The Problem with Online Singing Courses
The biggest problem with online courses for singing is that there is no feedback loop. Then they focus on results before assessing current abilities and helping you start at the right skill level. Have you ever downloaded a tutorial, bought a book, or tried something new, only to get stuck, have no one to ask for help (unless you go through an "ask google" rabbit hole), and then give up?
Then you're left with the feeling..."did I just not stick to it enough?" ,"Is this just not my thing, am I not good at this?" and you don't really know what happened.
In the early years of my singing, I bought programs. I remember buying a $300 set of CDs, going through the exercises for months, and nothing happened. Singing didn't get easier in any way. Fast forward to now, I can see that the exercises were WAY too difficult. The creator assumed or hoped that I would be the rather small percentage of people who could tell what they were doing and happened to be at the appropriate skill level to get benefit from the CDs.
Now imagine that a few times over...and you can feel how frustrating it is. For many years, my fear of creating something that I wrongly assumed would be actually helpful kept me from doing anything outside of one-on-one lessons or group classes, where I could see right away if an exercise was helpful or not.
Over the years of teaching, I noticed something interesting with my students. When I first helped a student find a new part of their voice, I had to help them with each little step. At first, that new part of their voice was only "findable" in lessons. Little by little though, the student could find those coordinations between lessons until at some point, the student didn't need my help to find the sound. That then allows us to work on discovering a new sound or coordination.
Here's the thing though: getting better at finding whatever that new coordination in your voice might be, like say, singing louder, is a subtle process. It reminds me of gaining muscle. You only notice little improvements, and may not notice them for a time.
It's right at this part of the process...the slow, patient, stick-to-it process, where students between lessons can get discouraged. Because it's hard to tell that you're improving. In fact, it's MUCH easier for ME to tell that you are improving. I see a snapshot from one week directly to the next week. I don't see the little baby improvement you made the next day. Even then, I've been listening to voices for many years, so I hear that 1% improvement that over 100 days will be 100% improvement.
So what if we could make that easier? What if we could sharpen your senses in such a way that you are better at hearing and sensing changes in your voice and those little improvements?
What if there were exercises, videos, PDF and audio tracks that weren't designed in the typical way "here's how to belt! hope you can figure it out! good luck!" but instead you had courses and guides that say "here's how to sense what your voice is doing more clearly, and here's the exercises to tell if you are singing the right notes with your backing track...and let know how it went, I will work with you until we get there" how would that work for you?
Then you'd be part of something that you already know will be helpful for you, as we will continue to work together until we get to your result. AND you get to be part of creating something new that can help others that has already proved itself with you, the test singer.
This is how the Test Singer Program Will Work:
1
Pick a Result
We'll get together on a common need or result you're aiming for in your singing. Let's say it's lasting through your phrases (or finding your range, singing with chords, performing your first song in public or insert other result here).
2
Get a Starting Point Assessment
If you're already taking lessons, we'll have a good sense of where your skill level is at already, but we'll map them out again for posterity.
If you aren't taking lessons, we'll start with the "Find Your Range" kit or other similar assessment tool to get a sense of where your vocal skills are at right now.
3
I’ll Make a Custom Mini-Course Just For You
I'll put together some recorded exercises, a little "mini-course" or set of exercises if you will, for you to try.
4
Try Out Your New Course
You'll try out the exercises. Depending on the skill, you may need to practice these for a while, or if it's something really simple, like the "Find Your Range" kit, that may take a week or two.
5
Love it Yet?
You'll send me a video: it's either a review saying "hey! this works and I love it!" or "hey, I got stuck here..." We'll either go back to step 3 if we need to change something, or move one to stage 6.
6
Share Your Results 😀 Yay!
We'll do your after video, where you'll demonstrate what you've learned, how it's made you feel now that you're there, and who you would and wouldn't recommend this to.
Are you against trying this out?
No I'm not against trying this out, tell me more.
I'd like to know more about the Test Singer Program and share with you what would help me.
Yes, I'm against trying something like this out.
I'm against trying this out because...