Mark Baxter has performed thousands of times and has coached singers who are household names around the world. He knows better than anyone what successful singers do to build and navigate a life as a performer. His top ten successful singer habits come from thousands of gigs and endless experience:
10. Breath through your nose. You can’t do this all the time, but you can do it as much as possible. Breathing through your mouth has a drying effect on your vocal folds, which can get in the way of efficient and easy vibration.
9. Stretch. Actually, lengthen is a better word. Great singers learn to release muscles as they sing. Releasing muscles aids in efficient posture, reducing tension, which leads to healthier, stronger vocal tone.
8. Be On Time – Heck be early even. There are lots of reasons why this simple habit helps you shine. Punctuality is a quiet way to communicate that you are a professional.
7. Be prepared – learn songs and develop skills at home, alone. Show up to rehearsals knowing your songs and ready to work on the presentation. Many singers rehearse the vocal and musical aspects of their show and then think they are ready to perform. They are forgetting about an important layer of their performance.
To learn all ten of Mark’s successful singer habits, listen to the complete episode above.
What is Sing Better?
Sing Better is the podcast that let’s you power up your vocal development with legendary vocal coach, Mark Baxter. Mark gives you the insight you need on becoming a singer, earning money, vocal health, gear and technique. In this season, Mark will cover performance anxiety, song arrangements, how to stand out as a singer, and all the best and worst singer habits as well as how to get your former glory back after a long break from singing.
Mark Baxter has worked as a coach with Aerosmith, Journey, Goo Goo Dolls — and many others. He is the author of The Rock-n-Roll Singer’s Survival Manual, creator of The Singer’s Toolbox instructional DVD, Sing Like an Idol instructional CD. Mark operates vocal studios in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and online via Skype.
