The voice may tire, the breath may feel less reliable, and concentration can begin to slip as the piece continues.

How to build singing stamina for longer songs becomes a far more practical question when singers realise that stamina is not simply about endurance.

At the London Singing Institute, we often remind students that lasting vocal stamina comes from efficient technique, intelligent pacing, physical awareness, and the ability to remain vocally free throughout the song.

Learn to Pace the Song Musically

One of the most important skills in longer singing is pacing.

Not every phrase should be delivered with the same emotional intensity or vocal weight.

A well-sung long song usually has shape.

Some passages are lighter, more intimate, or more restrained.

Others build gradually towards moments of greater intensity.

Singers who try to give everything at once often find themselves vocally and emotionally depleted too early.

Pacing is therefore not only a musical decision, but a technical one.

If you treat the song as a journey rather than a series of disconnected moments, you begin to distribute energy more intelligently.

This helps preserve both vocal freshness and expressive impact.

Many adult singers benefit from marking the architecture of a song clearly.

Where does the music truly need expansion?

Which phrases can remain more contained?

Where is the real climax?

These questions help prevent wasteful singing.

Build Breath Stamina, Not Breath Panic

Long songs often expose weaknesses in breathing, but the solution is not simply to take bigger breaths.

In fact, over-breathing can create stiffness and a false sense of urgency.

What matters more is learning to manage the breath calmly and economically.

This means taking in what is needed without excess, allowing the body to remain released, and resisting the temptation to spend too much breath on the start of each phrase.

Breath stamina comes from repeated practice in measured phrasing.

When a singer begins to trust the breath, long lines stop feeling like threats.

They become manageable because the body is no longer reacting with panic.

This is one reason why thoughtful breath planning is so helpful.

Knowing where you will breathe, how the phrase is shaped, and where the musical line can settle makes a long song far easier to carry.

Practise in Sections Before Singing the Whole Piece

Singers sometimes assume that stamina must be built by repeatedly singing the entire song from start to finish.

While full run-throughs certainly have their place, they are not always the most efficient starting point.

It is often far more useful to work in sections.

This allows you to identify where fatigue begins, where concentration drops, or where technical organisation becomes less secure.

You may notice that a particular transition, high passage, or phrase length is the real issue rather than the song as a whole.

Once these moments are improved in isolation, the full song often becomes much more manageable.

This sectional approach also protects the voice from unnecessary overuse.

Singing through a difficult song again and again without solving the underlying issue can create frustration and fatigue rather than stamina.

Strengthen Physical Awareness

Singing stamina is closely connected to physical organisation.

The body does not need to be rigid, but it does need to be available.

A singer who collapses physically as the song goes on will often lose breath freedom and tonal stability.

Similarly, a singer who accumulates tension in the neck, shoulders, jaw, or tongue may find that the voice feels increasingly effortful by the end.

For longer songs, posture must remain alive rather than fixed.

The body should feel balanced, flexible, and responsive throughout the performance.

This does not require dramatic movement, but it does require awareness.

Many singers benefit from noticing what happens physically after the first minute or two of singing.

Do the shoulders begin to rise? Does the jaw tighten?

Does the ribcage collapse?

Stamina improves when these small changes are observed and corrected early.

Train Recovery as Well as Endurance

One of the less discussed aspects of stamina is recovery within the song itself.

In longer repertoire, singers need to be able to release effort quickly after demanding moments.

For example, after a climactic phrase or a high passage, can the voice return to a calmer dynamic without dragging tension forward?

Can the breath reset without panic?

Can the body release rather than brace?

These small recoveries are essential.

A singer who never truly resets during the song will gradually accumulate effort.

A singer who can recover intelligently between phrases or sections will often sound fresher for much longer.

This is especially important in songs that alternate between intensity and intimacy.

The contrast should feel musically expressive, but it should also give the voice moments of release.

Mental Stamina Matters Too

Long songs are not only vocally demanding.

They require concentration, emotional continuity, and enough inner calm to remain present.

Some singers tire mentally before they tire vocally.

They begin to worry about the next difficult note, the next verse of text, or whether they will make it to the end.

That anxiety can drain energy surprisingly quickly.

Mental stamina improves when the song becomes more familiar structurally and emotionally.

If you know the song deeply, you are less likely to feel chased by it.

You can stay with the phrase you are singing rather than bracing for what comes next.

This is another reason why secure preparation matters so much.

Confidence conserves energy. Uncertainty consumes it.

Final Thoughts

Building singing stamina for longer songs is not about pushing the voice to its limit.

It is about creating the technical and musical conditions in which the voice can remain free, steady, and expressive over time.

When breath is managed well, pacing is thoughtful, tension is reduced, and preparation is secure, longer songs begin to feel far less daunting.

