Don’t force this posture unnaturally. Simply focus on keeping your shoulders as far back as possible while still feeling comfortable. Lay on your back on the floor to let gravity do the work for you if you find yourself tensing up when trying to maintain the correct posture.

If you feel tense, sway gently. Or, flop forward as you inhale, then straighten up to reset your posture.

Shoulders back. Chin level with the floor. Chest out. Stomach flat. Joints relaxed.

Think of a ring around your stomach and waist expanding as you inhale and contracting as you exhale, moving the air from the bottom of your lungs up to your chest and out your mouth. [6] X Research source Note how, as you breathe normally, your chest rises and falls. When you sing, however, your chest needs to be still. Push your stomach out as you inhale. Put a hand on your stomach. When you inhale, focusing on filling your lower lungs by expanding your stomach as you breathe. Your chest should not move. Let your stomach suck back in as you exhale. Again, your chest should not move. As you become more experienced you will feel your back slightly expand out as you exhale.

Lie on the floor with both hands on your stomach. Inhale through your stomach so your hands rise above your chest, then exhale back to starting position. Practice hissing. Hissing requires a steady, thin stream of air. Inhale for 4 counts (1, 2, 3, 4) and then exhale for 4 counts. Then inhale for 6 counts and exhale for 10. Progress with shorter inhalations and longer hissing until you can breathe in for 1 count and exhale for 20. [7] X Research source The best singers actually use very little air to sing big, loud notes, so take this exercise seriously.

“Tanking up:” Trying to fill your lungs as much as possible so you don’t run out of air. Instead of focusing on having more air, think about exhaling as steadily as possible to preserve your air. “Pushing air:” For a beautiful tone, think about letting the air out of your lungs instead of forcing it out. “Holding back air:” An advanced mistake, this is when singers stop their voice in between inhaling and exhaling. Focus on breathing “into” your note, silently exhaling air right before starting to sing.

This is easiest if you are correctly breathing through your abdomen. Think of singing from your diaphragm (the muscle under your lungs that controls breathing) if you are having trouble singing from your chest.

“Clear:” The listener should be able to hear the words and notes without strain. “Resonant:” Resonance is the deep, almost subconscious vibrations that all beautiful singers access. Think of the long, powerful, and sustained notes of singers from Aretha Franklin to Luciano Pavarotti. [8] X Research source

Start by humming a simple “ee” sound. “Move” this noise up and down from your chest to your mouth. These are your resonators. Move your tongue down towards your bottom teeth, opening up your mouth and making the biggest space you can. Never “swallow” your vowels, or sing from the back of your throat. When you do, they become muddied and unclear. If you need help, use a spectrometer or an app like SpectrumView to determine how much resonance you have.

Sing the lowest note you can without cracking or creaking. This is the bottom of your range. Sing your highest note without cracking or creaking. This is the top of your range. Your singing range includes all of the notes in between this upper and lower limit.

Meet with at least 3 voice teachers before choosing one. Your teacher should make you feel comfortable and have either extensive performing experience or a degree in vocal training. Work with your voice teacher to set and achieve clear goals.

Hum. Humming activates your breath without straining your vocal chords. Trill your lips and tongue to warm up your mouth and jaw. Begin with a simple scale, going up and down slowly (doh – mi – sol – mi – doh). Begin with the easiest songs you are going to practice, waiting 10-15 minutes to tackle the tougher parts.

Make sure you start drinking at least 30 minutes before performing so that your body has time to absorb the water.