Is Singing A Talent or Skill?

When it comes to the question of is singing a talent or skill? The answer is that it is a mix of both. Yes, you can learn to sing with practice and a good teacher.

However, some vocalists are born with talent- for example, all the lessons in the world won’t help you sing like Mariah Carey unless you happen to have been born with that vocal ability.

However, devotion to the skill matters most of all. Steven Demorest, a music education professor teaching at Northwestern U, states that people tend to see singing as “you either have it, or you don’t.”

“We think it has a lot more to do with how much you do it,” he stated.

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Think of it Like a Sport

You must be ready to put in the practice and work hard. A good work ethic is the first step to learning how to sing well.

Let’s use the example of sports. Anybody can go to a gym and work out, follow a good nutrition program, watch films of games for ideas and inspiration, do drills, practice against others, and educate themselves about every aspect of their game.

But will they become the next Cristiano Ronaldo or Michael Jordan?

Probably not. Singing is the same way. ANYBODY can put the work in to become a great singer.

You can take lessons with vocal teachers and singing coaches, perform voice drills (or vocalizes), and practice, all the while studying scores and listening to recorded music in the style they are trying to learn.

Performing these exercises, attending vocal lessons regularly, and practicing these skills over and over again will, no doubt, improve your vocal ability.

And even after all that hard work, it is still unlikely they will sing at the same level as Whitney Houston or Adele.

The bottom line? Natural talent plays SOME role in becoming a top-rated singer.

However, even the greats had to receive coaching and advice from professional teachers to harness and hone their skills.

But for the most part, you CAN learn to sing better simply by practicing hard and taking lessons from a trained singing teacher or voice coach.

What Skills Can I Learn?

Curious about what a vocal teacher can help you learn? Your main goal is going to be imitation- that is, honing your ability to hear something and sing it back to your teacher.

For some, this will be very easy, but the most important thing is having confidence. Here are some of the biggest skill sets vocal teachers work on with their students

Range- Beginner singers start with a single octave. After performing the correct exercises and learning from a good repertoire, they can gain another octave while simultaneously boosting their ease and flexibility.

Pitch- Most kids are capable of singing in-tune. Meanwhile, other children have to be given lots of extra time to develop their ear and to learn how to sing in tune correctly. Using site singing techniques or pitch-matching activities can help the child learn how to do this.

Confidence- You have to have some of this before you begin- after all, believing you can do it and working hard at perfecting your technique will give you the drive to do it! Next, you have to feel comfortable about singing around others. At first, you will be just singing with your teacher and perhaps alone in your home, but practicing is going to involve you singing around others, too- and doing it with confidence.

If you would like some help in learning these skills, I would consider trying to 30 Day Singer. They offer an amazing online singing course that gets makes you a better singing in 30 days.

It also has loads of great content on daily vocal exercises, finding your range, controlling your pitch and also building your confidence.

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Just Try It!

So long as you do not have what’s known as “amusia,” you can learn how to sing. Amusia is the lack of ability to recognize incorrect, out of tune notes or melodies you’ve heard before.

You lack the ability to sing in time, understand beats, or feel the rhythm. It’s likely, you do not have this – after all, it affects just a small number of the population.

That being said, if you’re on the fence about learning how to sing, just try it! Research voice teachers in your area and book a lesson or try an online lesson.

Conclusion – Is Singing A Talent or Skill?

Just because you will likely become the next Pavarotti or Aretha Franklin doesn’t mean you should not try to learn how to sing.

So, is singing a talent or skill? Like I said, it’s a bit of both.

You CAN improve your singing voice, and you will love the improved confidence you feel the next time you are asked to sing, even if it’s just a friend asking you to hum a few bars of a new radio hit.

Just go for it, have fun and be confident!