When and what is the line that makes you a singer and when would you know that you are a singer? Is there a spectrum? Is there something we can do to know for sure?
The act of singing itself defines you as a singer. There is no boundary that defines the seriousness of it unless you decide to set one for yourself. In order to become a better singer you will push yourself through practice and strive to be better and distinguish yourself by becoming better than the previous version of you as a singer.
That’s not just it, singers are also musicians so there is an obvious overlap of what defines you as a singer but I think you’re going to find the read-ahead quite interesting.
The Act Defines You
You are made a singer by doing it.
That’s it.
If I ride motorcycles on a daily basis I am a motorcyclist.
If I cycle every day for my health, I am a cyclist.
In the same scenario, if you are capable of doing something on a daily basis then you are that. If you’re striving to be something then doing is the best way that you will find yourself becoming that said thing.
So yes, if you sing on a daily basis then you are by logic, a singer.
However, that is not how we view musicians and the craft of music. Funny.
How Skilled Do You Wish to Be?
We tend to divide musicians according to the time they’ve spent perfecting their craft or how well they can do certain things. In reality, a singer who sings well and has mastery over singing will always win regardless of how much time it has taken.
Auditions for music colleges look out for potential students and how good they are at music.
So, the question really goes from how to be a singer to how to be a good singer in the pursuit of the craft.
Why?
Because that’s how we gauge ourselves.
We gauge ourselves through the mastery of our skills.
If you’re more satisfied with the basics of music and being able to do simple things then you have achieved your goals (which is completely fine) however if you plan to reach a point in the mastery of your craft that you feel the need to recognize something like odd meters and wanting to employ complex musicianship within a song, then you will obviously need to master the basics at the least and then go ahead and master more complex skills in music to achieve that.
Both goals will make you a singer.
How Are Singers Different?
So we understand that singing by itself is the defining factor and of course, that is true. But what determines the role of a singer in almost all of the scenarios is what separates them from the rest.
A bass player is different from a guitarist but of course, the bass carries the rhythm and that’s way different from the parts and roles played by the lead guitarist or a drummer.
A singer, therefore, by default sings the melody.
The centerpiece and the driving force behind every song. The carrier of melody. Who can stop this amazing force? No one.
But it is in the pursuit of singing the melody, I believe that most people lose sight of bigger things and singers need to be taught this, especially the ones that have not had the blessing to be in the shadows of artists and singers who are greater than them.
But lucky for you, I am here to tell you about everything.
What Singers Need to Be Aware Of
The idea is simple. You carry the melody and you are asked to do it on all occasions. Which is fine and probably what you’re looking for too. In that pursuit, singers tend to develop a ‘sense’ of music and rely on it most of the time.
For example, singers tend to become hyper-aware of melodies and are able to distinguish them the most when they are hearing a song. But their ability to listen to anything else becomes pretty bad.
So, try to avoid this.
Rhythm is one such case because so much time is spent on listening and becoming acquainted with melodies that it’s hard to listen to anything else.
A good exercise is to take the songs that you already listen to and listen to different parts and focus on them as hard as you can. Try to keep a song on loop and listen to the drums and then the bass so that this problem doesn’t stab you in the back.
I say this with confidence because the more wholly prepared you are for music in general the more you will be able to do everything in music a little bit better.
You’re in the perfect seat to learn anything you want to because you can train your ear so effectively that it can do anything you’d like to the point that it feels unfair but you every instrument has its advantages and disadvantages make sure you are reaping all the rewards that you can out of singing.
Practice
All musicians practice.
Singers have to practice to become better at what they do.
These are the general truths that we are all aware of. But paying close attention to what you’re learning is more important, it can be highly overwhelming when you’re first trying to figure out what you ought to do and I have written many articles on this website explaining the phenomenon that is singing.
And of the things that I am most passionate about is how we practice. I have written an article on how just 30 minutes of practice is good enough. Yeah, you read that right.
I have also gone and made a dedicated page to learn how to sing. I believe honestly that the best way to learn these days without the bounds of time is through online courses.
If anything, check that article out since it will help you understand the depth of how you can not just practice but have months and even stuff for you to practice for years to come.
If you so wish to, the sure shot way of practicing and being a singer is your discipline towards practice and as hard as it may be you can develop your skills and in turn, will give yourself to have the discipline to follow. Which is always good.
