What to expect in your first singing lesson
If you have signed up for singing tuition you might be wondering what to expect in your first singing lesson.
If you are nervous about it, let me tell you something: nearly everyone is nervous at their first singing lesson! Regardless of how confident you are with your voice.
The truth is that you are meeting a stranger and share with them a part of you that is very vulnerable – your own voice.
So first of all, don’t be nervous about being nervous. It makes perfect sense that you are! If your teacher is experienced enough they will understand and expect this. They probably had the same experience in their first singing lesson!
A couple of things to understand that might put your mind a bit at ease:
- Your singing teacher went to a singing training process themselves. We were all beginners when we started out.
- Your voice might have been attacked by school teachers, choir directors, and family members or friends that enjoy laughing about our singing attempts. Just remember that opinions are not facts (especially if they come from an uninformed person).
- The singing teacher won’t expect you to be a great singer on day one. If they are experienced and sensitive enough, they will expect you to be a beginner.
- Exercises are for you to get better progressively, not for you to do them perfectly at the first go and get frustrated if you don’t.
So if you are nervous about making mistakes or about your teacher finding out that you don’t sound like Christina Aguilera or Elvis Presley on day one, let me assure you that they already know that.
Why are we nervous about our voice?
We live in a society in which talent is overrated. Most people think that if things don’t come easily and effortlessly to you you shouldn’t even bother. Even more with singing!
When people hear great singers that have “made it”, they often forget that those singers have dedicated thousands of hours and lots of years to their craft.
I have had students getting frustrated after a couple of months of training (most of them without home practice, just having their weekly singing lesson) because they still don’t sound like Freddy Mercury. I wish it was that easy!!!
Learning the craft of singing takes time. But why should that be a problem? There is no shame in learning at your own pace.
Our culture wants everything fast, now. Our culture wants to not even try if it doesn’t come easily.
How long does it take to get “good” at singing will depend on many factors. First of all, we have to define what being “good” at singing means TO YOU. Because that cannot be measured.
Second, what are your particular goals with singing?
And finally, what is your starting point?
And let me reassure you something. Your starting point doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else. As singers, our instrument is our mind and body, and the way it sounds today is the result of all the things you have been through.
That is one of the many things that make singing so special as a musical instrument! There is no other instrument like your particular voice. You are the best at being an instrumentalist of your own voice.
This brings me to the next point: Comparison.
Comparing your singing with other people’s singing is not a good idea. I was told once by someone “I don’t think you will be the next Elton John”. I thought well, I am not a man to start with so yes, I will never be the next Elton John unless I go through some painful surgeries and change my name. I am quite happy being Jorgelina Perez.
So, coming back to the main point… what to expect in your first singing lesson?
Ok, so we covered why we are nervous and why we shouldn’t be. I really hope that helped a little!
Meeting your new teacher
When talking about what to expect in your first singing lesson, it is no minor detail to mention that you will meet your potential teacher. It will be good for you to decide if you feel comfortable with them. There is no pressure here either. While you can deal with some degree of discomfort (most of us feel nervous about meeting someone completely new), you want to feel respected. Do not study with a teacher that suggests you don’t have “talent” the first day!
Questions about you
Your teacher will probably ask you a couple of questions about yourself and the music you like, probably what your goals are with singing, and what experience you have in music (“none” is absolutely valid).
Voice work
They will probably show you some voice exercises, and finally, they may ask you to sing a song you like for them. The reason for this is not for the teacher to judge you and decide if you can sing or not, but rather to know where your voice is at right now and what to focus on.
Movement
Depending on the method that your teacher uses, they will get you to move more or less. At the very least, most teachers will ask you to stand up to sing, unless of course for some reason you can’t.
Some resistance – is normal
As you open your voice, emotions might arise. A bit of discomfort is OK – it helps us grow, and there is no learning without it. But you know what your limits are. Invite your voice and expression to be open gently and at your own pace.
Feedback
Depending on the particular singing method that your teacher uses, they might ask more or fewer things about your own perceptions and sensations in your voice and your body at the moment of singing. Here most people look for a right or wrong answer or they try to say what the teacher wants to hear. However, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to sensations, so the best and most helpful thing is to be honest.
Suggestions
As singing teachers our job is to help you improve your voice. It is not our job to tell you that you are an amazing singer and that there is nothing to improve. And if that is the case then you don’t need singing lessons!
Seems silly and obvious, but I have had some students that came to their lessons expecting me not to find anything to be improved. These are usually students that last just a couple of weeks and that sadly don’t get anything out of the lessons. In order to improve and learn, you have to be humble and open to suggestions. It doesn’t mean that you are a failure, it means that you are learning a new skill and that should be really exciting!
What to expect in your first singing lesson: A teacher’s perspective.
As a teacher, I can assure you that the reason why we want you to sing in the singing lesson (some people refuse to sing in their lessons!) is that we need to hear you decide how we can help you best.
I have had some students that sing a bit in their first lesson and when I make a suggestion they immediately come with an excuse and explanation of why they sound like that, blocking any help that I can offer.
This is quite frustrating for the teacher! As your teacher, we want to help you and we are not thinking that you are a terrible singer. We become singing teachers because we want to help and not because we want to laugh at you.
How to prepare for your first singing lesson
There are a couple of things you can do to prepare yourself to get the most out of your first singing lesson:
- Think about why you want to study singing and what your goals are.
- Think of a song that you like and regularly sing around, or a song that you would like to work on. If you can practice it a bit (just to know what to sing) that really helps too.
- Come in comfortable clothes that allow you to move comfortably, lift your leg, etc.
- Keep yourself hydrated during the day. It takes at least 20 minutes from the time you drink water, to irrigate your vocal cords, so make sure you are hydrated well before your singing lesson starts.
Ready to get started? Contact me to book a lesson at Auckland Singing School.
Singing lessons and group classes for adults available in Auckland – North Shore area (Glenfield)
Singing lessons for kids and teenagers in Auckland – North Shore (Glenfield).
Not in Auckland? Join the school with one on one lessons online (Contact me), or join one of our singing programs at our Holistic Voice Academy
I help people to develop their voice and singing from a holistic approach. I teach vocal lessons in person in Auckland, NZ, and online. Also stay tuned for my new online singing programs!❤️
My greatest passion has always been the voice, music and energy arts.
My personal and artistic journey has led me to understand that the voice and the body are fully connected, and that includes not only the physical body but also the mental, emotional and spiritual body.
Through holistic vocal training you not only learn to become a great singer while taking care of your voice, but you also improve your mental and physical wellbeing❤️
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