Corona virus has made singers and singing students all over the World to wonder how to study singing at home. At the same time the situation has guided singing students to voice training and teaching that is done through the internet. The phenomenon is not new; several voice teachers have offered online voice lessons for many years. Likewise, multiple singing students have trusted the internet when looking for quality teaching and when the voice teacher lives far away from the student – sometimes even on the other side of the World.
What Works, What Doesn’t?
Many voice students consider online lessons to be somehow an inferior alternative to live voice lessons. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater; voice lesson that is taken online is an exceptional possibility to concentrate on different aspects of voice training that are often given less attention – or even mostly neglected – in live lessons. This way online voice lessons are turned into efficient, meaningful and fun learning experiences that in addition complement live teaching.
While getting ready for your voice lesson online, it’s good for you as a voice student to realize which aspects work well online and which ones do not. What is wise to invest in during online voice lessons?
The Advantages Of Online Voice Lessons
- You don’t have to travel: you get quality voice teaching from anywhere in the world in the comfort of your own home
- You can practice vocal technique, both new and already familiar topics
- You can practice innumerable musical aspects, such as styles, theory, improvisation, call and response exercises etc.
- Your voice teacher can guide you towards new sensations of your own instrument: now it is a really good time to reflect the kinesthetic sensations in your instrument
- You can talk about interpretation, practice it and analyze song lyrics that you are singing
- The singing routine keeps going; active practicing doesn’t stop and the teacher acts as a mirror for your vocal development guiding you into right direction with technical exercises, for instance
- Even though the lesson is taken online it is still a true encounter of two human beings, where you and your thoughts and feelings are truly being met; your voice teacher is there for you
- Online voice lessons can easily be recorded for example at Zoom and the teacher can send it to you after the lesson via email
- Voice lesson is a great time to make use of your voice teacher’s knowledge and skills: ask questions about technique, music styles, gathering your repertoire or career plans in the music field
The Disadvantages Of Online Voice Lessons
- Your teacher cannot accompany your singing due to the delay online (you may still use different karaoke or other playback tracks, or if possible accompany yourself)
- Physical touch is not possible; for example your teacher can’t show a certain spot in your back with their hands where to feel activation (On the other hand this is a great opportunity to find this sensation on your own with your teacher’s guidance, which strengthens self-reflected learning)
- The possibility to sense your teacher’s voice physically in the same space is not available
New Ways Of Action Stimulate Learning
To summarize: online voice lessons are a great way to find new ways to learn to supplement those that are already familiar and practiced. Therefore, when doing online voice training, utilize that which enables your learning. There are plenty of possibilities and means to learn – now go and find out yourself!