6 Practice Habits That Set Professional Singers Apart
Guest post by Matt Ramsey, founder Ramsey Voice Studio
As a voice teacher who's worked with over 2,000 in-person students - from beginners to advanced singers, and everything in between - I've noticed something fascinating:
It's not just raw talent that separates amateurs from the pros.
Of course, having natural talent will help you in any pursuit.
Just like learning to drive a car, swing a golf club or sink 3-pointers, learning how to sing is a skill that can be learned by practicing it.
And in my years of teaching, I’ve learned that what really sets professional singers apart is how they practice.
But here's the thing - these aren't just occasional good habits. They're daily rituals that have become second nature to professional vocalists.
The good news? These habits aren't secret, and they're not magic. They're practical, learnable approaches that any serious singer can adopt.
Today, I want to show you six practice habits that I consistently teach to my students throughout my teaching career.
Ready?
Let’s jump in…
Habit #1: Pro Singers Have a Daily Warm-Up Ritual
You might think professional singers, with their years of experience, would be tempted to jump straight into singing songs.
You may even be tempted to try this as you teach yourself to sing.
After all, the pros have mastered the basics, right?
Wrong.
If anything, professional singers are more committed to their vocal warm-up routines than beginners.
But even if you’re not sure which singing technique or vocal warmups to practice, the important thing is this:
Find a daily vocal practice routine and incorporate it into your daily life.
You might think that you need to find a private studio space or soundproof your garage to practice your singing.
Instead, try to find ways of sneaking in your vocal routine while doing other tasks: like singing while you drive, or while you wash the dishes.
The idea is simple:
Sing every day - no matter where you are. After all, if you think that the stars have to be aligned to have good vocal practice, you won’t make it a routine.
It’s also worth noting how a pro’s vocal warmup differs from an amateur's.
Rather than just practicing a random vocal warmup they find on YouTube, a professional’s vocal warmup is strategic. A pro's warm-up isn't just about going through the motions of scales and arpeggios.
They also actively listen for:
- Their pitch - just like tuning a guitar before you play, vocalists have to listen to their pitch and attune their ear to what their vocal cords produce.
- Their breath support - making sure to take deep low breaths from the belly before they sing every line or exercise
- Their vocal registers - a pro singer learns how to hit high notes by practicing in the bottom (the chest voice), the top (the head voice) and the blend between the two (the mixed voice).
- Their tone - how their vocal tone or timbre is sounding today, always striving for a bright clear sound
- Any tension or fatigue
(Note: Learning to sing in chest voice, head voice and mixed voice are ALL some traits that great singers share)
Based on what they’re hearing, pro singers adjust their practice plan based on what they discover during their warm-up.
If they notice their mixed voice isn't transitioning smoothly that day, they'll incorporate specific exercises to address it before moving on to their repertoire.
Habit #2: Pro Singers Practice in Focused, Time-Blocked Sessions
Before we get into how pro singers practice, here’s what not to do:
Don’t waste 3 hours meandering through songs while checking your phone between verses!
Instead, pro singers understand that quality trumps quantity every time.
Rather than marathon practice sessions, pro singers use focused time blocks - usually 30-45 minutes (never longer than an hour) - with clear objectives for each block.
For example:
- They set specific goals for each session ("Today I'm working on that darn A4 note in the bridge of Song X")
- They eliminate distractions (phones go into airplane mode, notifications are turned off)
- They take strategic “micro-rest” breaks to prevent vocal fatigue and maintain mental focus
- They track their progress using a practice journal (I have a fantastic vocal practice journal which you can download here).
Think about it this way: would you rather practice for three unfocused hours, building bad habits along the way, or spend 45 focused minutes making real progress?
Professional singers choose the latter, every single time.
Habit #3: Pro Singers Record and Analyze Their Practice Sessions
Here's the truth:
How you sound to yourself is completely different from how you sound to others.
That’s because you’re listening to the sound of your voice through layers of flesh, blood and bone, combined with the acoustics of the room you’re in.
Professional singers not only accept this reality - they embrace it.
That’s why pro singers regularly record their practice sessions.
But here's the key difference:
They don't just record their performances - they also listen back to their recordings, actively noting what needs work.
Professional singers use recording as a practice tool in several ways:
- They record warm-ups to check for consistent tone quality
- They compare multiple takes of the same phrase to fine-tune their performance
- They make notes about specific areas that need work
- They track their progress over time by maintaining an archive of their practice recordings
Most importantly, they've learned to listen to their recordings objectively.
