[Hummingbird]

Where do I find a teacher?

I get emails all the time from folks living out of town, wanting to know where to find a teacher like me - maybe I should clone myself

No, seriously, first place to check is the National Association of Teachers of Singing:
http://www.nats.org

Places to go and ask about teachers:
- stores that sell printed music & musical instruments,
- community colleges & night school classes in voice & singing,
- your local university, sometimes vocal instructors also teach privately,
- your local conservatory of music,
- your local musical theatre or opera company may also be able to direct you.

Failing that, ask musicians and choir directors in your area for recommendations.

What should I look for in a teacher?

1) Performing experience. Maturity. Self-awareness and continued self-growth. Someone may be a great singer, but will they have the understanding and compassion to nurture you?

2) A method of teaching that focusses on YOU, not the method. The method should support you in singing freely and authentically with the voice God gave you. Nothing should EVER be pushed or forced.

3) A method that teaches you how to negotiate the break between registers, without trying to push the chest voice up into the head.

4) Absolute non-judgement. No criticism should ever come across in the lesson, only critique, and you should understand clearly the value of the critique - it should always and only give you tools for thinking and approaching the phrase/music in the healthiest manner.

5) Someone who gently acknowledges your fear, and encourages you to believe in yourself and your voice. The teacher who really helped me find my voice would -- quite literally -- stand on his head to make me believe in myself. He believed in me so much I started to believe in me too. God bless him for that.

What should I think about before I start?

1) Are you prepared to commit to (at least) several months of lessons and practice? That means time - time to drive there, to be there; time to practice; making space in your life for your music - and making it a priority, too.

2) Do you understand that -- even though it might seem difficult -- strong singing can be mastered with practice and diligence, and that healthy, robust vocal expertise and ease comes with time and experience?

3) Have you thought about the financial investment you will be making - monthly tuition fees, blank cassette tapes or perhaps a mp3 recorder to tape your lessons (so yu have something to practice with when you go home), buying music, etc.

How long does it take?

My favourite question. My maestro always said, 'It takes as long as it takes.' How long would it take you to say, become somewhat fluent in another language, or play golf well, or play the piano at an advanced level?

People often get results in the first 12 weeks. Those who continue for a year start to really feel the strength of the voice. Those who study three years discover the remarkable beauty of their own voices. Those who continue after that (I'm 16 years and counting) can't imagine their lives without the joy of singing.

Please let me know if you have any questions I can answer. Finding a good voice teacher is like finding a good demo house -- there's are many out there - but do they really know what they are doing, do they charge a reasonable rate, and will you get the results you want.

luv
Ms 'Bird

[sethnic]

I would like to add a teacher who is focused on you and what you are doing during the lesson. I've had a teacher who was looking more at the piano he was playing to accompany the vocalises. Making progress with him took a long time.

Then I switched to a teacher who watched exactly what I was doing, stopped me every time I did something inefficient and corrected me. She zooms in like a laser and phrases things five different ways until she's sure I physically understand what she's talking about and do it. My singing has dramatically freed up in the year I've been with her.

A teacher who has that focus will serve you well.

[Hummingbird]

Excellent point!! I actually have gotten to the point where I can play the scales without looking at the piano at all. I agree, the teacher has to explain, demonstrate, get you to try, work with you until you "feel" and "understand" the point. Their focus should be totally on you. And everything they do should in response to your needs.

Music should worked on in two ways. First, since the whole thing through on vowels working on phrasing, timing, pitch. Speak the words working on good diction for singing, plaing the breaths effectively. Put the two together phrase by phrase, talking about the technical approach to the song. Sing the whole song through hoping you'll retain some of that knowledge.

My teacher always had a pianist come in to play the music - because he wanted to concentrate on the singer, not playing the piano.

She sounds like an excellent teacher!! I'm glad you found her,

cheers
Ms 'Bird

[Hummingbird]

Dangel, on Jun 4 2006, 11:45 AM, said:

Hummingbird, on Jun 4 2006, 02:36 PM, said:

But that must take some time... It is truly effective and useful in the longrun though...

