Voice UK: Can anyone learn to sing?

Welcome to the Voice Box, where we answer your questions and tell you all you need to know about everything voice-related.

Can anyone learn to sing?

Jay       Can anyone learn to sing? Erm, if you’ve got melody in your voice, like (sings) ‘Can anyone learn to sing … can anyone learn to sing … can anyone learn to sing … can anyone learn to sing …’ it’s basically if you can take the tone just a little bit higher than how you would speak, then that would be a starting point.

The reason why a lot of people find it hard to sing is that they always kind of put themselves up against great singers, so they kind of feel ‘If I can’t sing like an Usher, a Chris Brown, an Adele, an Amy Winehouse, then I’m not even going to bother’, but all singing is is basically being able to capture a melody above your normal speaking voice, and that’s where you would actually start off. So, I would say yes, anyone can learn.

Is there a way to stretch your vocal range?

Jay       Thanks for your question, Jennifer. There is a way of, er, actually stretching your vocal cords. It’s basically just by doing vocal scales. You know, if you were to do it every day starting from a comfortable position in your voice, you’re doing (sings) ‘La la la la la la la la la la la la la …’ stretching it even higher … ‘da da da da da da da da da da da da da …’ So basically, what you’re doing, you’re stretching your vocal cords, but it’s important to make sure that you get the tension in your voice but not the strain.

And in all the exercises that you do, it’s imperative that you relax all your outer muscles. If you see when you look in the mirror you’re straining and you see all the veins in your neck, or your shoulders – it’s stiff, you’ve got to make sure before you tackle any exercise that you’re nice and relaxed.

© BBC