El Jay Rose Freddy is quite versatile with his voice. Though his highest notes aren't really the notes he could do the whole time. But still always tastefully delivered in the appropiate songs. What am I sayin he was a genius
ShagStars Productions Could not agree with you more man! Such a genius and I love the high notes he its in the Barcelona album with Montserrat Caballé. Wish I was half the singer he was !
I wish that too. There are many singers I admire in their own right but there are a very very few that could stand next to freddy. Nice sidestory: (funny my favourite singer is rob halford and he had short contact with freddy in a club).
@@Zulanderr i know its late reply buy when u feel like clearing ur throat drink some tea with ginger and honey and lemon. Always have it with u in a bottle . If u dont have that just drink some water.
I got terrible allergies so my nose runs down the back of my throat literally all the time which means I’m ALWAYS clearing my throat, and sometimes it’s really bad. Got any ideas?
When I was younger, I couldn't give a shit about the quality of my hearing, but now that I'm on my mid 20s, I've realized how important having good hearing is. A lot of people give me grief for always wearing earplugs, but I always tell them, "There's nothing metal about hearing loss."
magrudergrinder23 I'm worried about the damage I've done to my ears by not wearing ear plugs to the bar between 20-23. I started wearing ear plugs to the bar religiously by age 23, but it doesn't take a lot to damage the ears. I hope it wasn't too late to start wearing ear plugs after 3 years. I've also listened to my ipod using ear buds. I'm so worried!!!
Michael Craig I worked in an industrial facility and when out on the shop floor, the equipment didn't sound loud at all, yet we had to huddle together and shout into each other's ears to have a conversation, WITHOUT ear plugs! My boss never wore the ear plugs, but I certainly did!
im 34, been rocking in bands since 16, and i can tell from my tv and stereos, such that my wife can easily hear, at a lower volume, i struggle with it. now i dont wear earplugs during shows due to my rig volume and tone while in the mix, (im a tweaker so i adjust most of the night depending on the size of the room and how many people are in it). but i realize its going to just get worse if i dont start using ear monitors or plugs. and being near hard hitting drummers, those cymbals tend to hurt depending on how close u are to the kit. just beware guys. i have perfect pitch and that isnt going to last much longer if i keep traveling down this path. what?
@Alessandra keith Miguel It can depend to … Where always able to hit high notes or was this only when you were a child ? ( usually a lot of children who are Tenors / Sopranos usually have a lower voice when the voice is trying to mature )
@Alessandra keith Miguel Oh yeah definitely I don’t think you ruined your voice it’s possible that when you were a child you had a higher voice so high notes were much easier than lower notes but as you get older your voice tends to become deeper . Especially, if you are a male it’s known that when you are a tenor( highest voice for a male ) as a child you usually become a baritone ( the voice in the middle for the male ) or a Bass ( the lowest voice for a male ) and if you are a bass or baritone as a child you usually become a tenor as your voice matures so , really it’s nothing worry about it’s just how your voice is just make sure to not force your voice too much
Note on clearing the throat: Simply swallowing never works for me - it just makes things worse and I end up clearing anyway. A sip of water does the trick, though. But I appreciate what you're telling us. I never realized how problematic this is. I'll have to break this habit.
This is great information, and I love the videos. I am a singer in a rock band, and a choir teacher at a private high school. I teach my students the exercises and techniques that I learned from my coach, but having your videos as a visual aid to better explain how to use their instrument, adds another dimension to the class.
I love how you completely put emphasis on how rock should not be learned from classical techniques. I know heaps of people who keep denying this and actually went off for classical lessons, spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars and not being able to directly apply it to their genre. Sadly, they got issues with their throat and terrible tension in their larynx because of it. People think that contemporary voice lessons won't give them the desired range, power and endurance with their voice and sadly, that is not the truth.
Really appreciate your videos Dr Dan, I couldn’t agree more with the treating yourself like a vocal athlete message. I run 6 miles a day to keep my breathing apparatus in good shape and it definitely makes a positive difference to my singing performance! Thanks for the tips!
It is. But let me put it this way: If you are aiming for a contemporary career AND you are a beginner: Spend your first THREE YEARS with classical training, classical singing is very good at showing what needs to be developed after 3 years or 4(if you practice regularly) you learn to know your voice and could go on with different paths and techniques because you have a solid base.
@@stringtheoryguitars4952 the old school classical singing was the base for great pop singing. Modern classical singing is terrible that's why pop singers with modern classical singing sand so bad. Whitney had a ver old school classical singing approach. Just like Patti Labelle, Tom Jones... And they sound amazing.
@@stringtheoryguitars4952 I'm sorry but you are mistaken. You are provably thinking about today's opera singers that sound terrible even singing opera. And yes, there have so be some adjustments but the basic technique is the same. Development of core and depth in the chestvoice and in the headvoice.
I feel bad because I'm really bad at NOT singing when I'm sick... like this last week, but I will surely try to improve this... but does this mean that if my voice still feels sour and sometimes bad after being sick, I shouldn't sing for 6 months? :/
Esmiden as a recording artist here, I relate. Working on a record is really tempting even if you’re sick I think you dont really need to stop singing for 6 months unless just like what he said in his vid “if u have serious problems” Me I get to recover my vice every after sleep. I sing a lot and maybe that’s a factor why my voice manages to recover quickly ♥️
The thing is, for some reason I'll never understand, immediately before I come down with a really bad cold, everything is clears up - no drainage, no gross mucous, just clarity and pure tone. Love it.
Same for me I’m so used to singing that when I’m in bad condition my voice is also in a bad condition but I would just recommend humming , it’s a good vocal warm up .
Choosing the right vocal coach is huge. I've had three. Two were practically useless, and one was a genius. If you aren't noticeably better after four lessons or one month (at least, as a beginner, which is what I was with all three teachers), you should immediately find another teacher. Just my two cents. In case anyone is curious, one of the things that distinguished the genius is that she was acutely aware of the effect of the ENTIRE BODY on the voice, not just the throat, mouth cavity, lungs, etc., like many teachers seem to be.
