Whether you are taking lessons in high school, college, graduate school, or beyond, you will have experiences with very fine voice teachers and some not-so-fine voice teachers. We, tragically, live in a situation in which anyone with a degree in music (I’m not going to even entertain the idea of those without degrees) feels they can appropriately teach our instrument. Let’s give it up for National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS) and many other groups who are trying to make the world full of better voice teachers with member access to lifelong learning experiences like master classes, workshops, and conferences. While there are some bad teachers out there spreading bad information, there are also really good teachers out there. Even some of the good ones, though, aren’t always telling the full truth to their students.
For many of those teaching applied voice lessons, there isn’t a lot of pedagogic instruction before they take the reins of their own studio. Part of that missing pedagogic instruction is how to deliver honest, yet constructive, criticism in a one-on-one setting with a student.
5 Things Your Voice Teacher Isn’t Telling You
1. “I think you’re too resistant to change.”
Hesitancy to change from what is known to the unknown is not always a bad thing. A singer cannot be expected to give up some of the technique or tone quality that they have likely been praised for over the course of years. Sometimes it’s not even resistance to the new ideas. Often this can simply be that a student doesn’t understand the mechanics the teacher is trying to explain or they are afraid they’ll lose the aspects of their voice that they like. Emotional barriers to change are the most susceptible to change when diagnosis is given in a precise manner followed up with multiple learning modality prescriptions.
If you’re the student:
Do you get the impression that your teacher wants to change things that are fundamental what you like about your voice? You can mention those concerns in your lesson. Try saying, “I hear that you’re saying my voice is ‘too dark’ [or fill-in-the-blank]” but I like that it sounds more mature that way. Can you help me understand how to achieve that maturity in a different way?”
If you’re not sure what your teacher is asking from you or why you’re resistant to changing it, you could try, “I don’t think I understand what you’re asking. Can you try it in a different way?”
If you’re the teacher:
Specificity of language is essential to communicating and instruction. It is not an historic precedent that all teachers of the past only used imagery to discuss vocal concepts. You should feel able to smoothly transition between technical and imagery-based instruction.
If you feel that your student is resistant to change, try checking for understanding. Here’s an excellent resource on different, creative ways to check for understanding. (This particular pdf is geared toward a classroom but you can modify it for one-on-one teaching.)
2. “I don’t think that you take criticism well.”
The sounds we make, particularly in an aesthetic endeavor like singing, are an expression of our persons and act as a outward expression of self-image. For many students, the voice is not an instrument that we use or play it is intrinsically tied to identity. Critiquing the quality of the tone, vocal timbre, or musicality of a singer can be just as monumental a trigger as commenting on structure of the face or body composition.
If you’re the student:
Remember that you are taking lessons to learn and grow. Before your lessons, try setting an intention to “take feedback about the use of my instrument” or “try new things.” It’s important to remember that you’re not going to voice lessons to only be praised for doing something correctly, you’re there to gain more information about an activity you love. You’re not expected to know everything about the voice and do it perfectly in voice lessons. You’re expected to take in new information and try to apply it.
When your teacher gives you constructive criticism, practice saying, “thank you.” Do not fight with them or disagree outright with them. Say, “Thank you. I will think about that.” Then, actually think about it. You do not have to accept into your self-talk every criticism that comes your way. But, you will be a much stronger musician if you evaluate and ponder the feedback you receive and mine it for possible steps forward.
If you’re the teacher:
It is still very likely that you aren’t being clear. Students do not have the same experience in “coded language” that you do. That coded language could be things like “stay connected to the breath” or “spin the tone.” Your student likely doesn’t fully understand the outcome you’re trying to achieve or the desire to change the production of their sound. Another facet of coded language might be due to self-preservation of the teacher. If you are teaching in an academic situation and it is frowned upon to give direct criticisms or feedback to students, you may overly rely on euphemisms or weak suggestions to avoid confrontation or fear of reprimand from your colleagues.
If you are trying to give a student constructive criticism, try saying:
1) I’ve noticed that you’re doing [specific action.]
2) Take a moment to think about where that might be coming from. What benefit do you think [specific action] is providing in your singing? Or, what would change/be different if you didn’t do [specific action] this time through? Shall we try it?
3) Explain how each timbre or outcome is accomplished and the physical difference between the two.
