Have you ever felt like taking voice lessons but have been unsure? Many people enjoy singing in a choir, in the car, or even in the shower. But is it right for you to take voice lessons? It's a terrifying thought, especially if you're not used to singing in front of others, let alone as a trained, professional vocalist! By reading these points, find out if online singing lessons are right for you.
When should I start voice lessons?
Previously, the American Academy of Teachers of Singing advised children to wait until they were fully mature before starting lessons, but in 2002, they agreed that it is best to teach a child proper singing techniques as early as possible to prevent them from developing unhealthy singing habits.
With proper technique at an early age, we can lay a solid foundation for healthy singing for the rest of our lives. We learn by imitation from a very young age! Don't you remember how you used to mimic the singers on the radio just because you liked a certain song?
In fact, vocal cords are like muscles. We train them to have muscle memory. We can train the best athletes at a young age and do the same with singers. As the voice develops, we can start the same initial voice training as what athletes do.
Know your goals
Identifying your goal is the first step. Setting your singing goals will help you and your voice teacher chart a course for your lessons. It's fantastic if you want to improve your sight reading for your community choir. If they include singing on Broadway, that's fantastic. Knowing your singing goals will help you stay motivated and on track.
Your objectives, however, should be realistic and attainable. Online singing classes will help you improve your current sound, but they will not guarantee you a famous singing voice. However, anyone can improve singing skills, and voice teachers can show you how to use your voice to its full potential.
What can you expect from voice lessons?
There is more to voice lessons than just singing. Vocal training involves the entire body, and you will be taught proper posture, breathing, and vowel shaping. Good online singing classes will include:
Your teacher continuously analyzes your individual vocal needs
Choosing exercises, repertoire, and books to adjust the lesson to your specific vocal needs
Putting those techniques to use with a song of your choice
Vocal changes take time and effort. It will take more than a few voice lessons for a teacher to noticeably change the way you sing. Before you hear about changes, give it a few months. You will see results more quickly if you pay closer attention to the changes your teacher advises. Remember that vocal technique tweaks work best when you use them consistently, whether you're singing in the shower, along with the radio, in choir class, or anywhere else.
What should be the duration of each lesson?
Singing classes near me should be as long and as frequent as you can afford in terms of time and money! However, we do not recommend you take a singing lesson daily - that would be excessive! However, a lesson at least once a week benefits 99% of our students.
Voice lessons are typically divided into 30-minute, 45-minute, and 60-minute sessions. It is best to start with 30 minutes and then discuss with the teacher how and if a longer lesson would benefit you. This allows us, as teachers, and you, as students, to see how well you're practicing and progressing.
However, if 60 minutes per week is not financially feasible for you, having a 30-minute lesson every week is preferable. When it comes to voice training, frequency is far superior to duration - you don't want to form any unhealthy or bad habits! Some people take voice lessons simply to have fun and consider it a hobby! In that case, we recommend doing whatever feels right for you, whether it's 30 minutes or an hour. There is no such thing as right or wrong. You can learn a lot in either time frame.
Young kids lack vocal stamina, so 30 minutes at a time is perfect until the age of 10. If your child is under 10, but you want them to have more lesson time, try two 30-minute singing lessons near me per week on different days.
How much will it cost, and will it be worthwhile?
The teacher and their level of expertise specify the cost of lessons. Aside from the cost of lessons, you should budget more money each year for music books and sheet music.
Whatever the cost, keep in mind that it is an investment! You are investing in learning a skill that will serve you for the rest of your life. And that is invaluable!
Check out our online vocal lessons to free your voice at Mela Music School.
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