Is singing a gift or can anyone sing?

Singing is a gift, you either have it or you don’t. True or not? Well, up to a point.

There is no denying that certain people seem talented, they just seem to be able to open their mouths and these sweet melodic sounds come out. However, more and more people are beginning to realize that singing is a learnable skill. You may not end up being the next Sinatra or Whitney Houston, but you will certainly be called up for a song at both formal and informal gatherings. Singing is rightly now considered a learnable skill.

But how does a ‘non-singer’ become a ‘singer’? Much is due to technique and practice.

Here is a very simple breathing technique to show what I mean.

Lie on your back. I like to choose a hard surface like the floor. Now put your hands on your waist with your middle finger pointing towards your belly button.

Now start to breathe deeply. You are not trying to fill your stomach at this point, all you are doing is seeing the difference between shallow breathing, the way most of us breathe, the lazy way.

Let your breath out, gently, count to 5, at this point you should feel your stomach begin to rise and your hands with them, also notice how your hands begin to reach out. Rinse and repeat this exercise ten times.

This is an exercise that you must repeat several times a day. Don’t worry about the lying down look that was just to show you how your diaphragm works. Practice daily before getting up in the morning and before sleeping at night for 5 to 10 minutes; I do the exercise right after cleaning my teeth.

A good tip is to practice in front of a mirror in the morning and at night and observe closely as you inhale. If you seem like you’re short of breath, you’ll need to hone your technique until it looks more natural.

Gradually increase this exercise so that you do it four to five times a day. It’s the kind of exercise you can do almost anywhere without attracting attention. Like any exercise, it will be difficult at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

As you breathe out, whisper a quiet “ah.” At first, the ‘ah’ won’t last much longer than five seconds, but as you practice, you will be able to hold it for up to half a minute. Those who really practice can hit the minute mark!

These are just a few simple breathing techniques that you can do at any time during the day. They illustrate, I hope, how simple techniques, when combined into a program, can give you the encouragement to believe that you can actually sing. If you are “naturally gifted,” proper singing techniques will enhance that gift beyond recognition. Feel free to visit my blog for more information on how to become a better singer.