4) I think you might feel freer [or insert another positive feeling] if you tried doing it again with these adjustments [use multiple-learning-modality-informed language to describe ways to achieve your technical goal.]
You may also want to make sure that you walk your students through “how to accept criticism in our studio.” This is an excellent process no matter what.
3. “I think that you’re boring on stage.”
Students avoid facial and physical expression for many reasons, but most of that reticence stems from a fear of looking silly or inauthentic on stage. Instead of falling victim to those feared outcomes, they would rather be entirely emotionless. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, you may have experienced students or colleagues who are total hams on stage and become increasingly distracting or passed over because they’re perceived as difficult to rein in.
If you’re the student:
Video record every single second of your singing life: lessons, coachings, auditions, rehearsal, practice sessions, etc. Then, watch it and take notes as part of your practice time. Watch it again with the sound off and see if you still understand the emotional quality of the music you’re making.
Next, take acting lessons with a good acting coach. The point is to study the expressive power of the face and body as diligently as a scientist.
If you’re the teacher:
Ask your student about their musical goals. If they want to perform publicly, connect the dots for them that they are currently singing only for personal enjoyment. Singing isn’t for sharing with other people if they aren’t engaging in facial expression. Then, help them find resources on what constitutes “the craft” of acting. Your student may be assuming that they need to experience the emotional upheavals that they are portraying and could be subconsciously afraid of going there. Start with small, actionable expressive techniques and build from there. Discuss the difference between concert hall expression and opera performance expression.
Have a legit acting coach in your contact list.
4. “You’re kind of doing what I ask but not to the extent it needs to be done.”
A good singer (or a good student) takes in technical and musicality information, assimilates it, and processes that understanding over the course of years. It only makes sense that not all developments will happen at once.
If you’re the student:
Let yourself off the hook when it comes to progress and technical development. Reframe your goals and intentions, like under the taking criticism heading, to actively learn and grow. Lessons are about taking feedback about the use of your instrument and trying new things. Continue to ask for clarification. Try asking for examples like, “Can you name a singer (close to my age or in my same fach) who does this [technical/musical goal] really well? I’d like to study/listen to them.”
If you’re the teacher:
It can be so incredibly tempting to belabor a technical/musical goal if you sense that a student is very close to a breakthrough. Practice noticing when that feeling arises. Then, use that as a trigger to wrap up the work on that goal for that lesson by describing what further iterations of that goal would look like in the future. For example, “I can really sense that you’re making good progress with that [i] vowel today. In the future, I think you’ll notice that bend of your tongue will find itself more toward the hard palate than it is at the moment. Then, you may even begin to feel less tension at the base of your tongue. As you’re practicing, you can self-monitor your progress by checking in with how it sounds, how it feels, and how it looks. We’ll continue to check in on this in our next few lessons.”
5. “You probably shouldn’t go to that school (especially if it costs that much.)”
As voice teachers, students AND their parents are often relying on you to be the best source of information about pursuing higher education and even a career in the performing arts. Most teachers want to be polite and would never dream of telling a student to not “go where their heart desires.” On the other hand, many voice teachers do not have a very robust understanding of all of the music schools in the country and their various voice faculty or program offerings.
If you’re the student:
Speak openly and plainly with your voice teacher about going to school (or even a training program.) Tell your teacher what you hope to gain out of the program and what entices you about that program. Ask if they have any connections to any of your top choice schools. Have as many frank discussions as possible with your parents and your teacher about the myriad options you have in pursuing your musical goals. Ask your teacher about their educational experiences.
If you’re the teacher:
Don’t assume that your voice student knows anything about how to pursue higher education in the arts or that their path is “obvious.” Ask them if they would like your help. Please encourage your students to avoid student loan debt. Tell them about how many ways there are to be actively committed to a performing/musical life that include and don’t include higher education. Walk your students through the pros and cons of going to different types of music schools and being a music major/minor. Tell them that you’re encouraging them to do whatever they want but that you’re there to be a strategic resource in their decision-making.
Every student/teacher relationship is different. Some find it very easy to communicate openly and plainly with each other while others find it to be the most awkward interaction of their day. Learning how to communicate about “touchy” subjects is one of the best assets we can develop in the studio. What are some of your “best practices” surrounding communication with your students or teachers? Tell me all about it in the comments below. Or, share this on Facebook and Twitter. You can always find me @mezzoihnen to chat about it!
