Here are the signs that your singing is sustainable (aka healthy)!
Have you ever wondered, “Am I singing correctly or not?”
Or, maybe you’ve tried tons of singing exercises on YouTube and TikTok and you aren’t sure if you’re doing them right.
While I wouldn’t say that there is one “correct” way to sing—after all, I’m not someone that chooses to judge someone’s voice as “good” or “bad”, or “healthy” or “unhealthy”—there are some signs to look for when it comes to figuring out whether your singing is sustainable or not.
Notice here that I’m using the word “sustainable” when describing singing; I use this word, because singers should work towards a sound that they can sustain over a period of time, whether that’s practicing for 30 minutes or singing for hours at a gig. You certainly don’t want to be straining for your high notes, nor should you experience pain when trying to sing your favorite songs. So how do you figure out whether your singing is sustainable or not? Here are some signs that your singing is sustainable:
You can sing for an extended period of time without pain. When I’m working with a student on their singing, I always tell them that their singing should not be painful. If a student is experiencing pain, then that’s a warning sign to me to make some adjustments in my instructions to the student. Why? Because if you experience pain while singing, then that may be an sign that your voice isn’t working in a sustainable way and that a change to your technique should be made. Consistently experiencing pain when singing may lead to physical issues later on, which are definitely no fun.
You are able to effortlessly sing the music that you love. You may experience mistakes here and there, but overall, you’re able to sing without an extreme amount of effort. Your singing may not be “perfect” (which, by the way, perfection doesn’t exist!), but you’re able to sing your song of choice in a way that feels good.
You’re able to express yourself onstage without worrying whether your singing technique will fail you. I once had a voice teacher who told me that we practice sustainable vocal technique to build muscle memory, so that when we step on stage we can focus on expressing ourselves. I stand by this idea, because your singing technique should empower you to express yourself—it shouldn’t keep you from expressing yourself.
These signs are good places to start when it comes to figuring out whether your singing technique is sustainable or not, but they are by no means the only ways to determine whether your singing technique is working for you. The big things to remember are that sustainable technique feels good and allows you to express yourself. Anything other than that is a good sign to look into alternative techniques and exercises.
Of course, the easiest way to figure out whether your singing is sustainable or not is to get feedback from a voice teacher. If you’d like to meet with me for a free trial lesson or receive weekly feedback on-demand through my coaching membership, I’d love to help you! Check out the included links, or feel free to shoot me an email here.
