If your answer is yes then you have come to the right place. Today we let you in on what to do whan you feel like you can’t take your voice any further yourself. This lesson outlines the standards you should expect from a vocal teacher AND what you will also be expected to do if you truly want to take your voice to the next level. So read on if you are motivated and inspired to become all you can be!
How do you reach the next level in your vocal technique and performance? Finding a decent vocal teacher.
You may wonder why this essonin the SINGORAMA newsletter series is about choosing a singing teacher…. Why would you need anyone to teach you about singing, when you’ve already read and practiced everything we have told you? Quite frankly, if you are serious about going further in your singing career, individual coaching is the way to go.
You may reach a point in your singing where you may find that you have particular problems not addressed in this book. You may feel stalled in connecting your head and chest voices, or you may want to move on to new material but don’t know where to go. You may have lost the initial impetus to practice and find that you let weeks go by with no vocal training.
A good voice teacher can help you with all that. The teacher can address your specific concerns, while providing an objective ear. He or she will have a wealth of background in other songs that may suit your style, in music resources, and in the local network of musicians and singers.
Finding a Singing Teacher
Selecting the right voice teacher should not be done haphazardly! Some singers actually have more problems with their voices after they’ve studied with a voice teacher for several years! This is because a voice teacher can pass on bad habits as well as good ones. Some teachers will have you focus on breathing from your diaphragm, exaggerating your pronunciation, or manipulating your larynx into place.
But good vocal technique will allow your breathing, pronunciation, and sound production to flow naturally.
Some voice teachers take advantage of the natural talent of their students while actually doing little to improve their vocal technique. Others will want to train you in a particular style rather than adapting to and developing the nuances of your own individual voice. Be wary of independent performance studios claiming to produce “star-quality” singers. Often, these studios churn out mini versions of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, following the latest pop fads rather than investing in good vocal technique and practice.
You may think that studying with a professional singer is the way to go. If a singer has been a success in their professional career, they’ll be a great teacher … right?
Wrong! Knowing how to sing does not necessarily mean that a person will know how to teach singing to someone else. In fact, often all that professionals can do for aspiring singers is to teach how to sound like them. If you want to learn performance and stage techniques, by all means study with a star! But if you want to learn good vocal technique, go to someone who calls him- or herself a voice teacher first and a performer second.
A voice teacher that meets the criteria above may be hard to find, especially if you live at a distance from a main metropolitan area. One of the best places to look for a music teacher is at a nearby college or university with a music department.
You may see advertisements for voice coaches alongside advertisements for voice teachers. While a voice teacher will help you develop good vocal technique from the ground up, a voice coach takes already established singers and helps them stay on track and keep on developing throughout their musical careers. The voice coach will assume that you already have good vocal technique and will work on nuances like phrasing, interpretation, and clarity.
What You Should Expect from a Voice Teacher
• Your teacher should give you the grounding to sing in any style—not just classical or folk. If your teacher claims that the classics are better training ground than popular music, beg to differ. Popular music is a different genre altogether, with highly personal song interpretations and its own stylistic requirements. If you’re going to sing pop, learn how to sing pop.
• Your teacher should not require you to sing in a language foreign to you. How will you know if your pronunciation is clear if it all sounds like gibberish?
• Your voice lesson should not just consist of following along as your teacher plays notes on a piano, nor should you be content with lessons that do no more than teach you new songs. Your voice teacher should teach you vocal technique. In other words, he or she should not just ask you to sing a note, but tell you how to reach that note. For the ultimate online vocal coach check out Singorama 2.0. In it you are given vocal exercises, a step by step guide to learning to sing and 3 original songs to learn. We give you the ultimate guide to developing all these skills so if you want to you can go to a teacher well prepared and with goals in mind.
• Your voice teacher is no substitute for regular practice sessions. You should \never come to depend on your voice teacher for everything. In between lessons, you should continue to do voice exercises, practice, notice mistakes, and try to correct them. Your teacher is merely an aid; YOU are the only one who can improve your voice.
• Your teacher should suit your lessons to your voice and vocal abilities rather than impose a generic program on you. You should be encouraged to develop all the unique qualities of your voice, NOT sound like your teacher.
• You should feel 100% comfortable and confident with your teacher. After all, you are hiring this individual to give you lessons. If you’re not happy with your progress, don’t feel that your personalities jive, or are suspicious about the teacher’s qualifications, stop the lessons immediately! You are spending too much money not to be entirely satisfied. Remember: a bad voice teacher can hurt just as much as a good voice teacher can help.
Congratulations
You’ve made it! Now do you feel more confident about what it will take to become the singer you’ve always wanted to be?
The SINGORAMA! The Complete Guide to Singing like a Professional series has given you a realistic, practical view of the effort, understanding, and techniques required, to take your voice from the mundane to the magical
Whether your goal is to audition for American Idol, answer advertisements for lead singers in local bands, or embark on a professional singing career, mastering the basics in this book will give you a solid foundation. There’s so much more we haven’t told you, so much still yet to discover! We know that you will be keen to up skill and to modernise your talent so be sure to check out Singorama 2.0. We offer 28 lessons and tons of vocal examples for you to sing along with. We give you warm-ups, voice strengthening exercises, original songs to learn and offer you direct access to our team for any questions you may have.
Coming Up...
By now you must be streets ahead of your competition when it comes to vocal technique, confidence and the ability to produce a fantastic sound…keep a look out for even more ways to expand your knowledge and leave your audience wanting more!
Another Singorama Success Story!
Hardo Potgieter
South Africa
Ok, so here is a story. I bought the course for my teenage daughter (who is now 14). Singing is her passion. She is also very diligent with her studies (by her own choice), and finds very little time to practice her singing. Ever since I bought her the Singorama course, she has spent as much time as she could afford, on going through the course. I smile when I hear her going through the vocal training upstairs whenever she has time. The course has certainly given her confidence, and she enters every competition she can now, where previously she wouldn't. While she is not yet a Pop Idol, she is well on her way, at least mentally and in attitude and confidence, which definitely has it's source seated in your course. Currently she is auditioning for the role of Sharpay from High School Musical, for her school musical play. She has got it down pat, and I'm pretty sure she will get it. Regards One very proud dad.
Over the last few weeks, we have tempted and teased you with inspiring testimonies and a wealth of information and practical knowledge. Now its time for you to check out the full version of Singorama 2.0. You owe it to yourself and your audience to be the best you can possibly be! So check out our 28 lesson super course full of heaps of original fun exercises and songs for you to learn.