Questions from a teen: How well can your vocal range be improved with lessons? & How do I find a good teacher?
I know I can sing, but I have breathing problems and problems following the notes, I’m into to singing big songs, I just want to learn how to do it right.
Answer: I love double-barreled questions! When you say “improve your range” I’m going to assume that you mean increase and expand to a larger range.
As a teenager – even in your late teens, your voice range is in the process of developing . . . and it takes some years for it to settle. Yes, with a good teacher and enough time you should see your range expand (“improve”). Daily practice and good habits will enable your voice to develop well. Your limited range will grow to something resembling two useful octaves … and maybe more.
A good teacher will instruct you regarding your “breathing problems”.
A voice teacher is not contracted to teach you how to read music. For that you’d do well to study an instrument (like the piano) and start a systematic regimen of sight-singing exercises every day. Inability to “follow the notes” is a musical problem that you can remedy in this way.
There are a couple ways to find a good voice teacher. One is to ask your friends and teachers for referrals to reputable local voice teachers. If you get the chance, ask your prospective teacher for permission to “audit” someone else’s voice lesson, so that you can watch, listen and gauge whether you would understand and learn from that particular teacher. Another source is to go to the following web site and do a search for NATS members (voice teachers in association with National Association of Teachers of Singing) in your area. Names and contact information should be readily available.
http://www.nats.org/find_teacher.php
I hope this has been helpful.
Tags: singing, vocal instruction, vocal instructor, vocal lessons