How to Practice Singing at Home Setting Up Your Practice Space

How to Practice Singing at Home Setting Up Your Practice Space Sign up successful Selecting Your Practice Area Learning how to practice means learning how to listen to your own voice, so this step is important. Good acoustics are required for performances, but odds are you are not going to have that kind of space available every time you practice. However, there are ways to make a regular room more music-friendly. Ideally, practicing should be done in a room that has carpeting and that is fully-furnished. If you have the space for a dedicated room, consider adding padding to the walls to reduce the echo. If you cannot dedicate an entire room, its ok to have a corner of a study or office set aside. Ultimately, the space should be one where there is less foot traffic and more space. You should not use a place like the kitchen or living room. The acoustics in a kitchen are likely the worst in the house, and the living rooms tend to have too many distractions and too much traffic to be functional. Setting Up the Your Practice Room There are several things every singer should have in their practice room. There should be a CD player or another device for playing music. If youre using your phone for this, consider switching it to Airplane Mode so that you will not be distracted by texts, emails, or phone calls. A clock or timer should be available to make sure that you do your warm up and cool down for the appropriate periods. A mirror should be installed if it isn’t already in the room. A full-length mirror is best; at the very least, you should be able to see your torso. This helps you see how small changes in posture affect your sound. Sheet music should be available for every song or warm up you do. A music stand is also helpful for keeping your body free when practicing, and it should be set to the side of the mirror so that it does not block your view of your body as you practice. Its also a great idea to get a notebook, where you can track how long you practiced, what you worked on, and your goals for the week or month. If you take in-home lessons, you might want to consider investing in a piano or keyboard. Youll maximize what you learn if your teacher can accompany you on your exercises, and it can help for pitch-matching exercises, as well. This teaches you not only how to practice, but how to sing with a live instrument. Maximizing Practice Time Apart from removing distractions, you might want to try dividing your practice sessions into sections. For example, during your warm up, you should be focusing on your body and posture in the mirror. Then, work on scales, focusing on techniques, learning the song, and finally the cool-down section. To start, these can be divided into time intervals to make sure enough time is dedicated to each. This video discusses another great way to structure your daily singing practice. Check it out for some fun new ideas! Dedicating quiet, isolated practice time will help you understand how slight shifts in posture and breathing can affect your sound, and you’ll definitely notice improvements over time. Of course, one of the best things about choosing your voice as your instrument is that you can practice anytime and anywhere! Even if you’re not in your dedicated space when the urge arises, sing loud and proud! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by John Liu