Hey Doc, I'm 17 and I've had a mildly "croaky" voice from the time I was 13 and began to experience pitch drop from puberty. I can hit very low notes now, but it isn't my preferred octave and I've essentially exhausted my voice into speaking and singing higher to accommodate those who couldn't hear me as easily or weren't impressed with my low notes. I'm interested in pursuing a singing career but I'm not sure whether I've had nodes for a long time without realizing it or whether this "croakiness" can simply be described as a unique quality of my voice. Lots of vibrato, if I sing a low note loudly people can feel the vibrations, but I'm unsure of whether I'm just singing incorrectly because I don't know about how I'm supposed to be singing for my voice. My question to you is, do you think my voice could be like this without nodes? If I'm singing incorrectly, is there any way to achieve higher notes or octaves without damaging my voice? Thanks, Doc.
Ironically, most musicians come from extremely poor environments, and can not afford any vocal lessons. Yet they still make it, how do they do that? I want to learn from you Dan, but i cant afford anything at all.. so are your lessons on the Dr. Dan CD free or what? I hate to ask for free stuff, but thats just the way it is right now. I could use some help, thanks. My voice is somewhat sore right now.. Do you have some free videos on how to fix that?
Usually they either gather every last drop of money to music lessons. Or find a menthor who guides them through. For example I found my through facebook and because he sees potential in me he teaches me without a fee.
I personally never had a teacher so what i did was just sing and sing any time i could. At the start i sounded horrible but after a while it got better and now pearl jam is a walk in the park.
@@rudiegotbetter8730 all most of these vocal coaches care about is just money, without getting paid they Don't even answer a single question of you and I'm saying this according my own experience.paying them to me is not the problem the problem is I live in a country that is under sanctions so I have no access to good foreign coaches. so we have to do it ourselves. I'm a self taught singer .
Hey guys! Also try Felicia Ricci, she's a very good vocal coach. She has video tips on RUclips and also online singing courses. Please try her and you won't regret. She is very helpful and inspiring too. Please try her RUclips channel please!😄
Singers please heed dr. Dan's advice. My vertigo has become more severe over the past two years only using one 'In Ear' piece during our worship set. I was told to switch them out periodically to the other ear, I don't think this is helping. Best to take the doctor's advice me thanks!
puberty hit me so hard..one day my lowest is c3 then it turned to b2 my highest is g4 then it turned to e4...is this temporary?I need to learn vocals because I have a high larynx,strain and tension
i am Gavenbot not Gaven Your range will lower during/after puberty. Like for me, I am able to hit C2 starting from 15. Now I am 16 and my highest belt is 16. I'm probably a bass since I have such ease with low notes but I can't stay in the fourth octave or even fifth forever. I'll probably become a complete bass when I'm an adult.
i am Gavenbot not Gaven I was meant to say my highest belt is G4, not 16 lol. Anyway, that's a pretty good range if they're supported. My notes above 4th octave are either barely supported or not. My low notes are all very supported down to maybe E2 or even D2. I can only hit C2 while playing the note.
What Dr. Dan said about singing when your sick is true, but he took it to the extreme. A lot of the time you do the best singing when your sick, just don't over do it. Your not going to kill your voice if you sing when your sick. Keep it nice and easy.
Yikeeee my school has been performing several showings of Xanadu, and I sing pretty much every song, loudly, as I'm in the Ensemble. I got sick during the week, still decided to sing today for a showing... And then screamed songs a lot afterwards for a party... Aaand now I can barely speak without it hurting. Three showings left too. RIP.
What a naturally high vocal range you have.... if i have such a natural range i probably don't have to worry about pushing my voice so much that it might damage my voice.
Hi Dr Dan. Thank you for these useful tips. Now i will be looking at more of your vids. New subscriber here!! 2 mobths ago my voice started to crack and everything in my voice was ruined for 2 months. I was really dissapointed in me. But now i found ur tips. Thanks for making my day dr dan!!!!!
Dr. Dan, thanks again for replying. I just found out that my medicaid. The insurance here in the States for people on disability. I have a form of depression called Dysthymia. It in hindsight occurred from a very traumatic and tumultuous 5 year marriage. I only found out last week that medicaid won't pay for any, and I mean any form of physical therapy anymore. The C.I.T. Nurse was even appalled. She said that they even refused rehab for someone Post Op! I don't have many resources and I don't really have any family. I will keep you posted. And if there are any Speech therapists or pathologists in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Broward County area that can help? I would be very grateful. Thanks. I'll keep you posted.
Dr. Dan, I'm think I'm gonna go 3 days with no talking starting on April 16th. Then start the Dysphonia exercises and whatever else may help. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again. Sincerely, TS. 😊
I agree with the eat drink and be merry because drinking alcohol drinks and whiskey and champagne is terrible for singers it’ll kill a singers voice it’ll give them permanent vocal damage and vocal nodules etc I always tell everyone to do not drink whiskey or champagne or beer or any alcohol drinks
There are those who smoke, drink beer and sing good during Karaoke. I am sensitive to harsh noises, smoke, etc.. and had to stop singing there. Only one time I was at a Sport Cafe here in the Netherlands next to Gold's Gym. It's all about smoking, drinking and shouting for some folks. Since last year summer I am a steady singer in a Jam Session Band and there is no smoking inside.
I have no vocal issues for the moment, but I'm worried my routines might have an impact in the future. See, I do vocal exercises at least 5 days in a week, and after like 30 minutes my vocal folds tend to swell up (making a "gurgly" sound). Of course singing at that point will hurt my voice, so I take a break doing some cord thinning exercises and eventually my voice sounds fine again. Now my concern is: will continuing singing at this point (although my voice do sound godd at the moment) hurt my voice anyway? Should I just stop singing for the rest of the day?
Thanks for the tip on IEMs. While my professional career has self-destructed because of severe tinnitus, which has ruined my voice, I wonder if I can reclaim my old strong voice and ever be able to teach again in a large classroom. I don't have a singing voice, but I do have a melodic voice when I speak, but it's worthless if I can't project. I'll look into IEMs and see if these can't help me get my teaching voice back. I wish I'd worn more protection when I worked on the B-52s (the aircraft, not the band). Dr. Bob (Prof. Bob)
Hey, Dr Bob. Yeah, tinnitus is debilitating. I think you might enjoy watching the following video about hearing health - ruclips.net/video/Y-1qKXUf9r0/видео.html
This comes from prior personal experience Always sing in your range! I had choir class in middle school,the teacher tried to train the other gals in the class ( myself included) to sing in the alto range.. I devoped severe vocal strain! Six months of silence!
