Quickstart: Your First 60 Seconds

Most singing apps greet you with a 20-field registration form before you even make a sound. We’d rather hear you sing.

When you install Time to Sing on iOS or Android, there are no mandatory account walls or credit card traps blocking the door. In under a minute, the app learns how you sing, tunes its exercise engine to your comfortable range, and hands you your first warmup.

Here is what happens during those first 60 seconds, why we ask what we ask, and how to get your microphone listening smoothly.

---

1. The 60-Second Setup: Why We Ask

Every voice is built differently. If you hand a bass an operatic soprano scale, they will strain their neck and quit in frustration. If you give a seasoned performer slow kindergarten whole notes, they will fall asleep.

The initial questionnaire takes about 30 seconds and configures three vital parameters behind the scenes:

Your Goal

Whether you want to prep backstage before a live gig, survive karaoke night without losing your voice, or build disciplined agility at home — your goal sets the rhythm of your daily recommendations.

Your Singing Level

We divide routines into Beginner, Intermediate, and Pro:

• Beginner: Slower tempos, clear reference tones, and gentle step-wise intervals so you build pitch confidence without muscle tension.
• Intermediate & Pro: Faster runs, wider octave leaps, blues scales, and agility drills designed to challenge your breath support and ear accuracy.

Your Practice Time & Daily Reminder

Singing once a month for two hours only produces hoarseness. Five to ten minutes every day builds muscle memory and real vocal stamina. Pick when you are naturally free — morning, afternoon, or evening. The app sets a gentle daily notification at that hour so your routine actually sticks.

---

2. Calibrating Your Voice: The 2-Note Check

Once your profile is set, the app needs to know where your vocal folds feel comfortable. We never want you straining for notes that are two octaves out of your comfort zone.

You have two simple ways to proceed:

1. Pick your voice manually: If you already sing in a choir or know your classification (Soprano, Alto, Contralto for higher registers; Tenor, Baritone, Bass for lower registers), simply tap your card and jump straight into training.
2. Take the 2-note microphone check: If you have never been classified or want the app to measure your exact tessitura, tap Check my voice.

How the Microphone Check Works

The check is not a singing exam. You do not need to perform an aria; you only need to produce two comfortable sounds:

1. Your Low Note: Tap Start and sing a relaxed, comfortable "Ah..." at the lower end of your normal speaking voice. Hold it steadily for two seconds.
2. Your High Note: Take an easy breath and sing a clear, comfortable high note — the highest pitch you can sustain smoothly without straining, flipping, or shouting. Hold it for two seconds.

Look closely at the circular arc on screen: the progress ring moves only while it detects clean voiced pitch. If you stop to breathe or clear your throat, the ring pauses and waits for you. As soon as both notes are locked in, Time to Sing determines your voice category and immediately preloads exercises keyed to your personal range.

---

3. What If Your Microphone Doesn't Cooperate?

Pitch detection needs clean, uninterrupted access to your device’s microphone. If the app remains silent or the arc does not respond to your voice, here is how to resolve it in seconds:

Scenario A: "Microphone Permission Denied"

When the app first opened the range check, iOS or Android asked for permission to access your microphone. If you tapped "Don't Allow" by accident:

• On iPhone / iPad: Open your phone's Settings → scroll down to Time to Sing → toggle Microphone to ON (green).
• On Android: Open your phone's Settings → tap Apps → Time to Sing → Permissions → Microphone → select Allow while using the app.

Switch back to Time to Sing, tap Check my voice, and the arc will start listening immediately.

Scenario B: You Are in a Noisy Room (Café, Train, Backstage)

The pitch tracker filters ambient sounds, but loud background music, coffee machines, or chatter can introduce stray frequencies that confuse pitch classification.

• Quick Fix: Do not stress about recalibrating in public. Simply select your best-guess voice type manually (e.g. Baritone or Alto). You will still get full access to every workout.
• When you are back in a quiet room or studio, open your Profile tab, tap Recalibrate Voice Range, and run the 2-note check in calm silence.

Scenario C: You Are Using Bluetooth Headphones

Certain Bluetooth earbuds introduce a slight audio processing delay (latency) or switch to low-quality mono hands-free mode when the microphone is engaged. For the most accurate pitch calibration and instant visual feedback, we recommend using your phone’s built-in microphone or wired headphones.

---

What’s Next?

With your range calibrated and your first warmup preloaded, you are ready to explore:

• Vocal Range Calibration in Depth — Learn how tessituras, comfortable boundaries, and voice groups work.
• Voice Tuner & Real-Time Pitch — See how the live piano roll and visualizer guide your pitch note by note.