Learn How to Sing Without a Vocal Coach: Benefits and Risks of Online Classes
Learning to sing in your own home is a great way to get started singing. There are many benefits that come with learning to sing at home, but there are also risks involved. For example, it's difficult to know if you're being taught correctly online, so make sure you do your research before taking any free courses on the internet. Speak Sing Deliver offers an online course delivered by world class vocal coach - Dorthe Eggertsen. This course has helped singers all over the world learn how to improve their voices and overcome their fears of performing live!
But first let's look at some simple exercises that are easy to follow, even from this written text.. and yes, you can try them right now!
A simple breathing exercise
Breathing exercises are a great way to start improving your singing. Here's one simple exercise you can do: take a deep breath in and hold it for five seconds, then release the breath slowly. Repeat this ten times. This will help improve your breathing technique and allow you to sing longer without running out of air. Simple right?
Now, you may be thinking "but how will that help me to sing better"? As breathing is something that we do automatically, without thinking, being conscious when we inhale and exhale can help us to use our voices in a more efficient way. It also helps to relieve tension, relaxes us and allows us to hit the notes with less effort. This exercise will also help you to learn how to control your breathing in general, which is very important when singing! For example, singers often need to take a quick breath in while performing, and knowing how to do so quickly and effectively will help you sing songs with more ease.
Lip Trills
Another great exercise for singers is lip trills! This can be a fun one because it's simple and can be done anywhere, for example, while driving or while getting ready for work. The basis of a lip trill is similar to blowing a raspberry but without sticking your tongue out. Effectively, all you need to do is purse your lips together and vibrate your lips by blowing air through them. You next need to add some vocal, by simply humming at the same time. This, along with how tight or loose your lips are when they vibrate will control the pitch of your lip trill. You want to slide the note of the 'trill' higher and lower in smooth increments - start by humming the note middle C and then trill up 1 octave to the next C, and back down again. If you don't have an instrument at home to check these notes, you can download a free keyboard or piano app on a mobile phone or tablet in minutes. Magic!
Tongue Trills
A third exercise you can try at home is tongue trills! This is a fun one but if you start to learn how to sing with tongues, it's very similar to a lip trill but the word tongue should indicate what is different. Yes, you've guessed it. It's the same type of vibration that we made with our lips in the lip trill but now we make the vibration do it with our tongue. For some people, this takes time and practice so try not getting too frustrated. Basically, you need to put your tongue in the natural position for when you want to pronounce the letter 'R'. Now you want to flick your tongue back and forth against the roof of the mouth, while in that position at a rapid pace. This movement and sound is also known as 'rolling the r'. Once you've mastered that, you can add the vocal hum and slide the pitch up and down smoothly to practice the tongue trill. Awesome!
Online Resources
Now that we've looked at a few exercises that you can do at home, let's take a look at some of the many online options available for free vocal lessons! YouTube is an excellent resource for singers of all levels and above all - it's free!
One thing to be aware of when learning to sing at home is that you might find it difficult to know who is teaching you the correct techniques. It goes without saying that it's important to learn from a qualified and experienced vocal coach, like the ones offered in Speak Sing Deliver's online course. With so many options available for learning to sing online, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Be sure to do your research, check reviews and read testimonials before proceeding with any lessons. Learning the wrong singing or breathing techniques could actually end up damaging your voice.
The vocal course offered by Speak Sing Deliver, is delivered by world class vocal coach - Dorthe Eggertsen. The best bit is you can go ahead and grab a free taster of the course by simply registering your email on this page. You will get a sample lesson from each of the 5 modules from the full online course. If learning to sing at home with the use of online resources without a live vocal coach sounds like the right way for you, this option could be perfect for you.
That being said, of course, having a live vocal coach there in-person to guide you and your vocals to singing success is the top choice. It's just not always affordable or possible for everyone. Managing busy schedules and being able to learn at home with the use of online resources is often a preferred choice and a great alternative for many people.
If you are on the hunt for regular voice lessons with a professional vocal coach then absolutely 100% - GO FOR IT! There is nothing better than one-on-one time with someone that is experienced and qualified to help you learn.
Be ready to work with a few vocal coaches
One tip we have for you is to be ready to try out more than one teacher and make sure that you feel your teacher knows what you want to achieve with your voice. If you're not sure what your goals are, be sure to ask your vocal coach for some guidance.
So there you have it! A few exercises that you can do at home as well as some great online resources for learning to sing. Be sure to take advantage of the free taster lessons offered by Speak Sing Deliver and see if this is the right choice for you.
Most of all, enjoy the wonderful journey of learning about the most versatile instrument in the world - The Human Voice! This is a journey that should be fun and exciting. If at any point during your training, whether online or in-person, you feel discomfort with your vocals or even the teaching style of your vocal coach - be sure to seek out advice from someone you can trust.
Speak Sing Deliver is always on hand to answer any queries you may have. You can send any questions or comments via the contact form on our website here. Our passion is the human voice and we want to help people learn how to use theirs most effectively.
People want to discover more about their voices for many reasons. Perhaps you've always wanted to learn how to sing and now is the time take it up seriously with a trained professional. Maybe your voice feels tired at the end of the day and you want to learn techniques to project your voice without damaging it. Many school teachers take vocal courses as they have to often project their voices over the rest of the class. The same goes for anyone who has to speak for their job.
When looking for voice lessons and you don't want to hire a regular vocal coach. Remember these top tips:
- Do your research before beginning any lessons with an online teacher
- Remember that learning the wrong singing or breathing techniques can end up doing more harm to your voice than good.
- Be ready to try a few different vocal coaches before you settle for regular lessons. Make sure that you feel comfortable and your sure that your coach has the right credentials and they understand your goals
- Singing and learning about the voice should be an uplifting experience. Sure, like learning anything new, there will be challenges - but the overall experience should be a positive one. If it doesn't feel like like that after a few lessons, perhaps consider changing tutors or speaking to a professional you can trust.
If you are a complete beginner when it comes to singing, Dorthe Eggertsen has put together a video with 3 simple vocal exercises for you to follow. After you've tried out the exercises in this article, you should definitely go and check out the quick video here.
The world is your oyster! Learning how to sing opens up a whole new range of possibilities, whether you are looking to take a deep-dive into the world of music or need some help with public speaking. Whatever your vocal goals are, we hope you've found this article to be helpful. Remember, above all, enjoy your voice!
