Hacks to Optimize Your Voice Training

Singers are a busy bunch of individuals. Most of us have a lot going on and when we finally get to the Vocal Gym, we don’t want to waste time looking for a good exercise or figuring out what to do. We just want to get started right away. If that sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few things you can do to optimize your time in the Vocal Gym.

• Set a goal.
  Define how long you want to vocalize on a daily basis. It can be over an hour, or it can be 20 minutes. Whatever works for your schedule at this moment. Even if you can only spend a little time each day, it adds up over time. Even if you spend as little as ten minutes in the Vocal Gym every day, it adds up over time. 
• Schedule your Vocal Gym time.
  Find a spot in your calendar, schedule your voice training like any other meeting and STICK TO IT! You can either schedule your entire session in one block, or you can break it down into smaller sessions. Sometimes, instead of a one hour block, we’re more concentrated on the task when we break it down into three 20 minute sessions. Whatever works best for you, do that. Just make sure you start with a warm up in each session.
• Avoid distraction.
  Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode and find a spot where you can sing with as little interruption as possible. Focus solely on your voice and the exercises you are doing. 
• Find out WHAT you need to work on.
  Do you know what exactly you want to improve on? If you’re not entirely sure, the Vocal Profile Assessment can give you some ideas. You answer a few questions, and based on them you will get a graph that tells you which dimensions you may want to spend more time on. (If you don’t know what a Vocal Profile Assessment is or how you can get yours, check out this tutorial I made a while ago. Don’t worry, it takes only about 5 minutes.) 
• Keep a vocal journal!
  Write down what you work on every day to avoid repeating the same three exercises all the time. You can simply take notes on your phone or use this template to write down what you worked on. This prevents you from getting bored while vocalizing and you also make sure you’re targeting your voice from different angles.
• Know your exercises.
  Make a list of exercises and what each exercise is for, so you have them at your fingertips and can switch it up every day. We do also have a template for this, which you are very welcome to download and use.
• Try new exercises.
  Don’t be afraid to try new exercises. Not every exercise has the same impact on every singer. An exercise that really helped your friend with their intonation might not do the same for you. So don’t be afraid to try different exercises. Check out this YouTube Playlist where we publish new vocal exercises on a weekly basis AND explain which dimension each exercise targets.
• Get yourself a voice teacher that can guide you.
  No matter if you are a seasoned pro or a beginner, it’s always valuable to have a vocal coach or a voice teacher that can guide you. This person can be the one that helps monitor your progress, gives you new vocal exercises, encourages you, celebrates with you and holds you accountable.
• Vocalize whenever you can.
  While it is important to schedule your voice training and avoid distractions, remember that the perfect time to vocalize is NOW. You can do lip-trills while you shower or get ready for the day. Maybe humming some scales while you walk your dog or do some quiet glissandos on “oo” in your car on your way to work. This way your voice is warmed up and ready to go throughout the day.

The most important part right now is to take action. Even if you have only little time available, make sure to use it for your voice! No matter how far you want to go, you have to take the first step. So, let’s vocalize!

Do you have any additional hacks that help you to optimize your time spent vocalizing? Tell us in the comments!

AUTHOR: BRIGITTE KRAHN