Why Take Voice Lessons In An Independent Voice Studio? The real reasons!

 Why should you take voice lessons in an Independent Voice Studio?  What does it do for you? Can’t everyone sing? 

Almost anyone who can speak can learn to sing, but most people don’t use their voices to their full potential. Voice lessons teach singers how to control their breath and find vocal resonance to create a fuller, healthier, and more beautiful sound. Lessons also teach general musical skills and build more confident singers.  The average singing student needs weekly guidance to establish a solid technique.  Through solid technique you can find the capabilities of your singing voice, not merely imitating those that you hear on recordings.

What we hear while we’re singing just isn’t true, so we are always dependent on someone we trust to take the role of our ‘outside ears’. Renee Fleming 

We don't always hear ourselves as others hear us.  Think about when you hear yourself speaking on your voicemail greeting.  It sounds different, right?  The same is true with our singing voice.  

In an independent voice studio, the student gets guidance on their own individual voice, not the overall sound of the choir. This individualized attention helps develop the voice in a unique and powerful way.  Together teacher and singer explore a variety of styles of music based on what the teacher hears in the potential of the voice, students' interests and how the voice starts developing.  You gain confidence in your own sound.  Also, there is so much music out there than many of us have never heard!  There are also many styles of music which we particularly like which may or may not be suited to our voice type and range.  Exploring your voice from a solo standpoint can help you find your potential and uncover beautiful things!

Voice lessons can be taught both in person and online!  What are the benefits to each?  (See blogs on Online lessons vs. In Person Lessons).  Many teachers, such as myself, are now incorporating both options into their studios.  Turn around the skills you build in voice lessons and use them in your choral experiences!!

What about the fun of the choral experience, singing with others?

Add to your choral singing with voice lessons and keep having fun in choir!  Other opportunities arise too which give you more confidence and enhanced singing skills.  In an independent voice studio, the singer not only gets access to a voice teacher and vocal coach, but to the camaraderie of belonging to a group of people who enjoy singing.  Most voice studios provide opportunities to perform musical repertoire one or two times a year.  Some also give the opportunity to work on the repertoire in front of and with others in the studio (please see more information on my studio at www.susanandersbrizick.com).  With more opportunities to share music with others, a student has a higher drive to perfect the craft of singing, builds a higher confidence level in their singing and themselves, and the better music we create!

 "Why should I sing an Art Song?  I want to sing something more complex or that's not the music I am interested in singing." This is the question I often get asked when assigning art songs to my voice students.  There are so many reasons:

We learn from any vocal repertoire that we sing!  Art songs give us a chance to work with words as poetry.  Art songs (classical songs) were most often poems before they were set to music.  The words inspired the composers to set them in a song.  

We learn to pay attention to the words and their meaning as the composer interpreted.  To look at how the melody interacts with the piano accompaniment to create a desired effect.  To really communicate our interpretation of that meaning.  

What Singing Art Songs Does For Us:

- Teaches us the power of words and how they function in creating images

- Teaches us to notice details.  (Nuances between the melody and accompaniment to create images)

- Exposes us to poems by many of history's greatest poets from all nationalities

    ** A great exercise is having students sing songs with the same text by a variety of composers and in a variety of eras!!

- It adds to our working vocabulary in various languages (Italian, French, German).  Our vocabulary in the specific language we are singing grows quickly as we study more and more art songs.

- Stretches our imagination and how to analyze a poem.   How do WE interpret the poem?  (A direct correlation to English classes in school)

- It is history and song that leads to so many of the contemporary music of today.  (We didn't just get to where we are in music by magic!)

- It teaches us to communicate a story.  Words are not always straight forward and need to be interpreted and then communicated.

-  It often  teaches a simplified melodic line or recurring theme.  Often melodic lines are simplistic in nature in beginning art songs and folk songs.  Repeated words lend to repeated melodic ideas. These are the backbones of most music regardless of genre.

