Last updated: April 2026
To sing a capella is a true test for all singers since it requires the ability to sing correctly on key without any backup track or instrument. It has grown in popularity over the years, from the award-winning group Pentatonix to the box office hits of the Pitch Perfect films, inspiring singers from all over the globe who want to demonstrate their ability to sing without accompaniment.
It is beneficial for any singer to be able to sing well at a capella, since on auditions you can’t always rely on having a track or accompanist there to play your piece.
However, the proper training necessary in order to sing a capella well is difficult and requires a lot of hard work. A capella singing is considered to be one of the most challenging types of singing.
What Is A Cappella Singing?
The term “a cappella” comes from Italian, meaning “in the manner of the chapel.” It refers to singing without any instrumental accompaniment, relying entirely on the human voice to create melody, harmony, rhythm, and even percussive effects. While its roots lie in sacred church music, from Gregorian chant through to Renaissance polyphony, a cappella has evolved into a diverse art form spanning many genres and styles.
Today, a cappella encompasses a wide range of styles. Barbershop quartets, known for their close four-part harmonies, have been popular since the early 20th century. Doo-wop groups brought vocal harmony into mainstream pop music in the 1950s. Contemporary a cappella groups like Pentatonix and Voces8 push the boundaries further, incorporating vocal percussion (beatboxing), layered harmonies, and complex arrangements that rival full band productions. If you are looking to hire a choir or vocal group for an event, there are many talented ensembles performing in this tradition.
Sing, Sing, and Sing Some More
First of all, sing as much as you possibly can. The only way that you’ll get better at your singing is if you are continually practicing to make it better, so singing as much as you can is important. You need to train your muscles to match pitch correctly and learn how to blend when singing with others.
Some easy ways you can do this is to join a local church choir, participate in community musical theater productions, or even find a local singing group to join if you’re able. Though these activities aren’t specific for singing a capella, it will still provide significant training for your vocal skills.
You’ll learn how to listen to others when singing, and work on other aspects including your pitch, tone, rhythm, and intonation on a daily or weekly basis. Keep in mind that warming up your voice is an essential exercise before singing, so don’t forget to do this every day as well.
Breathing and Vocal Warm-Up Techniques
Before you start any a cappella practice session, proper warm-up exercises are essential for protecting your voice and improving your performance. Diaphragmatic breathing is the foundation of strong a cappella singing. Practice breathing deeply into your belly rather than your chest, which gives you better breath control and the ability to sustain longer phrases without running out of air.
Some effective warm-up exercises include humming scales to gently engage your vocal cords, lip trills (blowing air through loosely closed lips while humming) to relax tension, and siren exercises where you slide smoothly from your lowest to your highest note. These exercises help you find your range and get your voice ready for the demands of singing without instrumental support. For more advice on looking after your voice long-term, read our guide to preserving your singing voice.
Expand Your Music Theory
Work with a local music teacher, or take some voice lessons from someone who can introduce you to learning music theory.
As a singer, you should already have an idea of theory terms like voice leading, scales, key signatures, and vocal timbre. Theory should be helping you to expand your horizons and learn more in-depth musical knowledge.
Soak in as much information about theory as you can, especially anything in regards to singing a capella. Learn the chords and intervals, and apply them to your singing endeavors.
It may even help you to apply new and innovative music techniques such as Throga (throat yoga) to further your singing knowledge and ability.
Throga is a concept in vocal development that anyone with the ability to speak has the ability to sing, and examines closely the 7 dimensions of singing including areas like flexibility, range, articulation, and provides some great exercises to benefit your voice to achieve your best potential as a singer. It even showcases a vocal vocabulary that explains part of your anatomy essential to your voice.
Arrange Music
If you don’t know how to arrange music then you should learn, and quickly! The talent of arranging music will aid you in creating your own a capella pieces, which attributes to your creative talent and can land you more opportunities to sing.
Pick songs you really love and can sing well and find new and different ways to showcase them. Take some time to study professional a capella pieces and other arrangements of well-known songs.
Learn how to distinguish which pieces are good and which ones aren’t, so when you arrange your own pieces you can follow the proper guidelines.
Train your Ear
Working on your listening and tuning your ear is “arguably the most important part of learning how to sing a capella,” according to Tracy Reina, the founder of Music To Your Home singing lessons. You’ll need to learn to detect proper pitch and tone simply by listening. One of the best exercises that you can do to help train your ear is as follows:
- Pick a standard well-known short song (like “Happy Birthday” or “Amazing Grace”)
- If you can play, pick out the notes of the melody on your piano, guitar, etc. so you can sing along in the correct key/pitch. Practice this many times. (If you don’t play an instrument, you can use a track.)
- Once you get to the point where you are comfortable enough singing the melody, start practicing it singing a few notes at a time, while checking yourself against your instrument to be sure you’re hitting the right notes as you go.
- After you go through note by note, try singing through the song a capella a few times, and record yourself doing so, then you can go back and check your pitch and identify any spots or areas you need to fix. Take some time to focus on your improvement areas and only sing those spots to be sure you are on track.
- Repeat these steps as many times as you need, or find new songs to practice doing this with to continually improve your abilities. You can even use some helpful apps for your ear training, such as Complete Ear Trainer or Good Ear Pro, so be sure to utilize every resource you can to assist you.
Benefits of Singing A Cappella
Training to sing a cappella does not just make you a better unaccompanied singer – it strengthens your overall musicianship in ways that benefit every aspect of your singing career. Without instruments to lean on, your ear develops sharper pitch accuracy and a deeper sensitivity to harmony and tuning. You also become a better listener, learning to blend your voice seamlessly with others in a group setting.
A cappella singing also builds confidence. If you can hold your own vocally without any accompaniment, performing with a band or backing track will feel much easier by comparison. Many professional wedding singers and session vocalists credit a cappella training with giving them the vocal control and stage confidence they rely on in their careers. Beyond the technical benefits, singing a cappella in a group is a rewarding social experience that can reduce stress and build strong connections with fellow musicians. It is also worth being mindful of what you drink before singing, as hydration and vocal care go hand in hand with good practice habits.
Get Your Group Together
When you’ve accomplished feeling like you got the hang of a capella, it’s time for you to find a group to join or maybe even start one of your own.
If you can find a capella competitions to enter your group into, it’s a great way to put your talent to the test. The a capella circuit is a competitive market, so be willing to put in the work if you hope to succeed.
Looking for an online music teacher? Check out Music Tutors Online.
If you are looking to hire a singer or vocalist for your event, browse our directory of talented performers available across the UK.
