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KATHY'S TEACHING METHODS

  Mini - Tutorial

     Singing Octave Intervals with Ease

Aug. 2013:

One of my students requested that she take a video of me doing an exercise, so I thought I'd share it. 

  Mini - Tutorial

     Vocal Exercise: Home Base Scale

Jan. 2016:

A group of young ladies are introduced to this exercise which is good to sing for many reasons!

What's  the  Best
Singing   Method  ?

Read Kathy's  article for insights to her teaching methods and  deciding which singing teacher you should choose.

YOUR VOICE IS UNIQUE

 

Many famous voices are instantly identifiable because their natural sound wasn’t distorted into something it wasn‘t meant to be; but was allowed to flourish. 

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WHAT WILL I LEARN IN SINGING LESSONS WITH KATHY ?

No two lessons are the same. Each lesson has an energy of its own, and each person is working on their own unique vocal agendas and curriculum. You will have to trust my expertise regarding what we should work on, in conjunction with what you want to get out of your lessons.

 

Lessons are customized on a needs-basis.  What you will learn and what we study together will depend on a number of factors. Lessons are very interactive. We will always strive for an organic sound unique to your instrument and what it naturally wants to be!

Read MORE about what you will learn in singing lessons with Kathy.

Who's  the  Right  Singing  Teacher  for  You  ?

Tips on Choosing a Singing Teacher

 

Advice from Vocal Coach Kathy Thompson © 2014

Content is all the opinion of Kathy Thompson.

Request permission to use in whole or in part by email.   

Each singing teacher has their own style when it comes to how they teach. Some really 'crack the whip' like Bill Vincent did when I studied with him in the 1980’s. No fooling around, he took care of business, and he was a busy guy (God rest his soul.) Some singing teachers like to chat for a few minutes at first. Some make eye contact, some don’t. Some will drive the lesson 100% and some will make it more of an interactive process. Some will sing more than you do, and some not at all! Sometimes, your vocal coach will become a life-long friend.

If you are really interested in learning about singing and take it seriously,  the person who teaches you is important. It’s not about spending a few dollars less or more. Your vocal coach is a mentor who will be correcting you, giving advice, showing you new exercises, coaching you to discover new vocal sounds, challenging you and encouraging you,. So it’s important that you feel comfortable with them and you are both on the same page in order to work towards achieving your musical goals. I think it's important to allow your goals to change or evolve over time. 

Many people think that singing is just about fun, fun, fun. We usually have fun moments and I strive t make every lesson a positive experience! But it’s not a party, and vocal   overnight. But just because you know how to use your voice to talk doesn’t mean that you know all about it for singing.Your singing teacher should have a good idea of the ability of their student: to know when to increase the vocal workload just enough, to do the arpeggios a little faster, or when to bring the volume up little louder. A good teacher will never step far beyond the student’s level of competence. Understandably, if someone does the same exercises at the same volume and tempo with the same vowels for 20 years, the progress would be less than optimal. The secret is knowing when to push the limits and how much to push, always being mindful of maintaining healthy vocal technique.

A good singing teacher should:

 

  • Make sure you understand everything that is covered in lessons

  • Understand how to critique you without discouraging you or hurting your feelings

  • Motivate you to practice on your own

  • Keep track of where you are in your progress as well as other students

  • Keep focused during your lesson and always know what is coming next

  • Not push too much or too little

  • Not spend much time singing for the student other than to give examples

  • To know when to explain why you are doing certain exercises, or just to do them

 

Once you have mastered the vocal basics, then I say study any kind of singing that you want. But be true to your roots and keep your sites aligned. The goal is to grow musically and to enjoy the journey! It’s a life-long process if you want it to be, and we’re all a magical, musical work in progress.

Here is an insightful article on creativity in children written by educator Claudia Lunardo. 

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