What to look for in a Voice Teacher pt 2 I’ll Know when my love comes along

I’ll Know when my love comes along - Knowledge and Connections 

I’m a sucker for a good “enemies to lovers trope”, and Frank Loesser’s Broadway Musical Guys and Dolls takes opposites attract to the extreme. Singing “I’ll know when my love comes along” sweet and practical Sarah describes her perfectly envisioned Brooks-Brothers wearing ideal husband, while slick gambler Sky says he’ll leave his perfect match up to chemistry. 

If singing either role is your dream (I’m still preferential to Adelaide), how do you go about finding a voice teacher who can help you get there? 

In part one, we talked about showing up to your first lesson with dreams and goals. Your dream might be belting out a tune but find you always crack right at the pivotal moment. Maybe it's smoothing the longer phrases of a love song rather than fizzling out. Maybe you know your singing could be stronger, more confident, and land you your dream role but you’re not sure how to do that yet. 

That’s where finding a vocal coach who has both practical knowledge as well as the ability to communicate the nuances of singing comes in handy. A singing teacher needs to understand the mechanics of the human voice and the anatomy of the instrument. That knowledge is the foundation on which technique can be built. It’s like the stability that Sarah in Guys and Dolls is looking for in a partner. 

However, equally important is a voice teacher’s ability to communicate their knowledge and help you feel your best when singing. Sky Masterson would call that “Chemistry” - the youth today call it ‘Vibes’. If you and your prospective teacher communicate well, they’ll be adept in their ability to teach not just vocal anatomy but also technique that leads to beautiful singing. 

A vocal coach's understanding of voice can come from degrees, training, or experience. I’ve known teachers who had all the dazzling experience in the world but couldn’t translate that into someone else's singing. I worked for three years with a coach who never earned a degree, but taught at the most exclusive college of music.  

In my personal experience, a strong voice teacher has both knowledge and experience- but most importantly, their pedagogy (aka methods of teaching) fosters you to make the connections between where you are and where you want to be. It's the marriage between those components that make the work you do in and outside the studio a success. ( much like Sky and Sarah’s happily ever after!) 

Fortunately finding a voice teacher isn’t like Nathan’s floating crap game- while it can take some trial and error once you find the right fit your progress will be exponential. 

As Adelaide sings “At Wanamaker's and Saks and Klein/A lesson I've been taught/ You can't get alterations on a dress you haven't bought” So book your first lesson and see if your potential teacher has the practical knowledge you seek and the chemistry to match your singing vibes. 

If you’re interested in booking a lesson with Ashley at the Nest Vocal Studio click the link below and lets get started. Get Started