How to Learn New Songs

I go through this every time I get a new student - how to learn new songs.

It seems like it wouldn’t be that big of a lesson, like it wouldn’t be that game-changing for a new singer.

And yet, it is.

How to Learn a New Song Quickly and Improve Your Singing

Singers I’ve met over the years tend to go through the same process over and over again—without even thinking about it…

Listen and sing along.
Mostly, it's all about singing along, right? But here’s the thing: listening isn’t often a priority.

(Hmm… sounds about right, doesn’t it?)

If you want to up-level your singing like never before, you need to start learning new songs the right way.

New songs are being released all the time, and let’s face it—Taylor Swift isn’t slowing down anytime soon!

So if you can maximize your song-learning abilities, your voice will grow along with it.

If you're wondering how to learn a new song quickly and thoroughly, follow these steps:

1. Listen to the Song Several Times

Don’t just hum along or hear the chorus once and think you know it. You don’t.

Listen carefully, without singing along—even in your head! Focus on the song and absorb every detail.

Once you have a clear sense of where the melody is going, it’s time to start singing.

2. Isolate the Components: Rhythm, Pitch, and Text

To learn quickly, break it down into three parts: rhythm, pitch, and text.

Start by singing the melody on a “lululu” (no words, just vowel sounds). This will help you focus on rhythm and pitch. Keep your cheeks pinched as you do this—this helps build muscle memory, strength, and stability in your voice for the melody.

Remember: Singing involves many muscles, and they need time to develop consistency.

3. Refine with Vowels Before Consonants

Once you’re comfortable singing on the “lululu,” transition to singing the vowels of the words. No consonants, just vowels. This part may feel tedious, but it builds excellent technique for your voice.

When you can sing smoothly through the vowels and feel the movement of your tongue, it’s time to add the consonants. Think of them as the icing on the cake!

(My personal favorite is a homemade vanilla cake—succulent, not too sweet—just like a perfectly executed song.)

4. Review and Practice Often

Once you’ve been disciplined through this process, any song you sing will be nearly memorized! And let’s face it—most singers need to perform fully memorized songs.

But keep in mind: Learning is a process. Just because you’ve moved onto vowels doesn’t mean you won’t need to revisit your “lululu” phase later.

Some days, your voice will be in great shape, and you’ll belt out a song without any issues. But after a cold or a busy week, you may need to revisit your techniques to stay on track. And that's okay!

5. Be Patient and Consistent

Singing is a journey. You can’t force muscles to perform perfectly every time. Use these steps as a guide for learning new songs, and they’ll help you learn more quickly and efficiently.

No matter your age, style, or ability level, this method will help you sing better and faster.

Want to show off your progress? Tag me on Instagram when you work through these steps, and I’ll share and repost!