They become opportunities not for survival, but for communication and artistry.

At the London Singing Institute, we help adult singers develop the technique, awareness, and confidence needed to approach longer repertoire with greater ease and musical control.

With the right guidance and thoughtful singing lessons, stamina becomes not a matter of strain, but a natural extension of healthy and intelligent singing.

It is not just louder.

It is not just higher.

It feels powerful, emotional and almost electric.

That bold, bright and intense sound is often what we call belting.

But what is belting in singing, really?

And why does it sometimes feel thrilling to listen to, yet difficult to do safely?

Let’s break it down clearly.

That Big, Powerful Sound

Imagine calling across a busy street:

“Wait!”

You do not whisper it.

You do not force it.

You project it.

That clear, strong, energised sound is close to the feeling of belting — just controlled and supported properly for singing.

Belting is when a singer carries the strength and quality of their speaking voice higher into their range.

Instead of switching into a lighter, softer head voice, the sound remains bold, direct and bright.

It should feel firm and supported, not tight and painful.

Why Belting Feels So Emotional

Belting is often used when emotion peaks.

In musical theatre, it appears when a character is desperate, triumphant or heartbroken.

In pop music, it lifts the final chorus.

In soul and R&B, it conveys depth, strength and vulnerability.

Belting feels powerful because it sounds close to speech.

It feels human. Urgent. Honest.

That is why audiences respond to it so strongly.

What Is Actually Happening in the Voice?

Here is the part that makes everything clearer.

When you speak or sing lower notes, your vocal folds are thicker and the sound feels grounded in the chest voice.

As you move higher, your voice naturally wants to shift into a lighter coordination, often called head voice.

Belting carefully maintains more chest voice quality as the pitch rises.

To do that safely, several things must work together:

• Breath support from the diaphragm
• Steady airflow, not excessive pushing
• Relaxed jaw and tongue
• Stable posture
• Efficient vocal fold closure

If breath support is weak, the throat tries to compensate.

If posture collapses, tension increases.

If too much air is pushed, the sound becomes forced.

Healthy belting feels supported from below, not squeezed from the throat.

The Most Common Mistake

Many singers try to belt by simply increasing volume.

They push harder.

They lift their chin.

They tighten their neck.

The note may come out loudly, but afterwards the throat feels tired or scratchy.

That is not belting. That is strain.

True belting does not rely on shouting. It relies on coordination.

A simple check:

• Your shoulders should not rise when you breathe.
• Your jaw should not lock.
• Your neck should not visibly strain.
• Your voice should not feel sore afterwards.

If it hurts, something is misaligned.

A Very Relatable Moment

Many adult students say:

“I can sing softly, but when I try to sing higher and stronger, everything tightens.”

That tightening is normal at the beginning.

The body is unsure how to manage the extra demand.

With proper training, singers learn to:

• Prepare the breath before the note
• Keep the ribcage expanded
• Avoid pushing extra air
• Let the sound move forward instead of pressing down

When this coordination improves, the high note suddenly feels more stable.

And that is when belting begins to feel possible rather than frightening.

Can Belting Damage Your Voice?

It can if done incorrectly.

Repeated strain can lead to:

• Vocal fatigue
• Hoarseness
• Reduced range
• Ongoing irritation

However, healthy belting does not damage the voice.

Many professional singers belt regularly without harm because their technique is balanced.

The key difference is support and control.

Belting should feel strong, not painful.

Should Beginners Focus on Belting?

Belting should not be the first goal.

Before attempting strong belting, a singer should feel confident with:

• Basic breath control
• Singing steadily in tune
• Smooth transitions between registers
• Building range gradually
• Releasing unnecessary tension

Belting is a more advanced coordination.

Without foundation, it becomes effort instead of expression.

Is Belting the Only Way to Sound Powerful?

Not at all.

Classical singers rarely belt. Instead, they project through resonance and space.

The power comes from balance and acoustics rather than speech-like intensity.

Belting is one expressive tool. It is not the only path to strength.

A well-trained singer can choose when to belt and when to sing with more resonance and space.

So, Should You Learn to Belt?

If you love musical theatre or contemporary styles, learning to belt safely can expand your expressive range.

But it should be built patiently.

Belting is not about being the loudest voice in the room.

It is about controlled intensity.

When technique is secure, belting feels thrilling and free rather than risky.

Final Thought

Belting is one of the most exciting sounds in modern singing.

It can lift a performance and move an audience instantly.

But behind that powerful sound is balance, breath support and coordination.

If you build your voice step by step, strengthening support and reducing tension, belting becomes something joyful rather than frightening.

And when that high note comes out strong and stable — not forced — you will understand something important.

Power in singing does not come from pushing harder.

It comes from singing smarter.

