My friends and family say I can’t sing or carry a tune. Could voice lessons help me?

Everyone, with a little bit of determination and hard work and with the aid of a good instructor, can improve by taking vocal lessons. Whether your goal is to perform in front of audiences or sing for the pure enjoyment of it, it is important that you are comfortable, feel safe and you are having fun while being challenged. I have students who come to me from various backgrounds and have various levels of skill and potential. Some have difficulties with the very basic skills necessary for good singing, such as hearing pitch and matching the pitch of their voices to instruments or other singers. Others have great natural technique or have taken lessons before and wish to gain more advanced level skills.

All singers develop at different rates. The most important this is that you need to give yourself adequate time to see the desired improvements. You can’t become the #1 pop diva over night. Set reasonable goals for yourself and reward yourself for the little accomplishments that you make from week to week. While natural talent does help a great deal, what is most critical to your success is how dedicated you are as a student of voice.

Will you teach voice lessons to beginners?

Yes! I LOVE working with beginners. Everyone has to start somewhere and taking voice lessons is the best place to start finding another extension of who you are and how to communicate musically. The important thing for beginners is you’ll need to be patient, passionate about singing, willing to work hard, practice, practice practice, and, most importantly, have FUN! If you’re having fun, voice lessons are worth it. If you feel like you are being challenged, thinking critically about your instrument and preconceptions, or learning more about how to grow as an artist, voice lessons are worth it. If you need to sing at your wedding in 3 weeks voice lessons are also worth it.

What is a voice lesson like?

My voice lessons are comprised in two parts: 50% technical exercises and 50% repertoire (songs). The first half of the lesson we will sing through vocalises (vocal exercises) to not only help you warm up, but also to, for beginners, start the building blocks of fundamental healthy technique and production (for beginners) or, for intermediate and advanced singers, continue to expand your range and fine tune healthy vocal production and technique. Exercises are the most efficient way to learn technique, as they allow me to change one variable at a time to figure out what works best in your voice.

After vocal exercises, I like to apply those techniques to the songs that we’re planning on singing. Please have a song chosen, and a device that is able to play it for you to sing along with.

If you are still curious about how a lesson is structured and/or are still nervous about how lessons are run book one! Or I you may book a free 20 minute consultation to get a better understanding of my lesson structure, help define your goals, and gain a better understanding of what singing can be like. Signing up for one lesson does not make you commit to a package of lessons.

Do I have to warm up before singing?

Do marathon runners have to warm up before running the Boston or New York Marathons? Does Michael Phelps have to warm up before swimming? Do football players or soccer players have to warm up before hitting the fields? The answer is always yes. Just like in sports, or going to the gym, you have to warm up, and be hydrated, before doing physical activity. The voice is no different. The voice isn’t something that makes sound when you open your mouth. There is an advanced system of muscle and neurological coordination that happens just to even make one note come out. Not only that, but the vocal folds are a muscle with an extremely delicate mucosal membrane that lines them. Just like in sports, without the proper warm up comes the risk of injury such as straining, unwanted tension, or worse case scenario nodules, vocal hemorrhage or tears. Give yourself 15-30 minutes to ease into singing, and your voice with reward and thank you when you’re going full tilt.

What do I need to bring to my voice lesson?

Pick out a song that you want to work on. Write down any questions you have about your voice. Bring a full water bottle and stay hydrated (and get hydrated before our time). Read this FAQ all the way through.

Do you teach voice lessons in person or online?

Yes and yes. There are a few ways I can teach in person. You can come to me and I can teach from my home, I can come to you, or we can meet at a studio in the Sacramento area. When booking your lesson, please notate where you would like your lesson to be held: my home, your home, a studio in the Sacramento area or online. If you want to know more in-depth on locations, please check out the policies page and look at the locations drop down box for more information. If you want me to teach from your home, you MUST have a working piano, either acoustic or electric, and a music player of some kind available.

Is there an age requirement?

I can teach people of all ages. However, I feel that the best age to begin music development is around 6-7 years old, right when the voice is starting to find its way. If you absolutely must get you child into voice lessons, please shoot me a message and we can work something out. As long as the student can focus for 30-45 minutes, and follow directions well. If you’re unsure, you can message me or book a free 20 minute consultation so we can discuss and, I can make a decision on whether or not lessons are a good idea at that time.

Do you teach voice to trans and gender fluid students?

Absolutely. Testosterone Replacement Therapy in its most basic sense causes a second puberty, including changing your voice. It’s good to have techinique tools and tips to navigate the change of your voice as it starts to mature and lower. The same principles of good singing apply to people at whatever point in their transition.

For vocal feminization I can only offer you skills to help you express yourself how you need. Since I'm not a speech therapist or pathologist, I won’t be able to give you a brand new accent, change your lilt, or change your vocabulary. I can only help you figure out how to use your voice healthily in different ways.

My voice has been damaged, can you help me in voice lessons?

I am not a doctor, or a Speech Language Pathologist. I’m a voice teacher and coach. I can try my best by working with you to make singing and speech as comfortable as possible.

If you have been diagnosed with nodules, polyps, hemorrhage, dysphonia, or any sort of vocal pathology I highly suggest working with a speech language pathologist and an ENT or Vocologist on strategies to help your condition. I do believe in a team approach, and working with a voice teacher, ENT, and SLP can achieve great results. Having a recent laryngoscopy scope video can be very helpful in coming up with strategies to heal and improve your singing.

How do you classify my voice type?