I've been doing vocal exercises for the past five days, everyday. I don't take sugar, and I neither smoke nor drink, ever. But today my voice was really flat I don't know why, it's shallow, flat, closed in. I did 30 minutes of exercises, and I use the right techniques, I'm getting really frustrated and tempted to quit. My voice just can't do anything even though I'm doing a lot to make it do something. What Could be the problem.
Hi my name is Layne, im 14 years of age, love singing, and id say im pretty good at it! My only question is do you work with people on being a singer in public or know anyone who does?
3:15 I know this video was in 2014 but I found the need to tell my experience on this. At first, I didn't care about this part, I got a really bad sore throat and I had a performance in a week. So I tried to protect it and after a little while, it felt better so I thought there won't be a problem. I practiced before the performance time and everything was going great! Except when I went stage I couldn't even talk! And it felt terrible cause everybody performed their song and I was on the stage, I couldn't make just a little sound. Be careful with your voice guys, especially when you're sick.
I can never live up to the standards of what my mother wants for singing and I always hurt others because of what I say, so I want to severely damage my vocal cords, even if that thought is frowned upon :/
Dr. Dan, at the end of my freshman year in high school i had made the pop group in my school and had a durable, rich, and strong contratenor voice, and i remember having a decent range of about 3 and a half octaves. Over the summer after freshman year and during sophomore year my voice deteriorated, i now have a range of 1 octave and a half on a good day, i feel like my throat i being squeezed after long peroids of singing, i can't do Falsetto at ALL like i cant get out of my chest voice, well, i can do a mixed voice but it feels strained after im finished,my vibrato became incredibly slow, and my voice cant be powerful anymore. Its not puberty because my resting voice is essentially intact from freshman year and my lower register hasnt expanded lower since freshman year. I am now a junior and feel powerless, depressed, and robbed of the only thing i love doing. Please help me and tell me what to do. I have told my doctor but she brushes it off. Please help me.
As a vocal coach and singer for 35+ yrs I DISAGREE exercising out of genre will damage the voice. As long as you're not singing OUT OF RANGE. Most athletes are now given dance routines which improve their flow in performance.
I feel like your mentioning of the wrong training applies to me. I think choir kinda messed up my voice a bit. I sing in order to blend now and my solos aren't as strong
I have a sore throat ,but I HAVE to go to my Annie jr. play cast rehearsal callbacks and I have to sing the song "tomorrow" and " hard knock life "which are both intense songs that I struggle with.ugh
Thank you doctor dan but do you know why when singing I sound ok to myself and others but when I'm recording myself it sounds totally different and bad, is it just me, like do I actually sound like I do recorded or is there something up with the recording?
Hi NotorietyOB - I have found that recording in a studio is very different than just doing it at home. Like you, I felt I was doing okay.....but in the studio, listening to the playback, I sounded like I had no energy! Yes, a good mic is important, and of course a good engineer.....but studio recording requires really pulling your voice out, being in 'the flow' and as Dr. Dan suggests, taking care of your voice. Milk will cause mucus, peppermint tea is not good, not good to drink alcohol. There is another vocal coach on RUclips that I think is really good, Eric Arcenaux. I've had 5 singing teachers, in NYC and LA and Eric knows his stuff. Good luck!
MY LOWEST NOTE IS G2 but it can down to A2 is sounds breathy and unsupported my highest note is A3 up to G4.. i attempt to reach G6 but i strained. i love to sing songs by the female singers. most of their range is D3 - G#5 / D3 - C6 my troath easily pains when i'm singin. I also sound breathy and very nasal from head/chest voice i also sound breathy. that's why i'd change my technique these past few weeks. i only reach A4. to avoid tension.
When I was a teenager I found a teacher who was like Spongebob when he did the technique for the bubbles, she made me do a kind of ritual of exercises that I had to do everytime I would sing that looked like the Spongebob thing, then she wanted me to sing really corny love songs because, according to her, that was a must for developing technique. I ended up believing that I was unable to sing, that singing was useless and that I would never have fun with it, until many many years later, random youtube videos about how to sing made me realize that singing is awesome, a true spiritual activity. That teacher also told me that I was made for "soft rock", but I currently find myself in country music and South American folk songs. My ukelele helped me a lot to sing in tune, but I only trusted real musicians as critics, because sometimes people are tone deaf and will tell you that you are okay even if you purposely played a wrong chord.
Hey Dr. Dan, I have a friend who LOVES to sing, but she also smokes cigarettes. I've been trying to help her quit because she told me that if she couldn't sing anymore that she would probably need therapy. She loves it that much. Even though I want to help her, I know she is incredibly bullheaded, and my problem is, is there anything I could point to that would be super convincing to get her to quit? I would just hate for her to lose the ability to sing because of something totally preventable, and I'm fairly close with her. Is there a video of yours I can point to and share with her? Thanks in advance for your help. :)
+Dr Dan's Voice Essentials Thank you so much! I guess I'll share this video with her then, since you mention it here. That's what made me think of the question. :) And I love to sing as well. :) It's something I definitely want to keep for a lifetime.
If you have viral infection in your throat, better take amoxicillin... i tRIED all the home remedies but nothing worked.. then i took amoxicillin and in 2 days i got my voice back...
When I was 20 years old in 2006 I would frequently sing along to some of the first Metallica songs while I was driving (usually things like "Hit The Lights" and "Seek And Destroy"), and I often did a kind of shriek in order to reach those high notes. I think I _might_ have more difficulties doing that nowadays, but maybe that's just an age thing.
I as a singer who has lost his voice do to vocal chord strain when I verbally tore someone a new one after they hit me because of frustration from not being able to defend myself properly. My vocal chords are slamming shut. Now I found out that medicaid doesn't pay for any kind of physical therapy anymore. I have seen an ENT and was told my vocal chords are slamming shut. Please help. I was told by a speach therapist about some kind of exercise that involves holding your breath. Never heard of that. My creativity and happiness is severly affected. I'm on disability for depression and music is what I do best and the best way to get back on my feet. I'm a guitarist first and it took me over a year to be able to play and sing. I have original material I want to record and so forth. I got down being able to play and sing between 81 to 82. That was around 35 years ago. I have had this problem since August 4th, 2014. Someone please help. Thanks
***** Dr. Dan, thank you very much. I will try anything that can help. I have seen some videos where people have said not to talk at all from 3 days to 10. I never have done that since the incidence that messed up my voice. Before doing the exercises for the possible Dysphonia. The ENT never gave it a name by the way but I was scoped. Just said vocal chords are slamming shut. That is in the report. I have an understanding of medical terminology. I worked 2 years in Radiology at a local hospital back in the 80's. Please respond back to let me know if I should go on complete vocal rest. One has to prepare oneself for that. I already have a day (Next Saturday April 16th) picked out to do so. That gives me a week to get my affairs in order before I shut up. Lol. And I can talk. Please stay in contact with me. I will keep you posted. This is not going to beat me. Just as I hope to for the sake of others be successful in music. So I can have a live for myself and help those who are truly in need. Until later, Cheers and God bless. TS.