If you would like to learn how to belt with proper technique and without strain, our structured one-to-one singing lessons at London Singing Institute can guide you step by step.

Now take another breath and simply exhale.

One more inhale and on your exhale say “mmm”.

When you make this “mm” sound, this sensation is called phonation.

Phonating is the production of speech sounds. We will be talking a lot about this today.

Pay attention to how it feels when you phonate.

Do you feel pressure on your vocal cords ? Does it feel comfortable?

Now say a couple words out loud. Say “Mother” and then say the word “Hand”, how about the word “Attention”.

When you say these words, what does it feel like for you when the first syllable is spoken?

Do you feel tension ? Does it feel easy to speak? Do the vowels glide like butter or do they feel like you are suddenly pressing the gas pedal?

The sensations you are experiencing are what is known as the “Vocal Onset”.

Before singing, we must first create the initial sensation of the vocal chords meeting.

The first note, and how we treat it, sets the path for the rest to follow in line.

In German, it’s called the “Vokale Ansatz” or the “Vocal attack”.

The beginnings of phrases are like waves, waves can crash on the surface, or merely roll in with the tide on the shore.

When we sing we can make the active decision to have our vocal attacks be more severe, or hardly noticeable at all.

Voiced Consonants and Smooth Vocal Onsets

When you say, for example, the word “Mother”, did you notice that the letter “m” is a voiced consonants?

When you say “mmm” you are making noise with your vocal chords .

Whereas if you were to say “ffff” there is merely air coming out of your mouth.

When you say words that have a consonant, especially voiced consonants like “m” “v” or “r” in the beginning, it is easier to vocalize more smoothly throughout the word.

You are easing your way into phonating.

Whereas when you say a word with a vowel in the beginning, like “attention”, the “ah” right in the beginning might have a slight glottal, or sudden start.

But how about “hand” ?

The first vowel is an “a”, but the vowel is said or sung more clearly because the “h” creates air that helps smooth out the attack.

Say “and” and then “hand”, over and over.

Do you feel the difference ? Do you feel that the “a” in “and” is more sudden than the “a” in “hand”?

The Four Types of Vocal Onsets and Their Stylistic Use

In some songs, singers choose to have more of a severe vocal unset by pushing the vowel. This is a stylistic choice. Just because a song starts with a vowel does not mean that it cannot have a smoother attack. You can choose to soften it by adding a slightly more air.

There are typically four types of Vocal onsets:

• Coordinated Onset which involves inhaling, then closing the glottis, (the part of the larynx, or voice box, consisting of the vocal cords and the opening between them) at the same time as exhalation of air. This onset is generally the preferred/common of the four, but also takes the most awareness or concentration.
• Glottal Onset, involves inhaling, closing the glottis, and then beginning to sing. Glottal tension is eased just enough to cause the vocal folds to vibrate and produce sound.
• Breathy Onset occurs when singers inhale and then start to exhale while leaving the glottis open or partially open.Think back to the feeling of saying “hand” vs saying “and”, of the two, the more breathy Onset would be “hand”. Some singers who has very breathy onsets would be Ariana Grande, Laufey, and Taylor Swift.
• Vocal Fry Onset (Growl Onset) – This onset is commonly used in more modern music, not usual for classical or opera singing. It involves relaxed vocal fold closure and high airflow. It is a technique used for growls and similar sounds in rock, gospel, and jazz styles and may resolve into a clearer tone with firmer vocal fold closure. Some singers who take advantage of vocal fry onset (in many songs but not all) would include Lady Gaga, Adele, and Amy Winehouse.

Analysing Vocal Attacks Through Song Phrasing

Let’s try to analyze a song and some vocal attacks.

If you take the song “Attention” by Charlie Puth, for example, and focus on the word “attention” in the phrase, there are two ways it can be sung.

1: “you just want attention” or 2: “you just want attention”.

In version one, there is a slight stop between the words “want” and “attention”, in this case, the vocal onset is more harsh, there is a slight glottal, and it can bring more of a mean spirit to the word.

In version 2, “want” and “attention” are smashed a bit together to create one word, and this makes the vocal onset to the word “attention” very subtle.

One word swoops into the other, making the undertone of what you are singing more nonchalant or chill.

Now let’s look at the first word of that phrase, “you”.

This is a funny word to sing because there are actually a couple different vowels.

Sing the word “you” slowly. “Eee-uuu” Two vowel sounds.

Because the word starts with an “e” the onset can sound harsh, but it is possible to change this and smooth it out.

In singing we change vowels all of the time so that it fits to the vibe or the music better.

Maybe if we just add a bit more air in the beginning of this word, not so much as to hear a clear “h” but just enough for the word to be rounder and softer in the beginning.

