If you have always wanted to get into singing and wondered about a singing career, now is your chance. Starting to learn how to sing and setting out a plan on how you would like to become a singer will help you get into a field of work that you may love.
In this article, we will explore the different ways in which you can become a singer and how to search for work as a singer.
How to Become a Singer
Firstly, the question you need to ask yourself before deciding if you would like a singing career is “is this something I would enjoy every day?”. If the answer is yes, then you should start thinking about how you would like to use your voice.
With every working role that requires singing, the job will not be fully about singing and using your vocals. You will need to consider how you envision using your voice and what you are best at.
If you are a total beginner at singing and you would like to begin, then you should start slowly by finding your voice and copying some simple EASY SONGS TO SING (this will be an internal link when it is published) to replicate. When you begin to learn about your voice and your own personal vocal range, remember that you may start off rough but with time you will improve by heaps.
Taking singing lessons is the best way to really delve into becoming a singer. Learning how to sing with a vocal coach right from the start can actually be very beneficial as you will not develop bad habits when singing and you will also learn how best to take care of your voice.
Employing a singing coach or starting some group singing lessons will help you find out what your vocal range is, how to develop your vocal range and how to start applying different stylistic techniques to your singing. Vocal coaching can also help you learn how to correctly pitch songs and also develop your skills in keeping control of a melody.
What Should I Look for When Searching for a Vocal Coach?
Finding the right vocal coach for you can be a challenge and it really depends on what you are wanting from a vocal coach. Vocal coaches can help you in all different stages of your singing.
For example, if you are a complete newbie to the world of singing a vocal coach can educate you right from the start. If you are experienced at singing but struggle with one certain aspect such as your vocal range then a vocal coach can focus on what you need help with.
No matter what your level of singing is, here is a list of things to look for when you are searching for the right vocal coach for you:
Find a Vocal Coach That Specializes
Find a vocal coach that specializes in what you are struggling with. There will be vocal coaches that only take on singers that are new to the idea of singing. There will also be vocal coaches that focus on professional and successful singers. The research will be your best friend when finding a vocal coach.
Research Websites
Look at a range of vocal coaches’ websites. You will be able to find a lot of information on a vocal coach’s website and there should be some videos showing you who they are and an example of their work.
Ask for Recommendations
Ask for recommendations from other singers you know. Sometimes a recommendation from someone you respect the opinion of can be a very good way of finding a vocal coach. Asking around and talking to people you know will be a great way to find vocal coaches in your local area.
Take a Test Lesson
If you are still unsure if you have found the best vocal coach for you, you can have an introduction/test lesson with multiple different vocal coaches and then go ahead with full-time lessons with the vocal coach you think is best for you.
What Kind of Singing Jobs Are Out There?
If you find that your skill is not singing lead, then you do not need to worry. There are plenty of singing job roles out there that do not require a singing lead. Many of these job roles require different strengths and allow for different weaknesses.
Professional singers will often be referred to as vocalists and that is why you would call your teacher a vocal coach. Some of the singing roles you can enter are more petite than offers and some jobs offer more financial stability. Knowing what is best for you not only relies on your skills but also on what kind of lifestyle you would like for yourself.
The Different Kinds of Job Roles You Can Use Singing
Here is a list of the different kinds of singing roles you can try:
- Vocal Coach
- Backing Singer
- Singer for a Band or Venue
- Studio Singer
- Show Singer
Vocal Coach
Becoming a vocal coach is one of the most reliable jobs to go into in the music industry. As a vocal coach, you can choose whether you would like to work for yourself or an organization. You can also choose what age group you would like to teach or what level of singing you would like to teach.
As a vocal coach, you will be able to make a reliable wage and it is a great way to not have to move your life all across the country. On the other hand, you could take your skill anywhere across the country and not be rooted down to a location due to your job.
To become a vocal coach you will need to develop your own skills in singing and learn all the different kinds of singing techniques. You will then have to take your singing grades and any other qualifications you will need to become a teacher. Being a vocal coach is very practical and you will be able to be around people and sing all day.
Although, choosing to be a vocal coach is as much about the idea of teaching as it is about using your own voice. Knowing how to sing and use all the different kinds of techniques is great but you will have to learn how to teach this to a student who may not be able to pick up the skills quickly.
