When the tongue is full of tension and in the wrong position, it can block the tone and cause the sound to be swallowed—making you sound throaty. A relaxed tongue will allow the tone to flow freely and sound more clear. [2] X Research source In general, it is helpful to release the tension in your entire body before singing.
It may feel more natural to lift your chin upwards when you are projecting your voice. Try to avoid this—it may work temporarily, but can cause vocal problems in the long run. Keep it in place to gain more power and control and eliminate strain on your vocal cords. Practice in front of the mirror to make sure you have the correct position.
To find your soft palate, run your tongue across the roof of your mouth. The hard part is called your hard palate and the fleshy bit towards the back of your mouth is called your soft palate. To raise your soft palate, yawn or laugh. That feeling of space in the back of your mouth is your soft palate being raised. You should have this feeling every time you sing. Take a look at this YouTube video of someone singing inside an MRI machine to see what happens inside the body when you’re singing: https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=J3TwTb-T044&t=157s.
If you don’t feel the vibration in your face while you are singing, keep practicing your tongue trills and make sure your chin is pointed in and down while you are singing. For additional help, try slowly shaking your head from side to side while humming.
Singing from your chest or throat is shallow and unsupported, whereas singing from your diaphragm allows you to use your ‘powerhouse’ to support the notes you are singing and keep you in tune. Note that you are not actually breathing from your diaphragm, since your diaphragm doesn’t hold air. This term is more of a reference to the way your diaphragm moves and responds to proper, controlled breathing. Breathing while singing is different from breathing while talking or resting, which you do without much thought or effort. When singing, you have to pay attention to your breath control and ensure you have plenty of air. [7] X Research source
She says she shall sew a sheet. Lesser leather never weathered lesser wetter weather. She stood on the balcony, inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping, and amicably welcoming him home. [9] X Research source
If you don’t focus on your vowels, you may have the tendency to sound like you are mumbling. For instance, “Happy birthday” should sound like “Haaappeee biiirthdaaay”[11] X Research source To sing a word that begins with a vowel, imagine adding a tiny bit of an “h” before the vowel and think about arriving at the note from a higher note. This technique, called easy onset, helps to prevent a harsh sound (glottal stop) as well as scooping up to the note. [12] X Research source
Exaggerate your sounds while practicing your scales. Your mouth should be open wide (but don’t over-exaggerate this, as it can lead to tightness in your jaw) and your voice very loud. Try words like “Yeah” and “No. ” Don’t go higher than is comfortable so you don’t put too much strain on your vocal cords. [14] X Research source Search “practice scales” on YouTube to get access to a variety of videos that will guide you. Set aside 5-10 minutes each day to devote to practicing scales.
Experiment with the different words to find which one is easiest for you. Once you find it, try mastering a couple different songs using your chosen word.
