Can Everyone Sing?

We tend to perceive the ability to sing as an innate ability rather than a honed skill. The probing question remains: is everyone capable of singing well? According to a Canadian study, roughly 98.5% of the population can learn to sing while the remaining 1.5% are barred by congenital amusia, difficulty differentiating between pitches, tones, and rhythms. 

Although vocals are partially genetic, growing up with a musical background tends to correlate with strong singers and confident vocals. Many people who find singing difficult attempt to sing with their “talking voices” which are lower and more limited than a singing voice. Learning to sing is not an innate ability but rather learned through relaxing the vocal mechanism. 

To sing, your abdominal muscles need to push air through the trachea and control the air pressure in your lungs. As air passes through the trachea(during the exhalation of air in the lungs), the vocal folds produce sound and vibrate. The rate the vocal cords vibrate determines the pitch.

As it is crucial to control your breaths and reach the full extent of a wind instrument, proper breathing technique is essential to sing. To reach the full potential of your vocal chords, practice breathing exercises with proper posture. The joint between your top vertebrae and skull, called the atlanto-occipital joint, should be orientated in such a way that you look forward. Pace yourself. Inhale for 4 seconds. Exhale for 4 seconds. Inhale for 8 seconds. Exhale for 8 seconds. Inhale for 16 seconds. Exhale for 16 seconds. Breathing exercises increase your breathing capacity while rationing the air in your diaphragm—essential for phrasing. 

Singing also has health benefits. With increased lung capacity and breathing control, singing greatly improves heart health and may strengthen the immune response. It releases oxytocin, elevating your mood and reducing pain. Sing confidently because progress is more valuable than perfection. 

Resources

Can anyone learn to sing? For most of us, the answer is yes.” 13 May. 2018,  https://theconversation.com/can-anyone-learn-to-sing-for-most-of-us-the-answer-is-yes-94414.

“Probing Question: Can anyone be taught how to sing? | Penn State ….” 20 Jul. 2012, https://news.psu.edu/story/141974/2012/07/20/research/probing-question-can-anyone-be-taught-how-sing. 

“Can Anyone Learn to Sing? (MYTH or FACT) – Music Grotto.” 7 Apr. 2021, https://www.musicgrotto.com/can-anyone-learn-to-sing/.