COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO MY LESSON (online)
For the efficiency of time, I always recommend my students come to their scheduled lesson with:
- A device (computer, cell phone, iPad, etc.) capable of video streaming with:
A reliable internet connection
The video streaming app, Zoom. It is not necessary to pay for a subscription, but you are required to sign up for an account.
Usable speakers on the streaming device (even better if you have headphones/earbuds to use… best if they are wireless for ease of movement)
- A second device (phone, iPad, 2nd computer, etc.) that you can play audio from to sing/play along to during our lessons. As our lessons continue, I will be sending you audio tracks of warm-ups/exercises to sing/play along to so we are able to avoid any sound delays/audio lag. Some students like to keep these in an email file, while others found success downloading the audio files and putting them into their iTunes or in a media player file.
- A space where you are able to conduct your lesson. It can be anywhere you are comfortable (outdoors, in a studio, bedroom, office, kitchen, etc.) as long as there is a stable internet connection, you have access to the things that you need, and there is minimal distractions.
- Water (bottle/glass) readily accessible
- Your instrument tuned up & ready to use (for guitar & singing, it is fine to wait until after the first few lessons so you know how to properly tune up your instrument)
- A binder with note paper & any worksheets or music we are currently working on & a writing device
WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO MY LESSON (for in-person lessons, when they are available)
For the efficiency of time, I always recommend my students come to their scheduled lesson with:
- A bottle of water
- A binder with note paper & any worksheets or music we are currently working on & a writing device
- A recording device (phone works great)
- Your instrument tuned up & ready to use (for guitar & singing, it is fine to wait until after the first few lessons so you know how to properly tune up your instrument)
- (As of June 2020 for in-person lessons) a mask that is comfortable to wear for the duration of the appointment for any non-vaccinated individuals
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A LESSON
In a general lesson, whether it be online or in-person, we will spend some time doing exercises to help to build up strength, learn about our instrument, correct problem areas and work to provide you with techniques that you can practice (with me and on your own) to maintain your craft and apply to performances… we’ll probably be a little goofy, too. Music is fun to perform, and it should be fun to learn about as well!
UPDATE: Please review the COVID-19 LESSONS UPDATE for current procedures regarding in-person lessons.
WHEN SHOULD I ARRIVE/WHERE DO I PARK MY VEHICLE? (for in-person lessons, when they are available)
Please arrive five minutes early to your lesson to ensure we start on-time and I am able to give you the most out of your lesson. If the studio door is closed and I am with another student, please wait outside of the studio until I finish the lesson prior. Please park in front of the hedged fence out front, and if the space is available, back your vehicle up near the telephone pole that is on the opposite side of the driveway when you face the house.
UPDATE: Please review the COVID-19 LESSONS UPDATE for current procedures regarding appropriate waiting spaces.
CAN SOMEONE SIT IN ON THE LESSON WITH ME?
Whether it be online or in person (when in person lessons are available), absolutely! Whether you are a child with an adult, a parent with a child, a person who needed a ride from someone to your lesson, etc. For in-person lessons, I have a very comfortable reclining chair for people to sit in on the lessons with you in the same room. I do have to impress, however, that these are one-on-one lessons, and I will ask your companion to leave or step out of the room if they interfere with our time focusing on your craft.
UPDATE: Please review the COVID-19 LESSONS UPDATE for current procedures. I ask that only necessary personnel be in the building the time of the lesson when in-person lessons are available. If you have special circumstances & it is vital to have someone accompany you during our lesson, please contact me privately and we will discuss options.
SHOULD I BRING MUSIC?
Sure! If you feel inspired to work on specific songs, send me the name of the song you would like to work on before our lesson or an audio file/sheet music if you happen to have it. For in-person lessons when they are available, I have capabilities in my teaching studio to amplify tracks and use them to practice along with.
WHAT IF I JUST WANT A FEW LESSONS TO POLISH UP ON AN UPCOMING SHOW/AUDITION?
Then what are you waiting for?! Book those lessons up, and I will give you a crash course on delivery, emotion and technique to help you polish up your song(s) and help you achieve your best before taking the stage.
WHAT IF I’M SICK THE DAY OF MY LESSON?
Nobody likes to be sick, and least of all, musicians. For singers, our voice is our instrument. We must learn to pay attention to what our instrument needs and is telling us, and it is an easy thing to overuse when we are under the weather. If you are well enough & able to, I’m happy to keep our online lesson, & we will utilize our time talking about prevention, self-care, music theory, etc. In-person lessons are currently on hold due to the spread of the Delta variant in Butte County. If you feel you cannot make your lesson & it is at least two days in advance, you are more than welcome to reschedule your lesson through my ‘Book A Lesson’ Appointment Page. Anything less than 48 hours notice, contact me as soon as possible about the cancellation, and we will discuss from there. For more in-depth information on cancellation policies, please visit my Policies and Procedures page.
