Whether you’re a professional performer or an avid amateur singer, one thing is for sure is that absolutely no one should ever stop learning and developing their voice. Even the world’s best known singers employ singing teachers and vocal coaches, if only to ensure their voice remains strong and at its best at all times. If you’re looking to launch yourself into the spotlight with a vocal career, on the other hand, having a great vocal coach behind you is absolutely vital. As such, we wanted to take a look at the importance of finding the right singing teacher to help you develop your voice effectively and ensure your technique is the very best which it can be. As such, we’ve teamed up with London singing teacher, Laura Long, to take a look at just how you can go about doing this.
Ask For Recommendations From Fellow Singers
As with everything, the first way to approach finding the right singing teacher for you is to ask for recommendations from other singers, vocalists and musicians. It may well be that those within your musicians circle are already using professional vocal coaches and are in a great position to recommend one to you. Of course, whilst this doesn’t mean they’ll be right for you, if they’re already coaching someone else who sings in a similar style, there’s a good chance you may well be the perfect match for each other. This, on the other hand, leads us onto…
Look At The Styles They Teach
It’s absolutely vital that you spend time researching any potential teachers to ensure that they’re a fit in terms of style. There’s always going to be some crossover which works (as an example, a jazz teacher would generally be an equally as good blues teacher) however if you’re a rock singer, a jazz teacher is likely the wrong match for you. Always pay particular attention as to the experience and background of a teacher to ensure they’re a fit and, above all else, have previously worked with musicians within the same genre as yourself. At the end of the day, different singing styles can differ considerably and, as such, you need to ensure you find a teacher who is able to help you progress your own individual style.
Are They Themselves A Performer?
Again, look into the background of any potential singing teacher you come across. Are they a performer and recording artist themselves (or have they been at some stage in their career) or are they simply a teacher? Absolutely nothing can replace live and studio experience and, as such, it’s important to take this into consideration if you yourself are a performer and are looking for someone to help meet your own personal goals of becoming a better singer.
More than anything, it’s important to remember that you’re not necessarily going to find the right singing teacher over night, however by spending time researching and asking fellow musicians, you will, before long, find the perfect fit and be in a position to progress your own vocal technique and performance skills with a teacher who understands you and is able to help you better yourself in every way.