Summer is coming to an end, which means school is back in session! Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to appreciate the wonderful and patient angels on the earth that we call teachers. So have you ever wondered what goes through your teacher's mind during your lesson? Well, it may not be what you expect. We picked our teachers' (deeeeeply mysterious) brains to discover the top 5 things they want their students to know!
1. You can't shock us- we have truly heard it all. And that should make you feel less nervous! Lessons are a judgement free, safe space to learn, explore your voice, and maybe even make crazy sounds. From voice cracks to being out of tune, we have experienced all of it, and probably even done it ourselves a time or two. We want you to take risks, even if it means not sounding perfect.
2. Don't "warm up" before the lesson if your goal is to save time and skip it during the lesson. Exercises that cover a wide range of vocal techniques are HUGELY important to do during the lesson. Sure, they may not always be the most fun, but there is no skipping them in order to get to working on a song faster. Plus, you need to be performing these exercises in front of your teacher so that they can tweak things like your jaw position and vocal placement.
3. You can still come to the lesson if you're sick or didn't practice. And we can most likely help! There is a lot you can still accomplish if you're feeling under the weather. Your teacher can discuss vocal hygiene and health, as well as demonstrate some gentle exercises to help your recovery process. (And side note- we can tell when you haven't practiced. No need to tell us!) :)
4. Emotional expression is almost as important, if not equal, to singing correct notes. Having a beautiful voice and being perfectly in tune is incredibly pleasant to the ear. But if there is no passion or emotion behind the singing, the performance becomes exponentially less interesting. When working on repertoire in lessons, keep in mind that the power of the voice as your instrument is being able to express complex feelings that a lyric-less instrument could not. Find a connection to your lyrics, and let it shine through, even in lessons.
5. We hear your improvements, even when you can't. Keep in mind that we are all our own worst critic, and progress takes a lot of patience. Sometimes it will feel like you may not be getting anywhere, but we can hear the subtle changes in your voice that you can't! We love pointing out when a student accomplishes something that would have been previously impossible, even when it is the smallest victory. We are your biggest fans!!