With so many singing teachers in Port Macquarie to choose from how do you know who to pick? Which teacher or vocal coach is going to be the best fit for you as a singer? This article is not intended to influence your decision to “pick me” over everyone else. I would like to explain what a singing teacher and vocal coach is so that you can be armed with some questions when enquiring about lessons.
What is a Singing Teacher and Vocal Coach?
That may seem like a silly question but it is important to establish what a singing teacher actually does and the skills and qualifications they should possess. A singing teachers job is to influence and change how you use your voice. There is a great deal of science and physics behind safe vocal production which is either learnt at a tertiary level or through specific vocal pedagogy study. Some people claim to be a singing teacher but have no knowledge or qualifications when it comes to how the voice works. Singing teaching is a specialist area of expertise and should be treated with the same discernment that you would use if seeking advice for medical treatment.
There isn’t really much difference between a singing teacher and a vocal coach. Both should have the same qualifications in vocal pedagogy however a vocal coach will often specialise in certain styles of music like pop, classical or musical theatre. Vocal coaches will often work with singers who are already trained and need specific help.
Should a Singing Teacher be able to Read Music?
In it’s purest definition teaching singing is about vocal production so it is not absolutely necessary that a singing teacher is able to read music however it is the application of vocal technique through songs and exercises where knowing how to read music is essential. Most singers are going to come across sheet music for the songs so a singing teacher needs to be able to recognise the melody line and intervals notated on the page so they can teach the student an unfamiliar song and isolate passages of music to work on.
Should a Singing Teacher be able to Play an Instrument?
Like the ability to read music, playing an instrument is not essential as a singing teacher however it makes life so much easier. In big institutions singing teachers are often assigned an accompanist for their lessons however free lance singing teachers don’t have that luxury and often have to rely on backing tracks if they don’t play an instrument themselves. While some singing teachers predominantly use backing tracks it is time consuming to have to find specific parts of songs to work on. Being able to sit at a piano and instantly play specific parts of songs saves a lot of time.
Should a Singing Teacher also be an Active Performer?
Quite a few performers call themselves singing teachers but not many singing teachers actually perform regularly themselves. Teaching singing can be a tiring job often working odd hours with risk of vocal fatigue. This can make it difficult to find time for performing however l feel it is important that students see that a teacher is out there practicing what they preach. It develops trust and respect. Students and teachers are able to relate to each other on a performers level. A teachers role is not only to educate and guide but also to inspire.
Now that we have established what a singing teacher is let me answer a few questions about myself in case you would like to enquire about lessons with me!
What are your qualifications to teach singing?
I have a bachelor of music majoring in voice from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where I studied vocal pedagogy and performance. I am constantly reading books and attending seminars to improve and adapt as a singing teacher. I have been teaching singing for the past 12 years from my studio and also as a popular online vocal coach with a subscriber base of 18,000 online students.
Do you read music and play an instrument?
I have been playing piano for 33 years. I passed all music theory and musicianship exams prior to receiving my Bachelor of Music where music theory, composition and piano were all assessed. I can comfortably sight read sheet music and chord charts. One of my other skills is to be able to listen to a song and work out chord structures very quickly. This comes in very handy if a student wants to learn a song where sheet music isn’t available.
Do you perform regularly?
I am the lead singer for a local jazz band which performs most months for functions and community events. I have been a very active performer for the local theatre and sing for many charity concerts and conferences. I had the privilege of opening for James Morrison and John Williamson recently.
Happy Enquiring!
