Would you be surprised if I told you that tone-deafness is a myth? According to this highly wonderful Ted Talk from famed conductor Benjamin Zander, if you were tone deaf, you wouldn’t be able to change gears in a stick shift car, tell the difference between someone from Texas and Rome, or know who was calling you on the phone (and sometimes even what mood they’re in).

Within us all is the capability to sing, which is the philosophy behind Sing Out Day last weekend. In honor of this, we want to share with you five vocal techniques that can improve your singing voice–because everyone has a little Freddie Mercury hidden deep down!

1. Find Your Voice Type

No two voices are alike, and it’s important that you find a comfortable range for your voice that can inform the material you choose to sing. Are you a Tenor? Baritone? Soprano? This handy Youtube video will help you find your type in just one minute. No need to strain!

2. Be Aware of Your Posture

If you straighten out your body, most singers see an improvement in their voices immediately. The key is to facilitate air flow. What does this look like? Relax and open your shoulders, arms to your sides, feet shoulder width apart, and entirely balanced. Focus on your abdominal muscles–it’s the only place you should experience any tension.

3. Hydrate

A good vocalist never underestimates the pertinence of good hydration. Apart from the myriad other benefits of drinking water, having a swig of H2O supplies hydration to your vocal cords. This keeps them relaxed and flexible. By the same token, do your best to avoid dehydrating substances, such as beer, coffee, soda, and especially smoking.

4. Breathing

This one may be obvious, but sometimes we forget that singing is, itself, a fancy form of breathing. Of course, in order to deliver the best tone, power, and accuracy, you must supply your voice with a large helping of air. This means you have to breathe in deeply, and force the sound out with the help of your abdominal muscles. Another benefit of proper breathing technique is much more stamina–as shallow breath and other forms of bad technique can burn your voice out quick!

5. Quality Singing Lessons

Practice is key, and so is good tutelage. Having someone work with you to highlight your specific path to vocal mastery is an invaluable asset. Luckily, there are many experienced teachers here at Freeway Music who want to see you take your singing to the next level! And it’s never too late to start.

Singing is a commonly overlooked potential talent within many–if you can talk, you can sing. And better yet, the instrument is free! Now that you know the way to improve, there are no excuses. So go ahead, sing out!