5 Ways to Just Start Singing … And Get the World Party Started!
5 Ways to Just Start Singing … And Get the World Party Started!
You have a gift. You’ve had this gift ever since you were able to speak and may not have even known about it. You can sing!
This post is the first in a weekly series we’re dubbing “How To Sing! Properly.” They’re designed to get you warmed up and on your way to channelling your inner Sinatra or Rihanna. We created this series because so many of you asked us for tips and tricks on how to make the most of Smule’s Sing! app. So grab your phone, fire up Sing! and let’s get the party started!
Singing is one of the greatest things that humans have ever been able to do. Some of us sing a little, some of us sing a lot, and some have never even tried to sing at all. But we all can sing. We sing in the shower, we sing in our cars. We hum little tunes to ourselves at work and in school. Some people like to sing in front of complete strangers. Some of us are terrified to. But you shouldn’t be.
Since all of us are able to sing, why not share that gift with others who have the exact same gift? I know, it’s scary. You can sing to yourself all the time, but not for other people. What if we were able to take away that pressure? What if we gave you the tools to share your voice with people all over the world, without even having to leave the comfort of your home?
Just download the Sing! app, and keep an eye out on this page for even more tips in the coming weeks on how you can achieve instant rock star (or pop star, or rap star, or country star, or soul star!) status. Let’s get you going with these easy tips to make the most out of your gift.
1. Choose a song that fits your range and style.
From high clear voices, to bassy rumbles, find a song that fits who you are, and is easy for you to pull off, without feeling like you’re stretching your range. It’s good to challenge yourself, but let’s get you in the zone first. Smule’s Sing! app has many song of all types and genres, from golden oldies, rock classics, and current hits to satisfy all types of singers.
2. Use headphones.
Sing! works by recording your voice as you sing along to the words and melody coming from your device. If you don’t use headphones while recording, then Sing will not only record your voice, but itself as well, causing a muddled and unclear recording. Headphones isolate your voice from the music while recording, so you get a clear performance everytime.
3. Minimize reverb, reverb, reverb…
Reverb is that echo-y sound that you hear when you yell out in a big room, or in a room with a lot of uncovered surfaces, like a bathroom, which reflect your voice around the room. If you were to record in these types of rooms with Sing!, you would not only record your voice, but the echo-y bits from your voice as well. You want to record your voice without any interference, so you can clearly hear yourself when you play back your song. You can minimize reverb and echo by recording in a smaller room or a carpeted room. Some people even sing in their closet or car! Don’t worry, if you want that big room sound, we have ways to do that for you with effects. More about this in an upcoming post, so watch this space.
4. Shhh! We’re recording in here.
As well as trying to minimize reverb, you want to try and minimize any other noise. We want to hear you – not the cars outside your window, or the TV in the background. This is helpful, especially when singing duets and group songs. Your voice should be the clearest thing in the recording.
5. And that’s a wrap!
You picked your song. You sang in a quiet room with your headphones on. You got a recording that you are happy with. You’ve reviewed what you recorded. And maybe you even applied some effects to your voice. Guess what? You’re done!
Now, you now have a decision to make. You can save your song and make it private, which means that only you and a select few people that you choose can hear your new masterpiece. Or you can share your gift with thousands of people on Sing!, who, just like you, wanted to share their gift with the world. Don’t be shy. This is your first step to realizing that even though anyone can sing, only you sound like you. We are going to help you not only get better recordings, but help you become a part of one of the largest and most dedicated groups of singers in the world. We got your back, so show us who you are!
– Keith Houston, Smule QA Engineer and Karaoke Host
