7 Definite Signs to Tell if You’re a Good Singer
If you are a singing enthusiast, you might have wondered which ways you can use to tell if you are a good singer?
While you might think you sound euphonious while singing randomly in the bathroom or in the car. It can be hard to tell whether others will perceive your singing skills the same way as you.
These tips can help you point out the areas where you might need to improve. Here are 7 ways to tell if you are a good singer:
1. Perform a Self Assessment Test
If you will want to know if you sound good when singing. You will have to perform a proper self-assessment test.
It is imperative to hear yourself sing first before you let other people listen to you; that way, you can analyse your voice and know where to make changes.
You can do this by:
- Recording yourself when singing using your tablet or smartphone. (Try recording yourself singing different songs and recording them as well. Some people's voice is more suited for different songs. This will also help you identify what sort of song suits your voice.)
- After recording your singing, listen to your records. It's best to use headphones for this as it will help give you a clear representation.
If you find this difficult to tell whether you can sing or not, you can try comparing your recording to the song. This will help you to figure out your strengths and weaknesses and help you identify the notes that were difficult to hit.
You should pay close attention to how well your voice can match the pitch of the backing track or song. You should check for voice cracking and wavering which could signify not having control of your vocal range or over-extending your vocal.
Another essential thing to do when listening to your recording is also critiquing your timbre and general tone. Timbre is the general characteristic of your voice.
Your timbre should match the song. So pay attention to whether your voice is hoarse or smooth, hard or soft, and light or heavy.
2. Use The Audience Assessment Technique
This technique involves performing in the presence of an audience. Performance in a karaoke club or somewhere public can help you in determining whether your singing is good.
Family, friends or your partner
This audience is the most approachable, especially if you are not yet comfortable putting yourself out there. Though they are approachable, they may not tell you or give constructive criticism due to the fear of hurting your feelings.
Asking user's on a online platform
Though there is a lot of negativity online, it might also be an ideal audience to gauge your singing abilities. A lot of people online can be candid and will tell you as it is.
You can use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Reddit and YouTube to get massive feedback from people on what they think about your singing.
3. Seek Professional Opinion From a Vocal Coach
Sometimes professional advice can put all doubts to bed.
However, public audiences or friends and family may give you their feedback; a vocal coach (although expensive) will provide you with honest opinions without fear as this is what they are trained to do.
They can also tell you if you can sing and point out areas where you may need to improve. Many vocal coaches and some even offer their services online, thus making it easy and convenient for you.
4. Check Your Tone Sensitivity
You can also determine if you can sing well by performing some technical tests. This will significantly assist in giving a clear indication of whether you understand tone, pitch, and timing.
Tone sensitivity can be checked online on sites like themusiclab.org. It will help you find out whether you have a natural ear for music. This will help you find out if you are struggling in matching and perceiving tones.
It will also help you find out if you can distinguish between high and low notes and also if you can differentiate between tones, pitch, and rhythm. This is how a tone-deaf test takes place:
- Most tone deafness tests that are done online are made up of various short clips from tunes or songs that are well known. You will need to listen to those clips and then indicate if it was played correctly or not on the test form.
- If you find out that you are Tone-deaf, it does not mean that you have a terrible voice but a clear indication that you are struggling to match the tone and voice of the particular song you are singing.
- On the other hand, if you find out that you are struggling to control your voice while singing, this doesn’t also mean that you are tone-deaf. Many aspects contribute to being a good singer, and this might only tell you that you need to work on vocal controls.
5. Evaluating Your Vocal Range and Technique
Testing and evaluating your vocal range and technique are also imperative when trying to tell if you are a good singer.
Many tests can help you find out the songs that are best suited for your voice. Singers with an extensive vocal range have the best voice because they can hit a wide range of notes.
You can use various ways to test your vocal range, like note matching with a piano, or you can also download applications on your device and try it using a microphone.
There are several phone applications and websites that you can use, such as a rangefinder, to first help you find your vocal range.
All you need to do is record your voice as instructed on the app, then the app or website will take the median frequencies of your recorded voice and give you a general range.
Vocal ranges can be; highest to lowest, and your voice types are mezzo-soprano, soprano, tenor, countertenor, contralto, bass, and baritone.
The song you will choose and record for a self-assessment test should be on your vocal range, which is why the vocal range technique is essential.
6. Evaluate Your Singing Technique
When determining if you are a good singer, you can do this by evaluating your singing technique. Most singers who are good at singing have a good singing technique, which differentiates them from the rest majorly.
A good technique allows you to sing better; here are some of the things that are used in the evaluation of a good technique:
Stance
A person singing while standing has the best vocal performances as compared to one who sings when sited. So, to give your best when trying to tell if you can sing, you should be standing with a width between your shoulder and feet and the weight of your body resting on your feet balls.
Posture
For you to sing well, a good posture is also critical. Your neck and shoulder and back, and hips should be in a neutral position.
You can test this by standing while your back leans on the wall; your rear, ankles, upper back, and neck should also touch the wall.
Then you should be able to lift your palms and touch the wall near your head; if this feels uncomfortable, you should work on it.
Breathing
To sing well, you should breathe deeply; this will help you not to sing from the throat, which can result in a weaker sound due to straining.
To perfect this, you should practice deep breathing daily. Ensure that your breathing is regular and deep when you are singing. You do not want to run out of breath when performing; thus, this singing technique should be well mastered.
Relax
To get the best of your singing, you should ensure that you are well relaxed. Nervousness and being tense can hinder you from singing well. Your body, as well as your jaw and mouth, should be relaxed.
If feeling nervous or tensed, you can massage your jaw lightly before singing. You can also try to relax your lips by exhaling forcefully by pushing air through your lips and causing them to vibrate.
7. Taking a Quick Quiz
If you feel like all the above processes are long and tedious for you, you can take a quiz online to determine whether you are a good singer or not.
This will give you an answer without the hustle of performing in front of other people, especially for those who are shy.
This can be done by finding sites that provide pre-made quizzes online and then filling them out and waiting for feedback.
Improving Your Singing
After performing all these tests or some of them, one-off things should not mean that you are a terrible singer. If this is something that you are serious about pursuing, there are various ways that you can use to improve your singing technique.
Some of the best musicians of all time have been coached to become experts in this field. So, you still have a chance. Here are some of the things you can do to be better and perfect your skills:
- Practicing your technique and range more often. Remember, practice makes perfect, and if your technique and range are a bit off, you can make it better through practice. You can also work on finding music that matches your natural voice timbre.
- Taking voice lessons. You can also decide to seek professional help in a bid to be better. This might be a game-changer to you becoming the perfectionist that you will wish to be. You can find an instructor who can help you in making your pitch and overall technique better.
- Accept correction and take constructive criticism positively. Acceptance and making corrections are what will make you grow. Some skills or talent need to be corrected to shine, and so when someone makes a compliment about your singing, you should take it positively.
- You can also enrol in a school or training institute to practice your vocals. School may help expose you to other talented students who might help shape your art and become better. Training band group singing can also help in boosting your confidence significantly.
Conclusively, many factors can tell if someone is good at singing, and these are just some of them. You might find that some things are off with your singing when going through this methods, but this should not discourage you as some may point out areas that you might need to work on.
If you find all these procedures long, you can simply determine if you are a good singer by recording yourself, listening back to your recording, and getting feedback on your singing. You can also check for such things as vocal range and tone sensitivity.
