What’s in a Voice Lesson?
Voice lessons are for anyone who wants to become a better singer, but we often wonder what exactly happens in a voice lesson. What skills can be developed? And what makes voice lessons essential for developing those skills?
In this blog, we’ll break down the what, why & how of voice lessons.
The What of Voice Lessons
Voice lessons are the perfect way to hone your singing craft by strengthening your current skills and developing new ones! Do you know how many skills you can cultivate in voice lessons beyond simply learning a song? Here are just some of the skills we work on with our adult singers.
Technical Skills
Matching pitch
Holding a melody
Singing independently
Enhancing tone quality
Improving intonation
Extending vocal range: both high and low
Strengthening middle voice
Increasing breath control
Improving fast and slow singing
Increasing ease and comfort of singing
Developing strength and power of singing voice
Musical Skills
Hearing and singing harmonies
Reading sheet music and musical notation
Learning music theory
Breaking down a song: what do all those symbols mean?
Sight singing
Counting rhythms
Expressive Skills
Expanding the ability to sing both loudly and softly
Managing performance anxiety
Developing the character of a song through acting technique
Learning tactics for memorization
Exploring and mastering new styles of singing: classical, choral, musical theater, pop, etc.
Learning tactics for stage fright and performance nerves
Increasing clarity of text and communication of a song’s message
Learning to sing in different languages
Bonus!
Increased confidence and enjoyment in singing!
And the list goes on!
We find that when a singer begins to hone their technique through individual lessons and personal practice, a world of opportunity for growth, exploration, and learning unfolds before them.
The Why of Voice Lessons
We’ve explored some of the many skills that are developed through voice lessons, but what makes voice lessons special as a place for developing these skills?
Personalization
1-on-1 voice lessons mean that your experience is extremely personalized! Your voice instructor will share custom exercises to develop the many skills listed above while providing you with immediate and consistent feedback. They can help you select songs that fit where you are now while moving you toward where you want to go.
Application
Our voice instructors are adept at creating warm-ups that meet the specific challenges of a song or singing style. Does the song you're singing have you rocking your chest voice and then leaping into your head voice? Your instructor can share exercises for singing leaps, swapping registers, and other challenging aspects that are unique to your song.
Consistency
This weekly 1-on-1 feedback and application of skills establishes a consistent vocal practice that reinforces positive habits and amplifies growth. When we set aside time each day and week to hone our craft, we’re amazed by our vocal transformation.
Collaboration
In your voice lessons, you’ll work as a team with your instructor to set goals, explore your voice, and solve problems. Together, you’ll identify the roots of challenges and devise strategies to overcome obstacles. Through this partnership, you’ll have constant support and encouragement. We’ll always cheer you on to help you gain confidence and feel inspired.
The How of Voice Lessons
What does a voice lesson look like? Here are two sample lesson breakdowns that would serve different types of singers:
Singer 1 - Shy Shane
Goals: Strengthen ability to match pitch and sing a melody independently
30 minute lessons at 3:00pm on Wednesdays
3:00pm: Stretch to connect the body, mind, and voice.
3:02pm: Connect with the breath through panting or hiss exercises.
3:04pm: Vocalize through slides and sighs to help the singer develop a sense of where they are in the voice and how to move through vocal registers.
3:06pm: Warm-up the voice through a series of exercises designed to coordinate and condition improved vocal function. We’ll do these exercises a number of ways by:
Singing together
Singing with the piano
Singing independently
3:15pm: Develop listening skills by practicing hearing high vs. low pitches, repeating melodic fragments, and repeating rhythms.
3:19pm: Apply skills to a song. We’ll break the song down into small segments and move at a comfortable and confident pace. This creates a long term goal that allows a singer to see their improvement over time.
3:28pm: Wrap-up and create a goal for the week ahead.
Singer 2–Polished Pete
Goal: Preparing a song for a performance
45 minutes: 6:00pm on Thursdays
6:00pm: Stretch to connect the body, mind, and voice.
6:02pm: Connect with the breath through panting or hiss exercises.
6:04pm: Explore the voice with slides and sighs to work on connecting registers and beginning with gentle sounds.
6:06pm: Warm-up the voice through a series of exercises designed to develop technical skills (ex. leaps, moving from chest to head voice, singing long phrases, etc.)
6:16pm: Polish the song by isolating challenging sections, applying vocal technique, discussing and developing acting technique, and practicing performance.
6:43pm: Wrap-up and create a goal for the week.
We hope you are inspired to claim your craft in new ways by exploring all the skills you can grow in a voice lesson! We would love to talk with you more about beginning voice lessons and answer any questions you may have. Click the button below to schedule a free Discovery Call and to kickstart your singing journey!