Try this out, sing the phrase with more air and less air, see what happens and what feels good for you.

Understanding Vocal Offsets and Phrase Endings

The next step is understanding the vocal offset, ending the phrase.

You can have three types of offsets; hard, soft, balanced.

One can sing a note until you run out of air, which would have a “slow fade” type of appeal, which is technically an offset but it is not the most controlled or elegant route.

Generally you can stop singing by closing your glottis, the same way that you can close your glottis and let out air when preparing to sing.

When it is closed again then the vocals stop.

It is as if a door is opened in your voice box so you can phonate, and then it is simply closed.

You can either slam the door, or slowly close it.

Offsets and Onsets are similar in that voiced consonants make them both easier.

Try taking the song “Attention”, again.

In the sentence “You just want attention,” there is one onset, the word “you” and one offset, “attention,” there is not an onset and offset for each word.

So the sentence would flow, and then be comfortable to finish because there is this vocalized “n” in the end.

That would have a pretty smooth ending.

But in the next sentence, where he says “from the start,” the word “start” has a more harsh offset as “t” is not vocalized.

The transition from singing to then offsetting is a bit more abrupt.

The Emotional and Physical Impact of Onsets and Offsets

The way vocal onset and offset can be used differently can change the entire feeling of the phrase and song.

Not only this, but having a more conscious approach to how you sing and with what attacks, is important for vocal health and maintenance.

Singing the beginnings of words too harshly can add stress to the vocal chords, and over time it is possible to cause damage when not careful.

Citation: https://www.vocaltechnique.info/onset.html

Related Articles:

• Understanding Chest, Head and Mix Voice
• Breath Management for Singers Appoggio Support and Air Control
• Vocal Health: Top Tips for Looking After Your Voice

It’s a common problem amongst singers and it’s probably not surprising to learn that it’s usually down to jaw tension.

Don’t panic though! If jaw ache is becoming a regular part of your singing sessions, there are things you can do about it.

Practise Makes Perfect

The best way to reduce jaw ache while singing is to practise even more. Sounds counterintuitive, right?

But while you practise, do it in front of a mirror so you can watch for signs of tension while you sing. If you know exactly where the tension is coming from, you’ll have a better chance of reducing it.

You might notice your jaw clenching or sitting awkwardly while you sing. Or, especially if you are new to singing, you might just be nervous about performing in front of people.

There are exercises you can do to reduce chronic tension. And the more you practise, the more confident you will become. Eventually, those nerves will drop off naturally.

Loosen Your Jaw

One of the best exercises for loosening tension in your jaw is this: look in a mirror and smile at yourself. Keep it relaxed and let your jaw hang loose.

In this stance, sing “ya-ya-ya-ya-ya”, working your way down the pentatonic scale and back up again. Maintain the same pitch and make sure your tongue is doing all the work – not your jaw.

Then do the same thing, but this time, sing “la-la-la-la-la”. Practise this as many times as you like, choosing different pitches each time. The more you do it, the better you will become at loosening your jaw.

Another way to do this is to hold your finger to your jaw while you sing “ya-ya-ya-ya-ya”. Watch what happens to your jaw in the mirror as you sing.

Does your chin want to jut out? Use your finger to hold it gently in place (don’t push).

Jutting your chin out is a common sign of tension. Do this for ten seconds at a time and see if anything changes.

Loosen Your Neck Muscles

Your jaw tension might be coming from your neck, so it’s a good idea to try a few exercises that will loosen that up, too. You can try voicing your breath to fix this.

Voicing your breath means sitting or standing up straight in front of a mirror and taking a big breath in. As you breathe out, sing “aaaaahh” for as long a note as you can.

Do this a few times to isolate the neck muscle controlling your jaw and loosen it up, ready for a big performance.

Maintain Awareness Throughout The Day

All these exercises are great before a big performance, but if your jaw is clenched often throughout the day, it will ache whether you sing or not.

You need to notice when it is clenched throughout the day and try and relax it as often as possible.

You can even set reminders on your phone to check your jaw, so that you remember to reset in a more relaxed position.

As a rule, your teeth should always be slightly separated while your lips are together and the tip of your tongue should be resting lightly on the roof of the mouth, just behind your top teeth.

You might also need to cut back on certain activities such as excessive gum chewing, smoking, drugs and alcohol, as these all contribute to jaw tension.

Massage and Stress Relief

If your jaw problems are related to excessive stress, then you might want to look at ways of reducing your stress.

Yoga, meditation and mindfulness are all great for this, but if your stress is chronic, then you may also want to speak to a healthcare professional.

You can also reduce local tension by massaging the area at the top of your jaw regularly, but especially before you sing.

Conclusion

There are lots of things you can do to help reduce jaw tension – this article only covers a few of them.

