BWW Blog: Jessica Gould - Why You Should Have a Voice Teacher

One of the most important skills in musical theatre is singing. The need for the ability to sing in musical theatre is why most of my friends participate in choir, besides generally enjoying it.

Although participating in choirs does help your voice, the most effective and vital way to train your singing is by learning from a professional vocal instructor. I suggest that aspiring musical theatre performers enlist the services of a voice teacher, and here's why:

The Focus is on You

This is probably the most obvious reason to study under a voice teacher. In choirs, a majority of the time is spent learning songs as a group, leaving less time for the teacher to work on improving the individual members' singing skills. However, all of the time spent during lessons with a voice teacher is used to make your singing better.

Before I started working with a vocal coach, I took choir at my school. Although choir did start to help me become a better singer, I saw a marked difference when I began taking private voice lessons. After half a year, there was a tremendous difference in my singing.

Better Auditions

One of the perks of taking voice lessons is that you can work on songs for upcoming auditions. Instead of practicing your audition song on your own, you can rehearse with your voice teacher and get valuable feedback. I've found this to be very helpful, and I sound more polished when I'm auditioning. You feel more prepared and less nervous while auditioning when you've been working with a vocal coach, and your teacher can also help you make decisions about what song best suits your voice and the role you are auditioning for.

Before I audition for a musical, I always consult with my vocal instructor about what song would be best for the role I'm auditioning for. For example, when I auditioned for Worthington Community Theatre's production of Seussical, I wanted to be a bird girl. The bird girls sing and dance like a girl group from the 60's and act as a narrator to the story in addition to the Cat in the Hat. I wasn't sure what audition song would fit the part until my voice teacher advised that I sing "The New Girl in Town" from Hairspray. It ended up being the perfect fit for my audition, since the song is sung by a girl group from the 60's. I was thrilled when I received the news that I had been cast as a bird girl!

Improved Performances

While rehearsing for a musical, you rarely get the opportunity to focus on your solo and spend most of your time learning new material, whether it be music, dancing, or staging. With a voice teacher, you don't have this problem. During your lesson, you can practice your solo parts with your teacher and truly take your performance to another level.

Sometimes, I don't feel confident when learning my solo parts in a musical. The schedule does not allow for a lot of extra time to be spent perfecting my individual part. In situations like these, it helps to have a vocal coach who can work with you on parts you aren't sure about, that way, when showtime rolls around, you are less nervous about performing!

More Performance Opportunities

Although not all voice teachers do this, my vocal coach, Paula Trybus, holds a recital in the summer for all of her students. Singers are allowed to perform in groups, duets, and solos, and it's a lot of fun to see what everyone has been working on throughout the year. As opposed to a choir environment, vocalists are given the chance to sing a solo on their own or collaborate with a friend. This is a great way to earn more experience as a soloist and performer and to hone your singing skills.

Those are the reasons that I believe everyone should have a voice teacher. My amazing vocal coach, Paula Trybus, has helped me develop my voice a lot, and I would not be the vocalist I am today without her. I recommend that you start taking voice lessons as soon as possible as well and make an outstanding difference in your singing!