Don't make these common practice mistakes!
You want to improve your singing - but are you helping yourself?
We all know we need to practise our singing to improve, but some ways are more efficient than others.
Might you be hindering your progress by doing one of more of the following?
1. You don’t set goals
We often think of goals as being a longer-term focus, but if we can use those bigger goals to guide our shorter term actions, then everything we do will be in alignment. Setting specific, achievable goals is vital to keep your practice session on track; keeping you focussed, motivated and effective within the time you have available.
2. You measure your practice by time
It is very common to set the practice parameters by time; “I have 20 minutes to practice today”. But is that the most effective way to achieve a goal? Consider other types of task - would your teacher be happy with an unfinished sheet of maths problems because you sat with it for 10 minutes? Would your boss appreciate you sending an unfinished client email just because you sent it within an allocated timeframe?
3. You stay in your comfort zone
“If your practice sounds good, you’re not doing it right!! - I don’t know who said this, but I like it. Practice isn’t supposed to sound good! If you’re not challenging yourself and staying in your comfort zone, it’s likely that you’re missing out of progressing your skills even further.
4. You ignore mistakes or persistent issues
If you have chosen something challenging to work on but then not taking the time to work through the tricky areas, you’re also likely to be hindering your progress. It can be hard to know how to identify or approach some issues, but seeking out resources (including singing teachers) can help.
5. You have an ‘all or nothing’ approach
If you avoid practicing until you have the ‘absolute perfect conditions’ (whatever they are!) or you get frustrated and throw in the towel when things aren’t going your way straight away, you might have this type of approach. Learning is not a linear process, and sometimes it takes a long time to break a habit or embed a new one. An all-or-nothing approach can miss out on the nuances, and also on the enjoyment that can happen along the learning journey.
6. You don’t make notes in your practice sessions
Maybe you have an exceptional memory, but chances are there are things that you will forget between sessions. Or perhaps there are elements of your approach that you won’t (or can’t) notice unless you review and reflect upon them. Getting into the habit of making notes, or recordings, can be hugely beneficial. They can also help to boost motivation and confidence when you are able to see how far you’ve already come!
7. You don’t warm up (or cool down)
You wouldn’t expect an athlete to perform their best if they didn’t warm up before the race. Without an effective vocal warm up, you might be hindering your practice progress by merely being underprepared. Similarly, a vocal cool down at the end of the session can help to reduce the likelihood of vocal fatigue, meaning you’ll be better prepared for the next session.
8. You judge yourself by others’ standards
Being a singer requires a huge amount of self-awareness and self-compassion. The recognition that everyone is different and is at a different stage of their journey is vital to protect your mental health as well as ensure that practice sessions are are productive as possible. As they say; comparison is the thief of joy, and there’s no better way to make singing practice effective than to also make it joyful.
For more singing practice tips you can follow me on social media @TessaSmithMusic, or explore thesingersguide.com where there are resources all about optimising your singing practice.