Yes it does take time. Time to understand, time to integrate, time to be able to think your way through a piece the way a athlete thinks through their performacne..

'Bird

[joshleon]

What about price, and atmosphere?
What is a good price per lesson or per month? Is it better to take lessons private or in a group? What should the atmosphere at the lesson feel like? How many lessons will it take to find the right teacher for you?
What about attitude? Should you take note if your teacher has any or not?

[TropicalMariahLover]

I don't think taking lessons in a group is wise or a good way to spend your money. You should get as much individual attention as you can. As it has been stated before each voice is unique and thus needs its own time to grow, develop and 'come of age'. Someone else's voice isn't your voice and vice versa therefore taking lessons in a group is neither wise nor profitable to your voice.

[Hummingbird]

joshleon, on Jun 12 2006, 03:28 PM, said:

What about price, and atmosphere?
What is a good price per lesson or per month? Is it better to take lessons private or in a group? What should the atmosphere at the lesson feel like? How many lessons will it take to find the right teacher for you?
What about attitude? Should you take note if your teacher has any or not?

Price - I think between $35 and $50 per hour is reasonable. I pay $60 CA per hour to my coach & she studied in France & sings professionally.

Lessons should be one-on-one, at least one hour a week (beginners may do 45-mins per week). The teacher needs to hear your individual voice and work with it.

Atmosphere - the studio always be a place for us to come and feel safe no matter what we do. You should be treated with respect. You too, need to be open to the process, ask questions, yes, but also be willing to try new things and see what happens.

I've always known in my first lesson whether or not this was someone I would trust to take care of my valuable voice, someone who will give of their best to me, and who will stand on their head to help me. I want someone as passionate about music as I am, but also someone more knowledgable than I am who can show me the way. I also want someone who starts lessons on time and gives me full value.

I offer a reduced-price intro lesson to anyone who is considering working with me, they experience a little of what I do, I explain my philosophy & method, we do a little gentle work, and then we decide if we'd like to try it again.

Remember too your progress is also reliant on your practice of what you've learned. My students bring a blank cassette tape (or a digital recorder) to their lesson & record it, so they have something to practice with when they go home.

cheers
Ms 'Bird

[Hummingbird]

Dangel, on Jun 13 2006, 08:01 AM, said:

Wow, that seems like alot!

Hummingbird, on Jun 13 2006, 02:10 AM, said:

Price - I think between $35 and $50 per hour is reasonable. I pay $60 CA per hour to my coach & she studied in France & sings professionally.

ah, well... you get what you pay for. OTOH I'd be very careful about paying too much.... my maestro & my coach in Vancouver had both worked with some international opera stars, etc.... yet they kept their lesson price reasonable ($40 per hour a dozen years ago). I think they felt it was more important to give of their knowledge - pass it on - than make pots of money. Around that time I was in a musical with a girl who was paying $75 an hour for her voice lessons.... and from what she told me about the lessons & from how she was singing, the teacher unfortunately didn't know what he was doing. So price isn't everything.

I pay $36 per hour ($32US) to my guitar teacher, $60 ($52US) an hour to my coach. Those are reasonable prices considering the quality of their experience and the excellence of their teaching.

It's an investment in your career, assuming you want one. Remember too, it's not just the lessons that teach you. You must practice. You must be passionate. You must want it.

Ms 'Bird

[TropicalMariahLover]

That's a lot of money here. I guess since our currency is so low it's cheaper here because lessons go for about $50-$75 per lesson most times and that's not even $20 US.

[Hummingbird]

TropicalMariahLover, on Jun 14 2006, 05:34 AM, said:

That's a lot of money here. I guess since our currency is so low it's cheaper here because lessons go for about $50-$75 per lesson most times and that's not even $20 US.

Yeah I'm quoting big city US & Canada prices.

[Hecmm91]

TropicalMariahLover, on Jun 14 2006, 08:34 AM, said:

That's a lot of money here. I guess since our currency is so low it's cheaper here because lessons go for about $50-$75 per lesson most times and that's not even $20 US.

ooooooooooooooooo...I'm moving to Trinidad!!!!! LOL

[TropicalMariahLover]

Well, most things are overpriced but here the arts are... ironically, a 'dying artform' so anything dealing with the arts aren't really expensive considering they're trying to get more people interested.

[Simple Simon]

leonetha, on Nov 13 2006, 11:06 AM, said:

has any one here heard of 1 of these:

Seths Riggs
Brett Manning - sinigng success
jeannie deva
David Jonnes

I bought the Jeannie Deva course some years back. As with many things in my life I never actually ended up completing it, but even the small amount that I did work through helped me immensely. The main thing for me was the way she explained how the voice and diaphram and breathing all work in a way nobody else had. I then worked through some very simple 20 minute breathing and stretching exercises for a couple of weeks and it totally changed the way I sang and added a lot more "body" to my voice than it previously had. I would recommend the book on the basis of those exercises alone.

[sillystar]

Does anyone know how I would find a teacher of the the bel canto/italian school style?

[Hummingbird]

sillystar, on Mar 17 2007, 01:44 PM, said:

Does anyone know how I would find a teacher of the the bel canto/italian school style?

where do you live?

[sillystar]

Hummingbird, on Mar 17 2007, 11:20 PM, said:

sillystar, on Mar 17 2007, 01:44 PM, said:

Does anyone know how I would find a teacher of the the bel canto/italian school style?

where do you live?

I live in Atlanta, GA

[Hummingbird]

sillystar, on Mar 18 2007, 07:48 PM, said:

Hummingbird, on Mar 17 2007, 11:20 PM, said:

sillystar, on Mar 17 2007, 01:44 PM, said:

Does anyone know how I would find a teacher of the the bel canto/italian school style?

where do you live?

I live in Atlanta, GA

Go to Google and type in... Atlanta, GA+voice teachers+bel canto ... several websites come up.

THe National Association of Teachers of Singing lists several voice teachers in Atlanta. You'd have to call each one and discuss their approach.

H

[Jammar190]

I'm looking for a teacher like Brett Manning, one who focuses on Speech Level Singing and dramatically increases the range, in New York. Anyone know people like this in the NY/NJ area?

[leonetha]

hey!! you too like SLS??
i practice Brett Manning`s singing success program!
you know what you can do? i think you can go to sinigng success.com forums and ask there!
cool! Brett is awesome isn`t he?

[Nutter]

I live in a small town where there are only a few singing teachers. I'm going to the only one that isn't strictly classical and am not happy with her teaching style. Are remote lessons by Skype/MSN/phone a viable option? Does anyone know of any good teachers that do this. (Hint: Vikki? )

[Hummingbird]

Nutter, on Oct 11 2007, 04:14 PM, said:

I live in a small town where there are only a few singing teachers. I'm going to the only one that isn't strictly classical and am not happy with her teaching style. Are remote lessons by Skype/MSN/phone a viable option? Does anyone know of any good teachers that do this. (Hint: Vikki? )

I tried out phone lessons & emailing recordings back & forth (recording exercises for students to sing over while recording them for me to listen to) and it seems like it was a little helpful but pretty restricted in scope.

For me personally, part of the joy of teaching is being present in the moment and being able to see and hear the student on many levels. I have talked about the possibility of teaching via Skype with headset & mic... and that would be superior to the other options I've tried (assuming a student has viable equipment & high speed internet) but I wonder how much the effectiveness of the mic on the student's end would affect things. In addition, I'm not sure how well my intuition would work when my vision is hampered or hearing affected.

And, the student would have to be singing with headphones on which I think changes their perception of the voice, and since experiencing their voice in a new way is a crucial part of training, muffling their hearing is not a particularly good idea.

I'm not saying it isn't possible, but these are things that concern me.

cheers
Hummin'bird

[Nutter]

Hummingbird, on Oct 14 2007, 05:41 PM, said:

I have talked about the possibility of teaching via Skype with headset & mic...

And, the student would have to be singing with headphones on which I think changes their perception of the voice, and since experiencing their voice in a new way is a crucial part of training, muffling their hearing is not a particularly good idea.

