What makes learning to sing different from any other instrument?

If you wanted to take up an instrument like, say the violin, you’ll need a violin, a bow and a case to start. Next, you’ll need a violin teacher and whole load of what I call G and D (grit and determination).

Investing in a violin can see costs upwards of £1000 and that’s before you’ve even started!

So, what’s so different about singing, or ‘the voice’?

‘The voice is free’ I hear you say.

And, yes well I suppose that is true in some respects with the exception of those who are born mute or lose their voice through illness, but most people take their voice working as read, a guarantee, a dead-cert.

Let’s say you want a ‘good voice’, a ‘stronger’ voice, a ‘consistent, confident voice’, ‘more control’ in your speaking voice – more ‘power’ and ‘variety’ or less ‘nasal sound’, less ‘raspiness’ or feelings of ‘strain’.

These are phrases I hear all the time as a vocal coach and I’m pleased such people have taken the active step of getting into contact and investing in a tool they use EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEIR LIFE!

You see, the voice isn’t just an instrument. It’s something on which you depend on to communicate; it has enormous capacity, strength and personality. It can get you up on a karaoke stage, reprimand a naughty child, hail that taxi or land you your dream job. And I’m not just referencing performance jobs on stage; I’m talking ANY job…

Think about the last time you were in a job interview. Did your voice shake? Did you lose breath? Did your voice shut down or feel clamped up?

Or think about any time you wanted to command authority in a room and your voice belied you, cracked or didn’t have the power you needed at that moment.

If this all sounds too familiar, in some way your voice wasn’t performing at its peak when you needed it to!

So, my question is not ‘are you taking singing lessons’ – it’s ‘why aren’t you’?