If you need more help, you might want to book a one-on-one consultation with one of our friendly singing instructors. They can take a closer look at your singing technique and suggest personalised techniques that will help you.

Get in touch with us here at the London Singing Institute and we’ll soon have you singing without the jaw ache!

It is estimated that only 2-3% of the world’s population is actually tone-deaf, which means there is probably hope for you yet!

Read this useful blog post on how to go from pitchy to perfect with just a little practice.

What is ‘Out of Tune’?

If you’ve ever heard someone say that your voice is ‘pitchy’, they mean that the notes you are singing fall slightly sharp or flat off the note you are supposed to be projecting. This is the same as being out of tune.

If you are too sharp, you are singing a note that is slightly too high. And if you are flat, the note is slightly too low.

Why You’re Probably Singing Out of Tune

Here are three main reasons why you might be out of tune. Identifying which one(s) apply to you can help you address and improve the issue.

• You’re not listening to the song properly: Hearing the notes in a song is a skill that can take a bit of practice to perfect. Some people are naturally musical and can pick up tone instantly, but this is not the case for everyone.
• Your mouth is too narrow: Think of your mouth as an acoustic instrument – notes will naturally sound better if they have enough space to bounce off of before coming out of your mouth.
• You don’t have enough airflow: Breathing correctly is so important when you sing, as adequate airflow will help project your voice on the right note.

Exercises to Improve Your Pitch

Exercise #1

If your reason for poor tone-matching is that you haven’t quite mastered the art of listening to a song yet, then there are things you can do.

The best trick for this is to learn how to play the notes of a song on a musical instrument. One that doesn’t use your mouth is best, as you can wear your breath out on a flute or trumpet. So, something like a keyboard or guitar is great.

Then, pick each note in turn and play it five times. As you play it, count and sing that note. For example, if you start with a c, press it five times and then sing “one, two, three, four, five” in that note.

You should start to hear when your voice falls off-key slightly. When you get to the number five, lengthen the note and hold it as long as possible – that will help you learn to hold the same note without dipping. Practise this daily to improve your listening technique.

Eventually, your muscle memory will take over, and you’ll be able to hear the notes without having to try so hard.

It’s important that you always practise in the exact same key as the song you are trying to sing. Don’t be tempted to go up or down an octave, as you’ll fall back out of key when you have to perform.

Exercise #2

If the reason you are out of tune is because you’re not opening your mouth wide enough, it’s time to practise your elocution! Most people keep their mouth small either because they have a lazy tongue or because they have a low soft palate.

Practise saying “how now brown cow” in your poshest voice, really enunciating every syllable. This will get your tongue moving around more so that it is more supple and better able to push your mouth open when required.

If your problem lies with your soft palate, you need to practise yawning. When you yawn, your soft palate naturally lifts. Try a basic yawn a few times, and then add a note to your yawn. The more you practise this, the more naturally it will come when you sing.

Exercise #3

If none of that solves your tone problem, then it’s likely down to the airflow in your throat.

Despite the fact that breathing is the most natural thing that we all do without thinking, it turns out most of us are doing it inefficiently. To appreciate your voice at its best, you need to practise diaphragmatic breathing.

The easiest way to do this is with a sigh. A sigh comes directly from your diaphragm and pushes the air out of your mouth in a way that is conducive to great singing.

Before you start your singing practice, do a few deliberate sighs and notice how that changes your breathing. Then, add a few notes into your sighs and extend them. You should notice that your practice goes a lot more smoothly afterwards.

How do I know I’m Out of Tune?

It can be difficult to tell if you are out of tune by listening to yourself – you just don’t sound the same in your head as you do in other people’s ears. So, the best thing to do is bring in a trusted observer – someone who will tell you the truth.

Ideally, they should be a much better singer than you.

Sometimes, the only way to really do this is with a vocal coach. If you want someone who can be trusted to tell you the truth but in a constructive way, then contact us at the London Singing Institute today and let’s get you on the path to perfect pitch!

Why Do We Snore?

To understand how singing can stop you snoring, you need to first understand why you snore. Snoring is simply a vibration of the tissues in the throat caused by a blockage of the airways. Estimates on how common snoring is, vary, but according to The British Snoring and Sleep Apnea Association, it affects around 41.5% of the UK adult population. There are a few reasons why this happens, but it is more common in men, those who are overweight, and anyone with enlarged tonsils or adenoids. It also gets worse as we age.

How Does Singing Help Snoring?

Regular singing practice helps you gain control over your breathing and the airways. When you breathe in normally, muscles in the throat help tighten your airways so the air can easily pass through and into your body. But when you are asleep, these muscles are more relaxed, which is why the airways can sometimes become blocked.

