How to Get Your Voice in Shape, Part 1: Consistency

I’m so excited about today’s video and blog, because we’re talking about getting your voice back into shape! This is the first of a four part series, and no matter what reason you have for wanting to sing with more ease, this 4-step process will help! When you sing, it’s important to make sure your voice feels good – not tight or squeezed. 

There’s lots of reasons that people sing less than usual. Whether it was the pandemic, an injury, you’re just ready to sing again, or something else… there’s one important step you don’t want to miss. If you don’t do this step, your results will be very, very slow or non-existent. Step one to get your voice back in shape is all about re-establishing consistency. 

Step One: Establish Consistency

While many singers think the first step is about strength training, that’s not where I’d start. I get it: you want to make sure you have the stamina and strength. But in reality, the most important thing we can do is establish consistency as singers. Notice something: I didn’t say a routine. I said consistency. We just want to do something that’s going to feel good and allow us to put in some practice (repetitions!). A large part of being consistent with singing is a mental game. We have to be sure that we don’t psyche ourselves out or have beliefs that hold us back. 

How to Be Consistent

At this point, you may already have some consistency in your routine as a singer. But, it’s okay if you don’t. This will look different for everyone. Maybe you’ll want to set a certain amount of time aside a day to sing. Maybe that’s 10, 20 or 30 minutes. Or perhaps instead you will decide on how many times a week. For others, it will be more helpful to pair your singing with a certain time in the day. For example you could sing when you drive to work, right after breakfast, or before you sit down to relax in the evening.

Of course, there’s other options, too. Maybe you’re someone who’s very motivated by a reward or treat. Set a goal, and if you do it, then reward yourself with a treat like buy yourself a book or go out with a friend. Whatever it is that inspires you! 

What to Remember in this Step!

As you begin to sing, there’s a few things to remember. First and most important: don’t be so picky. Remember, we just want to get in the habit of singing regularly again. Don’t nitpick everything you’re doing. Just show up. Make sure that you know for yourself where the line is that makes you feel defeated. That might mean in this first step, you’re really just keeping an artistic or recreational focus – not super heavy into the technical aspects of your singing. Allow yourself to explore what being consistent means for you. 

When you sing in this stage, you want to leave every session with the feeling of “I want to do that again tomorrow!”, not feeling deflated or defeated. You’re learning to build trust with your voice and body again. Give yourself the space to do that! 

What should you sing then?

It’s up to you! Maybe it’s that playlist or maybe it’s some vocal exercises. If you do exercises, remember to choose something that’s simple so that you can become more fluent with it and have a bigger impact down the line. Stick with simple, seriously! I love my Stability Workout (female identifying and male identifying) for this kind of entry or re-entry into singing. It’s super easy, about 9 minutes long, and allows you to just tune in and work. Once you move past 10 minutes, consider adding in some workouts or warmups from my Condition You Voice workout pack! They’re great to stack onto your 10 minute warm up to build to 20 or 30 minute sessions. 

If you want to stick with songs, that’s fine too! Choose three songs that aren’t super challenging and are fun to do. You could even take a song and lower the key so it’s even easier to do. Remember, focus on something that feels easy and manageable to build that trust again. You’re not working on strength control, improving your head voice, or working on anything like that at all. You’re just trying to gain consistency so that you can get a groove going again. 

Another option is to simply listen to music. Pick a few of your favorite songs and create a playlist. Then the next day, pick 3 more songs, and so on. Create that list to start listening to. With any luck, listening to music you love will spark your desire to sing them again and can help you get back into singing! 

Start where you’re at now and let’s build onto that foundation. Begin by re-establishing your consistency as a singer first. Next week, we’ll talk about what comes next in strengthening your voice whether you’re just starting, or have had time off. These small steps will make a big difference in the end, so let’s take it slowly and get back into everything together! 

Watch this week’s YouTube video for more insight:

Want more help?

Check out my FULL Foundations Training with six areas of foundational strength to work on! By working on your voice foundations, you’ll be able to build a stronger voice, reduce vocal fatigue, and so much more!