Personally I am much more in favor a living vocal coach. the myriad of different problems that can exist using the voice as an instrument really can't be accomplished by a DVD. proper voice training requires the trained ear and adaptive skills of an accomplished vocal coach. I took voice lessons for 11 years.
I went to Barbara Taylor (a Julliard trained opera singer). I believe she was somewhere around $35 an hour, but this was in rural NC. There are some excellent vocal coaches at Meredith that do outside work. Dr. Alfred Sturgiss of NCSU could probably recommend somebody as well. The range is pretty vast depending on experience and training. A good vocal coach will adapt their methods to the particular needs of you as an instrument. I'd stay away from anyone who teaches in the british style (through the nose singing) as most americans can not stand the sound that produces.
You're welcome! Keep in mind, though, that those rates are only acceptable for people who have had professional singing careers or who have respectable music degrees. Less-accredited people will charge lower rates for SURE, but be sure the person is worth paying what they ask.
I couldent agree more. I took voice lessons for 6 years. There is no way you could learn 1/16th as much from a tape. My best advice is to A) actually make sure you can hear music B) ask around and see who's best in the area.
Try Thomas Appell's Can You Sing a HIGH 'C' Without Straining? (http://www.vocaldynamics.com/).
No book/DVD/whatever can really substitute for personal instruction from a *good* teacher (there are many bad ones out there!), but this is an excellent supplement for anyone studying voice.
If you do get lessons, be sure that your teacher knows how to teach/perform the kind of material that you are interested in. There is certainly a good technical foundation common to all styles involving learning to breathe and such, but watch out for learning a more operatic style from a classical instructor if what you're really into is modern pop singing (and vice-versa). Be careful about what new habits you'll be forming because they'll be hell to change later! :)
Thanks! Yes, I've never had voice instruction before, and I'd like to avoid learning bad habits that I'll have to unlearn later. I'm most interested in singing modern pop/rock songs.
:] You never have to un-learn a solid classical foundation [which will sound 'operatic' to non-classical singers] -- Pat Benetar was trained as an opera singer. It's knowing when to apply what. Also, i think it's probably easier as an adult to not let a teacher force fake vibrato into your voice or whatever, but i have heard more music theatre majors whine about "I'm an alto belter, I can't learn from an operatic bass," when they haven't solidified good vocal technique to begin with.
i see classical training like ballet -- it's the foundation for all other [western] singing [where ballet is the foundation for other dance].
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archerships
no subject
Date: 2005-11-04 09:11 pm (UTC)I took voice lessons for 11 years.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-04 10:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-04 11:39 pm (UTC)There are some excellent vocal coaches at Meredith that do outside work. Dr. Alfred Sturgiss of NCSU could probably recommend somebody as well. The range is pretty vast depending on experience and training. A good vocal coach will adapt their methods to the particular needs of you as an instrument. I'd stay away from anyone who teaches in the british style (through the nose singing) as most americans can not stand the sound that produces.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-05 12:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 04:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-05 03:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 04:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 08:48 am (UTC)No book/DVD/whatever can really substitute for personal instruction from a *good* teacher (there are many bad ones out there!), but this is an excellent supplement for anyone studying voice.
If you do get lessons, be sure that your teacher knows how to teach/perform the kind of material that you are interested in. There is certainly a good technical foundation common to all styles involving learning to breathe and such, but watch out for learning a more operatic style from a classical instructor if what you're really into is modern pop singing (and vice-versa). Be careful about what new habits you'll be forming because they'll be hell to change later! :)
no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 04:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 05:14 pm (UTC)i see classical training like ballet -- it's the foundation for all other [western] singing [where ballet is the foundation for other dance].