Frequently asked questions about voice study for adult
beginners
1) I am past the traditional age that people start careers, and I have yet to begin singing lessons. Is it too late to become a singer and have some performing opportunities?
We live in an exciting time when all the rules are changing. Musical artists all over the world are creating music and promoting themselves to the public in record numbers. That means you don’t necessarily have to be chosen by a label or cast by a casting director anymore. You can be the boss of your own independent projects and if you do, you can do whatever you want! Studies have shown that the older demographic do purchase music and perhaps have a higher proclivity to do so than younger audiences. I predict in the not so distant future, several major artists who are middle aged or older will emerge and become successful.
Of course young or old, most people who train to become singers do not actually end up singing for a living much less becoming stars. But that does not mean that you can’t sing and perform if you work hard to create opportunities for yourself. The system is not set up to work in your favor, but if you are motivated, and creative, you can perform.
2) But can I learn to sing well or is it too late?
In a healthy person, there is no physical barrier to becoming an excellent singer, even for individuals commencing voice training well into their adult years. In fact, there are actually many advantages to having a voice that is mature and yet has not endured the wear and tear of the demands of a professional career. I personally know of many and have even trained a few older singers who began seriously singing well into middle age who have developed excellent techniques and who possess voices that sound surprisingly fresh.
But it is not just about voice, singers are musicians and for those who do not have experience playing an instrument, you have to learn to be a musician from scratch and it is a tall order.
Engrained bad habits as well as certain psychological barriers, which are often found in late starters who have singing career goals, can make progress difficult.
1) I am past the traditional age that people start careers, and I have yet to begin singing lessons. Is it too late to become a singer and have some performing opportunities?
We live in an exciting time when all the rules are changing. Musical artists all over the world are creating music and promoting themselves to the public in record numbers. That means you don’t necessarily have to be chosen by a label or cast by a casting director anymore. You can be the boss of your own independent projects and if you do, you can do whatever you want! Studies have shown that the older demographic do purchase music and perhaps have a higher proclivity to do so than younger audiences. I predict in the not so distant future, several major artists who are middle aged or older will emerge and become successful.
Of course young or old, most people who train to become singers do not actually end up singing for a living much less becoming stars. But that does not mean that you can’t sing and perform if you work hard to create opportunities for yourself. The system is not set up to work in your favor, but if you are motivated, and creative, you can perform.
2) But can I learn to sing well or is it too late?
In a healthy person, there is no physical barrier to becoming an excellent singer, even for individuals commencing voice training well into their adult years. In fact, there are actually many advantages to having a voice that is mature and yet has not endured the wear and tear of the demands of a professional career. I personally know of many and have even trained a few older singers who began seriously singing well into middle age who have developed excellent techniques and who possess voices that sound surprisingly fresh.
But it is not just about voice, singers are musicians and for those who do not have experience playing an instrument, you have to learn to be a musician from scratch and it is a tall order.
Engrained bad habits as well as certain psychological barriers, which are often found in late starters who have singing career goals, can make progress difficult.
3) Am I a beginner? I have sung for pleasure my whole life and have even taken
a few lessons.
If you do not have a functioning basic technique and the requisite musical, interpretive, stylistic and language skills to sing your repertoire, you are considered a beginner when you enter the door of a qualified singing teacher.
4) I have already invested some money in lessons, in producing my debut CD and some creating some performance opportunities, but I am severely in the red. How much more investment will have to make before I see a profit?
As a civilian you do not understand the requisite investment needed to reach professional artist level, where you can hopefully expect remuneration for your singing. Years of investment in time, effort and instruction are needed on any instrument to be a competent amateur. Many people ask this question without even having made the substantial personal investment to be a competent amateur. No one should expect any compensation for the initial investment they make to achieve basic fluency on an instrument or voice and that generally takes a few years.
Most amateurs musicians who work to achieve a level of competency do so because they enjoy the process of learning their instrument or how to sing and out of a love of music, just because you may have a desire to be a professional does not mean anyone will pay you before and until you have marketable skills.
I invite you to compare your investment to what others who are engaged in full time study are investing to gain some perspective.
Many people who have asked me this question have not, over their entire lives, put in an investment of time and money that a singer in a full time music program pays in a single month.
5) You spoke of psychological barriers for adult beginners. What are they?
In the case of the adult beginners I have taught who have music career goals and/or already been promoting themselves as artists I have found that in some cases normal instruction is met with resistance each and every step of the way because making improvements means that they were not good already. By definition “beginners” have a lot to learn, sometimes everything to learn and this state is incongruous with the state of selling yourself as an artist to the public.
