1. Your voice will get stronger
A good singing teacher will guide you to sing songs that will develop your voice without hurting it. They will also keep an eye on what you’re doing and check you’re approaching singing in a way that will “do no harm” to your voice.
The singing teacher will work with you to choose songs that challenge you whilst being aware of where your current singing abilities lie.
Perhaps you want to sing Chandelier by Sia. Or you want to sing or Bring Him Home from Les Miserables or Fear Not This Night from Guild Wars 2. You’re not sure if this really difficult song will be too hard for you. I find that what one untrained singer finds unreachable is comfortable for another similarly untrained singer.
A lot of people may be able to hit the notes but may be pushing to sing in a particular style that may be very fatiguing on their voice. This is where a good singing teacher will help by knowing if you’re ready to sing that song and work with you to how to sing it safely.
Most singers need to work their way up to massive songs like the ones I suggested above. I have found a lot of singers can actually sing songs that are more challenging but they need to learn how to do it in a way that doesn’t harm their voice.
In addition to this a good singing teacher will have their own way of working with you to create a singing routine that works within your life. They may give you warm ups and exercises to give your voice a work and stretch it gently into becoming a stronger instrument.
2. Sing songs in tune and in time.
If you are someone who struggles to stay in time or in tune then a gentle and attentive singing teacher will help you to improve both of these skills.
I believe that (almost) all of us are born with an innate sense of rhythm and melody but many of us lose touch with that part of ourselves. You need to treat yourself with patience and gently build up your skills in these areas. You and your teacher must celebrate every win whilst working at the pace that suits you and your life to develop these skills.
3. Make your voice more (or less) powerful.
Often people tell me that their voices are quiet and weak, or that they lose power as they sing higher. Other people feel that their voices are too loud or shouty.
We have all been given our unique instrument that will (ideally) always sound like us. That said there are loads of things about your voice that you can change.
I meet students who want to sound darker or brighter, louder, softer. The voice can work like a graphic equalizer and we can learn to choose the vocal colours we want to share. I wrote about this in two previous blogs – click on the title to read the blogs…. What is resonance? and What Makes You Sound Like You?
Your singing teacher will be able to guide you so that you can sound how you want to sound within the spectrum of the changes that can be made.
These are simply muscular habits that can be changed with persistent work.
4. Extend your range.
Yes, we can extend your range upwards.
Sometimes we can extend your voice downwards. Unless you have already explored what I like to call your rumbly bottom. But yes, if you sing and use the whole of your range your range will increase.
5. Increase your confidence in singing in front of other people;
If you want to have the confidence to sing in front of other people then many singing teachers will have things in place to work on this with you.
Sometimes, when a singer is ready, I will ask if they want to be brave and sing for the next student. When I have enough singers who want it I arrange a “song share”, or a karaoke party. Many singing teachers arrange concerts for you to share your singing work with your friends and family.
There are so many more ways that a singing teacher can help you so I couldn’t resist squeezing in another…
6. Be able to sing in the style you choose.
I can’t make you into Adele or Barbra but I can take you towards whatever version of you voice want.
Changing singing style is a matter if being able to control and manoeuvre the different elements of your voice. It is all muscular training. I specialise in working with people who want to try different colours in their voice. It makes me very proud to be someone who helps classical singers learn in new ways. Many want to to sing musical theatre and contemporary styles in a way that is appropriate to these genres. Personally I don’t want to hear someone sing a pop or rock song in a classical style.
Working with a singing teacher means learning how to use your muscles to develop the best version of your singing voice possible.
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