WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR LEARNING TO SING IF I CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE PRIVATE LESSONS?
CAN YOU RECOMMEND ANY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR BEGINNERS?

 

Sorry, but you simply can't learn to sing properly from books and tapes. They are a waste of time and money unless you use them in conjunction with a good teacher; and anything that promises to teach you singing in "6 Easy Lessons" is quite simply worthless.

 

Learning to sing is a process. You need personal feedback and demonstration to learn to sing properly. You might as well learn to do it right from the beginning rather than get it wrong and then have to undo what you've already learned --- a painful and slow process for most people.

 

If you can't afford private voice lessons, look for a singing class at a community music school, where lessons and classes are often more affordable than going through a private source; and sometimes scholarships are available. Look at junior or smaller colleges with music programs in your area as well. Also, check with NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing, www.nats.org) for teachers in your area who might offer group lessons. Or approach a grad student at a local university --- often they are great teachers, but charge less than someone who's making a career of it.

 

Another option is to find a teacher who will accept barter. Maybe you have skills or products a voice teacher would take in exchange for lessons. One of my students is an aesthetician, and we trade voice lessons for facials! Another is a personal trainer and massage therapist; we trade lessons for training.

 

Guidelines for choosing the right teacher may be found on my Resources page under Voice Teachers. There is also an excellent article on David Jones' website.