Vocal Coaching – The Ultimate Guide to Choosing A Vocal Instructor

Whether you’re just kickstarting your music career, or you’re a professional singer or aiming to become one, learning how to use your vocal instrument to develop a strong technique to hit those high notes is a non-negotiable part of achieving it. There is so much to developing a good singing voice and learning all of the right vocalization techniques.

This is where a vocal teacher and coach come in. As a singer, a vocal coach helps you to achieve a voice worthy of standing on a world stage and having control and command over your voice.

Before we get into the details of how to choose one, and what technique or coach is right for you, let’s look at the important distinction between a vocal teacher and a vocal coach. Sometimes you’ll find both in one — but mostly coaches specialize in one or the other.

If your coach runs through scales quickly without much explanation and spends most of the lesson accompanying you on piano or working on your songs they are more of a “vocal coach”.

If you find that your coach is more focused on technical exercises and solving technical issues, then they are more of a “voice teacher” trained in the mechanical production of the voice. If you find that your coach focuses on both, they are both a “voice teacher” and a “vocal coach”.

Add to that a “Vocal Arranger” or “Vocal Producer”. In addition to a voice teacher (technique) and a vocal coach (performance interpretation) is the “vocal arranger” or “vocal producer”. A vocal arranger or vocal producer helps prepare your songs and style for the recording studio. They also attend the session with you to help you nail your best vocals for your record. Working with a vocal arranger or producer can be life-changing. We have a team of vocal coaches, teachers, and vocal arrangers at Cari Cole Voice + Music Co. For more information about working with our team write to info@caricole.com.

 

Voice Teacher or a Vocal Coach – What is the Difference?

American Idol made the term “vocal coach” a household name, people are most familiar with the term “vocal coach”. The title however covers a lot of ground — more than just someone who helps you interpret your song. To the general public “vocal coach” or “vocal teachers” appear synonymous. However, there is a clear distinction between the two. Let’s find out what the difference is.

Let’s break down the differences between a “voice teacher” and a “vocal coach”.

 

What is a Voice Teacher?

A voice teacher, also known as a singing teacher or a vocal technique instructor, is one who teaches the technique of singing. Usually, voice teachers are educated in vocal pedagogy. Vocal pedagogy in simple terms is the art and science of voice production. How the voice makes sound.

Singing Teachers’ education may come from a university, apprenticeship, training program, or a voice teacher certification.

The voice teacher guides the student in the fundamentals of singing to develop a strong and healthy singing voice and focuses on the following

• Breathing
• Support
• Posture
• Tone creation
• Placement of sound
• Range
• Blending between registers to eliminate vocal breaks
• Endurance and excellent control.

There are several vocal techniques that are used to help the student achieve their goal.

 

What Is A Vocal Coach?

A vocal coach “coaches a singer’s voice”. Usually, a vocal coach works on the premise that a singer already knows how to sing well. So, a vocal coach comes in to improve the performance of the singer.

Students who require a vocal coach usually need to perform in front of an audience. This could be for an audition or studying a character for a performance.

The vocal coach may guide the student to achieve these and more.

• Flawless execution of songs
• Vocal arrangements
• Vocal phrasing, articulation, and enunciation
• Pitch and volume (when to sign softly or more vibrantly)
• Excellent on stage performance (conveying the song through body language, eye contact, hand gesturing, microphone technique)

However, note that while a vocal coach may work on singing techniques during coaching sessions, that is not their main goal as they don’t teach singing.

 

The Interlink

As a singer, especially if you’re wanting to build a professional voice, if you’re considering which one to go for, I say go for both, but if you have to choose one, start with a voice teacher.

At Cari Cole Voice + Music Company, we do both. We train singers in singing techniques using our Master Cole Vocal Method™, and we also coach them to become great performers and use our vocal arrangers to become great recording artists.

Now let’s consider why it’s important to train, and what you should consider when choosing the right coach. From this point on I’m going to use the term “vocal coach” to address both the “voice teacher” and the “vocal coach” in one.

 

The Importance of a Vocal Coach: Should I Get A Vocal Coach?

If you want to develop a good technique and a strong singing voice and are really serious about taking your music career to the next level, you’ll need the expertise of a vocal coach to get you there.

Famous singers such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Chris Martin, and John Mayer to mention a few have worked with a dedicated vocal coach to advance their careers. Take Lady Gaga, for example, to perform at the Oscars for the Sound of Music tribute in 2015, she worked with a vocal coach every day for 6-months.

