Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to be a good singer to come for singing lessons?
Not at all - singing lessons are used as an opportunity to learn how to sing. With the direction of Speech Level Singing you can discover the full extent of your vocal range as well as richness, quality and tone of voice. You may not have the natural vocal gifts of your favourite singers but we will do our best to support you in discovering your full vocal potential. You may even find that you actually are a good singer, but through using your instrument in the wrong way, you've been led to believe otherwise!
Do I need to have previous experience in singing before attending lessons?
You don't need any previous experience to come for a lesson! A vocal coach is there to support you in your vocal development and expose you to new material so that you can build a repetoire of songs you like to sing! JCSS can help you to tackle old songs that you struggle with and can also assist you in attempting to sing new styles of Music, should you wish to do so.
How regularly should I come for lessons?
This all depends on what your objective is. Singing is very much like fitness and whilst some students are looking to solve a problem area in their voice, others want to continually work on their overall vocal balance i.e., the mix. Some students with vocal problem areas have been known to fix their issues within one lesson while most students tend to have lessons on a regular basis.
Is it OK to practise the exact same scales every week?
The voice is an ever-changing instrument and so the scales that you require one week to obtain vocal balance will be different to the next. If you imagine, the voice is like a puzzle and the scales that we use to vocalise are the pieces which put this puzzle together. Therefore we use certain scales/words to address the vocal issues that we are hearing on that day. Once that vocal issue has been eliminated through repetition of these scales, the vocal condition has changed. Therefore by repeating these exercises in the longterm we are no longer doing anything for the voice's progression. This is why it is important to work with a vocal coach who can spot where your vocal imbalance lies and who can regularly assign scales and consonant/vowel combinations which will help you to obtain a healthy balanced voice.
I hear that vocal coaches can often ruin people's voices ... is this true?
Unfortunately, yes. A bad coach can direct a singer into physically harming his/her vocal chords. Very often SLS comes across experienced singers with nodules - masses of tissue which grow on the vocal chords due to abuse of the voice through vocal practise. The good news is that SLS can be used for vocal rehabilitiation and, more often than not, the damage can be reversed. Bad vocal coaches often encourage bad habits and this way the singer is unable to discover the true potential of their voice. JCSS often works with experienced singers who say that they have trouble singing low or high notes. These singers in particular often see dramatic improvements in their voices within only a few lessons.
I've worked with teachers in the past who only teach one style of Music. Is this the case with JCSS?
It is very common for singing teachers to teach the style of Music that they are most familiar with. For example classically trained teachers teach Classical Music. Because JCSS is a Speech Level Singing studio however, we focus on the function of the voice which can then be applied to any style of Music. In other words no matter what style of Music you wish to work on, we have the tools to assist you in doing so.
Can I give a JCSS singing lesson as a gift?
Yes you can! We sell gift vouchers at a reasonable price for 30, 45 and 60 minute time slots! For more info, please visit our PRICES page!