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How to Become A Singer in 6 Steps
If you’ve ever dreamed of writing your own songs and performing them for an audience, you might have wondered how to become a singer.
Some believe it’s a talent that can’t be developed if you’re not a natural. After all, singing is one of the most sought-after skills in music.
But is singing really impossible to learn? Of course not.
Just like any other skill in music, you can improve your singing with time and patience. In fact, any accomplished vocalist will tell you that their own skills took plenty of time and effort to perfect.
But where should you start, and what’s worth spending time on? What can you expect once you take the plunge?
In this article I’ll break down the essential guide to becoming a singer in 6 steps.
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1. Change your mindset
Let’s start by busting the biggest myth about singing—you don’t need to be a natural talent to make music as a vocalist.
In modern tracks, there’s a huge focus on the singer as the main figure of the music they create.
But in reality, almost every song you hear is a collaboration between dozens of talented people working on different aspects of the production.
The singer certainly leant their talent to the equation, but the final polished sound takes a lot of work behind the scenes to create.
The result is an unrealistic view of what it takes to sing in a musical setting. A hundred years ago, singing was a regular part of life for almost everyone. Special talent wasn’t considered necessary to participate in musical life in church or folk music.
Things have certainly changed since then, but the takeaway is that you don’t have to be a pop star to sing well, or write an impactful song.
Once you get your head around this perspective, you’ll feel less self-conscious about not sounding great right away.
The truth is that everyone can sing, and there’s no such thing as a bad voice.
The truth is that everyone can sing, and there’s no such thing as a bad voice.
2. Learn how to practice
That said, you’ll have to put in the time to practice singing musically and develop your sound.
Just about everyone sings in the shower or hums under their breath from time to time. But that’s not the same as dedicated vocal practice that’s meant to train your basic abilities.
There are hundreds of guides to vocal warm-ups, singing exercises and beginner techniques available online. It may seem intimidating, but all you really need is to learn a handful of basic techniques to get started.
Look for a reputable source with simple, beginner-level guides but don’t stress too much about choosing the right one. Your progression will come from regular practice, not specific techniques.
When you look at it this way, practicing singing is just like practicing any other instrument. Find a routine that works for you and stick to it—it’s the only way to get better!
Find a practice routine that works for you and stick to it—it’s the only way to get better!
3. Train your ear
Producing sound with your voice is just half the battle when it comes to singing.
The rest comes from knowing the fundamentals of music and a skill called ear training.
It’s a musical discipline that allows you to recognize intervals, situate them in the material you’re singing and hear them in your head before you sing.
Having a good ear is your best bet to make sure you’re always singing on key and hitting the right notes.
Ear training goes hand-in-hand with music theory, and you’d normally learn both at once if you study music in a traditional setting.
To get started, fundamentals like major and minor scales, chords, progressions and rhythms should be on your list.
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But don’t let music theory intimidate you, most of what you’ll learn should feel familiar once you recognize it in music you know and love.
Training your ear at the same time is how you put theory into practice. Recognizing intervals, singing them in different keys and organizing them into chords will help you hit your notes consistently.
Luckily, there are some great apps out there to help you train your ears. Here’s our guide to the top picks.
4. Build your confidence
Once you’re comfortable with the fundamentals, you can build confidence by learning songs and singing with other musicians.
Singing in a band or ensemble is different from singing on your own, but it’s an essential skill.
Interacting with other musicians will help you understand where you’re at and what you need to improve.
It’s also one of the most fun and satisfying parts of being a musician.
That said, If you’re not ready to work with others in person you can always collaborate online.
For example, It’s common for producers to work with vocalists to create hooks and toplines for their beats and tracks.
Check out LANDR Network to see how you can connect with other musicians to collaborate.
5. Find your unique style
The most important step as a singer and creator is to find your unique style.
The most important step as a singer and creator is to find your unique style.
Every voice has its strengths, and finding the genres, moods and styles where yours works is essential.
You may have to accept that some vocal styles may be out of reach for your basic sound—but that’s OK. If you focus on being creative and musical, you’ll find an approach that suits you.
Here’s a few tips on how to zero in on what you sing best:
Find your range
The typical roles in a vocal ensemble are bass, tenor, alto and soprano. They correspond to different voice types that are separated by the range of notes they typically sing.
Identifying which voice type you have can help you choose comfortable keys to sing in and write better parts.
Here’s a helpful guide to finding your voice type and how it can help you develop as a vocalist.
Try different genres
Different genres take radically different approaches to vocal style.
From whisper soft to all-out screams, you may find your voice is better suited to a particular genre.
Don’t hesitate to try out different approaches as you discover your personal style.
Experiment with vocal effects
Plenty of today’s distinct vocal styles rely on vocal effects to enhance the singer’s voice.
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You probably recognize some of the most common ones like Auto-Tune or lo-fi effects.
But there’s a whole world of cool audio effects you can use to create a unique vocal sound.
Check out our guides to vocal processing, momentary effects, pitch correction and more for a look at the possibilities.
6. Use tools to help you
To use those cool effects, you’ll have to dive into some basic music production techniques.
It may sound intimidating, but every creator making music today should know the basics of using a DAW.
Even if you never plan to mix or master music, the creative benefits of digital tools have a lot to offer.
When it comes to singing, vocal recording is a skill of its own you’ll have to learn.
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When it comes to singing, vocal recording is a skill of its own you’ll have to learn. If you’ve never heard your own voice recorded before, the experience can be jarring.
And vocal tracking puts every single imperfection in your performance under the microscope. After all, you’re completely alone in a vocal booth singing into a highly sensitive microphone at close range!
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Getting used to it is part of being effective as a singer. But using a DAW to record yourself will also help you craft parts and understand areas where you can improve.
That’s vital information for any developing singer.
Start singing now
Singing may seem like it’s only possible for a few talented individuals.
But if you dig a bit deeper you’ll find that that’s never been true.
For every flashy pop-star there are plenty of great singers that fly under the radar and create memorable songs.
No matter what style you end up pursuing, it’s worth taking the first steps to start your journey as a vocalist.
Various contributors from the LANDR team of music mentors.
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