Elevating Your Singing: The Difference Between Good and Great

If you think talent alone is enough to make you a great singer, think again. The best singers—whether in pop, rock, Broadway, or gospel—never stop improving. The truth is, if you're not actively working on your voice, you're not staying the same—you’re getting worse.

Elite athletes train with experts because raw talent only takes them so far. Quarterbacks work with specialized trainers and coaches. Runners work with speed specialists. And the best singers? They train with vocal experts who help them refine their technique, extend their vocal endurance, and develop artistry that connects with audiences.

Step 1: Talent Is Just the Starting Line

Having a natural voice is great, but singing well is a skill—and like any skill, it needs training. No matter how good you are now, there are techniques, habits, and strategies that will make you stronger and more consistent. The elite singers who last—on Broadway, in recording studios, in touring—aren’t just gifted. They’re trained, disciplined, and always learning.

Step 2: Work with a Voice Expert and a Performance Coach

A voice expert refines the mechanics. They help prevent strain, strengthen stamina, and refine technique so your voice stays strong for years. A performance coach strengthens your stage presence, interpretations and connection with the audience. They help develop you develop a unique style, phrasing, emotional delivery, and confidence so your audience connects with you deeply. Few coaches combine both disciplines, but the rare individual who excels in both can push you to a level you didn’t think was possible. Elite performers train like athletes. If your voice is your instrument, why wouldn’t you train it like a pro musician or athlete?

Step 3: Stop Making Excuses and Get to Work

The biggest mistake singers make is thinking they are so great that they don’t need coaching or hard work. That attitude is how good singers stay average instead of becoming elite. The best voices in the world don’t just rely on talent—they commit to training, refining, and pushing their limits.

If you’re serious about singing, find a coach who will elevate your voice, not just maintain it. The difference between being pretty good and elite comes down to how hard you’re willing to work. Are you ready to step up?

RiverSong Reflections

~Patrick Cunningham