Beginner Singing Tips: How to Stay Motivated and Track Your Vocal Growth

We hear new music all the time, whether it's on the radio, in a new Spotify playlist, or in a suggested video on YouTube. When we come across these songs, it can be easy to think, “I could never make music that sounds as perfect as this.” But it’s important to remember that at the start of any creative process, we have to make a mess before we can create a masterpiece. We also have to keep in mind that many hands go into the making of that music, along with plenty of editing. Media is never as simple or “cut and dry” as it may seem.

All that being said, the most important thing we can do as musicians and artists, is to keep trying, even when we don't feel like our output is good enough just yet. Unfortunately there's no one size fits all solution for feeling this way, BUT we can remedy these tough feelings by looking at the bigger picture. For example, practicing twice a week for a month might not yield the most drastic results right away, however if you keep doing this over the course of several months, you'll start noticing changes.

Feelings of slow progress, or not being “good enough” are completely normal, even for experienced professional musicians.

Here are a few strategies that can help during those tougher moments:

1. Record yourself singing on your first day of practice, then once 3 weeks later.

   Take note of any changes you hear. Does your voice sound stronger? More clear? Do you sound more steady on those challenging notes?

2. Keep a calendar log of how you feel in your body and voice each day for a month. This can be done using notes, or colours. Keeping a log of how you feel each day can help you notice patterns, and can support your self awareness leading to realistic expectations of your singing results from day to day. {There are lots of templates online that can help you get started here!}

3. Practice breathing exercises. This one sounds really silly but pulling awareness to your breath is a really important part of singing. Breath support is one of the most crucial aspects of building a strong vocal foundation. By doing these exercises correctly we are learning to engage our diaphragm, and strengthen our lung capacity for more breath support, and a stronger sound.

4. Be patient! Progress takes lots of time and isn't always linear. This means that some days you might feel great and sound great, while other days you may be tired, stressed, or just lack confidence.

Try these methods and see what works best for you! The most important thing to remember throughout your singing journey is to keep going. Keep singing whenever you can and don't let feelings of discouragement keep you down for long. Practice makes you better in the long run! Let's work together and find out which of these methods would suit you best. Our goal at Honeytone Voice Studio is to support you in your journey of vocal progress and work on a variety of techniques together that can help you achieve your goals.