“I would like to give my son two singing lessons for his birthday.” This was the conversation I had a few days ago with a very nice woman. Unfortunately, I had to let her know that that was just not who we are. I had another parent recently ask me if we could correct the “break” in her son’s voice around the high C area, and if it could be done before a musical tryout in two weeks. Again, I had to let her know that just wasn’t how it worked
What Approach Works
Music and music lessons are not a birthday gift, or a two week fix. Voice lessons are a journey, an experience, a steady growth activity. When you are learning breath support, tonality, pitch matching, sight reading, projection, articulation, musicality-are you getting the picture? It would take two lessons to just define these terms. These are the vital building blocks that make up quality voice lessons, and these blocks take time, and it’s a journey that should be enjoyed. Trying a drive by approach to voice lessons just isn’t going to be effective.
Singing Lessons – More Options
Now, if you have a grandma or some such person involved in the process and they want to pay for lessons, that is a great set up that works much of the time. There is the basic understanding that voice lessons are not a two week trial, or a quick fix. It takes time to just get comfortable with your teacher, especially with voice lessons, where you have to sometimes put yourself out there.
What It Boils Down To
What this all boils down to is a mentality, a perspective, an attitude. We go into voice lessons with an attitude of growth and achievement, and while they don’t need to last forever, we go in with the expectation of some level of commitment. We go in expecting you will grow and get better, but this takes time and some level of consistency-even if the consistency is just showing up to the lessons.
So trying a two gift approach isn’t going to be the most successful way. Jump in and take lessons. You’ll know when it’s time to stop, but don’t plan to stop before you start!