Backing Singer
Being a backing singer can be a fantastic way to always use your voice and to be within the heart and soul of the music industry. By going into the field of being a backing singer, you may have the opportunity to work with some famous singers and play on large stages as part of a band.
Being a backing singer can take you across the country and the world, especially if you have experience working with famous artists. Starting as a backup singer can be fantastic practice, even if your goal is to one day be a lead singer. The role will give you the opportunity to learn how to perform and support a band.
To be a backing singer you will have to be able to know your voice and your skills pretty well. Having a voice that has a wide vocal range can help you become more employable. The biggest singing style you will be practicing as a backing singer is singing harmonies.
Therefore, if your plan is to become a backing singer in the future, it is best to make sure you know how to recognize vocal harmonies and produce vocal harmonies.
Singer for a Band or Venue
Singing for a band or a venue can be two different jobs. You can get a job singing for a venue on certain nights or even be hired daily to perform. Venues that hire regular singers may include posh establishments like The Ritz in London, United Kingdom.
Many restaurants like The Ritz hire performers every day as background entertainment in their establishment. This can allow you to practice the art form that you love but be prepared that the audience may partially be ignoring you and you may have to use your voice for hours on end up to 5 days a week.
Other venues like jazz clubs tend to hire regular singers to perform and entertain. This kind of rle is less demanding as you will often only get a weekly slot.
Singing for a band can be very different from singing for a venue as the band will be performing in different locations and therefore travel may become part of your working lifestyle. There are lots of bands that are looking at starting up or may already be performing that are looking for singers that can perform lead-style vocals and backing-style vocals.
Often these bands will be cover bands. Cover bands perform at various venues and events like weddings performing popular music that is on the charts.
Studio Singer
A studio singer can be a very profitable way of using your voice, especially if you enjoy the recording process rather than performing. If you enjoy being in a studio and recording your vocals, there are plenty of opportunities to record jingles and demos. You can achieve this work by signing up with an agency and becoming a session singer for a particular studio or for multiple studios.
This kind of work sounds glamorous but the reality is that it will require a lot of hard work. Your days will be spent mostly in a studio rather than performing or interacting with a band. Working in a role like this will help you meet a lot of industry professionals from that you could get further work from.
Show Singer
If you love to act or can develop skills in other areas, then becoming a show singer may be a good idea. Being a show singer may be up your street if you love performing. Being a show singer can range from a lot of different jobs such as becoming a DJ, singing at events, hosting or being a musical theater singer.
Many people would love to work in the theater as it involves being able to use your voice as well as other skills such as acting and dance. Becoming a show singer for a theater production can be a very competitive role to apply for, but it is always worth a shot if this is your passion.
Becoming a show singer can be very tiring and demanding on your voice as you will be required to use your voice most days, for long periods of time.
How to Be a Singer
There are many different ways of becoming a qualified and successful singer as there are so many different vocal paths you can go down. Learning and passing your vocal grades can help you no matter what vocal career path you decide to choose. Vocal grades can also help you learn how to become a singer and teach you about your voice.
What Are Singing Grades
When learning any kind of musical instrument you can take grades which are exams to test your level of expertise. If you pass the exam, you will get a certificate and be a qualified “grade 1 singer”. When taking grades, you can take the exam up to grade 8. When you are at grade 8, you are considered an expert in your instrument. This is the same for vocals.
Taking exams to qualify you as a vocalist can be very helpful to your learning but also can benefit you in your singing career. If you have taken your music grades in singing, then you will easily be able to communicate to a future employer your level of skill. This could help you get hired as it shows that you understand your craft and have a certificate to prove it.
Many people consider that singing grades are easier than other kinds of instrument grades. Even though they are considered to be easier, you will still need an understanding of music theory and certain vocal skills to be able to pass.
Here is a video tutorial by Music Matters on how to pass your singing music exam:
Steps On How to Improve Your Vocals and Take Singing Grades
If you are considering taking your vocal grades there are some things you can do to prepare yourself for success. Here is a list of some of the ways you can help improve your vocal skills and help yourself pass your vocal grades:
- Practice consistently
- Learn your musical theory
- Learn how to read music and sight-sing
- Consider getting a degree in music
- Develop your performance skills
- Work on your confidence
Practice Consistently
Practicing consistency is key to learning how to develop a new vocal technique. Practicing regularly will also help you keep your vocal range and your skills up to shape. When you are a singer, you will need to treat your voice as an instrument. It is good practice to always care for your voice and avoid overdoing talking or straining your voice in any way. The last thing you will want on the day of your vocal exam is to have a tired or painful voice.
