Singing Tips

Mistakes Advanced Singers Tend to Make

October 29, 2021

Sometimes even the best of us (including advanced singers) get into bad habits! These bad habits become more and more ingrained and harder to recognize yourself. Let’s review what they are in case you’re making them too!

Sometimes even the best of us, including advanced singers, get into bad habits! These bad habits become more and more ingrained and harder to recognize on your own. Singers will often become complacent and forget to practice good singing technique — which is why training with a singing teacher is so so important! (Sign up with me today!) So, today, let’s delve into the common mistakes advanced singers tend to make in case you’re making them too.

1. POOR POSTURE AND BAD BREATHING TECHNIQUES

Recently, I managed to click my neck out from sleeping badly and noticed how it had really affected the way I sing. I had not even even realized that I was placing my neck slightly forward and how this poor posture was having a negative impact on my voice.

Most people don’t realize how important posture and body alignment really is when it comes to singing. As singers, your body is your instrument, so if your body is out of alignment it will undoubtedly effect your voice and sound production. Poor posture can also lead to poor breathing technique and we know that diaphragmatic breathing is the most important part of contemporary voice training. — it’s the reason that these two topics make up step one of my online singing course! Therefore, just by having good posture and improving your breathing, you will have better sound production.

2. TONGUE TENSION

Tongue tension is such a common singing mistake that I see all the time. The tongue is linked to the top of your vocal folds so if you have tension in your tongue, it has a drastic affect on your voice! (Ask me, I have the t-shirt with this one!) I lost feeling on the left side of my tongue when I had my wisdom teeth removed and let me tell you something, I thought my days as a singer were over. Getting the main nerve in my tongue to work again took 6 months. SIX MONTHS!!! (Wowzer!) Tongue push-ups became my best friend!

So, how do you do tongue push-ups? Keep your tongue behind your bottom teeth at all times. If your tongue pulls back or stiffens up it can block the back of your throat (aka pharyngeal space) which puts strain on your cords by making your voice work that much harder because the space is closed.

3. VOCAL PLACEMENT & RESONANCE

Resonance should be your best friend as a singer! It’s important!!! It gives a rich fullness to the sound of your voice. It’s what makes you different to every one else & It is an art you learn over many years of practicing good placement. Placing the note in your different resonators creates space for the sounds to move. Your Resonators are

  • Chest voice – this is the lowest part of your singing voice,
  • Head voice – this is the highest sound in your singing voice,
  • Mixed Voice – this is the middle of your register,
  • Nasal Resonance – helps to carry your sounds forward which makes them sound a whole bunch happier.

The whole aim is to move through each resonating chamber with one continuous stream of sound. So in other words…Learn your Instrument. Learn your Body. Learn about what you can and can’t do. Listen to your body and most importantly… you’re never too good to practice!

ONE LAST TIP!

As always, singing with a qualified teacher is the best way to ensure that you aren’t making any of these common mistakes. If you’d like to book a trial online singing lesson with me, go ahead and send me a message or DM on Instagram — I’d love to chat with you! You can also follow us over on our Instagram page to see weekly singing tips and videos.

Mia x

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