Singing lessons and kids
Christopher Cox
February 06, 2009
There is a lot of question and controversy over what age to start singing lessons.
According to most experts, the answer is any age as long as the lessons are age appropriate. Until the voice starts to mature at around puberty you do not want to be too demanding or technical with the voice. There are of course always exceptions to that, but it is a good guideline.
That is why many teachers do not teach younger students voice. Many young students, however, are enrolling in singing lessons at all ages. You can gear a voice lesson for any age. A similar concept to this are youth and children vocal choirs. Singing privately with an instructor is actually emotionally and physically healthier and less demanding that singing with 20-100 kids in a choir. In a choir you sing out, are not personally monitored for vocal production, and have to match your voice to other singers around you, blending, not hearing yourself or developing your own sound.
In a lesson, you learn how to sing as a soloist, and with the right teacher you can gain confidence, proper vocal production, and critical feedback.
A young student can learn many valuable things: repertoire- whether it be Disney, Hannah Montana, or renaissance songs; musicianship- solfege, octaves, range, pitch; how to warm their voice up properly and easily; how to sing healthily- not to strain, or scream when they sing and to sing in a range that is comfortable to them. As the young voice develops their teacher can expand their repertoire of vocalizes, and blend the chest and head voice naturally as it comes in. The young singer can learn proper breathing technique, posture and how to support their sound with their body.
In all reality a five year old can take a singing lesson, as long as it consists of the simplest warm ups and easy songs to sing. I don't think there should be such a stigma against voice lessons for the young student. We do not want to turn future singers away. But of course, no heavy technique or stress should be pushed onto a young voice.
Information provided by: Ariella Vaccarino, creator of Voice Lessons To GO- a four series set of of singing lesson CDs, and author of - Vocalize! voicelessonstogo.com
According to most experts, the answer is any age as long as the lessons are age appropriate. Until the voice starts to mature at around puberty you do not want to be too demanding or technical with the voice. There are of course always exceptions to that, but it is a good guideline.
That is why many teachers do not teach younger students voice. Many young students, however, are enrolling in singing lessons at all ages. You can gear a voice lesson for any age. A similar concept to this are youth and children vocal choirs. Singing privately with an instructor is actually emotionally and physically healthier and less demanding that singing with 20-100 kids in a choir. In a choir you sing out, are not personally monitored for vocal production, and have to match your voice to other singers around you, blending, not hearing yourself or developing your own sound.
In a lesson, you learn how to sing as a soloist, and with the right teacher you can gain confidence, proper vocal production, and critical feedback.
A young student can learn many valuable things: repertoire- whether it be Disney, Hannah Montana, or renaissance songs; musicianship- solfege, octaves, range, pitch; how to warm their voice up properly and easily; how to sing healthily- not to strain, or scream when they sing and to sing in a range that is comfortable to them. As the young voice develops their teacher can expand their repertoire of vocalizes, and blend the chest and head voice naturally as it comes in. The young singer can learn proper breathing technique, posture and how to support their sound with their body.
In all reality a five year old can take a singing lesson, as long as it consists of the simplest warm ups and easy songs to sing. I don't think there should be such a stigma against voice lessons for the young student. We do not want to turn future singers away. But of course, no heavy technique or stress should be pushed onto a young voice.
Information provided by: Ariella Vaccarino, creator of Voice Lessons To GO- a four series set of of singing lesson CDs, and author of - Vocalize! voicelessonstogo.com
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