UPDATE: Please review the COVID-19 LESSONS UPDATE for current procedures regarding feeling sick.
WHAT IF THE LESSON TIME I WANT ISN’T AVAILABLE?
You can find my most up-to-date availability by clicking on ‘BOOK AN APPOINTMENT’ on my website homepage, then selecting the lesson type (vocals, guitar, piano, etc.) with the preferred length of time for your lesson. This will take you to the calendar page, which will show you the dates and times that I currently have available. If you do not see your preferred lesson date and time, you have the the option to “Join Waitlist” at the bottom of the page. Input your information, and I will contact you as soon as your preferred lesson time is available.
HOW LONG SHOULD I PRACTICE AT HOME?
As a general suggestion, I would recommend practicing anywhere from 15-30 minutes a day. We are developing and teaching memory to our muscles, and just like any other muscle, it is good to exercise it regularly! Based on your skillsets and your level of dedication to your craft, you and I will plan out a practice routine that works for you in between lessons. The mind can be a tricky thing, and everyone learns at different speeds, and where one person may need hours of practice, another person may be able to understand and execute a technique with hardly any time spent practicing. Sometimes, life happens, and you may not even have the time or energy to dedicate time to practice. In those cases, just remind yourself that you are taking lessons, and -that- in itself is a big step towards advancing your skillsets. I’m here to help you advance at the level YOU are comfortable working with, whatever speed that may be. If you simply can’t find the time to practice during the week for whatever reason, but still come regularly to lessons, I guarantee you that you will still learn! That being said, the more time you take to work on things at home that we’ve gone over in our lessons, the faster those techniques will become muscle memory and you will be able to advance and learn more. In any case, be patient with yourself. A lot of times, lessons can include breaking habits that we’ve gotten into with speaking and projecting that may not be the healthiest for our vocal chords, and it takes time to break old habits and learn new ones. At the end of the day, music should make people happy, including the performer, and I will do my best to make sure that you are happy, inspired, and challenged by our lessons, and that we have a fun time sharing music together!
For reference purposes: On average, singers roughly spend 30 minutes a day practicing proper technique, breathing and delivery. Beginning guitarists and harmonica players put in 20-30 minutes of practice 4-5 days a week, and beginning piano students puts in roughly 30 minutes of practice six days a week.
HOW CAN I BECOME A BETTER SINGER IF I HAVE TERRIBLE STAGE FRIGHT?
There are very few people in the world who can get on a stage without experiencing nerves at any degree. If you book a lesson with me, I’d say you are already taking the first step in coming out of your shell. Well done! What I can guarantee you is that I will do my best to make sure you are comfortable and feel secure in our time together. All I ask is that you try in our lessons, be patient with yourself, and give it some time, and together we can come up with helpful ways not only to cope with and overcome that anxiety, but eventually use it to our advantage for when we perform.
WHAT IF I THINK I’M TONEDEAF?
Do you love to sing? Do you want to get better at it? Then, again, all I ask is that you try, and that you are patient with yourself. Everyone learns at their own speeds, and no speed is wrong. So much of singing is a mental sport, and signing up for lessons is the first step in reversing that “I’m tonedeaf” mindset, and replacing it with open-mindedness and hard work.
I’VE DONE SINGING LESSONS BEFORE, WHY WOULD I NEED THEM NOW?
The voice is like any muscle in the body, and singing is just another habit we develop. I’m going to give you an example:
Say you’ve noticed that you slouch, and you want to work on your posture. For weeks, you work on correcting your posture, and you’ve even recruited your friend to help by tapping your shoulder whenever they notice you slouching. It helped immensely, having that physical reminder to stay engaged and aware of your body, and they’ve even noticed you slouching when you didn’t realize you were doing it. But then that friend goes on summer vacation & you don’t have that external reminder to sit up. It is a slippery slope back into slouch city. While you may catch yourself sometimes and correct it, it’s tough to constantly be aware of if you can’t see yourself from an outside perspective.
That’s what can happen with singing. Singing is such a natural action (for most of us), just like sitting up straight is, but people spent years unknowingly developing habits that can be detrimental in the long run. That’s where vocal teachers like myself come in. I can tell you not only how to best utilize your instrument to its greatest capacity, but also show you how to take care of it in the process. Even professional singers still see vocal coaches. Just like any other muscle, the voice needs to be developed properly, and just like any other instrument, it needs care and maintenance to keep in peak performance.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Feel free to click on the ‘Contact’ link on the top left of this page to email me, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Or better yet, write down your question, and we will discuss it at your next lesson!