The instrument known as voice is one of the most complicated instruments to learn, as we play our instruments by hearing, feel and inspiration. It's very much an internal instrument so it can be experienced very differently by each person. It's a "multi-instrument", think of it as a combination of instruments that can be played separately or together.
There are many facets to our instruments to master, like breath management and control, proper posture, muscular development, muscle memory, building vocal strength, co-ordination and flexibility, learning about resonance and acoustical space, articulation and vowel modification, pitch recognition and control, mastering register control, dynamics, placement and tone, etc., and we focus on learning these during lessons.
I've found that if your goal is to become a better singer (or a great singer) and you love singing, you will also love the singing journey and practice will be something you do because you are focused on your end goal. It's really hard to keep up with practice if your goals aren't clear. Don't be afraid to set your goals high!! You can achieve a lot more with your voice than you think you can when first starting out.
I won't sugarcoat it, it does take commitment, dedication, persistence and discipline to get into a good practice routine and to become a good singer. It is something you have to incorporate into your life and make time for every week.
It is necessary to practice consistently (to musical scales and vocal exercises) and I therefore offer a realistic program with weekly lessons and a practice schedule to ensure vocal progress at a reasonable rate. I provide you with the tools you need to be able to excel in your vocal journey.
Like learning to play violin, it takes a while before your instrument is going to sound fantastic (or even good) because it takes a while to setup good healthy vocal technique and to develop skill. It's important to allow yourself the space and time to experiment with your voice knowing that you're going to make mistakes and sound silly doing your exercises, this is part of development for any instrument.
If you're just starting out, think of committing to a minimum of 6 months to a year of weekly singing lessons and practice. A shorter time than that really doesn't give you a good indication of what vocal development entails.
For adults it can take between 6 months to a year to attain a decent level of singing (depending on age, current vocal development, skill level and ability to apply techniques) and this is if you already have the necessary basics, like being able to sing in tune - it can take a lot longer if there are vocal problems to work through as well. For children it takes longer as they are still developing.
If your goal is to sing to an advanced level (e.g. Whitney Houston) you will need a MINIMUM of 4 to 5 years of vocal development. Keep in mind that advanced singers spend decades perfecting their voices and singing technique and most of them employ the services of vocal coaches on a regular basis to help keep their voices in top condition. Being an advanced singer takes a lot more commitment as you do need to upkeep your level of vocal development if you want to keep a healthy voice for a lifetime.
If you follow my program you can build up your voice to an advanced level or you can stop at the level you feel reaches your singing goals.
My singing lessons are more focused on technique and skill development than singing songs (initially) because once you've reached a good skill level with correct technique, you'd be able to sing the songs you wanted much easier as the skills you learn translate into your singing naturally. A typical lesson can consist of technique instruction, vocal exercises, learning about the voice, recording, singing songs, working on vocal problems, etc.
If your goal is to be a better singer and you want to make sure you are singing with healthy technique that will enable you to sing for a lifetime, then voice lessons are without a doubt the quickest way to get you there.
The singing journey is absolutely the best journey you'll ever take... it's amazing how much you discover about not only your voice, but also yourself. Your voice isn't just an instrument, it's you.
"If you sing, you're a singer"...