Hi Vikki,

Thanks for answering.

With Windows computers (don't know about Macs) it is possible to mix the microphone signal with the received signal from Skype or MSN so you can hear your own voice. If you're interested in conducting the experiment, I would be willing to pay for an hour (or a few hours) of your time to test it. I really want someone who knows what they are talking about to listen to my concerns and offer advice about my particular situation.

If you are at all interested, may I email you?

-Mike

[Hummingbird]

Nutter, on Oct 14 2007, 02:45 PM, said:

Hummingbird, on Oct 14 2007, 05:41 PM, said:

I have talked about the possibility of teaching via Skype with headset & mic...

And, the student would have to be singing with headphones on which I think changes their perception of the voice, and since experiencing their voice in a new way is a crucial part of training, muffling their hearing is not a particularly good idea.

Hi Vikki,

Thanks for answering.

With Windows computers (don't know about Macs) it is possible to mix the microphone signal with the received signal from Skype or MSN so you can hear your own voice. If you're interested in conducting the experiment, I would be willing to pay for an hour (or a few hours) of your time to test it. I really want someone who knows what they are talking about to listen to my concerns and offer advice about my particular situation.

If you are at all interested, may I email you?

-Mike

Please PM or email me. I do not currently have the equipment to do this but I would like to talk to you

[jamort]

I'm nervous, I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing but im scared to even do it in front of a teacher.... My mian problem is my tone which i have worked on some and its getting better but I'm not sure I play mainly rock and I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, and joining a band or getting a teacher
(I do some country too) I have been told im horrible before but then some people say that my problem is that im not pushing the words and notes out as loud as i should and it makes it sound bad and like im dragging hte song out

[Hummingbird]

jamort, on Apr 22 2009, 04:11 PM, said:

I'm nervous, I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing but im scared to even do it in front of a teacher.... My mian problem is my tone which i have worked on some and its getting better but I'm not sure I play mainly rock and I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, and joining a band or getting a teacher
(I do some country too) I have been told im horrible before but then some people say that my problem is that im not pushing the words and notes out as loud as i should and it makes it sound bad and like im dragging hte song out

you need to remember the purpose of going to a voice teacher is to be helped, not to be judged. voice teachers are not like Simon Cowell. just because we "own" a voice doesn't mean we understand how to use it effectively. the advice to "push" or "be louder" is not helpful. what does that mean? shout? wouldn't you like to know how to 'tune' your voice? wouldn't you like to know how to achieve power without pushing or sounding bad? wouldn't you like someone in your corner who understands the voice and will help you bring yours out?

My advice would be... not to sing at this moment in time, so that you avoid bad habits.... and look for a teacher who works with you, and with your voice, to help you achieve strength, range, and good tone. Expect to spend at least a few months growing your skills and toning your 'vocal muscle'. And don't be afraid to 'audition' teachers til you find someone who is both knowledgeable and a 'fit' for you.

[c2bdo]

I am oh so interested in how the Skype teaching might work. I would most certainly be a candidate for that Vikki. I have never had an evaluation, much less a lesson. I've been singing for many years, and I have a feeling that I've been singing wrong for many years.

Hummingbird, on Oct 14 2007, 06:04 PM, said:

Nutter, on Oct 14 2007, 02:45 PM, said:

Hummingbird, on Oct 14 2007, 05:41 PM, said:

I have talked about the possibility of teaching via Skype with headset & mic...

And, the student would have to be singing with headphones on which I think changes their perception of the voice, and since experiencing their voice in a new way is a crucial part of training, muffling their hearing is not a particularly good idea.

Hi Vikki,

Thanks for answering.

With Windows computers (don't know about Macs) it is possible to mix the microphone signal with the received signal from Skype or MSN so you can hear your own voice. If you're interested in conducting the experiment, I would be willing to pay for an hour (or a few hours) of your time to test it. I really want someone who knows what they are talking about to listen to my concerns and offer advice about my particular situation.

If you are at all interested, may I email you?

