What should I look for in a voice teacher?

Question

I want a voice teacher to teach me how to sing, but I don't know how to tell if they are a good fit for me or not. What should I look for in a voice teacher so I know that they are an effective teacher?

Answer 1

You should look for someone who says things in a way that you understand. A good teacher tries to find a way to explain something or give you a visualization that makes sense to you, but that sometimes happens through trial and error. Overall, choose someone you feel comfortable with who makes you feel like you're improving (though improvement can be a slow process). They should be focused on what you want from the lessons and know the proper technique and communication to express that to you. Good luck!

Answer 2

I recommend looking for a teacher who is an expert in teaching students with different methods. Meaning, everyone learns differently. Some people are visual learners and others can simply learn by verbal instruction. When finding a voice teacher, the ideal match will be with someone who can asses they way that you learn, has an excellent ear and someone who is well versed in different musical genres so you understand how to apply your singing technique to any musical genre that interests you.

There are 3 things that every good voice teacher possesses and that is, patience, great communication skills and vocal technique. There are teachers who have 2 out of the 3 but when you find someone with all 3 then you've struck gold. A good voice teacher will also understand that proper breathing technique is the foundation for the voice and until you fully understand it you shouldn't be singing anything. Why, because every time you sing your muscles will begin to remember what you did to produce the sound. If you practice singing without establishing proper breathing technique over time you will actually do more damage to your voice than good. Improper breathing technique can lead to vocal straining, nodules and in some extreme cases vocal chord atrophy.

Ultimately, you should feel comfortable when talking to your voice teacher and asking them anything about singing and how you should practice and your teacher should respond to you with respect and compassion.

I hope that helps!

Best of luck,

Rashida

Answer 3

I recommend finding a voice teacher who not only focuses on your interests (such as what type of songs you want to sing), but who also emphasizes the importance of perfecting basic vocal skills as well! For example, proper breathing technique and vocal range work are big skills that an effective teacher will help you with. Your teacher should be able to help you understand how your breathing/diaphragm connects to singing, which will help assure that you're singing correctly and not straining your voice, and they should also be able to help you learn what your vocal range is and how to use it to make the most of your singing!

Good luck!