Student Blog: Finding Your Sound

Growing up as a singer, I didn’t have a good sense of what my “sound” was. I sang songs that I liked, which is important, but I didn’t have any idea what complimented my tone or natural vocal styling. I definitely didn’t hone in on my specialties as a vocalist. And because my voice was naturally changing so much as I got older, the people around me didn’t understand what my sound would become either. 

I heard a lot in my hometown that I was going to be a huge belter, but as soon as I moved to New York I started to learn that the songs I was picking for myself weren’t showing off my strengths as a vocalist. I have a naturally warm voice that tends to be more of a mixed quality. I can absolutely train my belt to have more power behind it, but I don’t naturally have the biggest belt in the world. I started hearing how people perceived me as a performer, and it started me on a journey to figure out what my sound really was.

So how do you learn what your sound is? And how can you pick songs based on not just what you like, but what compliments your voice? Chances are, if you grew up loving a certain genre of music, you might have picked up some vocal habits from your favorite singers. I grew up listening to a lot of pop music on the radio, so a lot of my natural vocal habits stem from what I heard. That being said, this might not always be the case. To figure out what sounds good in your voice, get outside opinions. Try singing every genre, even the ones that you think are out of your wheelhouse, and get an understanding of what you sound best doing. This isn’t to say that you should never try to sing anything outside of what comes naturally to you, but having an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses will help you as you continue training as a vocalist.

Once you have an idea of what compliments your voice, figure out which shows utilize those skills to your advantage. A lot goes into the casting process, and it isn’t just about your type, your age, or your height. It is equally important to sound the part. For example, if you have an incredible rock belt, but golden age soprano roles don’t come easily to you, you need to understand what shows utilize which skills so you know what to go in for. This isn’t to say you have to put yourself in a box. If you can sing a wide range of styles and genres, that’s incredible! Versatility is everything in this business. Just be honest with yourself about where you’re at with certain vocal stylings right now, and seek out shows and roles that will present you in the best possible way as a singer.

Once you learn what you’re right for, just start to play around with mastering your vocals. Lately, I’ve been working on improving my riffs, as this can come to my advantage as a singer. I’ve also been playing around a lot with manipulating my timbre. It can be so fun to see how far you can push your limits. This kind of training excites me, as I feel like I’ve finally figured out what I do best as a vocalist. 

My journey of figuring out my sound has helped me so much as I continue training and auditioning. I finally better understand my own voice, and I know what I am best at, as well as what I need to keep working on. Discovering my sound has allowed me to really lean into the vocal stylings I do very well. After all, your voice is something that is uniquely yours.  Defining that voice will help you form your identity as a performer, and it'll make singing so much more fun.