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When you hear someone say sing gospel songs, the first thing that you probably think of is Andrae Crouch or the great Mahalia Jackson. If you ever heard those persons, you’ll know the power and beauty of their voices in singing gospel songs augmented by their energy and expression of performance.

If gospel songs can be so powerful, why do they fall flat when the average church choir attempts them? To sing gospel music, you need a different mindset and different techniques than traditional, classical church music.

Gospel music arose from the Negro spirituals of the American South in the mid-to-late 19th century. African slaves are forbidden by law or by their master to become literate and they were taught to be repetitive like call-and-response songs in the Christian faith.

In a call-and-response song, a leader sings a line or phrase and the group repeats it back. There is usually a refrain or chorus that is sung by everyone. These kind of songs are structured simply, lyrics are repetitive and the emotions are always heartfelt.

Compare that to the classic hymns by such writers as Charles Wesley or Isaac Watts. Though beautiful, the lyric isn’t repetitive and there are multiple verses. You have to be able to read to sing them. Far too many choirs and congregations deliver them with little to no emotion. In some churches, there is a general belief that too much emotion is inappropriate or unseemly.

“Make a Joyful noise unto the Lord!”, that’s usually the mindset to sing gospel songs. Relax, unleash, and have fun! That doesn’t mean you should ignore vocal technique, however. Some believe that, after opera, gospel is the most difficult and demanding type of music to sing.

Singing gospel well requires a powerful voice and very strong breath support. These songs has long, emotional and dramatic phrasing. These type of songs tells a story, and in order to convey it truly you need to let it inside and feel it, believe it. If you’re not authentic, your listeners will be able to tell it.

If you plan and want to sing gospel, work on supporting and controlling your breath. That’s the first important step. A good way to achieve that is the Fontanelli exercise (named for the person who developed it). Stand with good posture and slowly breathe in through your mouth while mentally counting to four, then exhale slowly to another count of four, trying to expel all of the air you took in. Watch yourself in a full-length mirror to make sure you fully expand your midsection, and try to maintain that expansion while exhaling.

When you can easily do the exercise to a count of four, increase the count to five, then six, and so on. When you work up to seven or eight, add a hold phase. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and exhale to a count of four. Watch to make sure you achieve and maintain good expansion. Gradually increase the count.

Dynamics is the next thing that you must work on. Messa Di Voce is a good exercise for dynamics (Italian word for “Placement of Voice”). Sing a comfortable pitch in the middle of your range after taking a good, well-supported breath. While sustaining the pitch, start very softly and gradually get louder, then gradually get softer again.

To work on expression, study the text of your song. Try reading it aloud as if it were a poem or story, then try to sing it with the same expression you used in speaking it. Watch videos of great gospel singers, such as Mahalia Jackson (there are several on YouTube).

The words are paramount when you sing gospel. These kind of songs teach people who cannot read to understand the text of the songs. Enunciate your words as clearly as you can. Again, watching videos will be helpful.

Above all, have fun! More than anything else, gospel music is JOYFUL. Sing it like you really mean it.

There are tons more info and tips on how toSing Gospel, increase vocal range, hit high notes and more at http://www.singingbasics.com/! Check it out Now!