It’s safe to say that bands are pretty much defined by how good their lead singer is in the music industry. Songs are also closely tied to the vocalist’s performance. One songwriter reckons that singers account for 80% of the impact on an audience. The lead singer is the first thing that people see and hear most of the time, so they get the most attention. The way they sing and connect with the audience determines the success of the show or record release. Inevitably, many people want to be the singer in a band. What many of them don’t realise is just how much work goes into being a singer, and singing well every night – which is how you sing like a pro.
Although many people can “kinda” sing, it’s not enough – certainly for being in a band. There really is no better way than to get some help. If you can’t find a singing coach locally, you are pretty much obliged to find some other way of learning the various techniques it take to sing like a pro. These include breathing, the way you stand, exercising the muscles in your throat and mouth and being able to reach high notes.
It’s also vital to learn how to sing different styles, as you never know what way your career will go. And being able to sing different styles opens the door to finding work as a session singer, for example.
Personally, I think nothing can replace a good singing coach. But from experience, there are two drawbacks. You and the coach do have to “click”, otherwise the courses begin to feel like homework rather than fun or a way to learn new things. The other is that each lesson costs money and involves crossing town to attend (unless you can afford for the singing teacher or coach to visit you).
This means you have to find a good set of exercises that you can do at home. But remember to do them regularly. It’s only continued ongoing exercises that will enable you to truly find your voice and explore all the possibilities that are inside you. You could follow the many video on YouTube, for example. But it might be better to find a more structured guide to singing using books and CDs such as those by Seth Riggs or Singing for Success.
Ideally, I would also attend a coach every so often to see how you are moving forward and picking up some new singing tips face-to-face. With that, I’m off to practice a little vocalising How about you? Have you done your singing exercises today? It’s the only way to learn to sing like a pro.