Are you guilty of oversinging? As singers, we often get carried away with our volume levels and delivery, but that can be detrimental to our vocal health.
From belting excessively to stretching our range limits, there are several ways we can overdo it and harm our voices.
In this blog post, we'll explore some common pitfalls of oversinging and provide tips to help you avoid them.
One common way that we, as singers, overdo it is when it comes to our volume levels in the process of belting. Belting loudly with a beautiful tone is a great thing to hear, but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do for your health.
Without good breath support, good vocal placement, and knowing to limit your belts or "screlts", you could be severely damaging your vocal cords.
Go to a vocal professional before you commit belting in your singing voice regularly. Be sure that someone can help guide you to the most healthy belts possible.
If you don't have a teacher, check out some instructional videos on Youtube, at the very least.
Related Post: How To Belt Without Damaging Your Singing Voice
Another way singers can be guilty of singing too loudly is when they simply can't hear themselves well enough or don't think the audience can hear them well enough.
These singers tend to overcompensate for the loud noise in the environment by singing louder than they should.
This is also known as the Lombart effect and can happen to anyone who is speaking in a room that is too loud, so they increase their volume to unhealthy levels and wind up with vocal fatigue later on.
The simple way to avoid oversinging to be heard is to make sure you're singing with a setup that includes a good sound system, including in-ear monitors for you to use.
In-ear monitors are headphones that you wear while singing, which come in handy and can help you hear what you need to hear to hit the right notes without oversinging.
Related Post: Best In-Ear Monitors For Singing
When you're trying hard to reach high or low notes that are simply not in your range, you will be causing damage to your vocal cords.
Trying to sing too low for a long period of time is an easy way to go hoarse pretty fast. Trying to sing too high is a great way to crack and sound terrible as well.
Identify your vocal range and be confident in it. Don't feel like you need to have certain notes in your range in order to be a good singer because all ranges of singers can be amazing.
You don't need to be a soprano singer to be a diva. You don't need to be a bass singer to get girls to swoon over you. Be comfortable and confident in your own capabilities!
Singing for too long can cause vocal fatigue, bringing scratchiness and soreness and even making you lose your voice.
But not enough singers know the irreparable damage that can happen to your vocal cords if you overdo it by singing for too long without vocal rest.
Many famous singers have damaged their voices beyond repair due to long tours paired with unhealthy singing habits.
Don't let that be you! If you're planning to sing for a long period of time over something like a tour, be sure you are practicing good habits like vocal warm-ups, vocal cooldowns, proper hydration, vocal rest, and avoiding unhealthy belts or singing out of your vocal range.
Related Post: 7 Ways To Avoid Vocal Fatigue
Sometimes we as singers just try too hard when it comes to runs, riffs, or melismas.
Just because you can do good vocal ornaments doesn't mean you have to put every single one you know into a song. Some songs benefit from being sung more simply without a bunch of fast notes being done.
Some songs have certain sections where that would sound great, while other parts should be more simple. When you stuff in a lot of riffs and runs, it can take people out of the music.
You may find that you tend to overdo your vocal ornaments when you get nervous. This is common among singers and can be eased by getting more practice in front of an audience to calm your nerves over time.
Since you might be tempted to do ornaments to hide the fact that you're voice is shaking, challenge yourself and practice singing songs straight without many vocal ornaments in front of a crowd to get more control over your vibrato while you're nervous.
Sometimes your volume level or vocal delivery simply doesn't match the song's style or message, which will make it sound like you're oversinging.
The personality you put into your voice can change the feel of a song, so make sure you bring the right energy. Sometimes, you can change your inflection easily, but sometimes that's just how your style is, and it can't be helped.
Just because you sound good singing one style of song doesn't mean you'll sound good on any song. The sobering truth about being a singer is knowing that some songs just may not work for you.
If you, for example, have a rich gospel voice, singing a light pop song will sound like you are oversinging.
Take a stab at mimicking other voices more if you want to stick to singing songs that don't fit your voice, and make sure your tone matches the lyrical message of a song as well.
Like putting the wrong vocal inflection and energy into your song, vibrato can make a world of difference in your sound and make or break your performance.
If your vibrato style doesn't match the song's style, or if it is just extremely wobbly in general, it may sound like you're oversinging to a crowd.
A lot of beginner singers try to sound better by putting on an intense amount of vibrato that just doesn't sound great.
This is a tricky thing to critique since our vibratos often come naturally, and it's really not fair to judge someone on their unique voice if they aren't forcing it.
But again, just because you sound good singing one style of song doesn't mean you'll sound good on any song.
Heavy vibratos will always sound like oversinging in styles of songs that are meant for a lighter and softer touch. If you can play around with your vibrato levels, go for it. But if you have an intense vibrato, accept that not all songs will work!
Related Post: Can Singing And Performing Burn Calories?
While singing with passion is essential, oversinging can lead to vocal strain and damage.
By being mindful of your volume levels, vocal range, vocal ornaments, energy matching, and vibrato usage, you can avoid the pitfalls of oversinging. Seek professional guidance, use in-ear monitors, and prioritize vocal rest to maintain vocal health.
Remember, being a great singer isn't about hitting every note or ornament; it's about delivering a captivating performance that suits your unique voice.
So, sing with confidence, take care of your voice, and enjoy the journey of expressing yourself through music.
As a session singer, writer, and producer that has worked with over 300 clients to provide high-quality jingles, singles, and features, Yona spends her time creating and marketing new music and helpful resources for creators. Check out Yona’s latest releases on her Spotify, her Youtube and share if you like it!
If you are in need of singer, songwriter or song producer services, see what Yona Marie can offer you on her services page.
