Karaoke Forums

I've been thinking about purchasing voice instruction on video or CD and was wondering first if that's a good idea. I don't want to do more harm than good, but it looks like it will be a while before I can get a good vocal instructor.

The Singing Success program w/Brett Manning looks very interesting and I know there's a lot more out there. Anyone have any experiences with any?

If you live near a college, even a jr. college, you might see if they have a community voice class or lessons. Many do. Even a so-so instructor is better than trying to do it on your own. It's having that objective person to listen to you that helps the most. Good luck!

Suzanne Lanoue

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

personally miss milo ya don't need one...ya voice rocks anyways! ...but can understand why....even learning proper breathing techniques helps bring your vocals out better...anyways good luck with ya hunt for a teacher

hey ya could always buy the dvd/cd then record it as ya practicing i am sure theres a few on here would put ya right olol.

Well Missy you just made my night!!

Yeah, I would like to learn the proper breathing techniques and stuff though. I do have a cd that has warm-up exercises on it, but I'm not sure I'm doing them right. But they're kind of fun and my doggie likes to howl along with me! I guess I could take your suggestion and put some up for critique in the bloopers category.

Suzanne, I do have an objective person to listen to me though! Her name is Gilly! She's taken some of my songs and dissected them so I could know where my problem areas are. Now I just need someone to show me how to fix them!

Thanks to both of you for your feedback!

That's great! Real voice lessons are best, though, because if the person is trained and all that, they know what to tell you and hopefully how to tell you to do it better. I took them all through high school and college, then stopped for a while, and took them again last year. I had to quit but I hope to take them again. You are never too old, or too good, to learn more.

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

I would LOOOVE to have a vocal instructor!! Or even one of those video/DVD's you're talkin about..... And Yes... Isn't Brett Manning FUN? I checked out his website.. He seems very cool... and knowledgable. Can u imagine how much private lessons from him would be?? ! Yikes! But yah... I wonder if his videos are any good... The free clip on his site sure seems to be!

hmm....

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Crystal! Why they're only $150 per hour at his Nashville studio!

I think I may just run down there next week sometime!

If he ever comes near to where I live, I will go to one of his workshop thingies though.........

Oh right... he's coming to WV Not in this lifetime!! heheh

But if he ever does, let's hook up & go together!

Syber! WV? Where is that? Is that a state? Oooohhhhh, you mean the western part of Virginia? Yep, I've been there!!

Let's just say if he ever comes NEAR to WV, we'll go!

ol Ok, so you live in Virginia

Um no... WEST Virginia

Western Virginia??

No... WEST VIRGINIA... it's a separate state... remember the civil war??

Err um, ok so Western Virginia

*shoots self in head*



It's a date!! (if we have the money and time to spare, when and if he comes somewhere near WV... probably OH or KY or something)

About a year ago I purchased a CD/book by the renowned Seth Riggs... he teaches a vocal technique called "speech level" singing. I did the exercises for about a week and that was that. But that's just me... I got bored with it... although it has some great info and it is very informative! There is NO substitute for one on one lessons. I've been seeing a wonderful teacher for about 6 months now. Each time I make the 30 minute drive... I pop in my Lutgen tape (that she makes for me with each lesson) and I practice it ... and I ask myself "why am I doing this?" It is probably one of the most difficult things I have EVER done! A running joke right now is... "Are you singing words yet?" Answer... "No.... I'm not ready... I'm still on my vowels!"

I guess I started this because I wanted to learn the big secret to "breathing".... and I have learned that the secret is HARD WORK! It's a series of things.... like 1+1+1+1+1+1=6.... you do the process... you will get the result! I don't plan to do this professionally... but I have learned to really appreciate the art of singing.

I bought "singing for dummies" a long time ago. I think it has been really informative. It has a lot of exercises on cd etc. At least for me it has been worth it.

Morten

I didn't even know they made a 'for dummies' on singing!!! !!

