Or do you need a teacher?
I’ve been thinking of making 12 mp3 or midi files of separate tones playing continuously and trying to imitate them with my voice. What do you think of this?
I believe that it can be possible to learn to sing by yourself.
Some people sing without studying voice and do it very well.
If you have a lot of natural ability and coordination you may be able to teach yourself to a certain extent, although at a certain point one needs the ears of an expert. Finding this expert is the problem. Many people say that they are excellent voice teachers and are in reality quite incompetent.
>….making 12 mp3 or midi files of separate tones playing continuously and trying to imitate them with my voice.<
This might be an interesting experiment in ear training, but it would not be a good way to learn to sing and here is why:
1. While you have the right idea that listening is very important, the concept of "imitating" is wrong from the start.
The voice is produced INSIDE the body and it is stimulated by INTERNAL listening, not external. While you might sing the proper pitch when you hear it, you may be tensing muscles in order to imitate the sound you are hearing.
2. Attempting to produce a sound, in other words, to "make" your voice (say, by imitating the sound of a midi file or the vocal quality of some singer you might really like) is incorrect and will always involve some sort of forcing. This can not only block your natural voice from coming out, it can be potentially dangerous to the vocal organ.
Listening is a very good thing to do, of course. Quiet, mindful listening is an excellent way to develop sensitivity to intonation, modulation and nuance.
But learning to sing involves more than reproducing a series of tones that you hear.
Some guidelines I would suggest:
1. For the reasons already stated above, do not record your voice and then try to "sound like" what you think is good.
2. Don’t try to sound like someone else, no matter who that person is.
3. Don’t trust dvds or other learning media and never go in for
programs that offer instant vocal achievement.
4. Beware of anyone or any program that promises that your voice will increase in size or become more "powerful" . Likewise do not trust anyone who claims that you will "build strength" or "build your breath support" or "stretch your range" with their method. This is absolutely wrong.
5. Beware of anyone who claims that a ‘famous’ singer used their method. This might even be true but it is usually not meaningful because many people achieve "fame" but this does not mean that they are the best or even that they actually know what they are doing with their voices!
6. Computer programs can’t teach voice.
7. Whether working alone or with a teacher, you should NEVER get a tired throat or voice from singing, nor should you have pain anywhere: throat, jaws, tongue, neck, etc. Your voice should never become even slightly raspy when you sing. You should NEVER lose your voice.
IF you do decide to see a teacher, ask many, many questions.
i suggest that you visit the site of New Voice Studio Italia: http://www.newvoicestudioitalia.com/english/start_en.htm
(this is the singers’ section). This is a very serious website dedicated to the artistic and professional voice.
Best of luck!