So you've decided to learn how to sing... fantastic! You've only just started on a rewarding and challenging journey where you'll learn just as much about yourself as you will with singing itself!
Now with any new venture, the time it takes to get your footing varies between individuals but there's one major factor that affects everyone - the frequency at which we practice! It may seem obvious but the more you sing the better you become at it. You also give yourself the opportunity to become better quicker which ultimately leads to you enjoying singing more. This month's blog will focus on the benefits of weekly lessons and why making the commitment to regular lessons is well worth it.
Upon first glace weekly lessons may seem like a major time commitment. How can I be expected to be totally available the same time and day each and every week? Here's the truth: We make time for the things we cherish and value most. By carving out a time slot each week for lessons you will consequently readjust your schedule accordingly. Doing this may prove difficult at first because it changes up our normal routine and routines are what we love most as creatures of habit. Once you're able to acclimate to your new schedule you'll look forward to the new routine and approach every lesson with excitement.
With a consistent lesson scheduled each week the techniques and exercises you learn stay fresh in your mind. Allowing too much time to pass in between lessons lessens our ability to retain information and at worst, lessens our own interest in it. Bi-weekly or even monthly lessons force students to bear much more responsibility upon themselves as they need to hold themselves accountable for practicing in the time between lessons. This may work for some people but for most it can be highly detrimental to furthering their skills. Weekly lessons on the other hand inherently cause the instructor to hold the student more accountable each week through weekly progress check ins. Students who have someone other than themselves to push them to get better often display better results.
Now each and every student has their own personal reason and purpose for taking voice lessons but that shouldn't stop you from taking lessons seriously. If you're going to spend your time and hard earned money doing something, do it well! Even if you're someone who is learning to sing totally for fun or as a hobby weekly lessons will allow you to explore more of your voice and musical styles faster. You may surprise yourself by taking an interest in a particular genre of music that you haven't thought about before. After-all music is a never ending journey of discovery and evolvement.
One final point regarding weekly lessons that may not present itself at first is that you may develop a strong personal connection with your instructor. Your instructor will slowly learn more about you when it comes to helping to improve your singing ability. You too will come to learn about your instructor and when they're pushing your singing limits or when they're taking it easy.
So whether you're considering taking lessons to start on a new career path or just to explore a new hobby, try giving weekly lessons a chance. They allow you to get all of the base line information under your belt in a short amount of time so you can begin to get to the fun stuff!