For humans, singing is as natural as speaking. Not that everyone is good at it, but almost everyone has some ability already built in. Most of us sang songs as children. People might sing in church, while walking down the street, driving in the car, or in the shower. There’s nothing more natural than singing, and music is a language everyone can understand no matter where they’re from.

There are a few who cannot match pitch or reproduce a note that they hear, but this is exceedingly rare. A tiny percentage of people, less than 5%, have a genetic condition called amusia, commonly referred to as “tone-deafness.” Research has shown that even most people with poor singing voices can hear music just fine.

Not all singing uses words, or lyrics, and even when the lyrics are in a foreign language it doesn’t diminish enjoyment of the music by performers or listeners. Music is the only truly universal language, and singing is the purest form of that language which everyone can immediately understand.

Watch famed tenor Andrea Bocelli sing the classic song Con Te Partirò in Italian:

It’s possible to learn quite a bit about singing and music by watching others who do it well. Of course, there are many wonderful videos of great performers that are easy to find online and fun to watch. But there’s no replacing the experience of a live concert.

There are so many fine singers to be found everywhere, and you likely won’t have to travel far, or even spend much money to hear them. There are live concerts held everywhere, at local community centers, eateries or bars, small theaters, schools and colleges, even libraries which offer live music on a regular basis.

The good thing about smaller concerts is you get to watch the musicians up-close. Try to understand what they are doing, which techniques they are using, how they use their facial expressions and body to create a stage presence, and how they get the music across.

Go out and hear the music, and observe the singers closely. Sometimes you might even get a chance to talk to the singers or attend a lecture about singing or music. Find the local singers you like and then follow their concerts and attend regularly. This is a great fun way to learn.

There’s also nothing wrong with watching and listening to the true greats of singing. Find your favorite singers and immerse yourself in their recordings daily. Half of learning is listening.

If you were planning to enter a singing competition, you might be judged on your abilities in a number of specific areas. For example:

Are you singing in tune? Are your pitches (notes) well defined and accurate?

Do you produce a good sound? Have you mastered the technical aspects of vocal production?

Do your attire, facial expressions, and body movements positively support your singing? Are you believable in communicating the emotion of the lyric?

Can we understand the words?

Are the rhythmic aspects of your singing appropriate for the style, and does it “swing” or “groove” properly?

Do you use dynamics appropriately for the style? Does your performance maintain our interest throughout? Vibrato quality might fall under dynamics, or under rhythmic interpretation.

Is it a good song for you to sing? Is it in the right key for you? Is the piece arranged to show off your voice properly?

It’s possible for a singer to be really good in some areas while needing much improvement in others. For example, you could have a beautiful vocal quality but not be singing perfectly in tune, or be singing in tune and fall short with your stage presence or rhythmic accuracy.

Considering the different areas of singing in this way should help you to focus separately on both your areas of weakness and strength. It’s smart to work on both. Don’t just focus on weaknesses, but build on your strengths as well.

In this short e-How video, professional vocalist Kendall McGuire explains some ways singers are judged in competitions:

One of the great things about music is that it’s a group effort. Musicians getting together to practice and perform forge lifelong friendships. Music is a wonderful fun social activity that comes with built-in friends. This is true no matter what level you are at.

There are many others who share your ambitions to improve their musical abilities and make the most of their talents. Find them and work together with them to help each other up. Performing in an ensemble or with a band involves more than just singing techniques. You can learn a lot about music and make terrific progress by working together with others.

Skills you can work on in a group include teamwork, listening, stage presence, arranging, discipline, accompaniment, blending sound, memorization, improvisation, microphone technique, diction, and all aspects of vocal production. Rehearsing and performing together in a group builds cohesion and will help you gain confidence in your singing abilities.

There’s an old saying: “Persistent practice makes for perfect performance.” While perfection may be unattainable, your patience and persistence in practicing should make your ability to perform permanent meaning you can sing your best consistently.

Legendary winning UCLA basketball coach John Wooden defined success as being the best you could be, or reaching your full potential. He stated that when you know you’ve done the best possible under the circumstances, you would gain peace of mind and self-satisfaction.

All you really have to do is your very best. Pushing yourself to live up to some unrealistic standard is counterproductive, and the reason many give up. If you really want to sing better, it means sticking to it over the long term, being persistent in your practicing, and being patient.

Great things don’t happen overnight, but when you apply yourself, give it your best, and keep on doing that, you will see the growth and progress you want.

These 7 tips are a good starting point to improve your voice for beginners of all ages. Basics covered include: common mistakes beginners make, posture and breath support, staying on pitch, what kinds of songs beginners should learn, and hand what to practice.

2019 Soul Train Awards Honoree Yolanda Adams teaches you how to sing.