In some cases constructive suggestions are met with suspicion: For example a suggestion for a new technique to free up the upper range might be met with “but everyone on my Facebook Fan page says my high notes are the best part of my voice. Instruction to improve intonation elicits “but nobody ever told me I sing out of tune. Attempts to correct mispronounced foreign words are met with “natives who speak the language have never pointed out any problems”.
It can also go far beyond not taking initial constructive criticism well, it can be rejection of actual improvements. When a new technique is mastered and a positive change that makes singing is mastered, it can elicit fear, sadness and worry, instead of a focus on their future as a better singer.
6) I do not want to be an opera singer. I want to have a career as a popera/pop/rock etc. or concert singer. Lots of singers who perform in these styles are not perfect, or sometimes not even good; do I have to wait until I am perfect to sing in public? I am already XX years old.
No artist is perfect and every performer needs to gain performing experience along the way. There are, however, certain minimums that you should meet before performing anywhere in public that is exposed if you have career aspirations. As someone who has been in the music industry for decades, I can advise on the appropriate venues for performance for you are and as a teacher I think it is part of my job to do so. You are free to take that advice or not.
As far as contemporary singers not being good, you would be surprised at how skilled and how much training most professional performers in the entertainment industry actually have. Their job is to make it look natural and easy, but much of the time a lot of work has gone into developing their craft. Of course there are plenty of people without any ability who are famous for just being famous. I offer lessons in how to be an excellent singer not “Being Famous” lessons.
7. I have been passed over for roles in my local community theater and the director cast a young actor who just graduated from Tisch School in the part/ the local conductor didn’t give me the Messiah solos but instead brought in a young hot shot singer from AVA , the leader of the big band passed me over and brought in a jazz voice major from Berklee College of Music to sing with the band, what can I do about this age discrimination?
It is important to be able to distinguish possible age discrimination from what is not age discrimination. Discrimination occurs when someone decides ahead of time to hire a younger person who is less qualified than an older person on the basis of his or her age. Theatrical casting based on an actor’s age is also not considered to be age discrimination.
The example in your question indicates the selection of someone with more training and therefore probably a higher skill level than what you presently offer. This is not age discrimination. .
I bring this to your attention because believing that you have been passed over just on account of your age when it is not the case will not help motivate you to become a better performer. Understanding exactly how competitive your own skills actually are should motivate you to develop the skills you need to have the best chance of getting the performing opportunities you desire.
8. I am going to be honest. I want to sing on Broadway/at the Met/ be a famous Rock star and win a Grammy, can you get me there?
I help people to become more skillful singers, they work on getting themselves wherever they want to go. In my studio we talk only about preparing the skills needed to achieve the next logical step along the journey. I have often said that in the case of show biz, there is an inverse relationship between the size of dreams and amount of experience. The least experienced performers often have the loftiest goals and pursuing those goals teaches them over time what is realistic and achievable. It is not my place to discourage anyone nor is it ethical to take money from someone by feeding unrealistic expectations.
9. Music professionals such as teachers and coaches I have hired as well as my church’s choir director and organist have found flaws in my singing such as out of tune notes and mispronounced wordsare they just being jealous,negative and mean? My friends and family, as well as people who hear me in church and facebook fans tell me I am just wonderful. Who’s opinion counts?
The opinions of professional musicians reflect whether you have the skills needed to perform music to a high standard and the opinions of your friends, family and the public count career-wise to the extent that they support your music by attending and paying to hear you.
Remember professionals who hear you, who are not your teacher and members of the public who are musically educated are very unlikely to give you unsolicited criticism because it is not proper etiquette to do so. Always hire a teacher/coach/conductor to vet the demonstration recordings or recordings you release or videos you post before you bring them before the public. The average recording engineer these days is not a trained musician and may miss glaring mistakes or not bring them to your attention because they want to keep your custom.
10. So is the bottom line that I should not quit my day job and start a music career in mid-life?
You should absolutely not quit your day job; you will need it to fund interesting musical projects you may wish to do.
If your goal is to make money, the arts and entertainment field offer you the worst odds of any profession, If your goal is to receive unconditional love, you have come to the wrong place too because the love from an audience is conditional upon your delivery of a quality performance of the kind that interests them. If your goal is to make music then by all means do not count yourself out because of a late start!
If you do not have a functioning basic technique and the requisite musical, interpretive, stylistic and language skills to sing your repertoire, you are considered a beginner when you enter the door of a qualified singing teacher.
4) I have already invested some money in lessons, in producing my debut CD and some creating some performance opportunities, but I am severely in the red. How much more investment will have to make before I see a profit?