What about us singers who sing both classical and hard rock? There are many symphonic rock and metal vocalists out there who need to train on both spectrums and have been classically trained. I love the versatility of it, but sometimes fear I'm wrecking one for the other. No lesions as of today though.
Everytime I hear somebody talk about the things a singer should never do I can't help but think about how a lot of the greats did all of those things in excess
I used to have a really high voice. I was 1st place in a competition singing Evanescence's Bring Me to Life in a female key back in 2012 and I hit every single note. My aunt persuaded me to join singing competitions, but I was too shy. I regret that. I miss my voice.
in my own experiment , masturbation does really affect our voice. hence, you loose muscles and cant build muscles in your body properly when you continue fapping and we knew that singing otherwise needs to build up muscles to make it natural in your instrument(body) . wise technique for successful singing.however this is my own observation .and i think i found some articles that supports this theory.
Dr, your suggestion about getting an appropriate teacher makes sense, i.e, if you sing rock, get a rock teacher as a classical training can damage your voice. However, how would you know what genre your voice is appropriate for in the first place?
'Just like me, you have a life'. Ah, now that's where you're mistaken, my friend.
Oof
You will, I'll pray
Charlie K u have a life bro!❤️🙏
Haha same!😂
Ha ha 😂😂
1. Go in the shower
2. Put on some Mariah Carey
3. Hit the high note
4. I dunno
I thought I made this and got so confused-
Why hello there
Lol
aww lol
1. Go in the shower
2. Put on some Alex Terrible
3. Hit the guttural without warm up or prep
4. ?????
5. Profit!
just try to sing queen songs and you'll find that your voice is wrecked. I love queen
try to sing painkiller from judas priest for the first time and my vocie was also recked for 1 day.
Yup I sing loads of Queen, Now I am here listening to a video about how not to wreck your voice lol
El Jay Rose Freddy is quite versatile with his voice. Though his highest notes aren't really the notes he could do the whole time. But still always tastefully delivered in the appropiate songs. What am I sayin he was a genius
ShagStars Productions Could not agree with you more man! Such a genius and I love the high notes he its in the Barcelona album with Montserrat Caballé. Wish I was half the singer he was !
I wish that too. There are many singers I admire in their own right but there are a very very few that could stand next to freddy. Nice sidestory: (funny my favourite singer is rob halford and he had short contact with freddy in a club).
I stopped clearing my throat in April of 2017. In less than a month, my range increased by 2 steps. This stuff really works.
MahoganyCrafter im happy for you!!! I just posted a cover now. Im gomna try t speak less for this week
I often find myself clearing my throat - how can you avoid it ? Esp if it feels like it needs clearing?
MahoganyCrafter high! Going back now, I have reached c#5 supported but before I can only hit b4 supported
@@Zulanderr i know its late reply buy when u feel like clearing ur throat drink some tea with ginger and honey and lemon. Always have it with u in a bottle . If u dont have that just drink some water.
I got terrible allergies so my nose runs down the back of my throat literally all the time which means I’m ALWAYS clearing my throat, and sometimes it’s really bad. Got any ideas?
When I was younger, I couldn't give a shit about the quality of my hearing, but now that I'm on my mid 20s, I've realized how important having good hearing is. A lot of people give me grief for always wearing earplugs, but I always tell them, "There's nothing metal about hearing loss."
It ain't metal if your ears aren't crying red tears
magrudergrinder23 I'm worried about the damage I've done to my ears by not wearing ear plugs to the bar between 20-23. I started wearing ear plugs to the bar religiously by age 23, but it doesn't take a lot to damage the ears. I hope it wasn't too late to start wearing ear plugs after 3 years. I've also listened to my ipod using ear buds. I'm so worried!!!
Michael Craig I worked in an industrial facility and when out on the shop floor, the equipment didn't sound loud at all, yet we had to huddle together and shout into each other's ears to have a conversation, WITHOUT ear plugs! My boss never wore the ear plugs, but I certainly did!
im 34, been rocking in bands since 16, and i can tell from my tv and stereos, such that my wife can easily hear, at a lower volume, i struggle with it. now i dont wear earplugs during shows due to my rig volume and tone while in the mix, (im a tweaker so i adjust most of the night depending on the size of the room and how many people are in it). but i realize its going to just get worse if i dont start using ear monitors or plugs. and being near hard hitting drummers, those cymbals tend to hurt depending on how close u are to the kit. just beware guys. i have perfect pitch and that isnt going to last much longer if i keep traveling down this path. what?
in ear monitors or cheaper option is special silicon ear plus they sell at music stores.
Whiskey and smoking helps me get closer to the sound I want.
You know, those real life auto-tune people with a thingy on their neck.
It helps you get closer to the sound of death
a thingy?
I RUINED my voice singing contemporary with classical training. Never knew. Working on recovery and repair.
Hope you're better
Me too
Praying that u make a full recovery 😁😁❤️❤️❤️❤️
@Alessandra keith Miguel It can depend to … Where always able to hit high notes or was this only when you were a child ? ( usually a lot of children who are Tenors / Sopranos usually have a lower voice when the voice is trying to mature )
@Alessandra keith Miguel Oh yeah definitely I don’t think you ruined your voice it’s possible that when you were a child you had a higher voice so high notes were much easier than lower notes but as you get older your voice tends to become deeper . Especially, if you are a male it’s known that when you are a tenor( highest voice for a male ) as a child you usually become a baritone ( the voice in the middle for the male ) or a Bass ( the lowest voice for a male ) and if you are a bass or baritone as a child you usually become a tenor as your voice matures so , really it’s nothing worry about it’s just how your voice is just make sure to not force your voice too much
"...but common sense these days ain't all that common" right on the spot haha
Note on clearing the throat: Simply swallowing never works for me - it just makes things worse and I end up clearing anyway. A sip of water does the trick, though. But I appreciate what you're telling us. I never realized how problematic this is. I'll have to break this habit.
