Recently, I realized that Beer Pong and singing (at least its pitch-accurate aspect) have a lot in common. They both require the same kind of discipline to master, and effective practice techniques are nearly identical.

For those who don't know, Beer Pong is a game during which players toss ping pong balls the length of the table, and attempt to land them inside cups of beer. The challenge lies more in the distance than the side-to-side aim, since most American adults can throw a ball straight in front of them. Players can't, however, judge the air resistance of a ping pong ball compared to a weightier object, so their first throws usually fall short. Then, they overcorrect, and their throws land past the far edge of the table. Eventually, with enough disciplined practice, players can learn to control their throws enough to land the ball exactly in the cup.

Such is the case with singers too! The biggest difference between good and bad singers lies in the accuracy of pitch, and the ability to land large jumps on the correct pitch. Inexperienced singers frequently jump too short, for example to a 3rd or 4th instead of a 5th, and then they overcorrect by landing way sharper than their intended destination. After extensive practice and vocal training, however, (similar to training the muscles on your Beer Pong throwing arm), a singer can learn to accurately hit the destination pitch after every jump, like Aaron Mandel.

A note on practice techniques: Both Beer Pong and accurate singing can be practiced by starting with a smaller distance, and working up to your actual goal. Start with a 2-foot-wide table, for example, or learn to accurately sing 2nds or 3rds. Then, once you've mastered those levels, increase the distance a little. Make sure that you're completely comfortable with each level before proceeding, and feel free to bump down a level once in a while to ensure your confidence. Eventually, your arm or vocal chords will develop both the skill and the muscle memory to consistently land those wide intervals or aim the ball into the cup.