That’s how important a vocal coach is. A vocal coach can help you:

1. Improve your vocal health
2. Improve the quality of your vocal performance
3. Flawlessly execute your songs
4. Improve your stage performance
5. Critique and guide your singing
6. Accountability

 

Vocal Health

As a singer, your voice is your instrument and has to be kept in constant shape. Your vocal coach will help you keep your voice healthy by diet and lifestyle modification, and proper warm-up techniques before you begin singing. Just as in a marathon, where you have to warm up before the race, warming up is so critical in maintaining your vocal health.

For diet, I developed something called the 3 Day Rule which shows you foods to steer clear of especially before a performance.

 

Improve The Quality Of Your Voice

A vocal coach can help you improve the quality of your voice tremendously from that of an average voice to a professional level. Yes, a vocal coach might not be a voice teacher, but they have in their arsenal, performance techniques that will improve the quality of your voice. Aside from vocal techniques, your vocal coach will help you maintain your vocal health which we have looked at above.

 

Flawlessly Execute Your Songs

If you’re looking to execute your songs flawlessly, you need a vocal coach. Your vocal coach will work with you for each of your song performances. By rehearsing each song individually, you will learn what it takes as regards vocal techniques and stage performance to execute each song.

 

Improve your stage performance

One thing you can expect if you have a vocal coach is improvement in your stage performance. Knowing how to sing is great, but your ability to hold your stage while singing, and carry your audience is as important.

Your vocal coach will teach you how to perform each song. You’ll learn stage charisma, the ability to convey your song through body language, eye contact, microphone techniques, and much more.

 

Constructive critiques of your singing

As you advance in your singing career, you need someone with enough experience to objectively critique your singing and performance. By receiving constructive criticism, it will help to identify your strengths and weaknesses. For instance, you may identify where your range can be extended, how to change the approach for a particular song, or how to convey your song with more emotion. Knowing areas you are missing and working on them with your vocal coach will help you improve your singing.

 

Accountability

It’s easy to believe you can achieve your music career goals on your own. But most times, you need an experienced professional to hold you accountable to those goals. A vocal coach provides such accountability, as he/she has the experience to guide you, provide feedback and push you to become all that you can be.

 

How To Find The Right Vocal Coach

How do you find the right vocal coach for you? What do you need to look out for? What questions do you need to ask a vocal coach before you determine if they are the right fit for you?

Choosing the right coach is crucial to your success. You don’t want to spend money and hours on someone that will not bring you results.

There are many people out there wearing the vocal coach tag and promising extraordinary things. Don’t fall for the sweet talk just yet. Before we look at the things to consider when choosing a vocal coach, let’s talk about what you must do before finding one.

 

Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before Finding A Vocal Coach

 

What is my goal?

This is the first question you should provide an answer to before seeking out the best coach. What do you want to achieve from your private lessons? Do you want to feel more confident in your voice, want to improve your voice quality and stage performance? Do you have a stage performance or upcoming recording you want to prepare for? Are you looking to advance your music career, and need someone to guide you along the way?

Knowing your goal from the onset will help you in your search for a vocal coach that can achieve those goals.

 

What is my style?

There are several musical styles and genres out there. You have to determine which one you’re focusing on. Knowing your style will help you pick a vocal coach that is an expert at teaching that style. If you’re a country singer, you don’t want a vocal coach that only teaches opera. If you are a pop singer you don’t want a musical theatre coach who is trained for the stage. You want to work with coaches who sing in the style you are looking to master.

However, for training in technique with pop / commercial styles, you still want a technique based in a true form (Bel Canto) but that doesn’t use a heavy operatic sound for the technique itself. Our technique is based on operatic techniques (which are the best in the world), but we don’t use the operatic style or sound to achieve the technique. That’s why all of our singers have their own style, none of them sound alike. Diane Birch doesn’t sound like Courtney Love or Chrisette Michele We preserve your original unique style because we know that is what you need to stand out. But we use operatic techniques to build the voice because they are the very best available.

 

Should I look for In-person or Online Lessons? What’s the difference?

Some students prefer physical lessons, others are just okay learning on Zoom from the privacy of their homes.

Online lessons give more flexibility and choice of instructor. For instance, if you have a job with a tight schedule, online lessons may be better for you. Or you may want online lessons to avoid the challenges of bad weather conditions, commuting, or lack of access to quality coaches who may not be in your area. A bonus of online lessons is the ability to professionally record your sessions and have them on your desktop to review at your convenience.

In-person lessons, while less popular are also good, especially for beginners who may need more hands-on in-person help.

 

What is my budget?

There are two schools of thought here.

1) Less expensive coaches may be more affordable but do they have the expertise you need? Training with someone who doesn’t have the expertise may take twice as long.

2) With a more expensive coach you get their years of experience and expertise.

We have both budgets available at our studio. Plus my vocal team of coaches is half my rate but are trained under my direction and comes with my technique and 30+ years experience teaching professional singers and Grammy winners.

