I got into voice training when my youngest daughter was born. I couldn’t practice singing at home because she was sleeping a lot. But even if I could, I would be too shy to do it when my wife could hear me. For the longest time my car was the only place I could practice.
I found that practicing in the car is not ideal but it works. For many aspiring singers practicing in the car might be the best place to start singing. Just don’t do it while driving.
If you are like me, and the car is the only place where you can practice singing, here are some tips to make the most of your practice sessions.
But first… a word of warning..
Don’t practice while driving
Just to make sure, I am talking about practice as an exercise to learn and improve your singing skills, and not just feel-good-sing-along.
Real practice requires concentration. This is especially true for singing as there is host of fine motor skills involved.
It is nearly impossible to pay full attention to the road and practice your vocal technique at the same time. Even texting and driving won’t compare to it. It is risky. It is not safe! I don’t recommend doing it.
Also if you are really working your voice, you might get lightheaded. Again, not something you want to experience while driving.
Problems with practicing in the car
Practicing in the car is not just about safety. Even if you are not driving, practicing in the car is not ideal for a number of reasons.
I have to admit it that I learned these things the hard way. It set my learning back big time. Don’t repeat my mistakes!
Posture is compromised
It is most recommend to practice singing while standing with your head, neck, shoulders and the whole body in good alignment. Sitting upright on a chair is also acceptable.
When sitting in the car your posture is compromised big time. Because of the seat design it is nearly impossible to sit upright in the car. The head is typically way too far forward, and the chest is caved in.
As a result of bad posture, proper breathing and support are compromised as well. Because of that, it will be harder to engage correct muscles, and develop good technique.
Tensions and strain are unwelcomed singing companions of most untrained singers. These bad habits that are very hard to get rid of. And many of them start with poor posture.
I believe that is the reason good vocal teachers start their lesson with teaching proper posture. Good posture is what sets student up for success. Once your setup is good, your vocal machine can start working properly. Your voice will get stronger. And you will start making good progress.
I didn’t understand this for a very long time, so I didn’t take it seriously. I practiced singing in the car for several years without caring for my posture. No wonder my progress was very slow!
It is too easy to oversing
Another big problem with practicing in the car it is way too easy to oversing.
There is practically no reverb in the car, which means sound is not coming back to you as well as when you sing in a room or in a shower. As a result you don’t hear yourself very well.
Also you might be fighting outside noise.
It really doesn’t take much. Once you push your voice just a tad too hard, your throat starts feeling scratchy, and you get hoarse… Basically you can call it a day…
Again, this was the mistake I made for so long…
It is unlikely to cause any long term damage (unless you keep pushing through it) it will definitely set you back in your practice.
Distractions
Even though you are in your “private vocal booth” you are not completely isolated from the outside world. Unless your car has tinted windows or you are in the middle of nowhere, it is very likely that other people can see and even hear you.
Perhaps you are not as self-conscious as I am, but I really don’t want others seeing me in front of the wheel doing lip trills, and I certainly don’t want them to hear me.
Just the other day I was in my driveway and I decided to hit several G4s on an EE vowel. They came out loud and free. I was pretty happy about it. But then I noticed my neighbour standing on his driveway just a few feet away from my car. I am pretty sure he heard me…
How to practice singing in the car
Having said all that, I completely understand that you might not have any other choice. Your car might be the only place where you can get some alone time and sing your heart out.
Here are some tips to make the most of your practice.
1. Park the car in a quiet and distraction free place
Again, to make the most of your practice session, don’t do it while driving. Park the car so you can give your full attention to the practice.
Find a quiet place to park a car. It can be a distant corner of a parking lot, or an empty street. The less traffic there is the less distraction there will be.
Keep windows closed to keep the outside nose out and inside “noise” in.
2. Sit upright
It is unlikely that you can get to a perfect posture, but do your best.
Adjust your sitting position to get yourself as upright as you can. Make sure your spine is straight, chest is not caved in, and head is directly over the shoulders.
Check your posture and readjust frequently.
3. Don’t push your voice
This is by far the most important thing you can do! Start light and easy, and gradually increase your volume.
Pay attention to any discomfort in the throat. If you feel even just a tiny bit, STOP and rest for a few minutes. If it doesn’t go away after some time, call it a day, and give your voice a proper rest. You will not get too far if you keep pushing and abusing your voice.
And couple more tips to make the best use of your practice time:
- Have several short practice sessions throughout the day. I like to leave for work a bit earlier when I can, and spend 10-15 minutes practicing particular exercise or two. I’d do the same at lunch, and then after work.
- Plan what you are going to work on ahead of time
- Have a pitch reference handy: a pitch pipe, phone piano app, or an exercise CD work well
What you can do while driving
You might be pressed for time and unable to squeeze in focused practice sessions here and there. You might have a long boring commute to and from work. There are things you can practice to make the good use of the time you have in front of the wheel.
Like I said before, trying to learn new skills while driving is not a good idea. What you can do however, is use that commute time to work on strengthening skills you already have.
I find that this kind of practice doesn’t require as much focus and concentration. It can be done almost mindlessly.
Do simple scales and exercises (like sirens), or sing easy songs that you are well familiar with.
Some other ideas that might work for you:
- Actively listen to your favourite singers
- Sing along
- Sing harmony or improvise
- Have fun and experiment with your voice
In conclusion, it is not ideal to practice singing in the car especially while driving. But if you have no choice, there are ways to make it work. Just remember to stay safe!
