How to Have a Soft Voice When Singing

Do you long for gentle vocals but find you just end up sounding too quiet?

On this page, from River Recording Studios in Southampton

Learn how to have a soft voice when singing through exercises, techniques and even some quick shortcuts. There are many famous recording artists renowned for their beautiful, understated voices – like Birdy and Billie Eilish – and you could be one of them.

Read on to discover the tools you’ll need to move between soft and powerful sounds.

How to have a soft voice when singing

The soft tone is actually one of the easier vocal techniques to learn. Once you’ve mastered it, it’s also easier on your voice and requires far less physical energy and muscle than a ‘big’ sound. The caveat to this is that singing high notes is much easier to do loudly than softly. But soft songs and a gentle approach are generally more comfortable.

If you have an ethereal type of branding as an artist, singing with an airy voice is ideal. Some of this effect can be added at the mixing and mastering stage. But by following the tips and exercises we’ll reveal in this article, you can develop a soft tone at the recording stage. Not only will this help you become a more versatile musician, but it’ll also enhance your sound.

What does it mean to have a soft singing voice?

Many contemporary artists are eschewing loud, belting vocals for a more gentle sound. Billie Eilish is a notable example, taking the industry by storm with her barely-there vocal approach. This style communicates either a laid back, uber-cool style or an appealing and relatable emotional vulnerability. It’s the opposite of a shouting, bellowing voice.

Certain songs will lend themselves to an airy sound. But you can achieve this quality of voice using a couple of techniques. It’s also important to eat well and drink plenty of fluids. This can guard against a harsh, throaty or hoarse tone.

Is it okay to have a soft singing voice?

Yes, although it could be you feel your singing voice is just too gentle. If you have a naturally soft voice, there can be an issue with producing enough volume. It could be your solution is as simple as getting a really good mic. This will be sufficient if you want to run with a soft, gentle sound, rather than singing more powerful or rocky tunes.

If however, you want to develop a bolder tone, you’ll need to work on projection. Some people just tend toward a softness naturally or don’t breathe deeply enough or sustain the release of breath, to support the volume. This can be worked on.

Next, we’ll take a look at how to sing softly and lightly and release any tension you may be holding.

How can I make my voice softer for singing?

Yawn. It’s impossible for your throat to be tense while you yawn. Note the feeling so you understand how a relaxed throat feels. It should be open and free with a slight lift in your soft palate. For a higher airy sound, you’ll need to lift your soft palate a bit while singing. For a lower soft, husky tone, the soft palate should be in a neutral position or slightly dropped.

Massage. We often hold the tension that arises from everyday life in our faces. But your facial muscles have an influence on your vocal resonance. So give them a good massage. You should also massage your throat and larynx area, but be very gentle in this area.

Pull faces. When you gurned as a kid, little did you know it was giving you a fantastic facial workout? A limber face is a relaxed face, so give it a good old stretch. Stick out your tongue and wiggle it around. Give a big smile and a furrowed grimace. Look as surprised as you can. All these faces will help your muscles and the fascia surrounding them to chillax.

Trill your lips. By blowing through your lips and flapping them like a horse, you’ll eradicate any mouth tension.

Siren on an ng sound. This is one of the best vocal exercises you can do as it helps with range and warms you up safely. Practising the siren is especially important if you want to create that versatility between a louder, bolder sound and contrasting softness.

Hum. Another super safe way to warm up, humming apes the kind of quality you’re looking for in a soft tone and gets you used to sing without a tonne of volume.

How can I make my voice soft naturally?

The sigh is an excellent warm-up. It’s a bit like the siren in that it gets the voice moving safely. Try a big sigh from high to low, but add in some extra breathiness. This should help you channel the airy tone you desire.

One of the easiest ways to change your voice is to adapt your listening accordingly. While it’s true that we are all born with a natural voice – and that may or may not be soft – we can also work on what genetics has already provided. Some of our vocal styles are also learned behaviour. And this is why you may end up singing much liken the artists you listened to growing up, or like your peers.

