Professional Singing Lessons and Vocal Coaching
to suit you and your voice!
Attending your first lesson can be quite daunting, but rest assured that I am here to help, not to judge, and I endeavour to create a safe space whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned professional.
What does Vocal Coaching involve?
Performing Artists, Professional/Semi-Professional Singers come for Vocal Coaching to become more efficient and energised in what they do
What to expect?
Voice assessment using both a very simple exercise that will give me detailed information on the functionality of your larynx and vocal cords, and by asking you to sing a verse and a chorus of a song that has a range that crosses the transition between the “chest voice” and the “head voice”. This will give me a good idea about how you deal with registration, resonance and vibrato. I will also ask about your vocal health and maybe even your general health to make sure that there is nothing interfering with your ability to sing well.
Technical exercises designed just for you to address any deficiencies that I hear or that you yourself report. We will record the lesson onto your phone etc. for individual practice purposes.
Repertoire and performance we will spend the bulk of the lesson working on repertoire and performance, getting your voice into a really healthy place so that you can achieve whatever goal it is that you are working towards.
What do Singing Lessons involve?
Complete beginners, people who haven’t sang for a while, or people who want to work on a specific area or issue in the voice
What to expect?
Voice assessment using a very simple exercise that will give me detailed information on your range, your musical ear and the overall functionality of your larynx and vocal cords. I may also ask about your vocal health and even your general health to make sure that there is nothing interfering with your ability to sing
Technical Exercises designed just for you to use to train the small and very specific muscular adjustments that you may need to make to improve the overall quality and tone of your voice. These exercises are great for making micro adjustments to your muscle memory and over time help to coordinate your voice. We will record the lesson onto your phone etc. for individual practice purposes.
Singing - the fun part! We will work on a song. Sometimes we’ll look at the whole song, more often than not we will work on the most difficult sections and usually refer back to some of the exercises that we’ve just used to train the form of the voice.
Zoom
Can’t get to see me in person? No problem as I also teach online via the Zoom App!
I teach people all over the world via Zoom and it really is a remarkable platform so there is nothing to fear - plus you don’t have to deal with petrol/transport costs and parking!
Contact me HERE if you would like to discuss Zoom Lessons further with me.
Other Services
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Audition Preparation
The "Audition Room" can be a minefield of "do's" and "don't's", and with an impressive track record, I can help you to source your material, prepare your repertoire and figure out the best cuts to take with you to help you to deliver your best performance. Regardless of whether you're auditioning for University, your next big role or even to tour the world as part of the cast on a cruise ship, get in touch and let me help you to get the part!
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In-Studio Coaching
Recording your next demo, hit single or next album is always a big deal. Getting your vocals just right takes time and effort and a ton of patience. Studio time is expensive and having your Vocal Coach on hand can make all the difference and help you to nail the "take". Often what is rehearsed live in the lesson can go out of the window in the vocal booth of a recording studio, so don't hesitate to ask me to pop into the studio with you to help you get the sound that you want and need.
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Vocal Health Advice
Accidents do happen and can happen to anybody at any stage, regardless of ability or experience. Singing is an athletic activity and in the same way that traditional athletes can suffer an injury, so can singers and there is no shame in that. Suffering a vocal injury can be traumatic, especially if you rely on your voice for your livelihood. I make a point of being well-versed in vocal health and I am a certified Vocal Health First Aider. I have an extensive contact list of medical professionals who can help to get you back on your feet again!
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Groups, Choirs and Workshops
I love working with groups and choirs. I am the director of the Liverpool Community Choir and started my performance career in the Gospel Music Industry. Whether it’s working out harmonies for your duo or band, or navigating technique in a small ensemble or choir, I can help. I also love to train singers in technique workshops and I spend a lot of my time training new and aspiring singing teachers and vocal coaches.
Contact me HERE if you would like more information!
3 Questions Every Singer Should Ask Before Signing Up with a Singing Teacher!
#1 - How will you improve my voice?
The most important thing to note, is that it’s YOUR lesson
We sit down and go through YOUR goals. Do you want to audition for a musical, or play your own material at Open Mic nights, or just be able to sing along to your favourite songs, etc.?
I won’t give out “generic” exercises. I don’t work that way - you deserve a program that’s tailored to your unique needs. Everybody’s voice is unique and therefore your training also has to be uniquely suited to you. Yes, there are technical frameworks that I use but there is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to training the voice, and I won’t treat you in that way.
I find out EXACTLY what you want, and I create a specific, customised plan to get you from A to B faster than anyone else can.
And if I can’t help you out – I won’t waste your money or your time and I will try to recommend somebody else who I think could help.
#3: “Who have you helped that’s similar to me?
If your singing teacher has already helped someone just like you, to achieve what they want to achieve, it’s likely they can help you too.
If they are brand new and never had success with anybody – sure, they might turn out to be a brilliant teacher. But you’re taking a gamble with your time and money.
After nearly 20 years of training all kinds of people, of all ages, from every background imaginable, I’m now in the unique position where there isn’t a vocal problem I haven’t seen before.
My clients have ranged from beginners to advanced, hobbyists to professionals, children to adult, terrified to confident, classical to musical theatre to rock and everything in between!
#2: “What qualifications/training do you have?”
Believe it or not, “Singing Teaching” is a completely UNREGULATED industry, not only in the UK but in most countries abroad as well.
Anybody can put a website up, announce that they’re a singing teacher and start teaching, and there are a lot of pianists and piano teachers out there “moonlighting” as singing teachers as well!
You don’t even have to be a musician, be able to read music or play an instrument to become a singing teacher.
To this day, you can’t study how to become a singing teacher at university or college.
These things may not be important to you, there is a lot to be said for experience and many successful singers out in the world can’t read music or play instruments either. Personally, I like to train my voice with someone who is a musician, a singer themselves, has evidence of some kind of tertiary educational training in music, and most importantly has evidence of study and ONGOING training in some form of vocal technique and pedagogy.
A good singing teacher should have a good knowledge of the following…
Anatomy and Physiology
Formants and Harmonics
Vowels and Vowel Modification
Belting and Mixing
Balancing of the Registers
Rudimentary Vocal Health and Hygiene
Basic Accompaniment and Music Theory