How to Teach Voice Lessons

Singing is a very powerful form of expression, and people the world over relish and appreciate. However, teaching someone to sing is a powerful and rewarding practice. A voice lesson can be an unstructured and haphazard mess, or it can be a beneficial period for both the teacher and the student. The following steps are designed to help you teach effective and useful voice lessons.

Instructions

1. Find a vocal student. Often universities, churches, high schools and music stores will employ trained vocal performers to teach patrons who wish to learn the art of properly singing.

2. Have a preliminary meeting with your vocal student so you can learn about his goals and skill level before having your first official lesson. This meeting is beneficial in making sure the chemistry between you and your student is right and to help structure your lesson.

3. Make a lesson plan for the first voice lesson. The aim is to learn where the student's skill level lies. Make time to practice vocal exercises and warm-ups to get acquainted with range and tone.

4. Go over postural techniques in your first lesson. Begin each lesson with posture and breathing exercises, which should become second nature to both you and your student. Warm up your student vocally with any number of vocal exercises.

5. Take time at the middle of the lesson to get a feeling for how your student is feeling about her progress. Spend the middle part of your lesson, about 20 to 25 minutes, on repertoire material. If she is a university student, then no doubt she has recital pieces. If she is a recreational student, pick a repertoire or performance piece to practice.

6. Close your lesson with something fun, such a piece your student enjoys singing. Or spend the last 5 to 10 minutes chatting with your student, learning about him and his goals as a vocalist.

Tips & Warnings

• The best vocal lessons reach new ground on each lesson and challenge both the student and teacher. Try to progress your student each lesson with difficult vocal exercises to practice at home.

• Find pieces that your student will enjoy on your own time before your lessons. Your student will know that you were thinking of her, since you continually want to broaden her repertoire.

• If your student is not a university or high school student, there may not be ample time for performance. Schedule an intimate performance where your student invites friends and family to see his progress. Have a studio recital where your student can showcase his talent.

• Be aware of any fatigue during the lesson. Have tea with lemon and water available for days when your student is hoarse or not feeling well.

Resources

• This site is a resource for vocal teachers.
• This site has vocal lesson structure tips.
• There are various articles by vocal teachers here.