If you have decided that you need a teacher to help you get the most out of your singing voice, you have an important decision to make. You might consider enrolling in a vocal class at a local college or adult education center. This option will probably be reasonably priced and can offer you some good training. This is especially true if you have not had much formal musical education in the past. A good teacher will be able to show you a lot of tricks and techniques to help you improve your tone, range, and breathing. Of course, you won’t have the benefit of one-on-one instruction that you would get with a private teacher.

If you decide to take private lessons, you need to research your choice of a tutor quite carefully. There are several things to consider before you invest a lot of your time and money, to say nothing of your one and only voice, in the talents of any one person. There is no association or guild that certifies vocal teachers, so it is up to you to do the research necessary to be sure you are comfortable with your choice when you begin your instruction.

1)      First, ask a potential teacher what formal music training he or she has had. A bachelor’s degree or higher is most desirable, and that degree should include some kind of vocal emphasis.

2)      You should also find out what methods of instruction your teacher-to-be has been trained in, or if there are any types he or she does not believe in. Find our what styles and genres of music the instructor usually teaches and be sure that those match your learning goals. If you want to be an opera singer, there is not much point in taking lessons from a teacher who specializes in the Blues.

3)      Ask a prospective teacher about his or her experience as a vocal performer. Request that he sing a song or two for you. Is he comfortable in front of an audience? Is her voice pleasing to listen to? Will he be a good example for you to follow vocally? Can she perform in the same style that you want to study?

4)      Find out how long this person has been teaching voice lessons and if he or she has had any training in methods of teaching. This is important because a trained teacher will know how to structure a lesson so that you get the most out of the time that is spent in class, with the least amount of wasted effort. Since you will probably be paying a pretty high hourly rate, it is to your advantage to be sure the time you are paying for is used wisely.

5)      Ask the teacher for two or three students as references, and then be sure you contact those people and ask for their honest opinion of the teacher’s ability. If you find students who have been studying with the same person for a year or more, chances are that the relationship is working.

Don’t be shy about finding out the cost of the lessons. You should be able to do a quick telephone survey to find out the average rate in your city or town, but be aware that a very experienced teacher may charge more than that. If you feel that weekly lessons would be too expensive, see if you can arrange to take them once or twice a month instead. You would still be making progress toward your goal without busting your budget.

Related posts:

  1. Is it Possible to Damage My Voice Just By Singing? Since your vocal cords are made up of some thin and fairly delicate folds of...
  2. What is the Best Way to Keep Your Voice Healthy? Anyone who does a lot of singing knows that it is nearly impossible to sound...
  3. Warm Up Your Voice for the Best Sound Even amateur athletes know that warming up before physical exertion is vital to avoid muscle...

Filed under: Singing Success

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!