just tilting your chin – you want to be able to feel that your jaw is wide open by finding the bone by your ear and feeling it drop with your fingers. Now sing like that. This is a great one for loosening up your jaw so you can better project your voice.

7. Portamento

While other vocal exercises have you singing every note in your range, this technique focuses on just the two ends of the scale or certain notes within it. You should then sing these notes as smoothly as if they were one note, with no jolts or gaps in between. But avoid the in-between notes; they are not included in this technique.

8. Trilling

This technique requires you to roll your ‘r’s as you work your way through your vocal range. Some people find this easy, while others need a bit more practice. Rolling your ‘r’s requires you to curl your tongue as you sing. If you find this difficult to get the hang of, keep practising. The warm-up pay-off is worth the investment.

9. Buzz

A similar technique is the lip buzz. This replicates the trill but uses your lips instead of your tongue. As you breathe air through your mouth and nose, make your lips vibrate. This is a great way to loosen up your lips. Why not try going through your scales at the same time?

10. The Sound of Music

Or solfege, as professionals know it. Do-re-mi-lo-so-fa-ti-do. Singing these scales really helps you to recognise notes by ear. You can do it with an accompaniment instrument to make sure you hit the right notes, or if you’re confident, acapella.

As vocal coaches, we are well-versed in a number of warm-up techniques and can recognise the ones you would benefit from the most.

Every class starts with a warm-up, but we actually recommend you do these techniques daily to make them a habit and protect your voice.

Ready to book a singing class or one-on-one lesson with us? We’d love to have you. Get in touch now – it might be the best thing you ever do for your voice!