Robert, this video offers a few extra thoughts on 'throat clearing' - ruclips.net/video/sDHlhmgslGg/видео.html
This is great information, and I love the videos. I am a singer in a rock band, and a choir teacher at a private high school. I teach my students the exercises and techniques that I learned from my coach, but having your videos as a visual aid to better explain how to use their instrument, adds another dimension to the class.
Awesome, Ron. Thanks for sharing the videos with your students.
Everything from Dan is so spot on correct.
I love how you completely put emphasis on how rock should not be learned from classical techniques. I know heaps of people who keep denying this and actually went off for classical lessons, spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars and not being able to directly apply it to their genre. Sadly, they got issues with their throat and terrible tension in their larynx because of it. People think that contemporary voice lessons won't give them the desired range, power and endurance with their voice and sadly, that is not the truth.
Really appreciate your videos Dr Dan, I couldn’t agree more with the treating yourself like a vocal athlete message. I run 6 miles a day to keep my breathing apparatus in good shape and it definitely makes a positive difference to my singing performance! Thanks for the tips!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video Adam Duffill. Thanks for watching.
Isn't it beneficial for everyone to have a classical, and even operatic, background to fully train the voice and develop the best breath capacity?
Yes
It is. But let me put it this way: If you are aiming for a contemporary career AND you are a beginner: Spend your first THREE YEARS with classical training, classical singing is very good at showing what needs to be developed after 3 years or 4(if you practice regularly) you learn to know your voice and could go on with different paths and techniques because you have a solid base.
Breath is overrated. What is the most important is developing the registers, chestvoice and headvoice
@@stringtheoryguitars4952 the old school classical singing was the base for great pop singing. Modern classical singing is terrible that's why pop singers with modern classical singing sand so bad.
Whitney had a ver old school classical singing approach. Just like Patti Labelle, Tom Jones... And they sound amazing.
@@stringtheoryguitars4952 I'm sorry but you are mistaken. You are provably thinking about today's opera singers that sound terrible even singing opera.
And yes, there have so be some adjustments but the basic technique is the same. Development of core and depth in the chestvoice and in the headvoice.
I feel bad because I'm really bad at NOT singing when I'm sick... like this last week, but I will surely try to improve this... but does this mean that if my voice still feels sour and sometimes bad after being sick, I shouldn't sing for 6 months? :/
Esmiden as a recording artist here, I relate. Working on a record is really tempting even if you’re sick
I think you dont really need to stop singing for 6 months unless just like what he said in his vid “if u have serious problems”
Me I get to recover my vice every after sleep. I sing a lot and maybe that’s a factor why my voice manages to recover quickly ♥️
The thing is, for some reason I'll never understand, immediately before I come down with a really bad cold, everything is clears up - no drainage, no gross mucous, just clarity and pure tone. Love it.
Same for me I’m so used to singing that when I’m in bad condition my voice is also in a bad condition but I would just recommend humming , it’s a good vocal warm up .
Choosing the right vocal coach is huge. I've had three. Two were practically useless, and one was a genius. If you aren't noticeably better after four lessons or one month (at least, as a beginner, which is what I was with all three teachers), you should immediately find another teacher. Just my two cents.
In case anyone is curious, one of the things that distinguished the genius is that she was acutely aware of the effect of the ENTIRE BODY on the voice, not just the throat, mouth cavity, lungs, etc., like many teachers seem to be.
Hey Doc, I'm 17 and I've had a mildly "croaky" voice from the time I was 13 and began to experience pitch drop from puberty. I can hit very low notes now, but it isn't my preferred octave and I've essentially exhausted my voice into speaking and singing higher to accommodate those who couldn't hear me as easily or weren't impressed with my low notes. I'm interested in pursuing a singing career but I'm not sure whether I've had nodes for a long time without realizing it or whether this "croakiness" can simply be described as a unique quality of my voice. Lots of vibrato, if I sing a low note loudly people can feel the vibrations, but I'm unsure of whether I'm just singing incorrectly because I don't know about how I'm supposed to be singing for my voice.
My question to you is, do you think my voice could be like this without nodes? If I'm singing incorrectly, is there any way to achieve higher notes or octaves without damaging my voice? Thanks, Doc.
Thank you for your video. I appreciate that you are a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker who stays on topic!
Ironically, most musicians come from extremely poor environments, and can not afford any vocal lessons. Yet they still make it, how do they do that? I want to learn from you Dan, but i cant afford anything at all.. so are your lessons on the Dr. Dan CD free or what? I hate to ask for free stuff, but thats just the way it is right now. I could use some help, thanks. My voice is somewhat sore right now.. Do you have some free videos on how to fix that?
Usually they either gather every last drop of money to music lessons. Or find a menthor who guides them through. For example I found my through facebook and because he sees potential in me he teaches me without a fee.
I feel you. Same here.
I personally never had a teacher so what i did was just sing and sing any time i could. At the start i sounded horrible but after a while it got better and now pearl jam is a walk in the park.
@@rudiegotbetter8730 all most of these vocal coaches care about is just money, without getting paid they Don't even answer a single question of you and I'm saying this according my own experience.paying them to me is not the problem the problem is I live in a country that is under sanctions so I have no access to good foreign coaches. so we have to do it ourselves. I'm a self taught singer .
@@rahiarcanaInternet is a much better teacher and its free
Hey guys! Also try Felicia Ricci, she's a very good vocal coach. She has video tips on RUclips and also online singing courses. Please try her and you won't regret. She is very helpful and inspiring too. Please try her RUclips channel please!😄
+Voice Essentials Yeah I know it. Anyway, your videos are great. I liked it!😄 Inspiring just like Fel😊
Eugene Angelo Gaspar she is amazing
Eugene Angelo Gaspar i love her i took som singing tips from her
Eugene Angelo Gaspar
Eugene Angelo Gaspar I love Fel
sir every time i sing my throat gets itchy especially when im about to sing high notes. im sad i cant sing the way i sing before.😭
Singers please heed dr. Dan's advice. My vertigo has become more severe over the past two years only using one 'In Ear' piece during our worship set. I was told to switch them out periodically to the other ear, I don't think this is helping. Best to take the doctor's advice me thanks!
