There are a number of things to consider in choosing a voice instructor who’s right for you, such as the singing styles they teach (classical, rock, etc.), what kind of teaching you prefer (a focus on discipline, teaching with a dose of humor, etc.), how competent an instructor is for teaching the level you’re at, how professional and punctual they are, and of course how much they charge. Here are some ways to get an idea of how good a voice instructor you’re considering hiring may be:
1. Referrals + testimonials from a friend – a word of caution: people may give a great testimonial when they have no reference point, e.g., when they’ve never taken lessons from anyone else or an online singing course. The instructor may still be good, but positive testimonials aren’t a guarantee. Ask for specifics on what results your friend has gotten while working with the instructor, such as increased range, ability to bridge chest-to-head voice (the passaggio), etc.
2. Online written reviews – same word of caution as for referral from a friend – try to find a review from someone who says they’ve tried multiple instructors/singing systems so they at least have some reference points to compare against. Also, be aware that an instructor who’s likeable and speaks with confidence may get good reviews while not being the best for helping you improve in the most efficient way over time.
3. Credentials/experience – music degrees, instructor certifications, instruments played for how many years/at what level, singing experience/level, teaching experience, performing experience (years/audience size), experience as a recording engineer – all these are good to know and can give an indication of how good the instructor’s ear may be, which is an important part of being a good voice instructor. Instructor certifications can be especially useful if you’ve found a good online course and want help from people who are trained in it.
4. Their singing – this is a tricky one because someone can sound great while not knowing how to teach well or even how they do what they do to sound great. A before and after video may be helpful to show how much progress the voice instructor has made in their own journey, but this may not be available. If an instructor doesn’t sing super well, it’s not necessarily an indication that they don’t teach well (the old saying, “those who cannot do teach”), but if they haven’t had the experience of getting to a top level themselves, they’re less likely to know how to most efficiently help their intermediate/advanced students navigate to a top level.
5. Their instructional videos/posts – this gives you a flavor of a voice instructor’s personality and teaching style – some things to look for: that the instructor does not say their way is the one and only right way (although they may give the relative advantages of their techniques), and that the instructor doesn’t just talk and talk without conveying much actual useful information.
6. By trying them – sign up for one lesson to see if you like them first, and then, if needbe, keep trying different instructors until you find one you like. Some instructors may offer a free first lesson, although the best instructors likely won’t. Some also may offer a money back guarantee on your first lesson. If you don’t feel like your current voice instructor is really helping you get to the next level, don’t be afraid to change instructors, although also be careful not to expect too much out of one or two lessons when some vocal issues, such as achieving consistent pitch for those with little ear training, can take significant practice on your part to work through, regardless of how many “shortcut” exercises an instructor may provide you.
Choosing a good voice instructor can make a significant impact on your rate of improvement. I hope this list gives you some things to consider when choosing one to best help you on your singing journey!