-Mike

Please PM or email me. I do not currently have the equipment to do this but I would like to talk to you

[jamort]

Hummingbird, on Apr 23 2009, 12:21 AM, said:

jamort, on Apr 22 2009, 04:11 PM, said:

I'm nervous, I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing but im scared to even do it in front of a teacher.... My mian problem is my tone which i have worked on some and its getting better but I'm not sure I play mainly rock and I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, and joining a band or getting a teacher
(I do some country too) I have been told im horrible before but then some people say that my problem is that im not pushing the words and notes out as loud as i should and it makes it sound bad and like im dragging hte song out

you need to remember the purpose of going to a voice teacher is to be helped, not to be judged. voice teachers are not like Simon Cowell. just because we "own" a voice doesn't mean we understand how to use it effectively. the advice to "push" or "be louder" is not helpful. what does that mean? shout? wouldn't you like to know how to 'tune' your voice? wouldn't you like to know how to achieve power without pushing or sounding bad? wouldn't you like someone in your corner who understands the voice and will help you bring yours out?

My advice would be... not to sing at this moment in time, so that you avoid bad habits.... and look for a teacher who works with you, and with your voice, to help you achieve strength, range, and good tone. Expect to spend at least a few months growing your skills and toning your 'vocal muscle'. And don't be afraid to 'audition' teachers til you find someone who is both knowledgeable and a 'fit' for you.

ok ill try i think that what the person was telling me to do was to push from the diafram to make the voice more powerful which should be a richer tone? anyay from my understanding is singings like playing an instrument anybdy can get to a certain but beyond that somewhat depends person and motivation

[jamort]

Hummingbird, on Apr 23 2009, 12:21 AM, said:

jamort, on Apr 22 2009, 04:11 PM, said:

I'm nervous, I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing but im scared to even do it in front of a teacher.... My mian problem is my tone which i have worked on some and its getting better but I'm not sure I play mainly rock and I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, and joining a band or getting a teacher
(I do some country too) I have been told im horrible before but then some people say that my problem is that im not pushing the words and notes out as loud as i should and it makes it sound bad and like im dragging hte song out

you need to remember the purpose of going to a voice teacher is to be helped, not to be judged. voice teachers are not like Simon Cowell. just because we "own" a voice doesn't mean we understand how to use it effectively. the advice to "push" or "be louder" is not helpful. what does that mean? shout? wouldn't you like to know how to 'tune' your voice? wouldn't you like to know how to achieve power without pushing or sounding bad? wouldn't you like someone in your corner who understands the voice and will help you bring yours out?

My advice would be... not to sing at this moment in time, so that you avoid bad habits.... and look for a teacher who works with you, and with your voice, to help you achieve strength, range, and good tone. Expect to spend at least a few months growing your skills and toning your 'vocal muscle'. And don't be afraid to 'audition' teachers til you find someone who is both knowledgeable and a 'fit' for you.

ok ill try i think that what the person was telling me to do was to push from the diafram to make the voice more powerful which should be a richer tone? anyay from my understanding is singings like playing an instrument anybdy can get to a certain but beyond that somewhat depends person and motivation

[Hummingbird]

jamort, on Apr 23 2009, 03:00 PM, said:

Hummingbird, on Apr 23 2009, 12:21 AM, said:

jamort, on Apr 22 2009, 04:11 PM, said:

I'm nervous, I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing but im scared to even do it in front of a teacher.... My mian problem is my tone which i have worked on some and its getting better but I'm not sure I play mainly rock and I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, and joining a band or getting a teacher
(I do some country too) I have been told im horrible before but then some people say that my problem is that im not pushing the words and notes out as loud as i should and it makes it sound bad and like im dragging hte song out

you need to remember the purpose of going to a voice teacher is to be helped, not to be judged. voice teachers are not like Simon Cowell. just because we "own" a voice doesn't mean we understand how to use it effectively. the advice to "push" or "be louder" is not helpful. what does that mean? shout? wouldn't you like to know how to 'tune' your voice? wouldn't you like to know how to achieve power without pushing or sounding bad? wouldn't you like someone in your corner who understands the voice and will help you bring yours out?

