While I don’t aspire to be a professional singer, I do think it’d be awesome if I can sing like one — if only to get a perfect score at the videoke machine each time there’s a party at our place. So is it possible to improve your singing voice even without professional help? But, of course!
Practice really makes perfect. Even if you’re not born with the talent, if you do it often enough you will notice that you’re hitting high notes more effortlessly. Those who take formal lessons don’t just get better because of their teachers. The fact that they sing a lot actually develops their voice.
The problem is you may not have the place to train your voice. You could embarrass yourself singing loudly at home and you’re most likely scared to disrupt the others at the office by belting out ballads. The comfort room is also out of the question. So that leaves your car. It’s the only space where you can have total privacy. It pays to have your windows tinted so that the other drivers won’t see think you’re crazy.
1. Learn to breathe properly. Hitting high notes is possible with proper breathing. Pros say sing from the diaphragm — a body part that has a lot to do with proper breathing. I’ve read this from a site that teaches singing tips: improper breathing while singing can be dangerous! It can result to vocal nodes, or bumps that form on the vocal cords, that can greatly alter your ability to sing well. Be more aware of how you inhale and exhale. The secret here is to feel the air as it goes inside your body. Fill your lungs with air as if you’re going to blow a balloon. You should feel your abs expand. When you exhale, practice sustaining your breath. This will help you sustain notes better. To do that, try blowing on a feather and keep it airborne as long as you can.
2. Sit straight. Don’t slouch, but don’t be too stiff. Straighten your back so your diaphragm is relaxed. This will allow you to breath well. Bad posture locks your diaphragm and keeps you from letting air in and out properly.
3. Open wide. Vocal coaches recommend singing with wide, open mouths. That’s so enough air gets in and out so you can enunciate words and hit notes better. This makes sense because if your mouth is wide enough, you’ll sing clearly and at the right volume. Start exercising your jaw. Do a close-open with your mouth. Exercise your facial muscles too. Just make sure that you have tinted windows, otherwise other drivers and the takatak boys will laugh at you.
4. Work on your confidence. Bad singers would rather not sing in public. Unfortunately, there comes a time when you have no choice but to sing — like during weddings when a drunk relative puts you on the spot. One great advantage of practice-singing in the car is it builds your confidence. You can sing all you want without fear of getting laughed at or judged by anyone. The privacy your car provides is perfect for helping you become more comfortable with the idea of belting out tunes.
And pretty soon you can doing an EDSA sing-along competition ala TJ Smith
5. Tune into your favorite station or play your favorite mp3 track. I’ve always enjoyed driving with my favorite songs playing — at blaring volumes. This allows me to sing as loud as I can. But be careful: when the car radio plays a Sarah Geronimo song, don’t try so hard to hit the notes. While no one can hear you, all that effort can hurt your throat. If you feel a little strain, stop. You don’t want to damage your larynx or voice box.
Again, it all boils down to practice and proper breathing. Do it enough times and you’re sure to notice an improvement. Now, you have more reasons to look forward to getting stuck in traffic.
Illustration by Neil Agonoy
MORE WAYS TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC:
– Stuck in traffic? 6 ways to exercise your brain
– Stuck in traffic? Tell us a joke
– Stuck in traffic? Bring and train a pet
– Stuck in traffic? Sleep
– Stuck in traffic? 6 ways to give your car TLC