Art songs (classical songs) are an essential to vocal study and learning to communicate the meaning of any style of music.  Embrace the beauty of text and song to help you share meaningful music!  

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Why Take Voice Lessons? The In Person Option Analyzed (but don't forget online too....)

Voice Lessons are such an important element of improving singing technique and building confidence to sing in front of others.  In the previous article, I analyzed why online lessons may be a good option.  Here are a few benefits of the IN PERSON option!  Please read both and decide which option works best for YOU or YOUR CHILD.  

In Person Benefits:

Being IN PERSON, you really get one on one attention in live time.  Your voice is analyzed exactly as it is heard by another individual.  That opinion and expertise is invaluable!  We do not hear ourselves as others hear us!

Some people are just DONE with the online concept because they have to spend so much time on their computers for work or school.  Zooming meetings and other online concepts are here to stay but this may be a place you can get the 'humanness' of singing back!

One on one singing in person may be less intimidating than jumping back into singing with the choir. You or your child may have gotten a little rusty over the pandemic and singing online for choir class or maybe your church or community choir (or you) took a break over the pandemic.  You want to work on your skills and confidence but have the face to face interaction with another human without technology involved.

You may be ready to venture off the computer to in person singing but still fear singing with multiple people in a group.  Singing lessons give you that opportunity with less of a germ pool.  Build your skills and confidence to get back to it.

Many people say there is just NOTHING like hearing singing and music LIVE!  If that's you, that's your option:-)

Voice Lessons, no matter how you slice it, are beneficial not only to your singing voice but for your soul!  You may want to give it a try but don't know which way will work best for you.  Stop and think about it and go with what feels most comfortable.  I enjoy teaching both online and in person as it presents the singer in a different way and gives a variety of things to work on in lessons.

Many studios (including myself) are offering both options or the best of both worlds.  You may choose or need to go back and forth! The option to primarily take IN PERSON lessons with the option to convert to ONLINE as needed can help you get into a regular lesson pattern regardless of daily life.

- Daily life patterns may change (travel for work, car broke down, to child playing a sport for one season which makes it difficult to make it to lesson on time, but can if online) 

- Public health situations  (COVID-19 exposure and quarantine or variants or you have a little cold but don't want to share it) 

- Weather (an ice storm which leaves roads impassable but with electricity, a lesson still possible)

If we have learned anything through the pandemic, it is that things can always change! Make the move and get started singing more and being happy today with voice lessons!!  Tune in next week for benefits of singing lessons in general!

Why Take Voice Lessons? How is best for YOU? Online or In Person or in a studio which offers both?

 

Why should you or your child take voice lessons?  It seems an age old question, but today is a brand new one!  You have a larger choice HOW to take voice lessons too!  With all of the time we have spent on computers and in online school, people need more one on one time. They need to reconnect to people.  They need to be interacting with someone on a truly individual basis to reconnect to what matters to them what moves them, what they feel, how they can express it.  

Individual time with a voice teacher is like nothing else!  It fuels our souls, our creativity, balances our well being, and gives us confidence.  In voice lessons, we work on YOU as an individual and on YOUR singing voice.   

In the age of the pandemic, we found we can get this one on one time and reconnecting through both ONLINE and IN PERSON voice lessons.  There are so many benefits to both ways and yes, you can do one or the other or BOTH.  (Many of us are continuing online and in person options to serve all needs)  So no matter which you prefer, you can explore both to GET THAT VOICE SINGING!

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Many of us never thought to teach online, but through advancement in technology, we did it and it opened many doors. Here are some of the benefits of ONLINE teaching I have found (Tune in next week for IN PERSON benefits)

Location and Time:

You can have a lesson with a voice teacher even when you live across the country or go on a vacation for an extended time.  Car breaks down or there is a storm that leaves the road a mess, you can still have your lesson!  Going off to college but want to continue voice lessons with your studio teacher in your hometown, YOU' VE GOT IT!