Kieran, the following video may also prove beneficial - ruclips.net/video/Y-1qKXUf9r0/видео.html
@@DrDanRobinson I'll check it out- cheers Ears! (Pun intended)
no i should thank you singing is the only thing on my bucket list
Thank you so much for this! I need to unlearn these bad habits asap before my voice gets worse..
puberty hit me so hard..one day my lowest is c3 then it turned to b2 my highest is g4 then it turned to e4...is this temporary?I need to learn vocals because I have a high larynx,strain and tension
Dr Dan's Voice Essentials thank you for the answer...I think my voice will be more soulful when it reached its maturity
Dr Dan's Voice Essentials what do you mean about "lower"? is it the pitch or the note?
i am Gavenbot not Gaven Your range will lower during/after puberty. Like for me, I am able to hit C2 starting from 15. Now I am 16 and my highest belt is 16. I'm probably a bass since I have such ease with low notes but I can't stay in the fourth octave or even fifth forever. I'll probably become a complete bass when I'm an adult.
Rolling Apples my comfortable notes are b2-f4
i am Gavenbot not Gaven I was meant to say my highest belt is G4, not 16 lol. Anyway, that's a pretty good range if they're supported. My notes above 4th octave are either barely supported or not. My low notes are all very supported down to maybe E2 or even D2. I can only hit C2 while playing the note.
What Dr. Dan said about singing when your sick is true, but he took it to the extreme. A lot of the time you do the best singing when your sick, just don't over do it. Your not going to kill your voice if you sing when your sick. Keep it nice and easy.
Alyson Holcomb, the following video about singing when sick may prove helpful - ruclips.net/video/DOksZj8hwbw/видео.html
You have an amazing channel! Nothing else like it! Double dumbs up! Thank you!
Yikeeee my school has been performing several showings of Xanadu, and I sing pretty much every song, loudly, as I'm in the Ensemble. I got sick during the week, still decided to sing today for a showing... And then screamed songs a lot afterwards for a party... Aaand now I can barely speak without it hurting. Three showings left too. RIP.
is it alright now? or was it permanent
Only just discovered you! Thanks for the reminders! Yeah, common sense ain't so common anymore 😀. Subscribed ✅
As a singer myself if I have a raspy voice is not to seek professional health but just drink a bit more water and maybe miss one session
Tom Casra, the following video may prove helpful - ruclips.net/video/_dE2J6YijmQ/видео.html
Me trying to hit sopranos notes knowing i sound like a cat being stranggled up the road in the middle of the night
What a naturally high vocal range you have.... if i have such a natural range i probably don't have to worry about pushing my voice so much that it might damage my voice.
Hi Dr Dan. Thank you for these useful tips. Now i will be looking at more of your vids. New subscriber here!! 2 mobths ago my voice started to crack and everything in my voice was ruined for 2 months. I was really dissapointed in me. But now i found ur tips. Thanks for making my day dr dan!!!!!
You're welcome iiShay_Vlog. Thanks for watching.
Dr. Dan, thanks again for replying. I just found out that my medicaid. The insurance here in the States for people on disability. I have a form of depression called Dysthymia. It in hindsight occurred from a very traumatic and tumultuous 5 year marriage. I only found out last week that medicaid won't pay for any, and I mean any form of physical therapy anymore. The C.I.T. Nurse was even appalled. She said that they even refused rehab for someone Post Op! I don't have many resources and I don't really have any family. I will keep you posted. And if there are any Speech therapists or pathologists in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Broward County area that can help? I would be very grateful. Thanks. I'll keep you posted.
I basically do everything you said not to do, and I'm grand
Dr. Dan, I'm think I'm gonna go 3 days with no talking starting on April 16th. Then start the Dysphonia exercises and whatever else may help. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again. Sincerely, TS. 😊
thanks! awesome-- it is temple!
I agree with the eat drink and be merry because drinking alcohol drinks and whiskey and champagne is terrible for singers it’ll kill a singers voice it’ll give them permanent vocal damage and vocal nodules etc I always tell everyone to do not drink whiskey or champagne or beer or any alcohol drinks
love this Dr man x
You are welcome! I may feature you in one of my vocal coaches impression videos. would you mind?.all the best 😀😊
Hehe! OK great I'll write your name down 😂. I'll be kind I promise. I love your accent and teaching. You rock!!
OK great. If you have a minute please check out the impressions.(2 thus far) Some of the coaches replied and loved them! Phew.
Rip lol 0 likes
Came here to damage my voice thanks for the tips hope these work
I sang while sick and lost about two octaves of my range DONT SING WHILE SICK
Never
There are those who smoke, drink beer and sing good during Karaoke. I am sensitive to harsh noises, smoke, etc.. and had to stop singing there. Only one time I was at a Sport Cafe here in the Netherlands next to Gold's Gym. It's all about smoking, drinking and shouting for some folks. Since last year summer I am a steady singer in a Jam Session Band and there is no smoking inside.
I have no vocal issues for the moment, but I'm worried my routines might have an impact in the future.
See, I do vocal exercises at least 5 days in a week, and after like 30 minutes my vocal folds tend to swell up (making a "gurgly" sound). Of course singing at that point will hurt my voice, so I take a break doing some cord thinning exercises and eventually my voice sounds fine again.
Now my concern is: will continuing singing at this point (although my voice do sound godd at the moment) hurt my voice anyway? Should I just stop singing for the rest of the day?
Staying tuned and subscribed! :D
Thanks for the tip on IEMs. While my professional career has self-destructed because of severe tinnitus, which has ruined my voice, I wonder if I can reclaim my old strong voice and ever be able to teach again in a large classroom. I don't have a singing voice, but I do have a melodic voice when I speak, but it's worthless if I can't project. I'll look into IEMs and see if these can't help me get my teaching voice back.
I wish I'd worn more protection when I worked on the B-52s (the aircraft, not the band).
Dr. Bob (Prof. Bob)
Hey, Dr Bob. Yeah, tinnitus is debilitating. I think you might enjoy watching the following video about hearing health - ruclips.net/video/Y-1qKXUf9r0/видео.html
This video is awesome! So much truth spoken and explained! Well done, Sir, and God bless you!:)
I'm glad you enjoyed the video Bethany Gilley. Thanks for watching.
Sure thing!@@DrDanRobinson
This comes from prior personal experience
Always sing in your range!
I had choir class in middle school,the teacher tried to train the other gals in the class ( myself included) to sing in the alto range..
I devoped severe vocal strain!
Six months of silence!
I think I have damaged my voice already.....what can I do?
