Q&A for How to Improve Your Voice

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  • Question
    What is an exercise I can do to improve my vocal range?
    Patrick Muñoz
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Expert Answer
    Stand tall, then bend your knees and then bounce up with your knees. While your shoulders are bouncing, open your mouth and play with your vocal range. You can also play with different voices. Try talking with a high-pitched baby voice and then do a deep, evil voice.
  • Question
    How can I make my voice sound better quickly?
    Patrick Muñoz
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Expert Answer
    Drink some warm water with a teaspoon of honey, lemon, or apple cider vinegar mixed into it.
  • Question
    What should I eat and drink to improve my voice?
    Patrick Muñoz
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Expert Answer
    Make sure to drink lots of water, around 8 cups (64 ounces) per day. You should avoid caffeinated drinks because caffeine can tighten your vocal cords, which makes you sound nasally. Also avoid acidic foods and dairy products since these can affect what your voice sounds like.
  • Question
    My voice is cracking daily, and I can't sing like I could before. I feel like my range is changing. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    You have probably reached puberty and your voice is changing. There's not a lot you can do about it, but try working with a vocal coach or watching YouTube videos about expanding your range. It's possible your voice will sound a little awkward for a while, though, regardless of what you do.
  • Question
    How can I control the pitch of my voice?
    Community Answer
    Practice! Try one pitch and focus on it until you get it. Then try the next pitch and repeat.
  • Question
    How can I make my voice loud and audible?
    Community Answer
    Breathe into your diaphragm. Pushing air from here will give you more strength than breathing from your chest. Avoid tension in your neck and throat which could cut out the sound.
  • Question
    How can I sing high notes?
    Community Answer
    Imitate a siren with your voice. This will help you learn to raise your soft pallet and make high notes easier to sing. Take it gradually though, don't go higher than you currently can do without going in stages.
  • Question
    I sing at a higher pitch, but now I can't sing louder and can't attain the higher pitch. How can I continue?
    Community Answer
    To maintain a higher pitch, you need to practice by singing those higher notes quite often. Practice daily to regain your pitch, and continue practicing daily to maintain it.
  • Question
    How do I relax when I'm singing?
    Community Answer
    Clear your throat, calm down, take a deep breath, and start singing. While you're singing, focus on what you're doing, but try to imagine a relaxing scene in your mind.
  • Question
    How do I read well in a good voice?
    Ameena Asif
    Community Answer
    Before reading, clear your throat and then read with confidence.
  • Question
    How can I learn to do lower voices for voice acting?
    Community Answer
    Practice "fry voice," it's your deepest register, and if you practice it you'll be able to reach lower notes with better projection. There are tutorials on YouTube.
  • Question
    Any suggestions on how to open up my throat and sing freely?
    Community Answer
    Getting your muscles used to that position will take some effort, so practice just singing around the house with a widened throat. It is also helpful to drink some hot tea beforehand to relax the muscles. Eventually it will just become second nature to sing that way, as long as you do it often enough.
  • Question
    How long does it normally take to see an improvement?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how much you are practicing and how you are practicing. If you practice every day, you should notice some improvement within a month.
  • Question
    Do all of these methods work for trans women who want to increase the pitch of their voices in order to pass?
    Community Answer
    We all have something of a cap on our voices that limits how deep and high we can go, but most people haven't tried to work on theirs. It's more than likely you can speak in a higher pitch than you think you can, but you're going to have to work on it as consistently as possible. Any practices involving stretching the pitch of your voice should help you just as it helps singers.
  • Question
    What is the best way to read for one to two minutes in a one breath?
    Community Answer
    Practice is key; try starting with really short lines and timing yourself.
  • Question
    I can't ever have a proper argument because my voice is weak and people just mock my voice, so how do I make it stronger?
    Community Answer
    Perhaps your breath pressure is weak. Try engaging your abdominal muscles when you speak. Deepen your voice too, to gain authority. Speak slowly, strongly and powerfully.
  • Question
    I have a really thick Brooklyn accent that everyone makes fun of me for. How can I change my voice to sound better?
    Community Answer
    A Brooklyn accent is cool. Just because some don't like it, don't get rid of it. Learn to live with it. Look up other artists from Brooklyn and see how they make it work. Use words that sound even better with your accent and pack a punch in your songs. To mellow down your accent, open your mouth a little less and allow the air to create vibrations on your tongue to pronounce words with differing intensity. It will sound deeper and more like whispering.
  • Question
    My voice sounds very nasal and awkward, by friends too say that I have an awful voice. What should I eat or drink to improve it?
    Community Answer
    Be well hydrated when you sing, so that your throat doesn't hurt a lot and you don't sound croaky. If you have a blocked nose, try to use a medicine, or spicy food to unblock it. But also get an assessment from a singing coach just to be sure your voice is good.
  • Question
    I am in my eighties and my speech has begun to quiver. Is there an exercise for this?
    Yes, this is jaeden
    Community Answer
    You might want to check out How to Stop Your Voice from Shaking for some exercises and tips.
  • Question
    How to emote and increase volume variation and stamina while giving a long emotional speech
    Community Answer
    For emotion, try and use your face! Use facial expressions, for example, surprised, happy, sad. Also, try adding emphasis on certain words. If you were saying "and there was a big flood!" you would put emphasis on big, and looked shocked. To increase volume variation, practice! You can try and figure out words that might sound better or add more effect when said quietly, or loudly. With stamina, don't over talk! Just because it's a long speech doesn't mean that you can't pause for a short time between sentences, or paragraphs. Just don't stop in the middle of words, it makes you sound unprofessional.
  • Question
    I feel like I am choking when singing, what is the issue?
    Community Answer
    You're just probably pushing your limits too far. Try singing for shorter periods and take breaths in between. You could also practice lots, and try to build up your stamina.
  • Question
    I'm a girl but I have a boy-ish voice, it is very rough. How can I make my voice sweet and ladylike?
    Community Answer
    Do a daily range practice in a higher range. Try different kinds of approaches. For example, I tend to sound "lady-like" and "sweet" when I have more of a breathy approach.
  • Question
    When I sing I get a hard vibration and a type of division of my voice in some words like when I am singing "aaaaa" how to make it to come more because many people told me it's a great thing.
    Community Answer
    That's vibrato. It comes naturally with age as your voice matures. Don't try to push it because it could damage your voice. Just let it come naturally.
  • Question
    Whenever I sing, I get tired really fast. How can I sing without having to take too many breaths?
    Community Answer
    This naturally comes with proper breathing techniques and practice. Your lungs are muscles that need to be worked out like any other muscle. It will come in time with proper practice and technique.
  • Question
    I have a nasal voice, how can I improve it?
    Community Answer
    Try to take bigger breaths and try to speak from the back of your throat. If that is too hard, getting a professional vocal coach would be a good option if you are really bothered by your voice.
  • Question
    How can I control my high notes with a good voice quality?
    Victoria Mollenkopf
    Community Answer
    Make your mouth longer as you sing higher pitched notes. This always helps me.
  • Question
    I feel like my voice is coming from my mouth. I could sing better and control my pitch better when I was 12, and even do vibrato. Now I can't. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Breath support is the answer! Breathing through your diaphragm is a hard skill to learn and practice, but it is essential to vocal health and good tone quality. Try putting your hand on your stomach, and breathe slowly in a way that lets you feel your stomach expand every time you inhale and compress every time you exhale. Also, work especially hard on physical and vocal warm-ups. It seems like you are not relaxed enough when singing because you’re afraid of your voice. It will take time, but good warm-ups and technique will build your confidence and improve your sound.
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