There are many famous names sporting a softer sound. Emulating how they sing, can also be useful if you want to know how to get a soft singing voice. Not all soft singing voices sound the same, however. So identifying what kind of tone you’re aiming for will enable you to drill down into perfecting your sound. This list provides examples of a range of diverse vocals. Who’s most resonates with you? And which artist would you like to use as a singing role model?

Singers with airy voices

#1 Billie Eilish

The young vocalist uses a whisper technique to almost speak her dark pop lyrics.

#2 Birdy

Birdy’s vocal quality is velvety, rich and soft. This type of tone works well with airy love ballads.

#3 Ellie Goulding

Ellie is a singer who appears to have a naturally airy, high and very feminine voice. But she does bring more power into her songs when required. And she offers a lot of diversity through her songwriting, effects and vocals. This means she can transition between dance tracks and emotive love ditties such as this one.

#4 Enya

The Irish folk singer uses an exclusively soft tone, in an instrument-like way. Her floaty vocals blend seamlessly with the other sounds incorporated into the tracks.

#5 Celeste

Celeste has a deeper soft sound than some of the other ladies on the list. It’s a sultry, velvet tone that she mixes up with more power-driven segments to great effect.

#6 Sam Smith

Sam leads with his emotion and is a very expressive singer. So he uses both belt and soft techniques to communicate and effectively convey the feeling of the song.

Singers with soothing voices

#7 Chris Martin

Coldplay’s mellow sound has stood the test of time. And Chris Martin’s soft dulcet tones have had much to do with this.

#8 Eva Cassidy

Eva Cassidy had a knack for both covers and original tunes and proves how relaxing and moving it can be to listen to this type of sound.

#9 Tom Waites

Rock and folk genres often prefer a husky soft sound, as opposed to an airy soft tone. Tom Waites is a good example of this.

#10 Lana Del Ray

The songstress is known for her moody, melancholy tunes. These are well suited to an almost apathetic sounding couldn’t care vibe.

#11 Cigarettes After Sex

Cigarettes After Sex opts for a low, sexy vibe, a little like Celeste’s, but with a very simple minimal melody.

How to make your voice sound more attractive

A common issue with voices that sound unattractive or harsh, is a dull tone. If this is you, try raising your soft palate a little as if you’re about to yawn. Practice and vocal training make a huge difference in singing, in particular, breathing techniques. Eat well, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep as this also impact your sound.

Avoiding nasality, the enemy of a soft tone. You can test whether you have a nasal tone, by singing a note, then pinching your nose as you continue. If the pinch changes the tone and makes it tricky to sing, you have a nasal voice.

Soft singing songs

The right choice of repertoire can really help you out too. That’s not to say you can’t use a song that’s not and alter it to make it soft. In fact, this can be a very effective way to give an overused song a new take. You can also bring in contrast by using loud backing with a soft-toned vocal, or vice versa. But if you want to cover an existing gentle tune, here is a variety of suggestions old and new:

How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding
People Help the People by Birdy
Mad World by The Neon Crew
All of Me by John Legend
This Woman’s Work by Kate Bush
Thank You by Dido
Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
You’re Beautiful by James Blunt
This Wild Darkness by Moby
Ghost Towns by Radical Face
Brazen (Weep) by Skunk Anansie
Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish
Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy
Somewhere Only We Know by Lily Allen
Say Something by A Great Big World
Olsen Olsen by Sigur Rós

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive. There are many thousands of soft songs to choose from, or you can write your own. But it should give you some inspiration and a starting point.

How to make your voice sweet

Visualisation is a technique that’s useful both in life and in singing. It’s one of the simplest to master. The caveat being, you must suspend disbelief and just go with it. Your brain is a powerful tool and it will often do what you imagine. So think airy before you open your mouth. Imagine your voice floating and picture yourself as being totally relaxed, somewhere lovely (even if you’re not).

Now you know how to get a soft singing voice, you’ll have more options in terms of your style and this will bring more music opportunities. It’s helpful to have a clear idea of your branding as an artist as this will guide you on the kind of sound you should be working toward. You don’t want to limit yourself to soft singing if it doesn’t suit your genre. However, it’s an increasingly popular sound that’s well worth harnessing. Even if you do still want to belt now and again. And if you have a naturally gentle tone, see how you can use this to your advantage.