What Good Singing Really Is: About Pitch

Many people are so afraid of being bad singers that they don’t even get started. But learning about what “good singing” really is can help us feel more relaxed. This article is the first in a series all about why you shouldn’t be embarrassed about your voice.

Beginner Singers and Pitch

Finding the right note is not just about talent. And noticing that you are out of tune sometimes when you sing is actually a good thing! It shows that you don’t have amusia (scientific word for being tone deaf).

So why are we out of tune sometimes? There are a few different possible reasons. Lack of practice is the main one. When you practice singing, you strengthen the mind-body connection needed for your muscles to find the right coordination. And your ears also become better at listening so that they can tune in.

This is an acquired skill that does get better with practice. It’s not necessarily something your born with.

Pitch Issues for Experienced Singers

But what about those of us who have been singing for a while and still experience pitch issues? Most likely, this has to do with muscle imbalance.

Either, there are parts of your voice that you need to train more, or you are overusing muscle, making everything tense and hard to control. Don’t worry, we have exercises for this in the Exercise Toolbox, available to all members!

So don’t be embarrassed if you’re out of tune sometimes. There are logical explanations for it, most likely, it’s not your fault, and it can be fixed!

Click here to sign up and become a member.

No More Judgment

It can be fun to watch talent shows on TV. But it has a major downside, and that is that when we hear judges discuss so-called “bad singers”, we become afraid to end up in that category.

In real life though, people are much more supportive than that. It’s not a matter of being either good or bad, singing skills exist on a wide spectrum, and no one has a perfect voice.

And remember: the notes we sing are just vibrations. If the vibrations are faster or slower than what we aim for, it sounds a bit off. It doesn’t make you a bad person, and it’s not something anyone should be judging you for. If they do, then that’s just because they don’t know as much as you do. Maybe send this article to them!

Want to learn more about our take on good vs. bad singing? Listen to episode 1 of The Singable Podcast.

Ready to geek out a little? Watch this clip and notice how being in pitch is just about matching the vibrations!