The better the reputation, the quicker the results, and the more you will protect your investment with a technique and guidance that will prepare you for a professional career.

 

4 Things To Consider When Choosing A Vocal Coach

Once you have answered those questions, you’re ready to start your search for the right vocal coach. Here are six things you should consider.

 

1. Experience and Capability

Your vocal coach should be able to show you or demonstrate to some certain degree what they want you to do. This could be as regards singing or performance. Run from coaches that only “tell” and not “show”. Practical demonstrations will enable you to learn faster.

In addition, consider their experience. What results do they have? This is because every student is unique, and has different challenges and goals. Experience will guide your vocal coach to tailor his/her lessons to you specifically. Many coaches show students they have worked with! Go listen! Note: If all of their singers sound the same, I would veer away from this. A great technique does not create cookie-cutter results but helps you develop your own natural sound as you develop your style.

 

2. Does The Vocal Coach Promote Vocal Health?

There are students that have damaged their vocal cords due to bad techniques and coaching. Don’t let that be you! There is nothing more important than having a healthy singing voice and training with a technique that has health baked into it (like ours!). I have had to rescue so many singers who came to be from coaches that made them sing too loud as a technique for strengthening. But this can easily damage a singer’s voice and vocal cords. Vocal technique should never be practiced loudly until you are at a certain level.

When you’re interviewing a vocal coach, ask them about his/her practices for maintaining vocal health. As I said earlier, your voice is your instrument, you have to protect it.

An experienced vocal coach is able to give you a concrete roadmap for how to maintain your vocal health. And you won’t have vocal strain at the end of your lesson if they are good. Our technique has vocal therapy and vocal health baked into the technique so singers never lose their voices professionally.

 

3. Reputation

A good reputation is important, and one way to find a vocal coach with a good reputation is usually through recommendations within the industry and/or by a list of famous clientele. Singers or voice doctors will be the best people to get reliable info about a coach. So start putting the word out there.

Ask other singers in your local area, call up music industry organizations, contact colleges in your area that offer music programs and instructions, ask choir members within your local churches. Ask for recommendations from your voice doctor if you have one. Once you have a list of recommendations, you can start sifting through.

When I was seeking out a coach, I went through several. First I tried the less expensive coaches and then wound up going straight to the top coach in my city. I decided I didn’t want to mess around. If this was going to be my professional career I wanted the best. I’m so glad I did!

 

4. Compatibility

You want a coach that not only has the experience, but that also listens to you, encourages and motivates you to reach your goals. Choose someone you enjoy being with. It’s just like choosing a therapist or life coach. You and your coach just have to be on the same page and have a similar mindset and outlook.

Vocal lessons can be pretty intense, and you will make a lot of mistakes and can feel super vulnerable. You need someone that “gets you”, that has your back and can make you feel comfortable learning and teach you confidence.

Assessing compatibility may be difficult in the interview or first session, or you might know instantly! If they have videos online, you can get a sense of them right away. Either way, you should be able to determine if both of you are compatible after a few sessions.

 

6 Important Questions To Ask A Vocal Coach In An Interview

There are questions you can ask a vocal coach or their team, but here are our top 6.

1. What is the technique taught? Where is its origin?
2. What styles and genres are covered? Can you help me learn to sing in my style?
3. Here are my goals. How will you help me achieve them?
4. How long have you been coaching?
5. Do you have testimonials? Is there a way for me to hear other students you teach? (most well-known teachers list their students – go listen + read testimonials rather than ask).
6. What are your rates and availability?
7. Can I have a consult with the teacher before starting?
8. Can I have a trial lesson? Most well-known teachers don’t do trial lessons as their years or decades of experience and their clientele speak for their expertise. For lesser-known coaches that may not be booked they may be open to a trial lesson but most won’t offer this. However, it’s great to set up a few sessions with different teachers to see who you connect with before committing.

 

Summing It Up

The right vocal coach for you is out there. You may need to go through several before you find the right one – I did! But one thing is for certain, if you’re really looking to advance your musical career, then a vocal coach is a necessity.

Once you have chosen a vocal coach, you should make progress from session one. Give it 3 months before trying someone new. Also, don’t be afraid to try other coaches, each one has something unique to offer. I often move clients to different members of our Vocal team who have different specialties as a way to develop the full capacity of their abilities.

Be patient. The voice takes time to develop. Real results may take a couple of months to show. Just be consistent and don’t quit early.

If you’re at the point where you are ready for a vocal coach to advance your music career Cari Cole Voice + Music Co has a great Vocal Team of experts dedicated to helping you achieve success. We have 3 decades of experience in the music industry as professional coaches and as professional singers ourselves.

Click the button below to schedule a free consultation with us. Tell us what you need, and let’s show you how we can make it happen.

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