As a beginner singer, you may wonder what vocal techniques you need to know to improve your singing voice. The good news is that several easy vocal exercises can help you develop a stronger, more vibrant singing voice.

Some beginners take advantage of the online resources available. Others use singing books, like John Henny’s best-selling book for beginners. This will help you sound your best and avoid damaging your vocal cords.

Keep reading to find out more about vocal techniques!

INDEX

Improve Your Singing With These Vocal Techniques

1. Posture and Alignment

2. Phonation

3. Breath Support

4. Vibrato

5. Set Good Intentions While Singing

6. Articulation

7. Resonance

Final Thoughts

Improve Your Singing With These Vocal Techniques

There are certain vocal techniques every beginner singer needs to know to improve their voice and make sure they’re getting the most practice time.

Let’s take a look at the proper singing techniques you need.

1. Posture and Alignment

Proper posture and alignment are also crucial for good singing technique. If you’re not properly aligned, supporting your chest and head voice won’t be easy, and projecting it outward.

Here are a few tips for good posture and alignment:

• Stand up properly with your shoulders back.
• Resist the urge to hunch over or round your shoulders — this will only constrict your breathing and make it harder to sing those high notes.
• Open up your chest by tucking your chin slightly and retracting your shoulder blades.
• Contrary to popular belief, there’s no need to tilt your head back when you sing — this can strain your muscles in the neck and jaws.
• Just keep your chin level and slightly tilted forward so that there’s a clear path from your mouth to your lungs.

2. Phonation

It’s the process of producing sound with your vocal cords.

To produce sound, the cords vibrate when air passes through them. The pitch made depends on how fast the cords vibrate.

To produce a higher pitch, the cords must vibrate faster. To produce a lower pitch, the cords must vibrate more slowly.

3. Breath Support

Proper breathing is essential for proper singing technique. This is what gives you the power and control to sing those long phrases without running out of breath. Without proper breath control, singers often run out of breath before they reach the end of a phrase.

To do this, use your diaphragm — a muscle located between your stomach and chest. Try to push your stomach out when you breathe in while keeping your chest still.

Many beginners tend to hold their breath or tighten their throats when they sing because they’re afraid of losing control. But this only makes matters worse — it makes it harder to hit those notes and can lead to strain on your vocal range.

4. Vibrato

Vibrato is created by rapidly oscillating between two notes. Beginner singers can practice vibrato by singing scales on two adjacent notes.

One common misconception about vibrato is that it should be fast — but that’s not necessarily true. A good vibrato is actually quite slow, around 6-7 times per second. The trick is not to force it but instead to let it happen naturally.

5. Set Good Intentions While Singing

Regardless of the genre, whether it’s classical music or pop, setting good intentions can be extremely beneficial. It helps to keep the focus on the purity of the music and the message that is being conveyed. When the intention is clear, it is easier to let go of distractions and be present in the moment.

Here are important steps to take to set your intention while singing.

• Imagine that your natural voice is a strong beam of light that is shining forth from your heart.
• Make sure your mouth is in the shape it needs to be for the sound you are trying to create.
• Let the sound flow out of you without forcing it.

If you take these steps, you will be well on your way to setting good intentions while singing any pop music.

6. Articulation

This refers to the movement of the articulators (tongue, teeth, lips, and palate) to produce speech sounds. Different articulators are used to creating different sounds when making speech sounds.

For example, the sound “p” is produced by placing the tongue tip against the back of the teeth and Releasing it suddenly so that air escapes from the mouth. In comparison, the sound “b” is produced by placing both lips together and then releasing them so that air escapes from the mouth.

7. Resonance

This pop vocal technique amplifies sound waves as they travel through a medium (such as air or water).

When you sing, the sound waves produced by your cords are amplified by resonating cavities in your head and throat. For example, the largest resonating cavity in your body is your oral cavity or mouth.

Final Thoughts

So you want to be a singer? Super! You’re in for a lot of fun. But before you can start belting out those show-stopping tunes, you must master the singing techniques above.

If you’re getting more serious, it’s best to work with a professional vocal coach who can help you develop proper technique and hone your skills. Voice lessons are an investment in your future as a singer–so don’t wait any longer to get started!

 

Beyonce returns to the stage this summer with her new release, “Break My Soul.” Other artists who will perform in various venues this season are Elvis Costello with the song “Surrender to The Rhythm” and David Dallas, whose song “Runnin” kept fans entertained throughout summer. The list is not ranked but shows songs that are making this summer enjoyable and memorable. You will love listening to the songs or attending the artists’ live shows in various venues.

“Surrender To The Rhythm” by Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello reunited with his long-time friend Mayes and recorded a new album titled “The Resurrection of Rust.” It contains six songs which include the song “Surrender To The Rhythm.” It was available on CD in the US from July 1. Other songs in the album are “Maureen and Sam”, “I’m Ahead If I Can Quit While I’m Behind”, and Don’t Lose Your “Grip on Love”.

His original name is Declan Patrick MacManus, an English songwriter born in 1954. His awards include the Grammy Awards in 1999 and 2020. He has been nominated two times as Best British Male Artist for the Brit Award. The artist is set to perform at the Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem, PA, on August 12, 2022. Parx recently relaunched its PA and NJ online casinos to offer a better online betting experience to customers.