I'd love to get me a copy!

Miss...
I have been going to a great vocal coach for over a year now... She is a country singer (sings at the opry most weekends) You may have heard of her, Mandy Barnett...
Anyway... she was a student of Renee Grant-Williams who is one of the most famous vocal coaches in the country...
She coaches the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Christina Aguilera and a ton more....
She has a website

[edit - link removed. Please do not post links. If anyone is interested please PM poster for details.]

Anywhoo... her dvd's are awesome and highly reccomended. They will teach you the proper breathing techniques and etc...
Just thought I would mention it, they are worth their money!

Hope that helps...
Peace!

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wow yall are some dedicated people!

I like my vowels just like they are ...Im glad i can breathe at all..right or wrong...and I DONT want to sound like my High School Chorus teacher..soooo...

Ima just gonna sang

Sheree...girl...YOU dont need a coach...! All you need is a studio and free reighn!

NO ..seriously...i applaud the diligence I see in this thread...I am sure I must have learned some techniques being in chorus and band for 8 years..Ive learned more about my voice..RECORDING myself..than in any time in my entire life...and Im STILL learning every time I record a song...

I remember I wanted voice lessons SOOO bad in high school but they were just TOO expensive. Every year I would try out for the sextet/ ensemble..and not make it...my senior year.. I finally asked my music teacher why she chose people who could not even hold a tune..and I was never chosen... She told me I sang MY OWN way..and my voice was good but it didnt SOUND like all the other TRAINED voices... i thought GOOD! and never felt hurt about it agin!.....

THEN...the kids came...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK!

Thank you muchly Sheree, Morten (dummies sounds right up my alley!) and NS! I'll look into those.

I agree with ya Kass, I don't want to sound like everyone else, just like to improve on what I've got...and why didn't you tell me "I" didn't need vocal lessons??!! , jk sweetie!

I love what your teacher told ya - she gave you a big compliment there!

A NEW DAY wrote:

That is so sweeeeet.. thank you kass... as far as being dedicated... I think for me it was more of a curiosity. I sort of fell into it. Someone I know (err.. a friend of a friend of a friend...) is seeing her and she has quite a rep as an excellent teacher... so I thought hmmm.. I figured I'd try it for a short time and here I am six (oops seven) months later still schlepping out there to my lessons. I never would have thunk I would be doing this at this stage of my life... but I guess I could have taken up painting classes or Spanish or whatever... heheh... why not singing? AND... it's GREAT therapy!!


Miss Milo wrote:

Don't worry... you will NOT sound like anybody else... you will always sound like YOU! It's sort of like taking a Yoga class hahaha.... you will simply be a little more flexible and you will have a bit more knowledge about your body/instrument. As my teach likes to say.... you will have more crayons to play with... adding to the colors you already have! BTW... I don't think ya NEED lessons either.... it IS expensive and time consuming... why why why why why *slap* am I doing it?.... I don't know..... ask me again in another 6 months.... maybe I'll be taking Spanish instead....

sheree said



wow cutiepie....sounds like you need a good vowel moment........

id like to once again recommend mark baxter...he is a little less operatic and hardcore than most vocal cds...he is a down to earth guy that knows everything about tecnique and vocal health.....this is a great study to start with if you dont want the intimidation of a berkley coach....his method is called rock and roll singers survival guide and he has a great video called singers toolbox....and he coaches steven tyler from aerosmith and frankly that makes my tongue hard !!! hehehe

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Gladly helping Kappy to become cyber immortal !!

I think the best singing lesson is call PRACTICE!!

I think all of you don't need to spend money on any lesson, if you keep singing & try different stuff you'll notice some changes in your voice & will want to try different technic! In four years that I've been singing, it only happen recently that I was able to reach different notes & that's only because of PRACTICE. I too would love to learn some technic but $$$$ and time is always the issue!

You all sing better than many artist, you just don't have the equipment they're using, that's all