It is best to always practice every day but in moderation so as to not strain your voice. Practicing your vocals can involve any activity from vocal exercises to singing random parts of songs throughout the day. Many vocalists have an official practice routine that is designed to help them in areas that they struggle with.
You can turn to a vocal coach to help you create your own personalized vocal exercise routine or you can google tutorials on how to warm up your voice.
Warming up your voice is crucial but so is practicing the different kinds of vocal techniques including how to breathe correctly while you sing. This is a technique that is overlooked and under-practiced by singers across the country. It is a great idea to practice your breathing techniques as this could affect your whole vocal performance.
Learn Your Musical Theory
Learning musical theory will help you when taking your singing grade exams. Most exams will include various theory questions. Many singers believe that because they are a singer, they will not need to know much about musicianship. Learning musicianship and particularly music theory can massively help you, especially when branching into the music industry and working with other people.
Learning your music theory will not only help you pass your vocal grade exam but it will also help you know how to better communicate with other musicians, especially when you are performing together.
Learn How to Read Music and Sight Sing
Learning how to read manuscripts and written music will be key to passing your vocal grade exams, especially the more higher-skilled grades. Knowing how to read music and sight-sing will help you when auditioning for roles such as a backing singer or a show singer. Learning how to read music will be key to knowing how to communicate with a band.
The next step after learning how to read written music is knowing how to write it on manuscript yourself. Not only can learning how to read music help you communicate, but it can also help you write your own vocal parts. There will be many auditions where they will not accept applicants that do not know how to read music.
Consider Getting a Degree in Music
Getting a degree in music can not only help you learn a lot about the music industry and different musicianship skills, but it will allow you to meet new people that work in the same industry as yourself. Making connections at this stage of your career can lead to future job offers.
You can also learn from your peers. Being comfortable singing and learning around other musicians will help with your confidence and passing your vocal grade exams.
Develop Your Performance Skills
Knowing how to perform in front of an audience and overcoming nerves is crucial to being able to become a singer. When thinking of the vocal grade exam alone, you will be performing in front of a person you do not know that will be looking for fault in your vocals. By developing the skills to be able to perform in front of various people, you will be able to overcome this difficulty in your exam.
Work On Your Confidence
Working on your confidence could be the key to becoming a fantastic performing musician. It is easy to give in to nerves and performance anxiety, especially when you are expected to perform in front of a crowd or an examiner. Working on your feces and finding a method of coping with nerves will help you pass your vocal grade exam and become the best singer you can be.
How Do You Become a Singer?
Becoming a singer, especially a professional singer, can be very difficult. Knowing how to make that move and asking yourself “how can I become a singer?” may overwhelm you but there are some simple hacks that you can start applying to help you.
Becoming a Professional Singer
Here is a list of things you should apply to yourself to prepare you to become a professional singer:
- Prepare for rejection
- Develop your skills in your vocal and know what your skills are
- Know which genre of music suits you best
- Develop connections with people in the music industry and vocal coaches
Prepare for Rejection
Preparing yourself for rejection and developing the right mindset will help you when you start to venture out and try to get yourself a job within the music industry. The music industry is very competitive and knowing that you will face failure will make it sting less when it happens. Rejection will 1000% happen to you, but persistence and hard work are key.
Develop Your Skills in Your Vocal and Know What Your Skills Are
Knowing that you are skilled in your instrument and knowing exactly what your weaknesses and your strong suits are will be helpful. Knowing exactly what you are good at and what you are not will help you be transparent when communicating with others in the industry. Having the confidence that you know your instrument well will also help you pick yourself up when you do face rejection.
Know Which Genre of Music Suits You Best
Having a clear idea of what genre suits you best will massively help you when picking material to audition with. When you are auditioning, you will want to show the best aspects of your voice off. Genres of music can either help you do this or hinder you, therefore it is best to find the genres that suit you well.
