Written by Maggie Gelin, Vocal Coach
Maggie guides singers to find their true voice using her unique Sing Your (Self) To Freedom Formula, crafted from years of experience. Studying under renowned mentors in both England and the United States, Maggie imparts invaluable techniques learned from instructors who've shaped famous artists like Michael Bublé and Josh Groban.
Are you struggling with singing on the pitch? That’s totally normal! Many singers face this challenge, and you might be wondering how to sing on the pitch so you can enjoy singing your favorite songs without needing natural talent. In this article, I’ve got you covered with tools that will help you sing on pitch without hours of tedious vocal drills. Let’s dive in!
P.S. Because this topic includes some specific audio examples, I invite you to check out this video on which this article is based.
The mistake to avoid
One of the most common mistakes singers make is not focusing on developing their internal hearing. When I first started, I did the same. I focused on vocal techniques, thinking they were the key to singing on pitch. However, I quickly learned that without proper internal hearing, no technique will get you there. Developing your internal hearing is the key to pitch accuracy.
You see, singing consists of two big phases:
Hearing what needs to be sung (I mean, how do you expect to sing on the pitch if you don’t even know where the melody goes?)
Activating your vocal muscles makes the vocal cords vibrate and actually produce sound.
What is internal hearing?
Internal hearing is your ability to recognize and understand where the pitch of a song should go. It’s like throwing darts at a dartboard. If you don’t know where the center is, you’ll throw darts randomly. The same applies to singing without internal hearing, and you’re essentially guessing the pitch. By training this internal hearing first, you’ll know exactly where the music is going, and you’ll be able to hit the pitch correctly.
Hear it before you sing it
The first step in improving pitch is to train your internal hearing. I want you to listen to the melody of a song first, then sing it in your head. Only after you’ve mentally processed the pitch should you sing it out loud. This approach helps you create a clear aim, just like targeting that dartboard.
Let’s try it with a song by Aurora. First, listen carefully to a line of the song. After that, sing the same line silently in your head before attempting to sing it out loud. This slows down the process and helps you really internalize the pitch.
Sing along with me in this video.
If singing in your head doesn’t quite work for you, another approach is to follow along with my voice. Many singers find it easier to sing in tune by following someone else’s lead. This method can help you find the pitch more accurately as you match the sound of the voice you’re following.
Which approach works for you?
There are many ways to train internal hearing. Experiment with both approaches, listening and singing silently or following along with my voice, and find out which one works best for you.
This will give you the foundation you need to improve your pitch.
Learn the right technique
Once you’ve developed your internal hearing, you might still struggle with pitch accuracy. This could be due to how you’re using your voice. Many beginner singers use only one vocal register, which can cause problems when trying to hit higher notes.
For example, if you sing in a chest voice and try to push your way through high notes, you might end up straining your voice.
This is where Mix Voice comes in. Mix Voice combines the power of chest voice with the range of head voice. Mastering your mixed voice will allow you to sing high notes effortlessly without straining or going off-pitch.
Let’s get started
As you can see, training your voice in the right way and mastering your Mix Voice is the only way to experience vocal freedom.
When you’re ready to learn the right vocal techniques and get specific exercises to help you along the way, then I invite you to join my free, upcoming training covering exactly that! Click here to join the free training!
Read more from Maggie Gelin
Maggie Gelin, Vocal Coach
Maggie guides singers to find their true voice using her unique Sing Your (Self) To Freedom Formula, crafted from years of experience. Studying under renowned mentors in both England and the United States, Maggie imparts invaluable techniques learned from instructors who've shaped famous artists like Michael Bublé and Josh Groban. With a decade of coaching, she witnesses remarkable transformations in her students, guiding them past insecurities to sing with newfound freedom, proving that singing goes beyond a skill—it's a path to embracing life fully.
