Here’s a trick to help you know what you really sound like…

Not being able to tell how you sound can be a big problem for beginning singers. You don’t want to sing loud because you’re not sure you’re singing the right notes, but without singing loud you can’t hear yourself at all — which makes it more likely that you’re singing off-key! What do you do…?

This little trick really helps…

Cup your fingers over the back of your ear and aim the heel of your hand towards your mouth (like the announcer from the show, “Laugh-In” — you have to be old like me to remember that one!). You will be shooting your voice right into your own ear. If you don’t want to sing loud but you’re having trouble hearing yourself this is a great little trick. Fool around with the exact placement of your fingers in relation to your ear, and your hand to your mouth for the best results. This works a little differently for each person.

Note: My only rule is this:
Promise me that if you’re sitting next to someone you will explain to them that the reason you’re doing this is to hear yourself better — NOT because you’re trying to block them out because their singing is bad! The LAST thing we want to do is create more insecure singers — OK? Thanks!