Develop Connections With People in the Music Industry and Vocal Coaches
Finding a vocal coach or a music industry expert to help guide you in the early days of your career can be very beneficial. When entering a new industry, it can be confusing knowing what you should be doing in order to get to the place you see yourself in. Finding people to help you on your journey will help you get there faster.
Building Your Confidence to Become a Singer
If you are thinking “I want to become a singer but I don’t know how” then we may have some tips to help you build your confidence. There are multiple ways that you can build your conference as a singer but it really depends on what aspects of performing and singing make you second guess yourself.
There are two things you can try that may help you in your overall confidence when it comes to singing and working within the music industry.
Knowing what your skills are and developing your identity as a singer is very important. Most people believe that they have to be good at every element of singing to be able to be a fantastic singer, this is not the case! It is actually quite the opposite. When you think of your favorite artists, try to think of the one thing they are known for.
For example, pop star Ariana Grande is known for her smooth harmonies and impressive high notes whereas Indie artist Lana Del Rey is known for her deep tone and characterful voice. Find what makes your voice special and then aim to specialize in that element.
Writing your own songs or vocal parts can also be a way of gaining confidence. Developing a new skill, especially in something that you felt you could not do before will give you a boost of confidence.
Quick Steps to Becoming a Singer
Success will never come overnight but there are some steps to becoming a singer quickly. This may not mean that you will be a professional or famous, but it is always best to get yourself out there and let people know that you are a singer.
Here is how you can become a singer quicker:
- Regular vocal exercises
- Improve your vocal
- Contact a talent agent
- Audition regularly
- Use social media
- Record your vocals
- Play live
Regular Vocal Exercises
Incorporate vocal exercises into your daily routine and you will notice the difference in your voice. Vocal exercises can help you expand your vocal range and become a better singer.
Improve Your Vocal
Working on your vocal is important and you should never stop trying to improve your craft. As you gain more experience becoming a singer, you will want to work on elements of singing that you find hard so you can perform your best at all times.
Contact a Talent Agent
If you are wanting to take the next step in your singing career and are looking for work, it would be smart to look into and hire a talent agent. A talent agent will be able to help you showcase your vice in order to help you get more opportunities. A talent agent will help you lead your career in the way you would like to go. It is important that you do your research and only work with a talent agent that you feel suited to.
Audition Regularly
Audition regularly will help you get more singing opportunities. The music industry is very competitive and therefore the more auditioning you do, the more chances you have of securing a job.
Use Social Media
In this day and age, social media is your biggest tool. It is now simple to make a video and quickly post it in the hope that it could go viral. Viral videos happen often and therefore, if you create the video right, you have a solid chance of success.
Using platforms like Youtube, Instagram and TikTok can help you showcase your voice and let people know that you are a singer. Promoting your music online can help you build music industry connections and fans of your music.
Record Your Vocals
Recording your own vocals can not only help you develop your skills with music technology, but it can help you learn what you like and dislike about your voice. This knowledge will help you develop your voice in the future. Recording your own vocals and releasing the music on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music will help you advertise that you are a singer.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
There are multiple ways in which you can start off your singing career. First of all, you need to know what you would like to do with your singing skill and what kind of career you would enjoy. Planning ahead is the best way to make sure that you enter that field of work. For example, if you would like to become a singing teacher then firstly you will need to learn your craft. You will then need to be able to pass your vocal grades and all the qualifications to be able to teach. No matter what kind of profession you would like to do, there are a few basic ways to start your singing career.
The first step to becoming a singer is to learn your craft. Deciding what kind of singer you would like to be and where you would like to take your skill singing will help you know how to further develop. If you are still undecided if you would like to become a professional singer, a famous singer, or use singing as a hobby then that is okay. Even if you are still undecided, no matter what path you choose you will always have to develop your vocal skills to a passable to good range.
Becoming a professional or famous singer takes time, practice, dedication, and hard work. It is very rare that most singers build a following and achieve fame with their music as the competition in the industry is very high. There are steps you can take to make your way into the modern music industry and connections with other business people such as managers and promoters will help you get your foot in the door. It is important to know your craft well and find your niche to be able to succeed.
Starting With Classes Is the Best Place to Start
It is always best to start simple when you are wanting to transition into becoming a singer. Making sure that your craft is strong will help you be able to get work in the future. Start by learning your own voice and even starting some singing lessons.
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