If you can speak, you can sing

"If you can speak, you can sing."

If you have spent some time looking around the Internet for free singing lessons and tips, you most likely would have come across that saying, and believe or not, I don't have the expertise to tell you confidently that that's true. However, I do believe it's a good quote to live by, 'cause everyone with a voice should deserve the joys of singing. Expressing one's self through song is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life, and it's cruel to think that they are those out there who would rob people of that right without thinking twice about it. I know people like that...which is why, I'd like to teach anyone willing to learn, to improve their singing, so they would be able to not only enjoy self-expression, but also bring joy to those around them through their singing, especially to those who previously had the practice of telling others to stop singing. That would be really amazing.

But of course, I'm no vocal coach, just merely a student of two vocal instructors at the moment, poking around the Web, learning as much about the voice and singing as I can through video lessons, courses and books. Even so, I do believe I've learnt enough to impart bits of vocal wisdom to the non-singer, enough to help them understand their voices a little better, just enough to nudge them in the right direction of great and healthy singing.

Anyways, back to topic:

"If you can speak, you can sing."

You see, singing, in its most basic form, is elongated, melodic speaking. Ideally speaking, the physiology of singing shouldn't stray too far off from that of natural speaking, the way your voice was meant to be used. If it does, you would probably be looking at vocal strain and even serious vocal damage, but nobody wants.

Having said that, here is something you could take away from here to try on your own...

Pick a line from a song -- any song. Say it out the way you would normally, as if talking to a friend or family member. Hmmmm, let's think of an example...

Oh, how about this?

"I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing."

Say it a couple of times to get it internalised a little.

Now, say it sloooooowly, dragging out the vowels as you do that. It should sound something like...

"IIIIIIIIIaaaaaam stiiiiiiiiill aaaaaliiiiiiive buuuuut I'aaaaaam baaaaaaaarelyyyyyyy breeeeeeeeathiiing."

If you could imagine that, lol.

Well, do that a few times. Be sure to do it the same way you would speak normally. No singing yet!

Now, try saying it a little more melodically. You could try saying it along with the melody. Don't do anything different now, just say it out with melody...intonation. Don't try to sing it.

Now...how did that feel?

Hope that felt natural, or natural-ish at least, because it should. It may feel very very different from how you would normally sing, but believe me, this way would serve you better in the long run. I'm not saying it's polished singing yet, but it is a stepping stone. More imprtantly, it proves that anyone who can speak, CAN indeed, sing!