The more you sing, the stronger those muscles get. By regularly varying your pitch, volume, and power, you work the muscles in different ways for best effect. This means that even when you are resting, your throat muscles are toned and able to keep the airwaves open.

The Best Singing Exercises for Snoring

There are a few vocal exercises that can help tone your throat muscles so you snore less. For some, simply singing for 20 minutes a day is enough. Make sure to really work on pronouncing each note.

Here are some other things you can try:

• Ahhs: Open your mouth wide and sing the word ‘ahh’ as low and for as long as you can. Start by breathing in deeply and then sing on the out-breath. Try to push the back of your tongue down to ensure maximum airflow into the throat.
• Vowels: Sing your vowels, really exaggerating the movement of your mouth and extending each vowel for as long as you can. Then speed it up, varying the tone and tempo of each vowel. Try repeating each vowel a few times and then singing them in sequence. The more you change it up, the stronger your throat muscles will become.
• Didgeridoo: Have you ever tried playing the digeridoo? This unique instrument relies on your voice to make a deep, echoing sound, and this action has a profound effect on your throat muscles. It’s fun to play too!

You can also try various myofunctional movements too. These will help improve your snoring and your singing!

• Curl your tongue: Open your mouth and start with your tongue at the front and top of your mouth. Push it back as far as it will go.
• Suck your tongue upwards: Hold your tongue on the roof of your mouth and then suck upwards. Hold for a few seconds.
• Push your tongue down: Open your mouth and hold the back of your tongue on the floor of your mouth while ensuring the tip of your tongue maintains light contact with the back of your front teeth.
• Pull out your cheek: Hold the inside of your cheek with your finger and pull outwards. Then use your facial muscles to pull it back in.

For best results, perform vocal exercises for at least 20 minutes a day and repeat each of the monofunctional movements 20 times. Results won’t be instant, and you might find you need to change some other lifestyle habits to get a snore-free sleep. Things such as a poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and a lack of exercise can counteract your singing efforts. But once you’ve lined up all your healthy habits, you should start to notice a difference in your nighttime noises.

If you need a little more help, why not sign up for one of our singing classes? Led by qualified coaches, we can help improve your singing technique so that you are more tuneful during the day and quieter at night. You can sing with a group or in a one-on-one lesson. And best of all, it’s great fun! Get in touch today to book your first session.

How Does Singing Burn Calories?

The reason for this is that there is actually a lot of muscle work involved in singing. You’re putting your lungs to the test, which requires a lot of support from your chest, abdominal, and diaphragm muscles. The more you practice, the stronger these muscles will get, just like in traditional strength exercises.

And in the same way, the stronger your muscles are, the more efficient your resting metabolic rate is, which is your calorie-burning system. As your body gets to work repairing your tired and aching muscles, it is taking energy from your fat stores. So, the more you work that voice, the more calories you could burn!

Sing quietly, and you’ll not burn many calories. But belt out a power ballad and boost that metabolism! It is thought that opera singers burn the most calories due to the fact that this is the most strenuous form of singing, requiring the most breathwork and best stamina.

How to Increase the Burn

Want to get the most out of your calorie-burning vocal exercise? Stand up! On average, someone standing as they sing can burn 136 calories per hour, compared to 100 calories sitting down. If you move around, or dance as you sing, you can increase that burn even more.

Add a guitar or a percussion instrument, and you can bring that burn up to around 200 calories an hour! Plus, your brain gets a great workout too, having to navigate both your singing voice and the musicality of the instrument.

There are a few variables, of course. The heavier you are, the more calories you’ll burn, and the fitter you are, the harder you’ll have to work to maintain that calorie loss. Age and aerobic ability will also play a role.

Having said that, on its own, singing is unlikely to be a useful weight-loss tool. Pair it with a healthy diet, and you might find more success.

Will Losing Weight Ruin Your Voice?

Actually, losing weight could be beneficial for your singing career – to a point. Your ability to hold a note for longer comes down to air pressure. The more you need, the harder it will be to keep that note alive.

If your vocal cords are weak or untrained, you’ll need more air pressure to sing the way you want. And it is thought that losing weight can reduce the amount of air pressure required. This is known as phonation threshold pressure. The less pressure needed, the better your singing stamina will be.

This is not an invitation to opt into extreme dieting. Your singing muscles need a good balance of vitamins and minerals to work, so without the right nutrients in your body, your voice will suffer. The best way to balance these opposing issues is to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables while avoiding unhealthy processed foods that do nothing useful for your body.

Not only will this improve your voice, but it will increase your confidence too!

Should You Worry About Gaining Weight?

When you put weight on, tissue starts to build up around the body. What this means for your voice is that there will be excess fat around the chest, neck, and larynx.

This will increase the air pressure needed to maintain your singing ability. However, some professionals argue that the extra tissue brings a softer tone to their voice.

