Posted on
What to expect from your first vocal lessons
Taking the step of booking your first vocal lessons are the start of a really exciting journey for you as it’s the first stage in developing your voice to begin to unleash its true potential.
Don’t be worried, this is not an audition, be prepared to walk in and relax! You are there to learn & certainly won’t be turned away because you are not good enough. It’s so important that you show your new teacher what you CAN’T do!
It’s their job is to put you at ease, be supportive and work with you at your own pace to bring out the best in your voice so you really enjoy the experience.
What to expect from vocal lessons
Get to know your voice
Many untrained singers spend years experiencing their voice sounding & feeling amazing one day and then an absolute wreck the next without having the slightest clue what they did wrong or right. Taking vocal lessons with a good teacher will enable you to get to know your voice, what works, what doesn’t and why and how to correct it. Once you realise you have control and are in charge of your own voice your confidence will really soar!
Discuss your goals
Before your vocal lessons spend some time thinking what you would like to change and improve with your voice. What style of singing you like and what songs and what your ultimate goals are. Your teacher will want to know this information so they know the best to approach for your vocal lessons. Someone wanting to sing casually will have a much different goals and aspirations than someone who wants to be a professional.
Send and receive feedback
A good teacher will assess your voice and give you feedback on what they’ve heard. This should be 100% constructive, focusing on tendencies in your voice that are specific and tangible. They may describe your voice as, light, heavy, breathy, squeezed, and nasal to name a few. These are common voice types that can be corrected given the appropriate exercises.
Correct and develop your technique
You can expect to be given an individual plan specifically designed for your voice. You’ll be introduced to vocal exercises that will warm up your vocal cords safely and also address areas in your voice that were highlighted as requiring focus. Be prepared however, this can often be a lengthy process. Although you may experience some improvements right away, you’re working with very delicate internal muscles that are in some cases, being asked to undo all the old bad habits and build up new good ones!
Build a strong foundation
Many singers can become impatient and bored with the exercise and technique part of vocal lessons but it is vital that this is included in all vocal lessons and then practiced regularly. This will build a strong foundation helping the voice to become balanced and stable so when tackling challenging songs it will be far more achievable to sing with ease enabling you to add style and emotion to make it unique to you.
Ask questions
You’re going to sing more without your teacher present than with so if you just aren’t getting something then ask! It’s really important that you’re clear on what and how you should be practicing to ensure you are working on the right things & in the right way. Spending a full week practicing how to sing in the wrong way can undo the great things you achieved in the last few vocals lessons.
Practise makes perfect
If your teacher doesn’t provide a recording of your classes if possible take a recording device with you so you can listen back and analyse the vocal lessons. You’ll be amazed at what you notice about your voice that you weren’t aware of when you were in the class concentrating on so many other things. It’s also a great template to practice to as you will need to put in the extra work outside of the classes if you want to progress. Whilst in the class your teacher is there to help and guide you but at all other times it’s all down to you.
Have fun!
Although you will have no doubt invested your valuable time and money into developing your voice and at times it can be the most frustrating thing in the world, remember singing should be enjoyable and should make you happy. Focus on your vocal lessons and work hard but most importantly make sure you enjoy yourself too!