Tom Eaton @ Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:12 am wrote:
Has anyone here actually taken lessons from a vocal coach (not classical like Jazzy had, but to learn to sing popular music better)? I'd be interested to know what sort of things they have you do. I read a book by a vocal coach with an accompanying CD that was interesting, but it was just an introduction where you practiced scales and octave jumps and things like that, and it never got into singing actual songs.
Yes, I have. I took six months of vocal training from a voice teacher who worked at a community fine arts center. That was back in 1998 and then we moved, so both distance and money were a problem. He was very open to teaching me skills to improve my singing on both popular music and rock. I also worked on some comtemporary theatre using a Hal-Leonard collection that included an accompanyment CD. I would also used my karaoke CDG's. Since there wasn't access to a TV or karaoke player, I used written lyrics. I worked on songs that gave me the most trouble. All lessons were tape recorded so I could take the cassette home and listen to what I learned in class. In six months my singing improved alot. There was also the usual vocal exercises that I practiced between classes, and always before singing in class.
Voice lessons can be expensive. In 1998 I was paying $24.00 for 1/2 hour. The lessons were actually 40 minutes, allowing time discuss anything important, like schedules, my experiences at karaoke, etc. I'm sure lessons have gone up like everything else. I would love to go back and take them again, if money wasn't an issue right now.