Finding the right singing teacher is an important step on your singing journey. It requires asking prospective teachers the right questions, but also asking yourself what you want to achieve. There’s little point in going to a classical singing teacher if you’ve got your heart set on a pop career. 

Here are some things to consider and questions to ask when shopping around for a new singing teacher!

1. Ask them about their teaching style!

Do you want to sit Trinity Guildhall exams or do you want to perform with your band? Teachers are unique in their experience and abilities, so it’s important to choose a teacher who has done what you want to do, or knows how to help you get where you need to go. 

Do they set certain songs that you must learn or are they flexible? Ask yourself whether you’d like to choose the music you are going to be singing.

Do they have experience with certain styles of music? Ask yourself which styles you’d like to try out, and seek out a teacher who offers these.

2. Who do they work with?

You are going to be spending a lot of time with this teacher, and parting with some cash, so it’s important to find someone who is a good fit. 

Do they normally work with kids or adults? There is some crossover here, but generally speaking, each teacher will have a particular niche that their skills are best suited for. Some teachers love to play musical games and help kids fall in love with music. Other teachers would rather explain a technical exercise or work on a mindset task. 

Ask them the age range of their current students, and the age range they most like to teach. 

3. Do they offer a no-obligation chat?

Some teachers will offer a free call or online video chat before you commit to lessons. This is not a lesson, but an opportunity to meet the teacher and see if you get along with each other. Not everyone works well together, and that’s okay. Learning this before you’re locked in is important.

It’s also a great opportunity to ask them some of the questions in this article, and any others you may have about lessons in general. 

4. Ask them about their experience.

Understanding of how the voice works, and the teaching of voice, continuously develops over time. Ask your prospective teacher about their experience of learning and teaching voice, how long they’ve been teaching, as well as any professional development they do. You might also want to ask about their teaching philosophy to see if this aligns with your needs.

5. Do they help you set goals and reach them?

Learning to sing takes time, and humans lose interest in things. One way to keep improving is through setting goals and tracking these over time. Ask the teacher whether they help with goal setting. 

If you’re not sure what your goals are yet, find out if they can offer some suggestions. It’s okay to change or update your goals as you progress, just make sure you’re ticking them off so you feel the reward and the motivation to keep going!

What’s something would you like to know about a singing teacher before you start lessons?

If you’re here because you’d like to get in touch about lessons, visit the contact page and fill out the discovery call form, and I’ll be in touch!