I often get very talented students who learn to sing with great technical ability, yet have no specific singing goals, no clear vision of what to do with these skills.

The world of singing is vast and how you wish to partake of this world will dictate the extra skills you will need to acquire.

Your singing goals may be modest or grand, professional or amateur, but a realistic appraisal of yourself and your abilities are key if you are to achieve them.

Varied Singing Goals

A list of singing goals could include:

  • School musicals or choirs
  • Singing at your place of worship
  • Professional session singer
  • Club or wedding band singer
  • Backup singer
  • Voice teacher or choir director
  • Broadway performer
  • Competition shows
  • Recording artist

There are certainly more to this list, but you get a good idea of the varied singing goals you can aspire to.

Skills Needed For Singing Goals

Here’s the tricky part – every singing goal requires different skills and experience.  Trying to just be a singer will lead you down a very bumpy road that will leave you ill-prepared for many situations.

The answer is to focus on no more than a few of these singing goals – gaining the skills and experience to excel in them.
For choir or backup singing – learning to blend your voice with others is vital.

  • Broadway performers need acting, auditioning skills and superior singing range.
  • Session singers must be able to sight read and learn material quickly.
  • Recording artists should be great songwriters and performers.
  • Competition shows require often powerful voices and on-camera charisma.
  • Club or wedding band singers need vocal stamina and an ability to imitate famous singers.

Finding Your Path

You get the idea – a clear path is important for you and no singer is able to do it all.  Decide what fits your personality and lifestyle best. If you don’t enjoy travel you may not wish to be a recording artist.  If  acting is also a passion you might want to focus on Musical Theatre.

Your choice of which school you attend, course of study or if you go to school at all will be affected by your singing goals.  Look at successful people in your chosen career and see how they got there, what they studied and even where they live and work.  Become a student of your specific singing career.

Choose your singing goals well,  design your path and you can achieve your vocal dreams.