How to Advance Your Singing as a Busy Adult
How to Advance Your Singing as a Busy Adult
If you’ve not been around music study for a while, going for your first lesson or just singing in front of someone new can be a daunting prospect. Or there’s the confusion of knowing what options are available!
There’s not one ‘right’ way to advance your singing - it’s whatever suits your circumstances, personality and singing needs. Here are 5 ideas:
Jump on Youtube
Accessible, low-commitment and available 24/7. The downside is finding the personal/channel that you trust and gives over information in way that makes sense for you. Lack of feedback can be an issue here too - as you’re judging if it works entirely by yourself. And of course, no one knows - or cares! - if you give up mid way through.
Join a local group, choir or open mic.
Often very social, it will get you out of the house and singing! Possibly not the most effective way to way significant progress, but if your ambitions lie less with headlining at Glastonbury and more around singing for pleasure with others, this may be all you need.
1-on-1 Private Lessons
The bespoke option as it’s all about you! These days we have become adept at online teaching as well as in real life. Finding the right teacher is the tricky part. Ideally you want a teacher who is experienced or sympathetic to the style you want to sing in. And it’s nice to find someone you ‘click’ with.
1-on-1 lessons can be the most expensive option but perfect if you’re feeling a little shy - it’s just the two of you in the lesson. Some teachers like to be called vocal coach but there’s no industry standard here. And that’s true with fees too which can differ wildly different from teacher to teacher.
If you’re just starting out, maybe have a trial session with a couple of teachers (standard practice) until you find the one for you.
Sign up for a live course.
A good option for singing technique information and following a defined path. There’s plenty online, and likely a few in your part of the world too. Often held at night or at the weekend. They tend to be fixed content wise and, of course, the schedule isn’t flexible - it happens whether you can be there or not! A good fit if you like the structure of a definite end goal. The online classes tend to ask everyone to sing muted - excellent if you don’t feel like singing in front of others quite yet.
Join a Vocal Program.
The most flexible option if you’re happy learning online. A mix of self-study and live sessions.
The best will also allow you to request content - the hidden advantage of a program over a course - and get customised answers. Plus it allows you to spend longer on the areas you’re interested in and not hang around too long with the irrelevant.
Often full of those with similar goals to yourself, allowing you to learn from other members too. Singing technique is often about repeating the same area and going deeper into the experience. A programme allows for that.
Helpful questions to ask yourself at this point:
Do I want online or in real life?
Do I want to be around others?
Do I want something that’s flexible time-wise?.
Do I want to be accompanied on the piano on song?
Am I really wanting connections not lessons?
Do I want to sing my music, and my music only?
Am I wanting help with songwriting?
Am I wanting to try out singing slowly?
Now it’s over to you! Even if you’re still unsure - take a step in one direction. Even if it doesn’t quite work out as hoped, the experience will get you closer to working out the best route in for you.
And here’s a checklist to decide.