A few pounds, either way, is unlikely to make too much of a difference, so it is not something to worry about. If you put on a lot of weight quickly, there may be other factors at play that you should investigate. But if you are singing regularly, eating well, and adding some physical exercise to your routine, your voice will benefit, no matter what the scales tell you.

Ready to Burn a Few Singing Calories?

There are many more efficient ways to burn calories if that is your main motivation. However, if you want to learn to sing, then we would be delighted to help. We offer group courses and one-to-one lessons for all levels of singers. So whether you have never sung a note in your life or you are a talented vocal musician looking to enhance your technique, we can train you to be the very best you can be!

Here’s what really happens to your voice during those hormonal teenage years. And why you shouldn’t worry about puberty changing your singing ability.

How Does Your Voice Change?

The first thing to note is that everyone’s voice changes during puberty. This is because the ovaries and testes release a surge of estrogen and testosterone into the body. Both boys and girls get a rush of both hormones, but the testosterone level is greater in boys. Since testosterone is responsible for the changes to your voice box, voice changes are more noticeable in them.

Testosterone makes your voice box, or larynx, bigger. The vocal cords sit tightly across the voice box and control your pitch. As you speak, the cords press together, and air from your lungs comes through them, creating a vibration that becomes your voice. The lower your pitch, the looser your vocal cords will be, and the higher your pitch, the tighter they are.

Your vocal cords also get longer and thicker to accommodate your enlarged larynx. And your face starts to change, giving you more space behind your nose and the back of your throat. This gives your voice more room to echo for a deeper, more distinctive tone.
Boys’ voice boxes tend to grow larger than girls, and at a slight angle, creating an Adams’ apple. And it can take a while for the body to get used to these changes, which is why the voice sometimes cracks.

Can Puberty Improve Your Voice?

Although puberty significantly affects your voice, it has very little to do with how good or bad you are at singing. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect! The more you work on your voice, the better it will be.

Having said that, puberty gives your voice a chance to expand and develop. So, you may find you can hit notes you couldn’t before. When you reach maturity, your voice box should be fully developed, and you will be able to stretch your voice further than ever.
Maintaining that ability is a different story. As you age, your voice starts to deteriorate. The better you look after your voice as you are younger, the more likely you will be able to sing until long into your later years. Check out our blog on How Does Your Voice Deteriorate with Age (And How Can You Protect It?)

When Will Your Voice be at its Strongest?

Vocal maturity is different for everyone but happens for most sometime in their twenties. Vocal maturity is when your voice is at its peak. This is when you can really test your vocal cords and see what they can do.

Deeper voices usually take a little longer to reach maturity. And with the proper training, you can constantly be working on improving your voice long after the hormones have done their work. If you dream of becoming an opera singer, you won’t reach your peak until many years after you’ve hit vocal maturity, as you’ll need to build up your lungs to hit those other-worldly notes.

So, Can You Start a Singing Career Before Puberty?

There’s no best age to embark on a singing career. Whenever you decide to start, if you practice and get into good training habits, you’ll be able to ride the changes that puberty brings with ease. Even boys, who might temporarily lose their ability to hit the highest notes, can train their voice to go up an octave or more, but it takes hard work, perseverance, and an excellent singing coach.

Just remember, puberty rarely ruins your voice. It just gives you the tools you need to project and deepen your notes. If you work with it, you can sing better than ever!

Want some more advice or itching to get started? Check out our singing classes and work with your voice, no matter what your hormones are doing now! All you need is a willingness to learn and a great vocal coach by your side.

But, only focusing on your breath when you are singing is a recipe for failure. You need to be strengthening your lungs and boosting your singing stamina on a regular basis. Think of your breath like another muscle – the more you use it, the better control you’ll have over it.

Most people breathe incorrectly most of the time. Their breaths are shallow, creating tension in the neck and throat. This means they sing from their throat instead of their stomach, which is much more difficult to maintain long term. The key is to train your body into taking deeper (not longer) breaths so that you can have a relaxed throat when you sing and the most beautiful possible voice.

Here are some breathing exercises that will help you to sing louder and for longer.

Place Your Hands on Your Belly

One easy way to work out if you are breathing properly is to place your hands on the side of your belly so that you can also feel your sides and maybe the base of your rib cage. Take a breath in through your nose and notice if you feel your body expand. If it doesn’t, you need to keep practising until it does. That is a sure sign that the breath is getting where it needs to be.

Note that you should feel no tension in the upper body when you do this. If you do, work on relaxing those muscles and try again.

Some people will find this easy, while others will struggle. Either way, it is a great trick that allows you to really feel the breath, both internally and externally.

