What makes a good singing teacher?

Question

Ok Im 15 and i love singing and in the past 6 months I've had two different teachers. I left the last because I didn't think I was improving (all he basically taught me was to belt everything out) and I thought I was getting worse. Anyway at first the new singing teacher seemed far more professional, he corrected my breathing, and currently we are trying to work in high notes my normal powerful belter voice, I don't understand it entirely but aparently sometimes I get it just right. I think I sound ok at lessons but when i get home I think I sound worse than ever. Does this sound like what i should be doing? Should I look for another teacher again, if so how do i know who is a good teacher? etc. Should I quit altogether if im just getting worse? Or is it possible that Im picking up on things i wouldn't have before.

Answer 1

I wouldn't worry if you can't yet reproduce what you're getting in your voice lessons in your house. Eventually you will notice some of the little things your doing differently at the lesson that will give you the same results at home.

You can expect to sound worse for a little while. Think about it like you're building a house. When you were learning to sing by yourself, you learned to do a lot of things for immediate results, but didn't know what you were building up to. Now that you have a teacher, that teacher thinks about how to get you to that next level, and that may mean that you have to abandon those old techniques that gave you so much immediate success. So now, until you master these new skills, which will probably be harder and take longer, you will sound somewhat worse, but if you hold on, these techniques that the teacher is teaching will eventually help you get much better.

Answer 2

Just because a person has had a great career in singing does not automatically make them a great singing teacher.

Singing lessons should be 45% breathing technique & exercise, and 15% actually singing songs. I am a singer and give singing lessons. You are still young so your voice is developing, so be careful if your lessons are only teaching one technique of singing i.e. opera, musical theatre, pop genre, etc. You shouldn't be 'belting it out' but learning how to improve the 'muscle' of your voice through scales and breathing. Once you have the technique down, you can sing so many different styles of songs.

Keep with it, as practise does improve the voice. The voice is a muscle like any other in the body, and needs to be worked on for improvement, but if you are not being shown the correct techniques then you can damage it. If you don't understand what you are being shown, ask your teacher. Also, take in some recording equipment, so you can tape your teacher and you, and play back what they were talking about. This is a great way to remember your lessons.

Remember, don't try to be like Christina or Britney. Find your own style. Good luck with your lessons, and remember, it may take you a while to find the right teacher for YOU... don't settle for just OK!!

Answer 3

A good teacher (singing or otherwise) can be known by the fact that you feel you are learning.

The notes (sounding better or worse) will improve with practice, practice, practice.

So don't quit, just because when you try it at home, you don't sound the same.

Make sure you understand what he is trying to teach you and then practice it alot.

Answer 4

having education in singing makes a good voice teacher. Like knowing how to breathe, knowing the notes, and knowing dynamics and whatnot. Don't quit...PERSUE. I am sure everything will go like planned in the long run.

Answer 5

The best singing teachers are very experienced singers, who did a great career in opera for example.

Answer 6

well, all i would want from a singing teacher, is more singing, less talk... but anyway. i think you should tell the guy what youve been hearing, and see if he can explain it.

Answer 7

one that can sing!