A disciplined person will always end up being a better singer. And the best part is, in the act of diligently practicing your singing you not only become a singer but you also end up creating yourself a person who believes in themselves to be able to do something of value.
Self-Confidence
A lot of people feel shy and even underconfident when it comes to having a skill and practicing essentially instills in you that you are able to do something.
Its value is worth far more than anything else. That’s why skills in artistic endeavors favor and boost your confidence. I can proudly say that I can sit and record most of the ideas that come to my mind.
If you practice and keep on doing so then you will eventually reach a point where you will be able to be confident in your skill to do something.
Try putting a price on that.
Study
The study of music in general is highly important.
Music theory to ear training. All of these endeavors will enhance your own understanding and allow you to become a better singer. They might be common to all musicians but you still would have to be an avid student of these things. They’re quite fun and not that hard to understand.
If you apply the same principle of practice to the common subjects of music like music theory and ear training, you’d be becoming good at them in no time.
Perform
Another distinguishing characteristic you will find in order to become a singer is that when you’ve learned something, you have to perform it. Either for yourself or for other people.
Of course, there are various places where you can perform your music. You can be in a band and it could be a band that you want to take to the next level or you can just be a hobby band but perform you will.
The act again, of performing will define who you are. Performing for yourself can come in studios as well. If you think about having a home studio then you will perform for yourself. If you’re recording vocals for someone else, a band, a project, or anything else, it is still a performance of your skills.
So, anything that you’ve practiced that you put to use when you’re not practicing is essentially a performance. Musicians especially thrive in performing regardless of what form and environment it may take its shape.
Performance is the showcase of what you have been up to, it’s time to show, even if you perform in one way or the other on a daily basis. It’s amazing to wield that power and the better you get at it, the more you feel great about it.
Compose
Composing is a different ball game altogether.
Creating music from the ground up can be a frustrating and highly isolated task. But, the rewards of creating something like a piece of music are amazing.
Singers don’t necessarily need to be composers at all but how can you resist when you control the melody?
But that’s not it. All of music education’s climax is found in composing. If you have not created a piece of music in your life as a musician, believe me, nothing can take over that high. It’s not just beautiful but so many things all at once.
To be void of it in your musical journey is nothing short of a loss. Doesn’t matter if you make a good one or not, it’s yours. It’ll always be yours and if you as a singer have made your own song, no matter how bad it may be, it’s your creation and you ought to be proud of it.
So, think about it, as a musician who sings you have a lot of advantages from having a clear understanding of melody and if you work on what most singers find difficult then you’d be on your way to composing as well.
If You’d Like to Show
However, when you have learned how to sing you can help motivate other people in your life by showcasing your progress and practices online.
If you think you’re at a point where you would like to show the world what you’ve been up to with your craft then going online is the only way.
It’s easy and you don’t need much other than a phone really. You can begin to show people what you’re capable of and even start to gain some traction.
The best part of it is the low effort it requires. I will explain why social media is a necessity but you have to understand that it requires little to no effort and while I don’t believe in things taking and becoming an ‘overnight success’ I do believe in consistency the same stuff that makes practice effective.
Creativity is Rewarded
In the days to come, creative people will be in demand. You already are in a creative field of music and letting it out in representing yourself is going to allow you to figure out how you would like to venture into the online world.
The Importance of Social Media
The coin of the realm is likes, shares, and comments.
I don’t think we are heading backward at all. The future is forward whether you pick Instagram or YouTube, it doesn’t matter. The world is moving ahead and we can either be a part of it or we can deny it, except denying won’t take you anywhere.
Don’t think of success but look at it as something you can use for yourself to benefit yourself in every scenario. Know a local band they are looking for a new singer? Just show them your social media accounts.
Remember, I am not talking about perfectly lit studios with perfect-looking makeup and dresses. I am talking about sheer skills on display. You don’t need high-end equipment to show your best side.
When you start to think about it in those terms, social media is the only way that you are moving forward. Organic content is hard to find and even rarer still is raw content. But genuine raw content.
And even if a single person finds you, you’ve accomplished something.
A Singer Sings
Lastly, a singer sings.
A singer sings for themselves, and others and even teach. Do whatever you want to. Explore everything and then decide which one or how many things within the music industry you can do as a singer and as a musician.
Don’t get narrow-sighted and start to focus too soon. It’ll come, and you will discover what you want to do. If you’d like to improve your singing, I have already provided links for those things.
It’s the act that counts.
Enjoy yourself singing.