What Beginners May Not Know: The Journey Of A Singer
When you realize you have a desire to learn to sing, get better at singing or become a singer the first step you need to take to help you is doing research to find yourself a vocal coach / voice teacher. In this blog I am going to walk you through some crucial things to know as a beginner.
Voice Lessons and Vocal Studies
Often beginners feel the need to choose a genre to sing in order to begin taking lessons. You do not need to choose a genre right away or even at all! This will help you choose the right voice teacher, why? Because a well trained voice teacher won’t just teach a specific style - the best vocal coaches are those who provide you with a strong foundation in understanding the basic functions of your voice. In my studio each of my students begin learning function over style because it will allow them to sing whatever style they want in a healthy and happy way. Do not worry about the genre in which you sing, worry about if you will be taught how to sing properly!
The Singers Choice
In the beginning you may feel a lot of pressure to pick what type of a singer you want to be and how you want to “make it big”. STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS! That’s your first step on the road to a singer's success. The more pressure you put on yourself to become something specific the more you will lose your authenticity as an individual within the world of singing. I fully believe that your destiny as a singer will come to you over time, focus on the now! In addition to this if you find your teacher being pushy for you to perform and get paid gigs, i’m sure they have good intentions for you but you may want to consider discussing the boundary of your future with them. What you choose to do with your developing talent is and should be 100% up to you. If you feel any pressure from a coach please say something to them! As teachers we want you to have success but if you ever are being told “Hey you need to audition for this show / gig, let’s work on this song I choose for you to audition with, it’s next week.” you’re gonna need to set a boundary. In my studio I offer information on local and global auditions but ultimately it is up to you on auditioning, there is zero pressure, you do you!
Singing Is Unlike Anything Else
One of my students the other day addressed to me in her lesson that she was really frustrated with herself. She understands the currently taught concepts and can apply them well but they don’t always stick. She told me how this frustration happened one day when she practiced in a parking garage and was doing so well but a car pulled up and she immediately went back into her old habits. I took the time to explain to her that developing healthy vocal habits takes time and that in order to defeat this frustration she must first accept that as a beginner / intermediate student she is learning A LOT and must be patient. When it comes to singing 75% of it is a mental game. Your ears are SO powerful, if you don’t like what you hear right away your mind is gonna shut the actual power of your voice down faster than lighting. You have to break through the mental barriers and tell yourself “I am learning, my voice is developing, and it’s beautiful the way it is right now.” This will help you so much!
Beginning The Journey: Extra Advice For A New Singer
If you're searching to find your sound, and are willing to: practice, take knowledge from a certified instructor, and are ready to embark on a musical journey of your own without pressure, or misguidance - please step into my studio online or in-person! Email or Dm me with questions you have regarding singing lessons and sign up for an assessment lesson and I will explain to you the current state of your voice and how I can help you develop and strengthen it even more. Mention reading this blog post and receive up to 20% off your first month of lessons! https://mikahandmusic.com/about