HOW TO
Rule at Smule
Smule: Karaoke Music Studio
Sing & Record to 10M+ Songs
Before she became one of the world’s best-known vocal coaches—tutor to Justin Bieber, Drake, Usher, Nicki Minaj, and other platinum artists—Jan Smith played in cover bands, taking to the stage to belt out Tina Turner and Pat Benatar hits with her rich Southern accent.
So yes, Smith knows more than just how to improve and maintain your voice. She also knows how to perform in front of a crowd—just as millions of amateur singers do through the hit karaoke app Smule.
To help you sing confidently (and competently!), Smith offers the following simple tips.
Stay in your lane
“I would tell anybody who is choosing a karaoke song to first of all pick something that you think can make you sound good. Stylistically your voice may be more country, but your heart might be in heavy metal. Your audience is going to receive you better if you choose more of a rockin’ country song.”
Maybe skip the power ballad
“Ballads can be really tricky. If a person is inexperienced and doesn’t have good breath control or understand how to phrase, ballads can tell on you real quick. A faster tune might have fewer notes to hold.”
Shake off those nerves
“When you’re nervous, the thing to do is calisthenics or jumping jacks—something to burn that energy off, so your voice can calm down a little bit as you’re singing and all that nervous energy doesn’t come right up into your throat.”
Pretend you’re talking
“Singing a song is really having a conversation with a melody,” Smith says. “Think about it as though you’re just having a conversation. People hopefully can relax into that and have a better presentation. It’s going to be more engaging to the audience out there looking and listening to you.”