Typically as a beginner I try to steer us away from voice types and fachs and not fit you into a box, which can make you feel like you’re limited on your vocal potential. After a while together, or if you start taking lessons with me and are on a higher intermediate or advanced level, we can have that conversation of what your voice type is. Typically, I would assess where your voice wants to turn over ranges and where in your range your voice likes to live and hang out, then we’ll have a conversation of what your “voice classification” would be.

How many lessons will I need to take?

For people looking to make consistent progress, I suggest a lesson every week. Any more than that I would suggest for preparing for an audition or performance, and that we would set up as two sessions per week: a lesson and a coaching. Anything more than that I feel would be overkill. Less frequent than once per week cheaper, and gives more time for practice and experimentation, but may also cause poor practicing habits.

Will I develop a dependence on my vocal teacher to know when I’m singing well?

Some students are hesitant to begin taking lessons because they fear becoming co-dependent with their teachers, or developing a reliance upon their teachers to know when they are singing correctly. They worry that teachers will be more concerned about taking their money for as long as possible than producing desirable results through quality instruction. While there may indeed be some singing teachers out there who are only motivated to make a living, most vocal teachers genuinely care about the success of their students. Good teachers will equip their students with accurate knowledge and practical skills. They will teach them how to listen for indications of good or poor tone (proprioceptive responses to sympathetic vibration in the body), self-monitor breathing and posture to know when the tone is being adequately supported or to recognize signs of tension or strain, and diagnose technical errors and then find practical solutions for them. They will want their students to be able to successfully apply what they learn during their lessons to their vocal repertoire, as well as to their singing after they have ceased taking lessons with them.

It is also the student's responsibility to build self-awareness and independence by learning everything that he or she can from their instructor. Students initially hire teachers because they recognize a need that they have for instruction offered by an expert who knows and understands more than they do about a particular skill. This humble acknowledgement of one's own limitations and need for guidance is not a precursor to developing an unhealthy dependence upon someone else.

I’ve been singing professionally for years. Why should I start taking lessons now?

While many professional singers have natural talent, it is also common for them to have developed poor technique over the years. Singers with poor technique often run into difficulties keeping up with the vocal demands of their schedules, and sometimes have to cancel concerts or even tours as a result of vocal fatigue, strain or injury.

Regardless of what point you are at in your career, proper technique can always be learned and applied. In addition to learning healthy singing habits and good vocal care, vocal lessons can help a professional singer gain endurance and stamina so that he or she may continue to perform night after night without running into vocal problems. An experienced instructor can also help the singer to naturally and safely repair any damage to the vocal apparatus without the need for surgery.

Do you work with shy singers?

Yes. I do my best to tailor my lesson plans to whomever my student is, and to make you feel as comfortable as possible in your lesson. If you’re nervous about taking that step towards a voice lesson and want to see if we’ll pair well together, you may book a free 20 minute consultation, so we may get a sense of who we are and if we will gel together or not.

Do you teach voice to all genders?

Yes of course. My studio is welcoming of everyone, male, female, cis, trans, queer, non-binary, etc, and is LGBTQIA+ friendly too. I feel that everyone has a voice that needs to be heard, and singing is a wonderful way to express yourself. I teach technique and vocal freedom, and believe that everyone deserves that right.

What music genres do you teach?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Do you work with international students?

Yes! As long as you’re able to have lessons during my working hours I am happy to work with international clients. I am also open to working with people who don’t speak English if they are up for a fun and silly experience.

What time zone do you teach voice lessons in?

I live in Sacramento, CA, which is Pacific time. If you are interested in seeing how my teaching schedule fits with your time zone, the second page of my booking tool allows you to adjust the displayed time zone

How do I fix my voice when it gets very hoarse and I start to lose it by the end of the day or by the end of rehearsals?

If you are feeling hoarse and experiencing a change in your voice after singing or talking all day, it is likely that you are not singing or speaking properly or without the proper technique. Prolonged or frequent improper use of the voice can lead to serious damage, and it is important that you change your bad habits now. Seek the medical advice of a doctor and the instruction of a good vocal technique instructor, preferably one who has experience working on the rehabilitation side of vocal training. You may book a lesson or free consultation to learn more about how I will be able to help.

How can I sing with vibrato without forcing it?

The first thing that you need to understand is what a true vibrato is. Essentially, the voice is alternating subtly and very quickly between two pitches that are close together. The variation in pitch does not usually exceed a semitone either way from the note itself. (You can hear string instrumentalists create vibratos, for example, by wobbling their fingers on the finger or fret board of their instruments or by actually moving their fingers up and down the string for a wider vibrato.) The effect is intended to add warmth to a note. Vibrato is a natural byproduct of perfect vocal alignment and technique. Vocal vibrato comes naturally over time and is never something that can be taught. Some singing instructors teach vibrato as a necessity, rather than teaching proper vocal technique and letting it develop naturally, which gives their students incorrect information and places pressure on them to force their voices to imitate vibrato, often through unhealthy means. Some methods of creating (or fabricating) vibratos are capable of causing strain and harm to the voice; something that no good vocal instructor should ever permit.

A vibrato should never be faked, and is only done so by singers who wish to add “flavour" to their singing but lack proper technique. With these singers, you'll often hear wide, slow vocal "wobbles" that sound more like pitch errors than nice embellishments, and you will sometimes see tension in their jaws as they force them to rapidly move up and down with the notes. When good tone production, breath, placement of sound and resonance are in place, vibrato becomes a natural result. It is something that the body does on its own, not something that we force our bodies to do.