You can learn anything online now... you can even get a degree. Lately I've been thinking about taking my business online, either in the form of doing Skype lessons or putting together a video course to teach singing. There's no denying that the genie is out of the bottle and that one way or another I'm going to have to adapt. But my question is, as a result of the online learning revolution will ‘in person one to ones’ become MORE or LESS valued??!!
When it comes to learning to sing, I have a feeling that in person lessons will become MORE valued. Here’s why: ‘Learn To Sing’ online courses cannot micro correct you. Singing is an internal activity which produces an external result. There’s not much to see from the outside. But, as a trained teacher, if you know what subtleties you’re looking for, you can correct the individual BEFORE they get into bad habits. Learning to sing well with joy and ease is not easy! It looks easy but takes HOURS of endless tweaking to get right in order to make the impact you want. Think of it like this, singing isn’t one macro movement of the mouth and throat going BLAH, it’s a blend of subtle MICRO movements of the tongue, jaw, vocal folds, crycothyroids, soft pallet, diaphrgam, latisium dorsi, abdominals, false vocal folds etc, each working independently and in tandem.
Yes, general concepts can be taught online, but each one of my students needs different language to nudge them to perform the exercise correctly, often over weeks and months until it’s really into their muscle memory. Each time a student comes for a one to one they’re having a kinasethetic experience which releases all kinds of hormones enabling them to have a visceral learning experience which you just don’t get with online.
I personally I spent a lot of dollar on learn to sing courses, heck, I’ve even created one myself. But the best progress I’ve made is when I’ve had WEEKLY singing lessons with a coach for 3+ years.
Rest assured I’m not dissing Skype lessons or Vocal Exercises CD’s, they’re great but when it comes to real vocal development, I believe that the long way really is the short cut.
When it comes to learning to sing, I have a feeling that in person lessons will become MORE valued. Here’s why: ‘Learn To Sing’ online courses cannot micro correct you. Singing is an internal activity which produces an external result. There’s not much to see from the outside. But, as a trained teacher, if you know what subtleties you’re looking for, you can correct the individual BEFORE they get into bad habits. Learning to sing well with joy and ease is not easy! It looks easy but takes HOURS of endless tweaking to get right in order to make the impact you want. Think of it like this, singing isn’t one macro movement of the mouth and throat going BLAH, it’s a blend of subtle MICRO movements of the tongue, jaw, vocal folds, crycothyroids, soft pallet, diaphrgam, latisium dorsi, abdominals, false vocal folds etc, each working independently and in tandem.
Yes, general concepts can be taught online, but each one of my students needs different language to nudge them to perform the exercise correctly, often over weeks and months until it’s really into their muscle memory. Each time a student comes for a one to one they’re having a kinasethetic experience which releases all kinds of hormones enabling them to have a visceral learning experience which you just don’t get with online.
I personally I spent a lot of dollar on learn to sing courses, heck, I’ve even created one myself. But the best progress I’ve made is when I’ve had WEEKLY singing lessons with a coach for 3+ years.
Rest assured I’m not dissing Skype lessons or Vocal Exercises CD’s, they’re great but when it comes to real vocal development, I believe that the long way really is the short cut.