“No One Dies From Love” by Tove Lo

Tove Lo got the inspiration for this song due to the experiences she went through after a breakup. She received the inspiration and wrote the song in November 2021 but released it in May 2022. The song is emotional but offers great entertainment for people who love to enjoy event music. Tove Lo is an artist from Sweden commonly referred to in the US as the “darkest pop export from Sweden”.

“Break My Soul” by Beyonce

The song was written by Beyonce and Charlotte James and is one of the top trending songs that has hit the Billboard hot 100. The song, released in June, has gained quick popularity thanks to the excellent work that was done by Parkwood and Columbia studio. Beyonce seemed to have understood well the typical summer theme of living one’s best life while the sun shines hot.

“Take It Like A Man” by Amanda Shires

The song is due for release on July 29 through ATO Records. Amanda wrote the song with Rothman when the country was hard hit by the pandemic. It features her husband, Jason Bell, Maren Morris, and Brittney Spencer. She realized that though people were being warned to be careful during the pandemic, the only person who could truly take responsibility were themselves. She is set to start her US tours in September and complete them in November in Canada.

“We Are Coming Back” by Titus Andronicus

The song has other nine previous versions by different artists. The earliest version was released in 1983 by Cock Sparrer. Other versions include the 1998 version by Shock Troops, 2003 by The Dead Pets, and 2012 by Orgullo Sur. The 10th version by Titus Andronicus was released in June 2022.

 

Sax players rejoice!

Whether you are a beginner, an amateur, or an expert, every sax player knows the iconic song called Baker Street. After all, this song includes the most recognisable saxophone solos in pop music history.

Baker Street was written and recorded by Gerry Rafferty, a Scottish artist, in 1978. Since its release, Baker Street has peaked in the number three spot on the UK singles chart.

This sax solo was also included in Rafferty’s album, City to City, which amassed thousands of dollars in royalties.

One of the most notable renditions of Baker Street was when session musician Raphael Ravenscroft played the line on his alto sax. Such events led to arguments being raised as to whether Ravenscroft or Rafferty wrote the song.

But putting the arguments aside, the riff on Baker Street marked the importance of the saxophone in mainstream pop music. This song is a must-play for friends, family, and loved ones to enjoy.

If you want to learn how to play Baker Street Saxophone, you’re in the right place.

Learning Baker Street on the Saxophone

When you listen to Baker Street, you might feel overwhelmed by the complex sounds you hear.

But the opening sax riff only uses several notes to play. You only need to learn four melodic ideas.

Although there are tricky areas, you don’t need to worry about playing the song. It is only a part of the learning process.

In the guide below, you’ll learn how to play Baker Street, note by note.

Plus, you’ll discover tricks to avoid common mistakes that sax soloists make when playing the song.

First Phrase of Baker Street

In this part of the song, the notes are pretty straightforward. However, much like in all masterpieces, the greatness lies in the details.

You need to start with the middle D. The second note will be the octave D—a high D that you play with a palm key.

To make the magic happen between these two keys, you’ll need to create what’s called a “gliss.” A gliss is just a major D scale.

Try keeping your fingers close to the keys to make it sound excellent, and practice getting it even.

Aside from mastering the art of gliss between the middle D and the octave D, what you need to remember in the first phrase is to “tongue” every note.

Take a look at this sequence. First, you must tongue the key D. Then, gliss the following note. The keys to tongue are C Sharp, B, and A.

The next step is to tongue B and hold it. Afterwards, you go up to C sharp and back to B again.

The final B is the last key to tongue.

Second Phrase of Baker Street

For this phrase of Baker Street, you still need to use the same notes as the first one. However, the difference lies in getting the articulation right.

To produce the proper articulation, you must remember the tonguing from the first phrase and the gliss from middle D to high D.

As a reminder, don’t forget to use your musical sheets to be guided by the key shifts.

Third Phrase of Baker Street

In the third phrase of Baker Street, you will be using many notes you learned from the song’s first two phrases.

But in the third phrase, the scooping of the As is crucial. You must relax your jaw and let the pitch drop to achieve the scooping effect.

Once there is a drop on the pitch, don’t forget to tighten your jaw back and bring the right tune.

As for the tonguing, you’ll need to tongue the first A key. However, don’t tongue the succeeding A’s. Not until you play the F sharp.

Fourth Phrase of Baker Street

The final phrase of Baker Street uses the same notes you learned from the previous phrases. You’ll need to do a big scoop on the final B key.

After learning these four phrases, you are ready to play the first half of the solo.

As for the second half of the solo, you only need to remember the first four phrases as the notes are the same.

If you want to discover how you can play Baker Street on alto saxophone, you can watch tutorials on Youtube. You can also watch recorded sessions for reference.

While practising the iconic Baker Street, remember notes to tongue and areas where gliss is crucial.

Don’t forget to throw in a pop star attitude while practising Baker Street Saxophone. You can also conduct a mini-concert in front of loved ones and family members to show off what you learned!