If you found you didn't have time to take voice lessons before because of travel time to and from location in addition to the length of the lesson, this could be your answer!  Or your teacher and your schedule are difficult to coordinate (even if its for a 2 week period)- you don't need to cancel or quit, move it online (even if only temporary)

Truly face to face (even if through the screen) :

When on the computer, a teacher and student are truly face to face (no voice lessons cannot take place without a camera).  Voice teachers can see actions of the mouth, neck and posture issues very clearly. When singing in person during this pandemic many of us do still need to wear a mask.  This hides our face, mouth, etc so sometime difficult to address certain areas of technique.  Online we do not so we can see the singer more clearly.  We also generally see the singer in a close up view.  We can ask them to turn sideways, get a different view of posture.    

Preparation:

I have found that students are more apt to work harder in between lessons when learning online.  When they are more prepared for the music of the lesson, they are have a more successful lesson.  They have accompaniment tracks ready to go and have planned out what they want to work on.  Also because of the slight drawback of latency issues of working online, students work harder to combat it with more practice time. 

Latency issues have been vastly improved with various technological advancements and tools.  Voice lessons online have become very SUCCESSFUL and POPULAR.

Of course, singing in person is ultimately the best thing, but don't let this stop you from SINGING!!  Explore the option to have ONLINE voice lessons (or supplement ONLINE when you have schedule issues with your IN PERSON Voice Lessons)

Go explore singing lessons for YOU (visit www.susanandersbrizick.com for information on Voice Lessons in my studio) .  Tune in next week for benefits of IN PERSON Voice Lessons and singing in general!

Thank you Teachers of 2020 "Good Educators Share Knowledge. Great Educators Make an Impression That Stays in Their Students Hearts Forever." Part 5 of 5

 As a quick wrap up to this series on "Good Educators Share Knowledge. Great Educators Make an Impression That Stays in Their Students Hearts Forever", I just want to say thank you to all of the teachers of 2020 who are out there doing their best to teach our youth today!  And thank you students and families for joining us on the journey and embracing the new ways of learning of this challenging time.

Teachers: No matter your subject area or age that you teach,we need to continue to support one another in our challenges and successes.  Reach out to each other today to make sure your fellow educators are okay.  Share a good story or something you found successful in your teaching in our modified models of 2020.  Offer to be an ear or a help to someone who has hit a roadblock in how to do something.  

What are you finding is rewarding in teaching in these challenging times?  What are the benefits you see?  I know I find my students are more prepared for their lessons and we are having fun exploring different opportunities to create music!

Students: Stop and think about what you are learning about your OWN learning style.  What works well for you?  What is challenging?  What do you enjoy about learning in these different ways?

Focus on the POSITIVE and YOU will make your world a Masterpiece!

Voice Lessons and Chorus or Band: Tribute to "Good Educators Share Knowledge. Great Educators Make an Impression That Stays in Their Students Hearts Forever." Part 4 of 5

Study of music  in the form of Voice lessons, Saxophone lessons, Chorus, Band, or participation in Drama and Musical Theater Productions have such a large impact on students.  It is here that many students truly witness the concept that "Great Educators Make an Impression That Stays in Their Students Hearts Forever".  

Why?

Many Years of Study--Part of this phenomenon is that it is and opportunity to have MANY years of study with the same teacher so there is continual development of the skills of and whole of a person.  

Individual Voice Lessons or Instrumental Study is a one on one opportunity to help develop musical skills and impact students over the course of many years.  As the students ability levels change, so does the teaching.  As their musical tastes develop, so does their repertoire and exposure to repertoire they didn't even know existed.

Although choir, band, and drama directors deal with many students at a time (often in much larger groups than the average classroom), they often also have the pleasure of teaching the same students over many years.  As students grow and change, teachers affect them in different ways.  It is an ongoing continuum of learning where students grow from year to year thus creating a large impact on students. 

