How To Practice Singing (And Actually Get Better)

Feb 243 min read

If you want to improve as a singer, how you practice is just as important as how often you practice. It’s easy to waste time on exercises that don’t actually target your vocal needs, or worse—develop bad habits that hold you back. That’s why having a structured approach to your practice sessions is key. Let’s break it down so you can get the most out of your time and see real progress. I also made a video with all of this information and if you'd rather watch that, you can do that here!

Step 1: Go Into Your Practice Session with a Plan

Before you start singing, decide what you’re focusing on for the session. Are you working on technique and vocal conditioning? Are you focusing on a specific song? Or are you preparing for an upcoming performance?

A good practice routine usually includes:

A Warm Up: To stretch the focal cords and get them ready for singing
Technique & Conditioning: Strengthening vocal control, range, and endurance
Song Work: Applying vocal techniques to an actual song

Having a plan will keep you from aimlessly practicing without improving. I actually have a Daily Practice Planner that I use to keep my sessions organized, and I’ll tell you how you can access it for free—so keep reading!

Step 2: Be Consistent

To see improvement, you need to practice at least three times a week. Even just 5 minutes a few times a day or one focused 15-30 minute session can make a difference. But here’s the catch—if you consistently practice the wrong way, you won’t get results. That’s why it’s important to have a structured practice routine that includes at minimum a warm up and targeted exercises tailored to your specific vocal needs.

Step 3: Warm-Up

Warming up is essential before you start singing, as it helps stretch your vocal folds for greater flexibility, increases blood flow to prevent strain and tension, and improves vocal agility for better control. Just like stretching before a workout, a proper warm-up prepares your voice to sing efficiently and without strain, allowing you to perform with ease and confidence.

Step 4: Work Out Your Voice

This is where you target specific areas of your voice that need development. The exercises you choose should be intentional—not just random workouts you find on YouTube. For example:

If you need to strengthen your chest voice, relying on lip trills won’t help much because they encourage a lighter vocal cord function which is the opposite of what you need to have a powerful voice.
Many singers think their chest voice is strong when, in reality, it still needs development. This is why working with a vocal coach—at least for an initial evaluation—is so important.

A targeted vocal workout ensures that you’re building strength where you actually need it.

Step 5: Song Work & Application

All the vocal exercises in the world won’t matter if you can’t apply what you’ve learned to actual songs. It’s crucial to practice embodying the sensations from your workouts in real songs, ensuring that your technique translates into your performance. This is why I'm not a huge proponent of Experimenting with dynamics, phrasing, and technique in a musical context helps you develop a unique vocal style, while focusing on storytelling and emotional delivery is what truly makes you stand out as a singer.

Step 5: Get Feedback

Practicing is great, but how do you know if you’re actually improving? Feedback is crucial for growth. Here’s how to assess your progress:

Use a mirror to check your posture, tongue positioning, and overall expression
Record audio to hear if you’re actually singing the way you think you are
Record video to see how you look while performing—does your body language match the emotion of the song?