What does a vocal coach do?
A vocal coach works with singers to develop their technique, create environments to learn and build deeper skills, protect their vocal health, and improve their performance.
As every singer is different, sessions could include:
- Improving range and power
- Flexibility, speed and riffs/runs
- Developing tone and style options
- Reducing vocal fatigue and improving stamina
- Vocal health guidance
- Breathing and physical alignment
- Performance, confidence, stage presentation and studio prep
We might do some of these through specific vocal exercises and drills, but a lot of it we can do in songs using in-the-moment tools. Combining both approaches makes progress speed up significantly!
What is the difference between a vocal coach and a singing teacher?
Singing teachers typically teach the base line skills repertoire and song choice. Especially when a singer is either a beginner, or just approaching a new skill for them.
Coaching tends to create environments that take current skills to the next level, usually for live performance situations. Much like a football coach isn’t teaching the rudiments of the game, choosing positions, or showing how to kick a ball… but rather taking those skills and challenging them in drills and variety ready for the top flight.
I work primarily as a coach with intermediate to professional singers who already have a clear idea of what they want, the barriers in their way, and the songs they need to master.
Day to day, there are times when a singer with experience needs to work on a rudimentary skill… at which point, I wear the singing teacher hat for that time. Fortunately with my experience, I’m able to develop both rudimentary skills and coach for more professional situations, as is needed.
How do I choose a good vocal coach for me?
Honestly, there is no definitive answer to this question. From my experience, singers look for trust first and foremost. If they can feel secure in your company, that you believe in them and their goals, and they look forward to spending an hour with you… then you’ve won half the battle. So if you’re looking for a coach or teacher, it’s really important that it feels like you are a team… rather than a master cracking their whip and imposing limits on you.
The second thing is official qualifications, but this is also sticky as there are no standard certificates for singing teachers. Singing is also a creative industry, and a massive amount of expertise is found in experience: being in the trenches! So instead of just looking for qualifications, ask the teacher about similar case studies to you, what they struggled with, and how you guys over came it. To help with this, you could check reviews and testimonials to see if what they say aligns with what you want out of a coach.
When choosing a vocal coach, you could also look for:
- Experience working with singers at your level and in your genre – IE if you’re pop, find a pop teacher!
- A diagnostic approach – someone who can explain why they are recommending an exercise, and spends time to assess your voice in the beginning. This saves an enormous amount of time flailing around seeing what sticks.
- Familiar with basic vocal health – so they can recognise when a singer needs rest or even a medical referral
- Ongoing professional development and engagement with the industry – you don’t need a degree to be a great coach, but it’s a good sign to see that they are spending some time each year furthering their knowledge
- Not tied to a method – personal opinion (and from someone who once was tied to a method)… one method of teaching can be limiting. Someone who was explored multiple methods, and different ways to approach the same thing, can adapt to your individuality and serve you better in the long run.
As someone who is deeply connected to my industry, I attend and present at conferences internationally (BVA, AOTOS, PAVA, NATS, ANATS and more). I’m lucky to be affiliated with one of the worlds leading voice science bodies: The National Centre For Voice & Speech in the US. This gives me access to cutting edge research, regular conversations with specialists, and the opportunity to take their data and turn it into practical training for singers that they can actually use. I do all this to make sure I’m of the most use to the singers I support.
Can vocal coaching help with vocal problems and vocal health issues?
Absolutely, and this is one of the areas where I have a lot of experience, because ENTs, speech therapists other teachers refer their clients to me when more support is needed. Many singers come to the studio having struggled with issues such as vocal fatigue, stubborn register breaks, tension in the voice and body, or just an unreliable voice.
To get help singers over these hurdles, I use a combination of two things:
- Technique work that is specifically designed to strengthen, whilst also having a therapeutic effect to improve vocal comfort and recovery. I’ve adapted these principles from the training I’ve done with researchers and speech therapists.
- Physical work, including movement, because every vocal problem reflects in the body somewhere. Meaning ‘voice’ trouble usually becomes ‘body’ trouble within a short time. And vice versa. Using my training in manual therapy, myofascial release and anatomy, I’ve developed my Voice In Motion framework: A set of physical activities that quickly reveal which parts of the body are getting in the way of progress, and that instantly remove that blockage.