My advice would be... not to sing at this moment in time, so that you avoid bad habits.... and look for a teacher who works with you, and with your voice, to help you achieve strength, range, and good tone. Expect to spend at least a few months growing your skills and toning your 'vocal muscle'. And don't be afraid to 'audition' teachers til you find someone who is both knowledgeable and a 'fit' for you.

ok ill try i think that what the person was telling me to do was to push from the diafram to make the voice more powerful which should be a richer tone? anyay from my understanding is singings like playing an instrument anybdy can get to a certain but beyond that somewhat depends person and motivation

In my studio we don't consciously push from the diaphragm. Instead, we work on phrasing - floating the voice on the free breath that comes naturally from the body. Power is attained by tuning the instrument and developing the 'vocal muscle' over time - 6 months to a year. Consciously engaging the diaphragm pushes too much air through the vocal chords, creating tension, a harsh sound, and, frequently, pitch problems. In addition, pushing also can cause vocal nodes.

[Hummingbird]

c2bdo, on Apr 23 2009, 08:38 AM, said:

I am oh so interested in how the Skype teaching might work. I would most certainly be a candidate for that Vikki. I have never had an evaluation, much less a lesson. I've been singing for many years, and I have a feeling that I've been singing wrong for many years.

Hummingbird, on Oct 14 2007, 06:04 PM, said:

Nutter, on Oct 14 2007, 02:45 PM, said:

Hummingbird, on Oct 14 2007, 05:41 PM, said:

I have talked about the possibility of teaching via Skype with headset & mic...

And, the student would have to be singing with headphones on which I think changes their perception of the voice, and since experiencing their voice in a new way is a crucial part of training, muffling their hearing is not a particularly good idea.

Hi Vikki,

Thanks for answering.

With Windows computers (don't know about Macs) it is possible to mix the microphone signal with the received signal from Skype or MSN so you can hear your own voice. If you're interested in conducting the experiment, I would be willing to pay for an hour (or a few hours) of your time to test it. I really want someone who knows what they are talking about to listen to my concerns and offer advice about my particular situation.

If you are at all interested, may I email you?

-Mike

Please PM or email me. I do not currently have the equipment to do this but I would like to talk to you

I just want to say I am not posting here to get internet students. I am here to give advice and moderate this section of the board. I prefer to work live in person with my students, I think that's more effective. But if you'd like to discuss it, please PM me.

[FunkDaddy]

jamort, on Apr 22 2009, 07:11 PM, said:

I'm nervous, I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing but im scared to even do it in front of a teacher.... My mian problem is my tone which i have worked on some and its getting better but I'm not sure I play mainly rock and I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, and joining a band or getting a teacher
(I do some country too) I have been told im horrible before but then some people say that my problem is that im not pushing the words and notes out as loud as i should and it makes it sound bad and like im dragging hte song out

Just wait until you get girls begging you to sing to them in person And people wonder why I have such an ego

[Neal K]

FunkDaddy, on Jul 23 2009, 12:27 PM, said:

Just wait until you get girls begging you to sing to them in person And people wonder why I have such an ego

Ha! Ha! When I was in my teens I wrote a rather generic love song, and every girl I met I told them, "I wrote this for you." It worked like a charm until I sang it at a high school assembly and a dozen or so girls said, "Oooo, that's my song!"

Neal

[FunkDaddy]

Neal K, on Jul 25 2009, 12:19 AM, said:

FunkDaddy, on Jul 23 2009, 12:27 PM, said:

Just wait until you get girls begging you to sing to them in person And people wonder why I have such an ego

Ha! Ha! When I was in my teens I wrote a rather generic love song, and every girl I met I told them, "I wrote this for you." It worked like a charm until I sang it at a high school assembly and a dozen or so girls said, "Oooo, that's my song!"

Neal

I have literally used that line before when I'm just strumming and humming a melody.

Or told them I'm in the process of writing one for them.

60% of the time it works every time.