Place Your Hands on Your Ribcage

This exercise focuses on your intercostal muscles, which are the muscles in between your rib bones. Take a quick, sharp breath in, like someone has scared you, and then work on letting it out slowly. Again, this might be hard at first, but with a bit of practice, you will gain control over these muscles.

The intercostal muscles are important because they support the diaphragm. And, as any good singer knows, you’ll never hit the top notes without your diaphragm! So don’t miss out this exercise!

Hiss for 45 Seconds

What? That’s ages, right? Well, actually, this is something that everyone should be able to do. And if you can’t, then you need to practise more!

Many people struggle with this exercise because they expel too much air at the beginning. Start slow, and you’ll last longer. Breath control is the main benefit of this exercise, so the more you do it, the better you’ll be able to wrap your voice around those rap songs or power ballads!

Pant Like a Dog

When you’ve finished hissing like a snake, it’s time to pant like a dog! We promise we’re not winding you up! This exercise is amazing at strengthening that all-important diaphragm.

Start by placing your hand on your lowest rib bone and stretch it out to your belly button. Take short sharp breaths and feel your stomach muscles relax as your skin moves out. Vary the speed of the breaths to gain proper control over your diaphragm and breath.

Take this exercise to the next level by making a ‘ha’ sound at the same time as you pant. You should be able to feel the sound in your diaphragm – it definitely shouldn’t be coming from your throat.

You can also try singing scales as you pant. This is a great way to test out any notes you are struggling with so that you become better at singing them.

These are just some of the breathing exercises that you should be doing daily to enhance your craft. If you want more guidance or just some reassurance that you are doing it right, you might like to book a one-on-one singing lesson with us. Or come along to some group classes and improve your voice while making friends!

For most people, when singing, there is little need to think about what the tongue is doing. Your mouth naturally falls into place as you enunciate each note.

So, it might surprise you to know that you can improve your technique greatly by considering things like tongue placement, jaw positioning, and the shape of your mouth. Let’s look a little closer at how the anatomy of your mouth can affect your voice.

The Tongue

You have probably already noticed how your tongue moves to help you say certain letters. But this is about more than vocalizing what you want to say. Your tongue also plays a huge part in your breathing technique.

For best singing results, your tongue should be relaxed in the bottom of your mouth. The tip should be resting lightly on the back of the front teeth. This ensures it does not crowd the mouth and is the optimal resting position – you should be training your tongue to sit here as often as possible.

If you tend to place your tongue up and at the back of your throat, you will struggle to breathe properly. Not only will this affect your singing, but it will have a knock-on effect on lots of other activities too. You may even be a snorer.

The Jaw

A tense jaw will make singing difficult, so it is important to ensure it is relaxed and not clenched. This may be difficult if you are performing and feeling nervous, but it will help to protect your vocal cords.

The problem with a tense jaw is that it is often indicative of tension elsewhere in the body. And if you are holding everything in as tight as you can, it is difficult to let anything beautiful out of your mouth. Also, if your jaw is stiff, you won’t be able to move it in a way that will allow you to produce the sounds you want.

Again, fixing this comes down to practice. You need to focus on moving your jaw down and releasing that tension. Facial exercises and in-mouth massage are also surprisingly effective.

The Soft Palate

Okay, so there’s not much you can do about your soft palate – it hangs out of the way where you have no control over its movement. However, there are exercises you can do to increase the space around your soft palate when singing to get the best sound.

In case you’re not sure, the soft palate is the doughy part at the back and top of your mouth. Its positioning makes it harder to understand, but if you watch yourself in a mirror and practice lifting and lowering it, you might get a better grasp of how your palate works. Certain sounds are great for this – the reason why dentists tell you to open wide and say AH is because it gives them a better view of your throat. Meanwhile, nasal sounds like NG lower the palate. So a great exercise is to switch back and forth between the two sounds to give you some control over your soft palate.

The Lips

When you’re singing, your lips move into the right position to frame the words you are trying to expel. A tight jaw can make this difficult and can really affect your sound quality. Meanwhile, pursed lips will make your notes sound as strained as you look.

Lips trills are excellent exercises that help relax the lips and reduce overall stress in the body. Lips trills are exactly how they sound – you breathe out and vibrate your lips at the same time. You might feel silly, but they really do the trick!

The more you practice perfect mouth anatomy, the easier it will be to maintain – especially if you have to go up on stage and perform.

Sometimes, though, it can be easier to do these things with a coach – someone who can tell you if you are doing it right. Or who knows what is working and what is not. That is why you should work with a singing teacher. Whether you are brand new to the art of warbling or you have performed many times before, there is always something new to learn.

At the London Singing Institute, we welcome singers of all levels in group sessions or one-to-one classes. You can learn to sing your way in your own time. Get in touch and book today!