- How is what you teach different than what other voice teachers out there do?
- How young can students be?
- How will I benefit if I’m a beginner?
- How will I benefit if I’ve been singing for awhile and have had lessons before?
- How will I benefit if I’m a regular gigging singer and am pretty darn good, if I do say so myself?
- What do I need for online lessons?
- What about internet connection problems?
- What is your refund policy?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- How often should I take lessons?
- How is billing handled?
- What if I’m sick or can’t make my lesson?
- What if I decide to quit but I’ve paid for the month?
How is what you teach different than what other voice teachers out there do?
There are a huge amount of differences in the teaching community but let’s oversimplify them into two basic schools of thought; those who believe that you manipulate the voice and body to make a quality sound and those who believe that the best result is gained from removing all manipulation and balancing the voice and body. I would be in the second camp. Mainly because I was originally trained in the first camp and even though I could sing, I still had a limited range and every time I had a vocal problem either the instructor blamed me or didn’t know how to fix it. It was not until I began training in the second camp, (originally through Speech Level Singing) that those problems I had accepted as permanent were addressed and erased. I’ve seen the same results in every one of my students and I’m never turning back.
Some teachers also cannot separate technique from styling and as a result, all of their students come out sounding the same. My goal is not to mess with your preffered genre of music or your unique voice (especially essential for indies and anyone not wanting to sound like everyone else.)
My first goal is to balance your voice and remove strain, pain and the obstacles that keep it from seemlessly mixing through an ever growing range. My second goal is to help you develop your own style, learn how to vocally style the music you choose and learn fast, effective ways to see the improvement for yourself.
I have accepted students as young as 8, but any student under 10 must be assessed to see if they have both the concentration and the will to follow direction. Some just don’t. They may develop it in another year or maybe not at all. My goal is not to take your money. If I don’t believe your child is ready to get the full benefit from private lessons, I’ll tell you.
How will I benefit if I’m a beginner?
There is nothing better you can do for your vocal potential than start out with solid technique training. Beginners are at an advantage because many vocal problems we work on are the result of poor past training. You have a clean slate! So besides starting one step ahead, what can you expect? Your pitch will improve, you’ll be able to reach notes you couldn’t before and you’ll grow more confident in singing publicly.
How will I benefit if I’ve been singing for awhile and have had lessons before?
If you’ve been singing for awhile, whether in your church, your school or in musicals, you’ve probably started noticing things in your voice you don’t like. Maybe your voice is too soft. Maybe there are cracks and embarrassing flips. We can fix that. We’ll help you strengthen your voice, work out bad habits that are sabotaging what you should be able to do and build that strong, controlled voice you want to have the next time someone hears you solo.
How will I benefit if I’m a regular gigging singer and am pretty darn good, if I do say so myself?
Sometimes it’s nothing short of annoying to seek vocal instruction when you’re a pro. I was making my living with my voice when I spent YEARS looking for someone to help me address some very specific issues that were holding me back from what I thought I could do vocally. The problem was that no one I went to could even hear what I was talking about. I was afraid I’d be stuck that way forever.
It was the day a vocal instructor told me “You are a beautiful fake” that I knew I was about to get better. Within weeks I began training as a teacher, selfishly, just to help myself when others couldn’t. Now I can help you.
You’d be surprised how much range you have yet to reach, how many more dynamics you have to explore and how incredibly helpful it is to learn how to use everything you’ve got and not damage your cords or where yourself out before you’re done with your performance schedule. You’ll enjoy performing, recording, and recreational singing even more. Let me show you what changed my life as a professional vocalist.
What do I need for online lessons?
A computer with a high speed internet connection (cable modem, Fiber internet, etc.) is a must. Your computer probably has a built in microphone and webcam. If not, just pick up a cheap mic for around $10 in the computer isle and webcam for around $40. Headphones can help to minimize feedback if you like to run your sound loud, but they’re usually not necessary. Then just download Skype, a free program that will allow you to see me and me to see you during our lesson. That’s it!
What about internet connection problems?
They happen. Glitches, freezes and just plain weird stuff. They can happen because a computer is running too many applications, because your internet connection is having problems, or even because of the weather. The best way to avoid them is to have nothing but Skype open when you have your lesson (and iTunes if you’re singing to a track). If there is a freeze, the call will be terminated and resumed to attempt to fix the issue. Because they can rarely be controlled, lessons with internet connection problems are not refundable. If there is a major problem that continues, a lesson can be rescheduled at a later date.
We have a no refund policy. Once your lesson is confirmed by email you are responsible for the payment of that lesson. If you’re unable to make a lesson you are free to reschedule the lesson with 24hrs. notice. If you have a fever (and then you should NOT be singing), just reschedule your lesson. If we have a conflict on our end we will offer you a new date for your lesson. If you choose instead to cancel the lesson because of our conflict you are not responsible for the payment of the lesson.
What is your cancellation policy?
24hr. notice is required to cancel a lesson and reschedule it for a later time. Of course, if you have an emergency or are suddenly ill we will do our best to reschedule you. To respect the teachers time and the students who might prefer to have your slot, students who cancel frequently may be dropped with no refund.
How often should I take lessons?
Weekly. And there’s a reason. Weekly lessons not only help you see results much more quickly but they also keep you motivated, provide accountability for your growth and correct any incorrect technique or habits you may have while practicing on your own.
That said, sometimes weekly lessons are just not in the budget. If you’re a student that is committed to regular study and self motivated every other week openings might be a good place to start.
In studio students (Sacramento) receive an email invoice outlining all of your scheduled lesson for the month. It is payable by check or cash at your first lesson of the month. When you become a student, you’ll receive a student login for our online system. There you can see your upcoming lessons, dates the studio is closed and your entire invoice and lesson history. It’s pretty handy.
Skype (online) students are responsible for sending their lesson payment via paypal to kim@thevoiceclub.com any time before their scheduled lesson. Most students find it easiest to pop online and make the payment just before connecting for their lesson.
If payment is not made, your lessons will be canceled and your time slot made available to other students.
If you have a periodic special circumstance that requires you to pay late but you still want to continue, simply email booking@thevoiceclub.com and we’ll do whatever we can to accommodate you.
What if I’m sick or can’t make my lesson?
If you aren’t able to make it to your lesson, 24hr. notice is needed. Even more notice is preferred if you know when you’ll be unavailable (as in the case of vacation). This allows us to schedule one time vocal assessments and make better use of our time.
If you develop a fever (in which case you should NOT be singing) or another illness without notice, contact us as soon as possible. As long as late notice does not become a habit, we understand these things can happen. Canceling more than 2 lessons without notice will result in cancellation without refund, so please communicate with us if you have a special circumstance.
What if I decide to quit but I’ve paid for the month?
If you’ve decided to go another direction with your vocal training or need to stop lessons for a time due to a financial situation, just let us know as soon as possible. Your payment for the month is non-refundable, so why not use your remaining lessons to get in every bit of training you can?
If you will be taking a break and plan to return later, we cannot hold your time slot but we’ll definitely do whatever we can to accommodate you when you return. And remember, you can always contact us with any vocal questions whether you’re a current student or not!