When singers are in the throws of vocal trouble, the last thing we want to do is waste more time. Approaching it this way helps us get to root causes quickly, get them addressed, and get back on the road.
Singers with more complex medical conditions are always referred to an appropriate specialist where necessary.
How often do you need voice lessons?
The answer to this depends on a few things:
- Your stage of learning – usually, when you’re very new to something, like beginners are, you need feedback more often. That’s because it’s easy to go off track when left alone for a long period. So lessons tend to be more frequent, maybe every 2 weeks.
- Finances – great training is always an investment, so it needs to work with the wallet.
The way I structure training makes it multi-level and easy to apply. That means that any exercise I give you keeps paying dividends for a few weeks at least, so it’s easier to progress over a longer period and you’re less likely to go off track.
So, more lessons aren’t necessarily better. It’s really about the quality of the practice in between sessions. If that’s decent (and I show you how to make it that way), you don’t need to have a lesson a week. In fact, I usually recommend you don’t!
Plus, I support all my clients through WhatsApp to make sure there’s always somewhere you can come and ask a question. This makes the learning process smooth, and we can hit the ground running next time… whenever that is.
Do you offer online vocal coaching?
Yes, I offer online one-to-one coaching to singers worldwide. Online sessions cover the full range of technique work, vocal health assessment, and performance preparation.
My clients find that online sessions are equally effective to in-person work. Online lessons are also essential for anyone who a) can’t find the expertise they need in their area, b) need convenience, and c) are away, on tour, or on a cruise ship. I’ve even coached major label artists live, on a phone, in recording studios on another continent!
I know some believe that online lesson are buggy and slow, but technology has come a long way. Zoom has music specific settings that drastically improve audio. Internet connections can handle more data and reduce lag. I have invested a lot into my tech setup so that the old issues that internet calls used to suffer rarely pop up, making the experience fantastic.
It also takes experience to tailor online lessons in a way that works, and I have been refining that experience for more than 10 years. That makes it a smooth process for everyone!
What styles and genres do you work with?
I work primarily with contemporary singers across a wide range of genres, including pop, rock, musical theatre, R&B, soul, and commercial music. I’ve personally been the ‘hired gun’ and had to sing all kinds of styles professionally.
I have extensive experience working with professional recording artists and touring performers. I’ve worked a lot with West End and theatre singers, often with the goal of helping them sound more like the target styles in their auditions and placements.
I also works with independent artists developing their unique vocal identity, and leaning into style, story and archetypes for a truly authentic performance.
How much do vocal lessons cost?
I offer a range of ways to work together, from free training resources all the way through to tailored 1:1 coaching packages. So, the investment depends entirely on what you need and where you are in your journey.
For singers who want to explore first, there’s a bunch of free training available through the Key Vocal community.
I work with a small number of clients so that every relationship gets my full attention, and I can support you inside and outside our sessions.
That means availability is limited, and it means the work we do together is properly tailored and not a cookie-cutter warm-up regime.
If you have a goal you’re serious about solving and want to understand which options suit you, the best next step is a free exploration call. We’ll talk through where you are and what you’re trying to achieve. I can then show you how we would achieve your goals and leave you with all the information you need to decide.
What is The Naked Vocalist podcast?
The Naked Vocalist is a long-running podcast co-hosted by Chris Johnson and Steve Giles, focused on vocal science, singing technique, and the realities of life as a professional singer or singing teacher. All with a peppering of British humour and a relatable tone.
It is one of the most respected resources in the vocal pedagogy community and has addressed topics including vocal health myths, advanced technique, sustainable career practices, and evidence-based teaching. Guests have also included some of the most prominent pedagogues, scientists and researchers in the voice world.
Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms.
What is TeachVoice?
TeachVoice is a professional development platform for singing teachers, founded by Chris Johnson. It offers training programmes and resources designed to help singing teachers improve the outcomes they achieve with their students.
TeachVoice training principles are used by singing teachers internationally, in major institutions, and by vocal coaches on A-List tours. and reflects Chris’s commitment to raising standards across the vocal coaching profession.