Frequently Asked Questions About Singing Lessons
Q- What is the right age for singing lessons?
A- There is no right or wrong age for voice lessons. Mr. Smith has taught several children as young as seven and adults older than seventy. Vocal instruction can benefit all ages and experience levels.
Q- Are voice lessons effective online?
A - Yes! While there are aspects to the online format that take getting used to, we are able to conduct all the typical exercises and vocal instructions that a traditional in-person voice lesson would do. In my experience, my online students advance as fast as my in-person students.
Q- How long of a singing lesson should I take?
A- It is recommended that students with little vocal instruction or students younger than high school age take a half hour voice lesson. For young students, the voice is still developing and singing is a workout. It is important to not put undue stress on a developing instrument. Likewise, singers with little experience need time to build up the technique to be capable of singing for long periods without wear and tear.
For students with significant vocal instruction (multiple years in choir, previous voice lessons, solo experience), a forty-five minute or hour-long voice lesson is strongly encouraged.
If you are a high school student who wants to excel in All-State Competitions or enter college as a music major, an hour lesson is crucial. It is important to have enough time in the voice lesson to learn large amounts of new music, become an effective sight reader, and learn advanced vocal and performance technique.
Q- Do you teach singing styles other than classical, choral, and musical theater?
A- Yes. Everyone has different interests and musical preferences, and I am here to help you reach your vocal goals. Solid vocal instruction will help you improve in any genre of music.
Q- What occurs during a typical singing lesson?
A- The typical voice lesson spends approximately half of the time on vocal technique. Depending on a student's needs, some of the following topics may be addressed.
1) Tone Quality
2) Breath Management and Breath Support
3) Onset and Release of Tone
4) Registration (Chest and Head Voice)
5) Modification of Vowels
6) Increasing the Volume and Range of the Voice
7) Acting Technique
8) Language and Diction Skills
For the last half of the lesson, focus is on an individual song, applying a student's new vocal technique. Stylistic choices and sight reading are also addressed.
The goal for each lesson is for the student to define vocal goals that they can work on during their practice time. At the end of each lesson, the teacher and student summarize the points made during the lesson, answer any questions the student may have, and set goals for the next lesson.
Q- How often should I practice?
A- This depends on several factors, but what is most important is that the student practices daily. Singing is a physical process; each student has to develop muscle memory to sing more efficiently over time.
Another factor is how you use your practice time. Try to practice without interruptions, and practice with specific goals in mind. If you practice with a specific vocal goal in mind, you can often get results far quicker than a less focused session.
Generally speaking, we ask that students try to put in a solid 25-30 minutes of practice. For students who seek to become professionals or who have taken voice lessons for several years, practice can last an hour or more.
Q- Do you help with college auditions/solo competitions?
A- Certainly. Mr. Smith helps students pick out appropriate selections for all their competitions, shows, and auditions. As an active performer, Mr. Smith is dedicated to helping his students achieve their performing goals.
Q- What is your teaching philosophy?
A- Mr. Smith believe that each voice has its own unique sound, and therefore must be addressed an individualized fashion. Because of this, no one method of vocal instruction is emphasized exclusively. While vocal technique has definite rules, you must teach the student, not the method. The goal for all my of Mr. Smith's student is to have a beautiful, easily produced sound that they can use for the rest of their lives.
Q- What is an MM and why does it matter for teaching voice lessons?
A- A Master of Music degree follows a Bachelor degree from an undergraduate program. However, the Master degree conveys and establishes that this person has established himself to be a strong performer. A Master degree is very focused on the performing and teaching of music. This differs from a Bachelor degree, which has many more basic curriculum requirements and cannot offer the same level of specialization.
A- There is no right or wrong age for voice lessons. Mr. Smith has taught several children as young as seven and adults older than seventy. Vocal instruction can benefit all ages and experience levels.
Q- Are voice lessons effective online?
A - Yes! While there are aspects to the online format that take getting used to, we are able to conduct all the typical exercises and vocal instructions that a traditional in-person voice lesson would do. In my experience, my online students advance as fast as my in-person students.
Q- How long of a singing lesson should I take?
A- It is recommended that students with little vocal instruction or students younger than high school age take a half hour voice lesson. For young students, the voice is still developing and singing is a workout. It is important to not put undue stress on a developing instrument. Likewise, singers with little experience need time to build up the technique to be capable of singing for long periods without wear and tear.
For students with significant vocal instruction (multiple years in choir, previous voice lessons, solo experience), a forty-five minute or hour-long voice lesson is strongly encouraged.
If you are a high school student who wants to excel in All-State Competitions or enter college as a music major, an hour lesson is crucial. It is important to have enough time in the voice lesson to learn large amounts of new music, become an effective sight reader, and learn advanced vocal and performance technique.
Q- Do you teach singing styles other than classical, choral, and musical theater?
A- Yes. Everyone has different interests and musical preferences, and I am here to help you reach your vocal goals. Solid vocal instruction will help you improve in any genre of music.
Q- What occurs during a typical singing lesson?
A- The typical voice lesson spends approximately half of the time on vocal technique. Depending on a student's needs, some of the following topics may be addressed.
1) Tone Quality
2) Breath Management and Breath Support
3) Onset and Release of Tone
4) Registration (Chest and Head Voice)
5) Modification of Vowels
6) Increasing the Volume and Range of the Voice
7) Acting Technique
8) Language and Diction Skills
For the last half of the lesson, focus is on an individual song, applying a student's new vocal technique. Stylistic choices and sight reading are also addressed.
The goal for each lesson is for the student to define vocal goals that they can work on during their practice time. At the end of each lesson, the teacher and student summarize the points made during the lesson, answer any questions the student may have, and set goals for the next lesson.
Q- How often should I practice?
A- This depends on several factors, but what is most important is that the student practices daily. Singing is a physical process; each student has to develop muscle memory to sing more efficiently over time.
Another factor is how you use your practice time. Try to practice without interruptions, and practice with specific goals in mind. If you practice with a specific vocal goal in mind, you can often get results far quicker than a less focused session.
Generally speaking, we ask that students try to put in a solid 25-30 minutes of practice. For students who seek to become professionals or who have taken voice lessons for several years, practice can last an hour or more.
Q- Do you help with college auditions/solo competitions?
A- Certainly. Mr. Smith helps students pick out appropriate selections for all their competitions, shows, and auditions. As an active performer, Mr. Smith is dedicated to helping his students achieve their performing goals.
Q- What is your teaching philosophy?
A- Mr. Smith believe that each voice has its own unique sound, and therefore must be addressed an individualized fashion. Because of this, no one method of vocal instruction is emphasized exclusively. While vocal technique has definite rules, you must teach the student, not the method. The goal for all my of Mr. Smith's student is to have a beautiful, easily produced sound that they can use for the rest of their lives.
Q- What is an MM and why does it matter for teaching voice lessons?
A- A Master of Music degree follows a Bachelor degree from an undergraduate program. However, the Master degree conveys and establishes that this person has established himself to be a strong performer. A Master degree is very focused on the performing and teaching of music. This differs from a Bachelor degree, which has many more basic curriculum requirements and cannot offer the same level of specialization.