How to Sing Like a Pro
Singers of all ages want to know how to sing like a pro.
When we see and hear professional singing, something makes the singer inside us want to join in. We’re constantly surrounded by the sounds of professional vocalists - on streaming services, in our cars, even over the speaker in the grocery store - so it’s no surprise so many of us want to know how to sound like a pro.
But what elements go into creating that “pro” sound and how do we produce it ourselves?
When we hear a performer singing with ease, confidence, and beautiful technique, we can instantly identify them as a ‘professional’. But what we hear is just the end result of a lot of work on the singer’s part.
All that ease, confidence, beautiful tone, power, strength and flexibility, are the result of an immense amount of behind-the-scenes effort, they are bolstered by other factors like song and key choice, arrangement, song style, as well as the choreography and styling of the performance. It is these elements that play an integral role in both the singer’s delivery of the song and our perception of it.
Let’s break down what goes into a professional vocal performance: Vocal Health and Safety Vocal Flexibility, Accurate Tuning, Timing, Expression, Performance, Recording, Repertoire, Style, and Rehearsal.
Vocal Health and Safety
This is the foundation on which any good vocal performance is based. It’s almost impossible to deliver a professional performance without these basics and skipping this foundation can lead to vocal damage that limits the longevity of a singer’s career. These essential foundational techniques are:
• Posture
• Safe power
• Safe tone
• Rehearsal strategy
• Practice
Vocal Flexibility
Vocal flexibility is one of the more obvious elements of a professional vocal delivery. The acrobatics of scoops, melismas, and runs wow the listener. If you’re just learning to sing, these feats might seem impossible, but they’re simply the product of practice and good foundational technique. The tasteful use of these vocal effects during a performance truly make a singer sound professional.
Accurate Tuning
As ubiquitous as Autotune has become, truly professional singers need to be able to sing in tune. Many folks will jokingly say that they’re tone deaf, but only a tiny portion of the population truly is; such a tiny proportion, in fact, that true tone deafness is a clinically identified disorder called amusia. For the vast majority of people, singing in tune is a learned skill that must be practiced like any other. It can be broken down into three elements:
• Ear training to learn to identify and match pitch
• Maintaining and fine-tuning pitch while singing
• Finding your starting notes
With a strong foundation of ear training, tuning your singing and finding your starting note will begin to come naturally.
Timing
The heart of good comedy and good music is timing. You may have heard a drummer or bass player talk about “finding the pocket”, or settling into the groove. This skill isn’t just for rhythm section players. Professional vocalists have an excellent sense of timing that includes the following elements:
• Groove
• Keeping track of the downbeat or beat one
• Keeping a mental metronome
• Knowing where to come in
Expression
Expression is a combination of control and timing. It’s the element that gives emotional weight to a song; singing without expression is similar to speaking in a monotone. The three aspects of expression are as follows:
• Phrasing
• Articulation
• Dynamics
The words you choose to emphasize through phrasing, volume, and tone can add meaning to a song. This is arguably the most important element of a professional performance outside of foundational vocal technique. A song delivered simply but expressively has far more emotional impact than a performance full of runs but lacking in expression.
Performance
When we see a pro singer on stage, they’re using the following skills to deliver all of the above techniques to their audience:
• Microphone technique
• Stagecraft
• Technical skills
• Confidence
Recording
Recording and performance require different skill sets. Live performance requires more vocal projection and is also more forgiving; if you’re a little out of tune or a little out of rhythm, you just correct and continue forward. Your audience likely won’t notice or remember by the end of the song. Recording, in contrast, requires extreme accuracy and a different kind of mic technique. These elements are required for a professional vocal recording:
• Super accurate pitch
• Super accurate timing
• Close and accurate mic work
Repertoire
Pro singers have a carefully curated repertoire that’s tailored to both their voice and their image. Whether they write their own songs or perform covers, professional vocalists select songs that match their branding as well as suit their vocal range and style.
Style
The branding a singer chooses - from what they wear on stage to what colors they use on their promotional materials - have a strong impact on an audience, whether the listener realizes it or not. It’s akin to wearing a suit and bringing business cards to a meeting. If you have nothing to offer, these things won’t help you much; but they can allow people to recognize your talents by presenting them in a high quality package that visually signals to your audience that you know your stuff.
Rehearsal
Each of the above components has been individually perfected before the singer puts them all together in a performance, and none of it would seem professional without hours of rehearsal. “The amateur rehearses until it’s right. The Pro rehearses until they can’t get it wrong”
The whole package
When you hear a professional singer delivering that confident performance we talked about at the beginning, you’re really hearing all of the above elements. The work they’ve put into developing their skill as a singer, stage performer, and crafting a brand all lead to that beautiful, easy singing we admire.
It may seem like a lot to master, but it’s important to remember that your favorite diva wasn’t born belting high notes at Madison Square Garden. Just like an athlete, they worked with a coach and trained to reach their maximum potential as a performer. With time, focus, and guidance, almost anyone can master the skills required to deliver a professional vocal performance.
In summary, singing like a pro is all about mastering these 10 elements:
Vocal Health and Safety
Vocal Flexibility
Accurate Tuning
Timing
Expression
Performance
Recording
Repertoire
Style
Rehearsal
Book a Lesson and Start Singing Like a Pro
If you want to start tackling this list of skills, check out our warm up program Zelda Sheldon’s Voice Warm Ups to start building your safe and healthy technique; and if you want to go deeper, call us for a lesson and learn how to Love Your Voice!
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Ben Franklin
If you’re ready to start singing like a pro, reach out and schedule a lesson with Zelda!
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