“If one practises… one will attain to that power which is latent in every soul. One need not be a singer, but for every person it is necessary that you should give some part of your day, even the shortest time you can give to the development of your voice.” (Hazrat Inayat Khan)

To become a good, confident singer, you need to PRACTICE! It is essential to find a voice coach to put you on the road to helping you create a clear practice programme. Nothing can really replace the one-to-one nurturing that a teacher can give you, but I can outline the basic principles of how to create a daily vocal training workout:

1. LOOSEN UP! Approach your body as your instrument, releasing stiffness or tension anywhere you feel it. You can choose yoga, dance, tai chi and chi gung, running, walking, swimming or cycling... anything that will help soften up and release the tension in your body and get your lungs and heart pumping. You can follow my “Top to Toe Warm Up Sequence” for a fast 6-minute full body workout, whether you are a complete beginner or a performer about to go on stage. Remember that good posture will give you a relaxed attitude and strong stamina will give you power.

2. EXPAND YOUR LUNGS! Practice deep breathing at any moment during your daily routine. There are no set rules for how and when to become more in tune with your body’s needs. I tend to tell people to use breathing as a means of releasing stagnant, emotional patterns or negative programming. IT WORKS! Give yourself time to SLOW DOWN and breathe more deeply and slowly. Check out the breathing page for exercises.

3. EMPTY YOUR MIND AND FOCUS! You must practise scales or scatting around chord sequences - you could also try my “Vocal Alphabet” exercise (available shortly on the Voice of Power Vocal Training Guide for Singers). Long slow vowels are always a good place to start, tuning into the resonance of your voice in your body. Learn to listen to yourself with discernment. With mental focus, you can adjust your voice to stay in tune, create interesting tone colours and create three-dimensional depth in your chosen style.

4. REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOUR AUDIENCE! The art of projecting your voice lies in your ability to touch the hearts of your audience. By visualising your voice reaching out and drawing the listeners into your world, you will find that any nervous self-consciousness simply melts away. Always spend time warming up, relaxing and preparing yourself before a performance, so that you can always give the best of yourself.