Music and Drama as a Subject Touch the Heart and Soul

Music and drama study really touch the heart and soul of a human being.  Whether it be interacting with the other musicians and thespians in the room and creating a unique bond through those interactions OR an individuals response to the music they are making that lifts their spirits and makes them feel good to create, the impact of these subjects on a person can be so profound.

Music and Drama Study Develop Many Aspects of a Person as a Whole:

Study of music and drama instill discipline, ability to accept and work with constructive criticism to make something the best it can be, encourage creativity and so many more things!

Stop and think as an adult:  What are some of your fondest memories of your education in your youth?  Many reply taking lessons, singing in choir, being in the musical, marching band.  If not musically inclined it may be a particular group project or research which YOU did.  Something that mattered or interested you at the time are what stick with us.  Someone stirred that interest in you and the TOPIC fueled your interest. 

Stop and think as a student:  What are some of the things you remember the most fondly of your education so far?  Is it taking voice lessons?  Participating in band?  Missing being on stage in a Musical Theater Production?  Something stirred that interest in you (was it your teacher, your parents) and that TOPIC or how making the music, singing, acting, made you feel keeps you there.

ENJOY your moments in music and drama!  Seek out opportunities available to you.  Let music and drama teachers help you to explore all that is out there!  In 2020 many opportunities are available in different formats due to social distancing. Some may be more likely on a 1 on 1 basis such as Voice Lessons- sign up to enjoy today!  Others may be outdoor opportunities in small groups- let yourself enjoy all that you can and be impacted by Arts Teachers over many years!  Trust me, you will never forget it!

Individual Music Lessons: Clear Example of "Good Educators Share Knowledge. Great Educators Make an Impression That Stays in Their Students Hearts Forever." Part 3 of 5

Now almost a month into school, have any new teachers started to have that profound impact on you?  Are they a teacher you had before?  Or is it a new teacher and a new way of learning that make you appreciate them more? 

Last week I shared 2 teachers who made a large impression on me and there are more.  My 5th grade teacher had one year to make an impression on me and did so in a big way.  He was there when I needed someone.  My voice teacher had many years to make that impression because learning singing is a lifelong skill in which I have invested much time in lessons.  My band teacher, choral teacher, drama instructor and future voice teachers also had a large impact on me.  In study of these areas, I had many of the teachers for multiple years AND ongoing guidance in areas that interest me.  The same is true of a coach in a sport which students get to learn across many years.  They can shape our path for years to come. 

This week I want to address Individual Instruction in music and the impact it has on a student (and next week group instruction).  Individual instruction in music (voice lessons, guitar lessons, piano lessons) has a very powerful connection between student and teacher.  The teacher is sharing their knowledge with the student but moving at the students pace and addressing their individuality along the way.  Taking time to talk about individual posture for singing, where THAT student feels resonance, learning about reading music, discussing music preferences and what style or music suits THAT students voice.  

As Independent Voice or Instrument Teachers, we work on building the individual through years of study in many areas.  Here are some of the benefits of individual voice lessons (or music study in general)

* Teach Individual skills including fine tuning the instrument and musicality

* Develop a person and character through one on one interaction and teaching responsibility 

* Build Confidence 

*Teach discipline to craft their art 

* Explore the INDIVIDUAL voice and the changes it may be enduring as a student has vocal demands of both choir and the musical, going through puberty, how the voice responds to singing different styles of music or languages.

* Through many years of study, continually develop musicianship skills and the person.  We get to interact over a longer span of time and do have an impact on the student as they develop as a human and musician!

* Specific to singing and chorus:  There is a human heartbeat to singing.  A sense of belonging, of making music with YOUR voice, the person playing the piano, or the human singing with you (choir)

Many of these characteristics are present in the teaching of the arts in a larger group as well, which we we explore next week, but in the day and age we are living in with so many restrictions to publicly making music together, I wanted to address the many benefits to taking SINGING LESSONS (even if online for a while).