One Size Does Not Fit All...

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Looking on Youtube and other websites, it seems that nearly every vocal coach or  teacher has a system, method or approach (also known as 'pedagogy') to singing. Everyone seems to have the golden rules to learning to sing, and believe that their way is best.

There's  Speech Level Singing, Bel Canto, Alexandra Technique, Estill, the list goes on. Some advocate head voice, some don't, some divide the  vocal tract into registers, some will swear by tone placement, some talk about the mask, some say forget about the mask. Others tell you about breath support and posture while some don't even mention it at all. 

So what is the truth?    Which pedagogy is right?

Well, I believe the the truth is this. If you study all these vocal methods, systems and approaches you will find very quickly that there are seven main principles underpinning them. They are:
  1. Posture
  2. Voice
  3. Breath
  4. Aural
  5. Self Awareness
  6. Vocal Health
  7. Technique

These seven principles are a solid foundation to singing success.

At SOS we our aim is to continue to  research, study, train in and practice popular vocal methods to understand the common threads that bind them all together, so we can continue to provide a comprehensive all round vocal course that meets the individual need of the student.
We want to be flexible and cater completely for the vocalist sitting in front us in the lesson at that moment. We focus on vocal technique through understanding the voice, anatomy and working to this successful rule:

       One size does not fit all!

So go ahead and book your lessons, confident that we are always learning, always researching and always seeking the best for your voice. 
3 important things I believe you must know before learning to sing

  1. You must WANT to sing  - No one can force you to sing if you don't want to but if you want to learn it helps if you have  passion, desire, determination and a love of singing. Even if you think you can't sing for toffee, just loving to sing is enough to learn.
  2. You must be willing to give time to the learning process-Singing doesn't happen overnight it's an art and it takes time to learn.  So be prepared to give yourself time to work with a coach and understand what it takes to develop strong vocal skills.
  3. You must have a goal- Your goal could be as simple as just wanting to a sing a song confidently for yourself or to auditon for X Factor. It's a place to start and a goal to finish.
3 things you diffinately DON'T need to know before learning to sing

  1. How to read or write music  - You don't need to know how to read or write sheet music in any way. You can learn this as you go along if you want.
  2. How to play an instrument - You don't need to know how to play a guitar or piano  for accompaniment. Many singers successfully use backing tracks to practice singing along with.
  3. How to sing - You don't need to know how to sing or have a natural singing voice. Many people won't explore singing because they think they do not have a natural singing voice. But, the truth is, if you can speak clearly you can sing because they are the same instrument!


Dionne
Principle Coach,
SOS Vocal Training

Ps: Remember there may be many approaches and systems being offered on the internet but they all agree on 7 important principles underpinning great singing skills: Breath, Voice, Posture, Aural Skills, Self Awareness, Vocal Health and Technique

At SOS this is our own starting point to great vocals and singing technique that will develop the best from your voice.

Read about more about our 1-2-1 lessons. Book Online today and you could start singing as soon as next week.