So you want to be a better singer?
Maybe you want to audition for that Local theatre company, sing better in your church choir, or are just want a mic-drop moment at Karaoke night. No matter what the motivation, finding a good voice teacher is the most effective path to becoming a better singer. As with everything else in our modern world, when we want answers, we jump online. More and more people are turning to online platforms and voice teachers to develop their singing skills. With so many options, how do you know if you are getting the best voice lesson? Using the following steps, you will be on the path to finding those amazing online singing lessons. You will be on your way to maximizing your musical potential.
Is this Voice Teacher Qualified to teach voice?
You want to make sure that you are working with a qualified voice teacher that has a background and training in singing. Read your potential voice teacher’s bio. They should have a college degree in Music. They should have some training in Vocal Pedagogy (the art and science of teaching voice). As a bonus, you may want to see if they are member of a professional teaching organization. For voice teachers in America, the most reputable organization is the National Association of Teachers of Singing. College degrees and professional affiliations don’t guarantee that you will get a great voice teacher. They do offer a guarantee that this person has, at the very least, actually properly studied singing.
How will the singing lessons be delivered?
Online voice teachers are using lots of different platforms to deliver online singing lessons. Whether it’s ZOOM, FaceTime, Google Meetings, WhatsApp or the myriad of other platforms, voice teachers are connecting and creating meaningful experiences. Singers want to make sure that they can connect. You want to be sure that you can hear the full lesson and see the voice teacher. This can be especially challenging in the upper ranges of the voice, so test the tech. Make sure you and your voice teacher are on the same page and can effectively communicate virtually. As a bonus, see if the lesson delivery method allows you to record. For example, in ZOOM, you can record lessons and store them in the cloud or to local files. Recorded voice lessons are an excellent resource for developing and even professional singers. More on that in another post.
Does your voice teacher offer additional online content to help you practice your singing?
Many voice teachers who offer online singing lessons will have content on YouTube or vimeo. These are videos you can practice with.
Some even have content to explain the principles of what you are working on.
These tools can be very helpful for singers. They offer points of clarification and don’t eat into that expensive lesson time. Face-to-face time with your voice teacher costs money. Watching YouTube content does not. Finding a voice teacher with a free content library can exponentially increase the value proposition of your online singing lessons.
Can I easily schedule my Online Singing Lessons?
These days, singers and voice teachers are very busy. In addition, many voice teachers and their singers are in different time zones. This can make scheduling your singing lessons a big challenge. That said, a great voice teacher is worth working a little harder to schedule. That said, if you can’t get a lesson, you won’t get anywhere. You will want to consider your level of commitment to getting better at singing. As with any other skill, the more you practice and the more lessons you take, the better you will get. Make sure your teacher has the time to schedule you consistently.
Should I take weekly lessons or drop-in voice lessons?
Some teachers will offer regular weekly voice lessons that are scheduled for a full season. Others teach in a drop-in format (singers schedule and take lessons on an individual basis). Singers who take regular weekly lessons will make faster and more consistent progress than singers who do drop-ins. Those weekly vocal training sessions keep singers on track and make it easier to chart an obvious path toward optimizing your singing. Obviously, weekly standing appointments are the quickest way to achieve your musical goal. That said, not everyone can make that financial or time commitment. That is when the drop-in lesson can be really helpful.
Are online Singing Lessons affordable?
As with anything else, you get what you pay for. A reputable voice teacher, whether online or IRL, will cost you. There is a reason that you can find voice teachers for $30 an hour with a lot of availability. Voice teachers with a track record of success will cost you. It’s not odd to find super high-end singing instructors in Los Angeles or New York charging over $300 an hour! Their students will tell you that they are worth every penny. That said, you want to find the teacher that works for you. If you can only afford one singing lesson a month, but it’s a really good lesson, it might be worth saving for. If you need the consistency of a weekly lesson, you may skimp on quality, but enjoy the quantity. You may also look to see if there are less expensive ways of working with a teacher. Can you buy discounted lesson packs? Are there monthly plans that are more affordable? There are lots of options out there at many price points.
The best benefit of online Singing Lessons
It used to be that to study with the best voice teachers you had to live in New York or Los Angeles. With the ubiquity of online voice lessons, those days are long gone. At the click of a mouse, you can connect to the best singing teachers in the world. So do your homework, find that amazing voice teacher and become the best singer you can be!
If you are ready to start your vocal music journey, reach out to Heidi Vass and schedule a consultation lesson today. For information on her lesson policies and pricing, click here.