Learn Singing your way with a TakeLessons expert

Getting up on stage can be scary for any new musician, but the feelings of anxiety can be even more intense if you consider yourself on the quiet side. So how can a shy singer survive? Before you relegate yourself to the audience for the rest of your life, know that many timid musicians have made a name for themselves - Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan and Carly Simon, to name a few, have all dealt with anxiety or shyness off-stage. The good news is that there are ways to train yourself to become a c

You know how important breath support is for great singing -- but are you regularly incorporating breathing exercises for singing into your warm-ups? Read on as voice teacher Shannen R. shares 15 yoga poses to try out, designed to help with various elements of your singing...  Get ready to free your vocal cords of strain, increase your breath capacity, and get the strength you need for powerful belts and the control for soft tones. Going beyond simple breathing exercises for singing, the

Gearing up for a singing performance and need a piano accompanist? Check out these tips to make your (and your accompanist's!) life easier in this guest post by Corona, CA voice teacher Milton J...   Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, singing with an accompanist can be daunting.  After all, your accompanist is responsible for keeping you on track and in time with the music.  But don't worry, we're here to help. Here are 5 tips for singing with an accompanist that will h

Anyone who’s ever overeaten at Thanksgiving dinner knows that there is definitely too much of a good thing. Maybe you begin to bloat and feel uncomfortable, or perhaps you even start to get a wave of nausea. Eating all that turkey and a second round of desert may have sounded like a good idea at the time, but you can certainly overdo it. This concept applies to singing as well! Singing, in my opinion, is one of the most enjoyable activities in the world. But just like eating too much ma

Sing it with me! A kiss on the hand may be, quite continental, but MICROPHONES ARE A SINGER’S BEST FRIEND!  That’s how that goes, right? I’m only halfway kidding. The wonderful thing about microphones is that they can make you sound phenomenal. Misuse them though, and you could have a bit of a mess on your hands, metaphorically speaking.  So, what is the best way to use a microphone and how can you make it make you sound even better? Let’s start with the basics. As a singer, it’s

Believe it or not, your iPhone can help you become a better singer! There are many apps that you can download for little to no cost to help you with your music training in between singing lessons. Here are eight recommendations for iPhones and iPads from two top vocal coaches. TakeLessons Live If you want to practice vocal exercises with the help of a live instructor, TakeLessons Live is a great app to download. As you work your way through a variety of singing classes, you'll get valu

Singers, why limit yourself to one genre? Many artists have produced amazing cover songs to put their own spin on tunes, even those not in their particular genre. Here, St. Augustine, FL voice teacher Heather L. shares six covers worth a listen... There are some cover songs that are just so much better than the original. Sometimes, it's the singer's own spin on the song that makes it so great. Other times, it's the arrangement or the new lyrics that make a cover stand out from the origina

Listen, I love me a good, “gritty” rasp as much as the next person but, there is a time and a place. (Lookin’ at you, Chris Stapleton.) Yes, I said it, a vocal coach who likes to hear the enemy of healthy singing, or raspiness, every once in a while. It’s a great way to evoke emotion not just in your song but to the listener’s ear. They hear that rasp and affiliate it with passion, grit, pain, and so on! However, there is a right way and wrong way to approach raspy singing. Whe

  It's no secret that singing is a great way to show off your vocal prowess, but what if you're a guy and you're not sure how to get started? Luckily, we've got some helpful tips to get you on your way! Keep reading to learn more. How Can a Guy Get Better at Singing As any musician knows, practice is essential for improving your vocal skills. Here are a few tips for all the guy singers out there: Warm up - by taking the time to warm up your voice and strengthening your vocal mus

As you're learning to sing, you'll likely have a lot of questions about how to become a better singer. And don't worry, that's what your voice teacher is there for! Once you've got the basics down, though, you might realize some of your beginner questions were a little...well... silly! Here, teacher Elaina R. answers some of the common questions and lays some rumors to rest... As a voice teacher, I get asked some pretty weird questions about singing. In fact, I get so many that I decid