The 3 Biggest Mistakes Youre Making in Your Voice Lessons

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Youre Making in Your Voice Lessons Sign up successful Not Letting Go OK, so forget the famous Disney song for a second (even though I know its now stuck in your head). The best voice lessons happen only when youre ready and willing to be open, raw, unpolished (at times), and free. And when we voice teachers use the word free, we dont always just mean free of physical tension. We might also mean free in terms of artistic expression. As the brilliant voice teacher Julie Zarukin once told me,  Music is not the song. Music is the singing. We have to let go of both our physical and mental tensions if were to make progress in our learning journeys. Being Afraid A lot of times, what were afraid of in our voice lessons is letting go (see mistake number two above). But just as often, were afraid of not hitting that high note, cracking on that big leap, having too much vibrato, and believe it or not, I think that some students are afraid of singing too loudly, or too well. In some ways, I feel like getting a voice lesson is like getting a physicians exam. You know that you need the diagnosis and treatment, but its not always easy to share so much with a person that you may not know very well yet. And yet, a voice teacher can only find your challenges and help you learn how to get better at singing if youre not afraid to allow them to be found. Making the Most of Your Singing Lessons If you really want to get better at singing and improve your skills, youll need to make the most of your time both in your lessons and during practice! Whether you want to sing cover songs, work on specific techniques, get help picking a song for an audition, or just have some fun exploring your voice, your teacher is there to help you reach your goals and keep you on track. He or she will also teach you the basics, such as: breathing exercises for singers, how your posture affects your singing, and how to care for your voice. Now, if you find yourself making the mistakes listed above in your voice lessons, then it sounds like you may be having a tough time trusting your voice teacher. Try your best to be open and talk openly about your concerns. But just like a physicians patient, a voice student has the right to get a second opinion if you feel frustrated or stuck. The best voice teachers will actually encourage you to get one. Take a break and try a new voice teacher for a couple of months. Sometimes, a new set of ears and a fresh perspective can change the way you look at voice lessons and help you make progress as you work to figure out how to get better at singing. The most important element is finding a voice teacher that you can trust (hint: start your search for a voice teacher with TakeLessons, if you dont have one yet!). To Recap: Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher