Lessons

I can provide lessons for complete beginners through to advanced singers, working on any genre of music.

Lessons usually include a few minutes planning time; I like to make sure that students are working on music they really love, so keeping a repertoire is vital.

A quick review of our previous notes, to find out how the student’s practise has been since the last lesson is also important.

We usually warm-up at the piano, singing through the exercises together. Sometimes I use more complicated exercises I have stored on my laptop, if it’s something beyond my keyboard skills! It’s good to find out what shape the voice is in before approaching the pieces, and to try new technical ideas in simple patterns first.

Singing through pieces, working on tricky bits, developing dynamics and performance, whilst incorporating the techniques we have looked at in the warm-up, will take a large proportion of the lesson.

As well as learning to project the voice naturally, I also teach microphone technique and have several different types of both live and recording mics, and we can either amplify the voice or make our own recordings using studio software on the laptop. I often give students a CD or USB stick with their recording on, either to use a a tool for review and development, or as a finished piece to enjoy and be proud of! It can be a fantastic tool for developing the ability to sing harmonies, and I often encourage students to record their own backing vocals.

More advanced singers can work on preparing for live performances, and sometimes this includes learning good vocal technique whilst playing piano or guitar, and using a mic at the same time. There are a couple of local open mics that I encourage these students to attend, and I sometimes accompany on the piano if appropriate!

Exam prep is usually for Rockschool or ABRSM (classical) exams, and these students may spend a fair amount of time on music theory and musicianship skills such as ear training, scales and improvisation. However, all students can learn to read music and develop these skills, even if they are not studying towards an exam.

Lessons are designed to be fun as well as informative, but I am also here to support singers through the difficult parts of their learning journey, as we all have them. Lessons are tailored to the individual singer, so wherever you are in your journey, get in touch to discuss what you need.