***** Thanks..i love ur videos
Get a singing lesson, I dunno
I think you might have more urgent issues
JudeTunes 😂😂😂😂😂
Brownies Bleh uh-
I've been doing vocal exercises for the past five days, everyday. I don't take sugar, and I neither smoke nor drink, ever. But today my voice was really flat I don't know why, it's shallow, flat, closed in. I did 30 minutes of exercises, and I use the right techniques, I'm getting really frustrated and tempted to quit. My voice just can't do anything even though I'm doing a lot to make it do something. What Could be the problem.
Yep. I've been guilty of singing while sick. BIG MISTAKE! Have to be careful.
Hi my name is Layne, im 14 years of age, love singing, and id say im pretty good at it! My only question is do you work with people on being a singer in public or know anyone who does?
Omg Beyoncé signed while she was sick !
Long time ago
3:15 I know this video was in 2014 but I found the need to tell my experience on this. At first, I didn't care about this part, I got a really bad sore throat and I had a performance in a week. So I tried to protect it and after a little while, it felt better so I thought there won't be a problem. I practiced before the performance time and everything was going great! Except when I went stage I couldn't even talk! And it felt terrible cause everybody performed their song and I was on the stage, I couldn't make just a little sound.
Be careful with your voice guys, especially when you're sick.
I wanna damage my voice so it's quiet and raspy
Magda, there following video about singing softly may prove helpful - ruclips.net/video/kXpoavAN_3o/видео.html
I can never live up to the standards of what my mother wants for singing and I always hurt others because of what I say, so I want to severely damage my vocal cords, even if that thought is frowned upon :/
I love that you focus a lot on the health of the voice so much.
I can’t “reeeeee!” Sometimes like when I try nothing comes out
Just realized I've been damaging my voice hardly for over a year. Will I ever recover from this, help me Dr. Dan? - I'm 14.
And how do I recover from the damage that I've done to my vocal cords?
I was so sure that he was gonna say don't sing without properly warming up.
Turns out to be...
I was wrong😅😂
Dr. Dan, at the end of my freshman year in high school i had made the pop group in my school and had a durable, rich, and strong contratenor voice, and i remember having a decent range of about 3 and a half octaves. Over the summer after freshman year and during sophomore year my voice deteriorated, i now have a range of 1 octave and a half on a good day, i feel like my throat i being squeezed after long peroids of singing, i can't do Falsetto at ALL like i cant get out of my chest voice, well, i can do a mixed voice but it feels strained after im finished,my vibrato became incredibly slow, and my voice cant be powerful anymore. Its not puberty because my resting voice is essentially intact from freshman year and my lower register hasnt expanded lower since freshman year. I am now a junior and feel powerless, depressed, and robbed of the only thing i love doing. Please help me and tell me what to do. I have told my doctor but she brushes it off. Please help me.
+Dr Dan's Voice Essentials Thank You Dr. Dan and i will and will let you know. Thank you.
Thanks Dr. Dan. Good advice.
As a vocal coach and singer for 35+ yrs I DISAGREE exercising out of genre will damage the voice. As long as you're not singing OUT OF RANGE. Most athletes are now given dance routines which improve their flow in performance.
will trying to go Super Saiyan 3 damage my voice. I'm a crazy kid
Have had a cough for 6 months. Will wait. Cheers.
I feel like your mentioning of the wrong training applies to me. I think choir kinda messed up my voice a bit. I sing in order to blend now and my solos aren't as strong
You can develop both skills - singing for ensemble and for solo. You'll need to be intentional with both skills.
I never knew how to clear my throat. I always tried but failed. I’m glad I saw this video before learningho
Dr.Dan
, does the frequent cough affect negatively on your vocal cords? i am suffering from a chronic allergy
Yes, coughing excessively may inflame the vocal chords just like when you shout or use the glottal attack too much when singing
idk why, but my voice always cracks when i’m by myself, but when i’m with other people i can hit pretty high notes
I have a sore throat ,but I HAVE to go to my Annie jr. play cast rehearsal callbacks and I have to sing the song "tomorrow" and " hard knock life "which are both intense songs that I struggle with.ugh
Briana Suero i
brianaaa how did the audition go?
I’ve sung while sing before, I regret it too I know I’ve damaged my vocals
inside im scared my husband. tells i have a lovely voice but its just scary
Yes, it can be scary for many beginner singers. Be encouraged. Take the risk...it's only singing!
I always sing when I was sick because i think it sounds better and I can't stop doing that
Thank you doctor dan but do you know why when singing I sound ok to myself and others but when I'm recording myself it sounds totally different and bad, is it just me, like do I actually sound like I do recorded or is there something up with the recording?
Dr Dan's Voice Essentials wow thanks this did help alot
Nana. Sound recordar is awsam use that in plystr
You need to have a better mic
Hi NotorietyOB - I have found that recording in a studio is very different than just doing it at home. Like you, I felt I was doing okay.....but in the studio, listening to the playback, I sounded like I had no energy! Yes, a good mic is important, and of course a good engineer.....but studio recording requires really pulling your voice out, being in 'the flow' and as Dr. Dan suggests, taking care of your voice. Milk will cause mucus, peppermint tea is not good, not good to drink alcohol. There is another vocal coach on RUclips that I think is really good, Eric Arcenaux. I've had 5 singing teachers, in NYC and LA and Eric knows his stuff. Good luck!
What to eat and what shouldn't
stage singers put their voices ar risk with every show...
Good advice for classical singers too.
Is it bad that I use headphones whenever I watch anything in laptop or phone? Will it damage my ears?
MY LOWEST NOTE IS G2
but it can down to A2 is sounds breathy and unsupported my highest note is A3 up to G4.. i attempt to reach G6 but i strained.
i love to sing songs by the female singers.
most of their range is D3 - G#5
/ D3 - C6
my troath easily pains when i'm singin. I also sound breathy and very nasal from head/chest voice
i also sound breathy.
that's why i'd change my technique these past few weeks.
i only reach A4.
to avoid tension.
This should be called "Singing Tips from Hell" 😂
Why
When I was a teenager I found a teacher who was like Spongebob when he did the technique for the bubbles, she made me do a kind of ritual of exercises that I had to do everytime I would sing that looked like the Spongebob thing, then she wanted me to sing really corny love songs because, according to her, that was a must for developing technique. I ended up believing that I was unable to sing, that singing was useless and that I would never have fun with it, until many many years later, random youtube videos about how to sing made me realize that singing is awesome, a true spiritual activity. That teacher also told me that I was made for "soft rock", but I currently find myself in country music and South American folk songs. My ukelele helped me a lot to sing in tune, but I only trusted real musicians as critics, because sometimes people are tone deaf and will tell you that you are okay even if you purposely played a wrong chord.
does cold water affect singing?