They're not beating themselves up over every imperfection - they're taking a mental inventory of what to work on for their next practice session.
Habit #4: Pro Singers Practice What They Hate
This is a big one!
Let's be honest: every vocalist has aspects of their singing technique they’d rather avoid.
Maybe it's those pesky vocal runs, or perhaps it's sustaining notes in your head voice.
Whatever it is, professional singers have learned to actively work on what’s not working.
A personal fitness trainer once told me to take my least favorite exercise, and make it my favorite (for me it was doing reverse lunges - those suckers hurt!).
The point is simple:
There’s probably a reason you avoid doing certain exercises or skip working in difficult sections in your voice. It’s because, deep down, you know they need work!
Professional singers deliberately seek out their weak spots and make them a regular part of their practice routine.
They know that avoiding weaknesses doesn't make them disappear - it only makes them more obvious when it matters most (during a performance).
This might mean:
- Spending extra time on exercises that challenge their least comfortable register
- Working specifically on styles that don't come naturally to them
- Practicing difficult intervallic jumps they tend to avoid
- Focusing on aspects of their technique that have received criticism in the past
The key isn't only practicing these challenging areas - it's approaching them with curiosity rather than frustration.
Here’s the key difference:
Professionals view their weaknesses as opportunities for growth rather than permanent limitations.
After all, how can you become a better singer if you only work on the parts of your voice that are already performing well?
Habit #5: Pros Practice Performance, Not Just Singing
Have you ever noticed how some singers can sing amazingly well in private, but the minute they step on stage, they fall apart?
The truth is that pro singers practice performance, not just singing.
This way, the moment they step on stage, they’re ready to focus and be present in the moment.
That's not an accident or natural talent - it's deliberate practice.
Professional singers understand that performing is a separate skill from singing, and they practice it accordingly.
They don't wait for performance opportunities to work on their stage presence.
This means:
- They practice as if they’re on stage performing, even when alone
- They use mirrors or video to work on their stage presence
- They rehearse their setlist, knowing how and when to introduce each song or engage the audience
- They practice recovering from mistakes without stopping mid-song
This kind of practice builds what I call "performance muscle memory" - the ability to maintain technique while engaging with an audience, handling unexpected situations, and delivering a compelling show.
Give it a try the next time you do your vocal routine!
Habit #6: They Cross-Train with Other Musical Skills
Professional singers know that being a great vocalist isn't just about having a great voice.
They understand that developing their musicianship makes them both better singers and more valuable performers.
This cross-training might include: [add link to other internal post]
- Learning another instrument (such as guitar or piano) to help with their overall musicianship and understanding of music theory
- Studying music theory to better understand the patterns within music and communicate it with members of the band
- Learning to read music to speed up the learning process for new material
- Developing basic understanding of keys and vocal range to customize songs for their voice
These complementary skills don't just make them better musicians - they make them more self-sufficient artists who can take control of their own development.
A great place to start is by finding your vocal range. I’ve developed a free vocal range test which you can use to find your range in just 6 seconds.
Once you know your range, you will be able to choose sheet music and songs which fit this vocal range exactly!
Set Yourself Apart From Other Vocalists!
The good news about these six habits is that they're all learnable skills.
You don't need to be born with them, and you don't need to implement them all at once.
Start by choosing one of these habits to focus on for the next month.
Maybe begin with a daily vocal routine or recording your practice sessions.
Then as each habit becomes natural, add another to your routine.
Before you know it, you’ll be a professional singing machine!
Remember, what sets professional singers apart isn't some magical innate ability - it's their approach to practice.
By adopting these habits, you're not just practicing more effectively; you're practicing like a professional.
Want to start implementing these habits?
Download some new sheet music from Musicnotes.com and begin applying these professional practice techniques to your next practice session!
About the Author:
Matt Ramsey founded Ramsey Voice Studio in Austin, TX in 2012. Since then, he has worked with over 2,000 students in discovering and developing voices in nearly every genre of music. From rock to pop, jazz to musical theater, Matt believes his training and world class vocal technique can help anyone achieve their goals. Matt’s writing on vocal technique has been published in CD Baby, The Guitar Journal, DiscMakers, Music Notes and many more.
Matt recently published a book entitled Master Your Voice: A Journey to Discover Your True Singing Voice, designed to help singers of any level find and improve their unique singing voice.