How To Set And SMASH Your Singing Goals

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Knowing how to set and smash your singing goals is an essential skill for every singer that is serious about their vocal development.

(updated 24th June 2023)

As a singer and a vocal coach working with emerging and established artists, I use my singing and performance confidence framework as part of the cyclical seasons that are the vocal development journey.

The stages are:

• Prepare
• Practice
• Polish
• Perform

So where should you begin when setting singing goals? I suggest starting with the end goal in mind.

In this video, see how to set your singing goals for each stage of the vocal development cycle:

• 00:03 – Singing and Performance Confidence Framework
• 00:24 – Set a Performance Goal
• 01:54 – Set a Polish Goal
• 04:17 – Set a Practice Goal
• 06:40 – Set a Prepare Goal
• 10:05 – Examples of Singing Goals
• 10:34 – Singing Goal Timeline
• 10:43 – How to Smash Your Singing Goals Faster!

How To Set And SMASH Your Singing Goals – PERFORM

I believe the primary singing goal should always be performance.

Depending on where you are in your journey, performance opportunities will vary.

However, you can create your own opportunities to ensure you are crafting within a performance element and connecting consistently with your audience.

Whether it’s a livestream, an open mic night, a pre-recorded video for Youtube, recording in the studio for a single/EP/album, busking, a live house concert or a gig as a supporting or featured act at a venue.

Select a pre-determined date and then reverse engineer towards the performance.

How long will your slot or set be? This determines how many songs you need to prepare.

In an ideal world, if I am learning a new song, I like to allow a month to take a deep dive into all the performance elements.

Perform your song(s) to create what I call a singing “before video”. Watch back and constructively critique yourself. This can also help you to see what you need to focus on.

PERFORMANCE GOAL EXAMPLE:  

Set a date at least 3 months in the future to do any kind of performance. Create your own performance opportunities if needed.

Video yourself performing a song and jot down three things you love about your voice and three things you want to work on. These then become your vocal goals.

The next step is polishing.

How To Set And SMASH Your Singing Goals – POLISH

This phase consists of focussed rehearsal time. If you have a gig in 90 days, you would want to be at the polish stage by month 2 or day 60. That’s when you schedule and book rehearsal space if working with a band or just for yourself.

You are bringing a lot of the pieces of the performance puzzle together so that is your deadline for knowing the music front to back, connecting with your personnel, finalising the performance and production elements like studio the, live-streaming gear, house concert info, tech riders, costuming etc.

This time is all for polishing your performance. Ideally you are recording your rehearsals, watching back and tweaking things to work on at your next rehearsal. 

Within this Polish time, the process I use is called a song study. My song study method involves breaking down a song and spotlighting every component like breath management, the key of the song and voice qualities I want to use for storytelling.

The song study method is also a part of my Practice Plan.

POLISH GOAL EXAMPLE:

Video yourself performing your songs/set.

Watch back and decide what you would like to practice or polish before your next rehearsal.

Need help? Get performance coaching or book a video performance review with me.

How To Set And SMASH Your Singing Goals – PRACTICE

This is where you are strengthening and developing all areas of your voice with a focussed practice plan.

Decide how many times a week you can or want to practice based on your voice fitness and want you are working towards.

Like the gym, you want to work up to improve vocal stamina through practice.

This is when you focus on your vocal goals. 

PRACTICE GOAL EXAMPLE:

Practice 3- 5 x per week for 15-60 minutes. Use my template to see how to lay out an ideal practice plan.

And then we move onto next phase of PREPARE.

How To Set And SMASH Your Singing Goals – PREPARE

This is all about looking after your voice every day and checking in with your overall wellbeing so that your vocal health is a priority.

The Daily Vocal Care Habits I focus on are Sirens, Singers Stretches and Speaking Voice Mindfulness. 

You can review all aspects of nurturing your voice and wellbeing with my vocal health tips for singers guide.

PREPARE GOAL EXAMPLE

Maintain your daily vocal care habits for 80% of your week.

Check in with any medications or nutrition elements that may be impacting your voice.

See your medical professional for a vocal check-up if you need help.

What are some singing technique goals?

A goal for your voice might be to extend your range, to be able to control your vibrato or create vibrato, develop your vocal stamina and your vocal agility.

However, it’s essential to focus on one thing at a time when you’re practicing.

My ongoing vocal goal currently is to stay consistent with my daily care habits.

Once you have set your goals, use a vocal journal to can track your progress and you can also continue to video record and review yourself as you move towards your performance date.

Recording yourself is the best way to monitor your progress.

By watching yourself back and seeing a before and after video of how you were when you started singing a particular song or working on a specific technique can show how you’ve improved over a period of focussed practice.

Create new singing goals each quarter, review them weekly and let me know over the next 30-90 days what kind of improvements you see.

90 days is an excellent time frame for reassessing goals for your voice and overall vocal development.

Share your singing goals in the comments below!

Cherie