Teacher Voice » Music Teachers Network

Your voice is a part of you. Learning to use your voice properly is truly rewarding and gives you limitless possibilities for self-expression, from pop to jazz to musical theater to opera.

Inspiration is all around you. Who hasn’t heard Adele on the radio and thought, “I wish I could do that”? Who hasn’t watched “The Voice” and dreamed of becoming the next breakout star?

Voice lessons: warming up

A typical voice lesson begins with exercises. You’ll move up and down in the vocal range, expressing each vowel sound and engaging the breath. Your teacher can help you find the best fit for your particular voice — rock, pop, opera, jazz, classical, musical theatre, Broadway.

Working on repertoire – your roadmap to success

Now you’re ready to begin working on songs, or repertoire. Which ones will depend on your experience and the style you want to learn. Learning to read music will help you get more out of your lessons and practice time, no matter if you’re interested in pop, classical or jazz. You might want to learn some music theory – scales and chord progressions – which will help you learn to improvise.

Studies have shown that kids who study an instrument think faster and are better in STEM. Why take music lessons with MTN?

If you want to sharpen your senses, train your brain and express yourself, it’s time to take music lessons. We at MTN believe that learning to sing or play an instrument is about more than just music. It influences your character; it makes you smarter and more empathic and enriches life in myriad ways.

Jazz and classical singing both have a “standard” repertoire, pieces that most people know. Your teacher will probably choose your songs to being with, but you’ll choose your own as you get to know your voice and your interests. You’ll learn about melody and phrasing, and how to convey emotion. Your teacher will help you use your warm-up techniques to sing in a natural way that flows easily, resonates, and doesn’t hurt your voice. For musical theater and opera, you can learn acting skills to combine volume, tone, facial expression and posture to express the meaning and feeling of the music.

Singing is a lifelong experience

The voice is one of the last parts of the body to mature. Pop singers usually start younger than classical or jazz singers and focus on depth of expression and healthy singing, saving difficult repertoire and expanding vocal range for later. Teachers usually introduce more taxing repertoire and exercises around ages 18 to early 20s. How quickly you progress also depends on your musical background and the style you are learning. But progress is often rapid, especially in the beginning.

Music lessons can be a wonderful and empowering experience for special needs children and their families.

Through MTN you’ll find caring, skilled instructors who can teach in your home or at a care facility to create a familiar, comfortable experience. We know that teaching special-needs children requires empathy, patience, and love in addition to musical and teaching skills. Our teachers share their qualifications and experience in these areas, so you can make an informed choice. We also offer our SELECT program to support you in finding the right teacher for your child.

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