One of those questions that need answering and one of those questions whose solution is really easy as well. I hope you stick around to avoid and understand this problem in your singing journey.
You can get worse at singing by letting go of practice altogether and by learning incorrect methods of singing that will harm your ability to grow as a singer. You can prevent these things if you can maintain a decent consistency in practice and by getting instructed by someone who knows how to teach singing.
There really are two ways to get worse, no practice or practicing wrong things. I have divided the article into two halves. The first half talks about practice and then the other about learning.
Time Decays All Things
It is true.
If you don’t practice then the chances of you getting worse at singing are possible. The reason behind that is simple, singing is a deliberate effort, which means you learn it by being deliberate about it.
When we speak we don’t naturally modulate and use a technique that is similar to singing. We actually do it very differently. So differently in fact that singing without deliberate practice cannot be learned.
As a result, being away from it will make it worse and you need to practice certain things again to bring yourself back to the same level.
One of the things that I have personally noticed in my singing to get worse with time when I didn’t practice it, is my range. You need to keep that thing under a decent amount of practice to be able to maintain it.
It Doesn’t Take Much
But it would be wrong on my end to tell you that something like your range can easily be kept in good condition if you are able to practice it even just 10-15 minutes a day and 3-4 days a week.
This will make sure you never lose touch with it and something as important as your range can always come back but why lose it in the first place?
It Doesn’t Take Long to Get Back
If you’ve gotten worse then getting back to where you were won’t take as long as it did before. So, it’s not a 1:1, you’re just picking it up again but you have to be wary, certain skills can rust and will need care.
The trick is to build it back up slowly and steadily. The only difference from the first time is going to be this, you’ll be going through it at a faster rate as you’re moving along a familiar territory.
If you’re returning back to singing then you’ll be pleasantly surprised that you are going to make your progress decently fast. Don’t be scared and don’t rush too much thinking that you’re able to do something and you ought to be able to do more.
It’ll come back but eventually. The more you rush the more you put it in jeopardy.
One of those things is singing stamina, how long you are able to sing without feeling a strain on your vocal cords. If you were able to sing for a substantial amount of time before then without practice it won’t be there.
You’ll come back, again, don’t rush. Take it easy and take it steady soon you’ll be back to your own level.
Getting Worse From Practice
The first thing I need to tell you is this.
Stop.
If you’re practicing and you’re getting worse then I am sorry to tell you that you are not practicing the correct things. It may be your technique or something you’ve been taught but something is wrong.
The thing with technique is that you will find it easier to do as you move along. Practicing anything that makes it harder or worse for you is a clear sign of danger.
Danger?
Yes, because you are going to have to replace this ‘bad’ learning with not just correcting it but with overcorrection. First, you have to unlearn what you have learned, and then second, you have to start learning the correct thing.
The best-case scenario for your time and money and your singing is going to be prevention from such things. Problems you don’t have to meet at all are the best ones.
How to Correct This
You need to learn from someone who knows what singing is and how you can tackle it by learning from them. My personal suggestion is online courses and at the end of the article, I will provide you with resources you can go to so that you are able to teach yourself how to sing better than you have ever before.
Why You Need Online Courses
The reason you need online courses is simple.
They teach you exactly what needs to be taught so that you are able to sing from day one, or at least start practicing from day one. They cost a fraction of what private lessons would cost and you get the ability to keep on watching the lessons you don’t understand in one as many times as you want to.
Did I ever tell you that you can watch them any time you want?
I also recommend having one in your library just in case you need something to refer back to so that you are able to understand it thoroughly.
They will also save you from all the pitfalls that you can make from following lessons that will do more harm than good. I believe they just save you a lot of time and for that, I can’t really put a price on it.
Read more about why I like online courses, here.
Which Course to Buy?
No time to waste.
‘The Four Pillars of Singing’ is the one I’d recommend because I personally have gained a lot from it as well. So, if you want something that will do everything for you, this is it.
If you feel like something more you’d need there are a few more courses on offer and you can view them all here.
Now, there is nothing stopping you from getting at singing! All the best!