How Often Should an Aspiring Singer Practice?

The difference between a great musician and an inferior one is how effectively they practice. When students cut practice time, they cheat themselves. Singing is a skill. Learning information about a skill is necessary, but you need to do more than regurgitate information about it. If you want to develop your voice, then you must put in the time to do so. Here is what to consider when determining how much you should practice.

Typical Time Spent by Brand New Singers

Beginning singers often do not have the stamina to keep singing for long periods of time all at once. Not only do their voices fatigue faster, but vocal concepts are also newer and therefore harder to understand. In college, students taking the non-major group vocal class were expected to sing a straight ten minutes a day. In addition, they studied and were tested on various vocal ideas such as posture or vocal registers. More time was spent in class, similar to a choir experience. Songs were simple and students were familiarized with assigned songs during class time.

Typical Time Spent by Beginners

Singers taking non-major private voice classes practice thirty minutes a day or more of singing. Additional time is spent finding and learning repertoire. High school students or adults practicing on their own spend more or less time each day on singing depending on vocal goals and ability. For most, a minimum of thirty minutes a day is a good start. However, beginners can practice too much and should stop if they feel the vocal strain. Taking breaks throughout the day allows those without the vocal stamina to practice more daily.

Typical Time Spent for Singing Majors and College Bound Singers

For those wishing to study voice in a good college, more practice time is expected. Vocal majors typically practice 2 hours a day or more. That does not include the time spent learning to sight-sing, dictate, play piano, and soak up knowledge pertaining to singing such as anatomy, music theory, and music history.

Practice Daily

Above all, practice daily. Practicing two hours, one day a week is less effective than practicing 15 minutes every day. Whether it is the body or mind, some things just take the time to settle in. Creating a daily practice routine will get your vocal and breathing muscles in shape. Consistent practice will also allow your brain to easily grasp concepts associated with good singing. Going through long marathon practice sessions to make up for time missed is ineffectual.

Using Timers

Many parents set a time for daily practice sessions, putting an unwanted focus on the amount of time spent. If your one and only goal for practicing is to sing until an alarm dings, then you will achieve relatively little compared to goal-oriented practice sessions. Although it may be appropriate to set a timer in order to meet minimal practice time, allow some extra time to keep going if good progress is being made.

Practice How Ever Much it Takes to Reach Your Vocal Goals

In the end, no one can predict how much time it will take in order to reach your objectives. Success depends on how lofty your goals are, on your physical health, natural ability, how fast you learn, and so much more. Allow yourself to practice as much as needed in order to achieve your goals. Each day might be different. One day you may only practice thirty minutes and another 2 hours. Putting time in is important, but not everything.