Past Tense

This post will help you to find the best vocal coach for your money by asking 5 simple questions. You can use these questions to get a feel for the vocal teacher’s level of experience. For questions about the costs involved in taking singing lessons see this article: price of singing lessons. Bear in mind that these questions should be treated as a guideline. Some of the best vocal coaches may not have the time to answer all your questions in advance as they may be too busy. If you encounter this problem you might want to try out a couple of lessons and get your answers to your questions then. It’s best to treat these questions as suggestions.

Questions for your singing teacher:

• For how long have you been teaching? Clearly the more experience the teacher has, the more you’ll be expected to pay. Also the longer the teacher has been training students the higher your chances of finding a former student happy to discuss the vocal coaches strengths and potential weaknesses.

• Where did you study? Preferably you want a vocal coach who has had years of performance experience or years of lessons or training in a degree program that focuses on the voice. The vocal coach does not have to have a degree from an Ivy League school to be a good teacher. More important than a fancy degree is that he or she knows how to pass on her knowledge to her students.

• Do you perform? If so, where? If you have the opportunity to hear the vocal coach sing, then by all means go. It’s an opportunity to gauge her skills and see a side of her personality that you might not see during your lessons.

• Do you teach different styles of music? You will want to ensure that the vocal coach has sufficient experience teaching your voice type and the vocal styles you’d like to explore.

• Where do you conduct your lessons? The vocal coach may hold lessons in her home, at a studio, at a school, or even in your home. Expect to pay more for lessons at your home. You will want to find out if the location is convenient for you.

• What kind of songs do your teach your students? You want to find out if the vocal coach is interested in the same kind of music that you enjoy. If she doesn’t let you choose your own songs, you at least to feel that you’ll enjoy singing the kind of songs that she chooses.

Lastly don’t be fooled by teachers claiming to have “never before revealed, methods of singing“. Teaching people how to sing is by no means a new profession so it’s much better to go with a tried and tested singing method than to waste your money on experiments. Every rule has an exception, and the one exception I can think of for this rule is Per Bristow’s Singing Zone Training (The Singing Zone review). Good luck with your singing and have fun!