Russel Castelo yes. It generates mucus. Room temp water hydrates the voice the best.
Yes
Hey Dr. Dan, I have a friend who LOVES to sing, but she also smokes cigarettes. I've been trying to help her quit because she told me that if she couldn't sing anymore that she would probably need therapy. She loves it that much. Even though I want to help her, I know she is incredibly bullheaded, and my problem is, is there anything I could point to that would be super convincing to get her to quit? I would just hate for her to lose the ability to sing because of something totally preventable, and I'm fairly close with her. Is there a video of yours I can point to and share with her? Thanks in advance for your help. :)
+Dr Dan's Voice Essentials Thank you so much! I guess I'll share this video with her then, since you mention it here. That's what made me think of the question. :) And I love to sing as well. :) It's something I definitely want to keep for a lifetime.
Hey Dan! Really like ur vids so thanks!!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video MrTb2arvd. Thanks for watching.
I am very impressed & grateful to you Dr. Dan thanks I am a Jamaican Recording artiste with albums on itunes, amazon, etc.
how do you get mucus out of throat??? because I've tryed medicine, tea
I'd like to know as well. I believe it's a dieting issue. Some foods cause more inflammation than others
AG LM you're amazing thanks
Honey?
@@purplecatloverrandompizza yes honey?
If you have viral infection in your throat, better take amoxicillin... i tRIED all the home remedies but nothing worked.. then i took amoxicillin and in 2 days i got my voice back...
And what about basses. I know you're a higher tenor, but what tips do you have for basses and vocal ocktavists?
Hi Bob, the following video about singing low notes may prove helpful - ruclips.net/video/KQpyClQRC7M/видео.html
I love post Malone’s voice bc of the raspiness from smoking but he needs to stop. :/
I love his accent it's so calming
All of my favorite vocalists smoke😂
Then, sadly, all your favourite vocalists are running the serious risk of developing smoking-related cancers.
When I was 20 years old in 2006 I would frequently sing along to some of the first Metallica songs while I was driving (usually things like "Hit The Lights" and "Seek And Destroy"), and I often did a kind of shriek in order to reach those high notes. I think I _might_ have more difficulties doing that nowadays, but maybe that's just an age thing.
Thanks man!
I as a singer who has lost his voice do to vocal chord strain when I verbally tore someone a new one after they hit me because of frustration from not being able to defend myself properly. My vocal chords are slamming shut. Now I found out that medicaid doesn't pay for any kind of physical therapy anymore. I have seen an ENT and was told my vocal chords are slamming shut. Please help. I was told by a speach therapist about some kind of exercise that involves holding your breath. Never heard of that. My creativity and happiness is severly affected. I'm on disability for depression and music is what I do best and the best way to get back on my feet. I'm a guitarist first and it took me over a year to be able to play and sing. I have original material I want to record and so forth. I got down being able to play and sing between 81 to 82. That was around 35 years ago. I have had this problem since August 4th, 2014. Someone please help. Thanks
*****
Dr. Dan, thank you very much. I will try anything that can help. I have seen some videos where people have said not to talk at all from 3 days to 10. I never have done that since the incidence that messed up my voice. Before doing the exercises for the possible Dysphonia. The ENT never gave it a name by the way but I was scoped. Just said vocal chords are slamming shut. That is in the report. I have an understanding of medical terminology. I worked 2 years in Radiology at a local hospital back in the 80's. Please respond back to let me know if I should go on complete vocal rest. One has to prepare oneself for that. I already have a day (Next Saturday April 16th) picked out to do so. That gives me a week to get my affairs in order before I shut up. Lol. And I can talk. Please stay in contact with me. I will keep you posted. This is not going to beat me. Just as I hope to for the sake of others be successful in music. So I can have a live for myself and help those who are truly in need. Until later, Cheers and God bless. TS.
How is it possible that if I wake up that I can't get the high note's
EyedWeevil i think because at the morning your voice isnt warmed up, its dry and also can have mucus on your vocal chords
Sing lower register in the mornings and higher at nights
But I can 😂😂 How? I hit B6s even in the morning
Take care of you ears....
Me: turning my headphones down 1 notch immediately...lol
Great advices :)
:) Polishing up on my vocals as i have my solo record recordings are coming up. Been raspy lately, subscribed to your channel :)
What about us singers who sing both classical and hard rock? There are many symphonic rock and metal vocalists out there who need to train on both spectrums and have been classically trained. I love the versatility of it, but sometimes fear I'm wrecking one for the other. No lesions as of today though.
My voice is damage by shouting what I have do
Stop shouting.
Everytime I hear somebody talk about the things a singer should never do I can't help but think about how a lot of the greats did all of those things in excess
is screaming (metal) kill my voice?
Dr Dan's Voice Essentials thank you for the reply doc!! Any crucial tips??
Dr Dan's Voice Essentials i have it!! thanks alott!!
Not if you do it right
Go to Vokill Academy
It’s on RUclips as well
I got the dudes book, it was great
If you use false chords it will not.
I used to have a really high voice.
I was 1st place in a competition singing Evanescence's Bring Me to Life in a female key back in 2012 and I hit every single note.
My aunt persuaded me to join singing competitions, but I was too shy.
I regret that. I miss my voice.
Start singing again, Benjo!
I will. Though my range massively changed, I'll cope with it and try songs suitable for my range. Thanks for the video btw.
Dr Dan sir does masturbations affect singing
Dr Dan's Voice Essentials hahaha
sunil deshpande well at least I know
in my own experiment , masturbation does really affect our voice. hence, you loose muscles and cant build muscles in your body properly when you continue fapping and we knew that singing otherwise needs to build up muscles to make it natural in your instrument(body) . wise technique for successful singing.however this is my own observation .and i think i found some articles that supports this theory.
jayr ludovice in your own experience.....
Haha hahaha lol
Dr, your suggestion about getting an appropriate teacher makes sense, i.e, if you sing rock, get a rock teacher as a classical training can damage your voice. However, how would you know what genre your voice is appropriate for in the first place?
Focus on learning and singing the type of songs/genres that you love to listen to.