how to learn to sing-The Performing Skills Guidebook exposed.

Deep down you really want to sing and how to learn to sing you have seen artists who make it seem so easy to sing expressively while their hands are simultaneously rocketing over the instrument.  Now most of you as mortals know that it really takes a huge amount of practice and concentration just to play proficiently, let alone trying to sing as well.

Now as a singer I am sure you have dealt with this problem inherent in singing and now I want to share a few tips on what works for most musicians. I am basically addressing to those singer who are fairly comfortable with their instruments and want to add some singing technique to the mix.

Again those who sings and plays an instrument may also find some really helpful tips here. For the starters you need to focus on probably the most important aspect of singing that is breathing. To hit those high notes and to sustain them and to last through a set or two, you really need to take in a lot more air than usual.

Plus you need to control the exhalation when the sound is actually produced. There are basically two general schools of thought about correct breathing for singing that is diaphragmatic and intercostals. Most teachers advocate one method or the other but in my opinion its valuable to understand both of them.

Keep both breathing methods in mind since everything can change when you pick up your instrument. In case of diaphragmatic breathing, you should feel some expansion in your lower belly as you inhale.

The theory behind intercontinental breathing is that since your lungs wrap around your sides, you should feel expansion there, in your intercontinental muscles as you breathe in.  You probably felt your rib cage rise and expand on the inhalation now keep it lifted as you exhale.

The lifted cage is the hall mark of the basic singing posture, which should feel like normal good posture and not military erectness. So try exhaling through your teeth with your rib cage lifted and you will feel your lower abdomen and belly start to tighten.

These are the muscles that help you control your exhalation. By the way, many people get dizzy from hyper ventilation when they first work on their breathing. This is normal and stops happening within a few weeks. If you feel dizzy then sit down and recover.

Now let’s recap the breathing in a nutshell. Relax on the inhale, feel expansion in your belly and on the sides and lower back. Keep your rib cage lifted when you exhale, forcing your lower abdomen and diaphragm to release the air slowly.

Now get in front of the mirror and sing whatever song you like and notice three things as you sing. Make sure that your breathing is still behaving. Watch particularly for tension in your throat or shoulders on both the inhale and exhale.

Sing sloppily, as if you were tipsy. Sloppy singing relaxes your throat, mouth and tongue and your singing you should feel easier. You may also feel more resonance and vibration in your face, which will make your tone richer.

Sway your arms slightly as you sing. Now I am sure you are feeling pretty silly, but swaying tends to dispel body tension. If you don’t want to sway, try walking around the room. Remember that everything except your rib cage which remains lifted and firm should feel relaxed.

As soon as your singing feels loose and relaxed, you can stop swaying or walking and gradually sing less sloppily. Continue to keep your body relaxed. Enunciate the lyrics, sustain the notes. Focus on keeping your face and throat relaxed.

Now tell me something does your look fit the job description? I hate to have to ask that question, but sometimes appearance is an issue. Changing your wardrobe is easy enough, but ask yourself if you will be comfortable singing jazz in cocktail wear, folk in blue jeans or heavy metal in leather.

More importantly, ask yourself if you have the look for the style your want to sing. I am all for busting stereotypes, but if you are fifty pounds heavier than every hard rock singer you admire or you if you want to be the first Asian rap superstar, do you really have the guts and stamina to buck the status quo?

Most successful singers have that, and they have made a career for themselves. Make sure that you have that kind of determination Again some styles of music are more ageist than others. There are lots of folk, cabaret and jazz singers who are well over forty and doing fine. Pop, hip-hop and dance music, however are mostly inhabited by younger artists.

Here are some indicators that you may need to do a more gentle warm ups:

• You have a high-stress job
• You’re under stress for another reason: relationship problems, band issues, career worries, etc.
• You have or are getting over allergies or a cold
• You have tenderness or tension in the sides of your neck and/or shoulders
• You have TMJ
• You have GERD
• You talk all day long before you start singing at night
• You’re on tour
• You take meds that dry your voice: these include meds for allergies, anti-depressants, Parkinson's, and many others
• Your heater or air-conditioner is on a lot, or you live in a place with a dry climate
• Your voice feels dry and/or tired most of the time.
• You’re a beginning singer who badly needs guidance.

The combination of attention to breathing and conscious relaxation is essentially getting out of the way of your natural voice. The how to learn to sing result is a fuller and easier to produce sound. Now if you want some more detailed exercise to access diaphragmatic breathing or intercostals breathing then please visit here.