5 Pieces of Advice For First Time Voice Students

1. It’s okay to be nervous! The voice is a personal thing attached to you. We are a wind instrument. You and only you know how your voice feels. As you start working through the vocalises with your teacher, you may find that the teacher will ask you various questions about how your voice is feeling. We really want to know! Together we will find a common language to describe what sensations you are experiencing during the lesson.
2. Go into the lesson with an open mind. In your day to day life you speak all day. Singing is created from the same voice - the two are very similar. When the teacher starts adding various tools and making weird sounds - go with it.  Try anything once! As always, if you are unsure or it is uncomfortable let the teacher know.
3. Let the teacher know your short term and long term goals. An example of a short term goal would be: “I want to sing “Happy Birthday” well for my cousin’s birthday tomorrow.” An example of a long term goal would be: “I want to expand my range.” Long term goals will be accomplished over a longer period of time, whereas short term goals can usually be figured out in one lesson.
4. Bring a recorder, water bottle, and pencil to each lesson. A recorder could just be an app on your phone, just make sure your phone is in silent mode for the duration of the lesson. A water bottle is important in general to keep you hydrated, but may be necessary for some exercises. A pencil is important if you would like to write down notes during the lesson, but is very helpful once you and your teacher start to work on repertoire.
5. During the week after your lesson, try to incorporate into your weekly routine time to practice the given warm ups. Just hit play on the recording from your lesson and sing along. Your voice teacher will let you know how much you should practice per week.

Have fun singing!