Singing For Dummies
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You can’t get far choosing a voice teacher if you can’t identify what you want out of your lessons. You may have questions for prospective voice teachers, and they may also have some for you. To be prepared, consider the following questions before you begin chatting with prospective teachers.

  • What exactly do you want from lessons? If you want to improve your technique, sing higher notes, hold out phrases longer, or make yourself understood, discuss these goals with your prospective voice teacher. Your prospective voice teacher can tell you what she focuses on and how a lesson may be structured around your goals, and you can see whether that fits your wants and needs.

  • Are you doing this for fun or are you interested in developing a career or exploring some major singing? If you’re looking for a singing career, your teacher may move you through your lessons at a faster pace and make more demands on your practicing; on the other hand, if you’re taking lessons for fun, your prospective teacher may assign you different kinds of songs or not worry so much about the business aspects of singing.

    You may be interested in being pushed a bit harder, even if you’re singing just for fun, and you want to be sure that she’s willing to adjust the pace to meet your needs.

  • How much time do you want to spend practicing? If you’re really busy and can’t spend much time practicing, discuss this availability with your prospective voice teacher. Find out whether she’s flexible enough to provide lessons every other week to give you enough time to practice between lessons.

  • What do you want to sing? After deciding what you want to sing, talk it over with the teacher to see whether she teaches that style of music. Some teachers teach only classical music and prefer that their students not sing pop music or jazz. Working on classical music has great benefits, but that may be the wrong choice for you.

About This Article

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Pamelia S. Phillips is a professional singer with over 35 years of teaching experience. She has designed curriculum for high school students, college BFA programs, and professional training programs, helping thousands of singers refine their singing technique.

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