As a civilian you do not understand the requisite investment needed to reach professional artist level, where you can hopefully expect remuneration for your singing. Years of investment in time, effort and instruction are needed on any instrument to be a competent amateur. Many people ask this question without even having made the substantial personal investment to be a competent amateur. No one should expect any compensation for the initial investment they make to achieve basic fluency on an instrument or voice and that generally takes a few years.
Most amateurs musicians who work to achieve a level of competency do so because they enjoy the process of learning their instrument or how to sing and out of a love of music, just because you may have a desire to be a professional does not mean anyone will pay you before and until you have marketable skills.
I invite you to compare your investment to what others who are engaged in full time study are investing to gain some perspective.
Many people who have asked me this question have not, over their entire lives, put in an investment of time and money that a singer in a full time music program pays in a single month.
5) You spoke of psychological barriers for adult beginners. What are they?
In the case of the adult beginners I have taught who have music career goals and/or already been promoting themselves as artists I have found that in some cases normal instruction is met with resistance each and every step of the way because making improvements means that they were not good already. By definition “beginners” have a lot to learn, sometimes everything to learn and this state is incongruous with the state of selling yourself as an artist to the public.
In some cases constructive suggestions are met with suspicion: For example a suggestion for a new technique to free up the upper range might be met with “but everyone on my Facebook Fan page says my high notes are the best part of my voice. Instruction to improve intonation elicits “but nobody ever told me I sing out of tune. Attempts to correct mispronounced foreign words are met with “natives who speak the language have never pointed out any problems”.
It can also go far beyond not taking initial constructive criticism well, it can be rejection of actual improvements. When a new technique is mastered and a positive change that makes singing is mastered, it can elicit fear, sadness and worry, instead of a focus on their future as a better singer.
6) I do not want to be an opera singer. I want to have a career as a popera/pop/rock etc. or concert singer. Lots of singers who perform in these styles are not perfect, or sometimes not even good; do I have to wait until I am perfect to sing in public? I am already XX years old.
No artist is perfect and every performer needs to gain performing experience along the way. There are, however, certain minimums that you should meet before performing anywhere in public that is exposed if you have career aspirations. As someone who has been in the music industry for decades, I can advise on the appropriate venues for performance for you are and as a teacher I think it is part of my job to do so. You are free to take that advice or not.
As far as contemporary singers not being good, you would be surprised at how skilled and how much training most professional performers in the entertainment industry actually have. Their job is to make it look natural and easy, but much of the time a lot of work has gone into developing their craft. Of course there are plenty of people without any ability who are famous for just being famous. I offer lessons in how to be an excellent singer not “Being Famous” lessons.
7. I have been passed over for roles in my local community theater and the director cast a young actor who just graduated from Tisch School in the part/ the local conductor didn’t give me the Messiah solos but instead brought in a young hot shot singer from AVA , the leader of the big band passed me over and brought in a jazz voice major from Berklee College of Music to sing with the band, what can I do about this age discrimination?
It is important to be able to distinguish possible age discrimination from what is not age discrimination. Discrimination occurs when someone decides ahead of time to hire a younger person who is less qualified than an older person on the basis of his or her age. Theatrical casting based on an actor’s age is also not considered to be age discrimination.
The example in your question indicates the selection of someone with more training and therefore probably a higher skill level than what you presently offer. This is not age discrimination. .
I bring this to your attention because believing that you have been passed over just on account of your age when it is not the case will not help motivate you to become a better performer. Understanding exactly how competitive your own skills actually are should motivate you to develop the skills you need to have the best chance of getting the performing opportunities you desire.
8. I am going to be honest. I want to sing on Broadway/at the Met/ be a famous Rock star and win a Grammy, can you get me there?
I help people to become more skillful singers, they work on getting themselves wherever they want to go. In my studio we talk only about preparing the skills needed to achieve the next logical step along the journey. I have often said that in the case of show biz, there is an inverse relationship between the size of dreams and amount of experience. The least experienced performers often have the loftiest goals and pursuing those goals teaches them over time what is realistic and achievable. It is not my place to discourage anyone nor is it ethical to take money from someone by feeding unrealistic expectations.
9. Music professionals such as teachers and coaches I have hired as well as my church’s choir director and organist have found flaws in my singing such as out of tune notes and mispronounced wordsare they just being jealous,negative and mean? My friends and family, as well as people who hear me in church and facebook fans tell me I am just wonderful. Who’s opinion counts?
The opinions of professional musicians reflect whether you have the skills needed to perform music to a high standard and the opinions of your friends, family and the public count career-wise to the extent that they support your music by attending and paying to hear you.
Remember professionals who hear you, who are not your teacher and members of the public who are musically educated are very unlikely to give you unsolicited criticism because it is not proper etiquette to do so. Always hire a teacher/coach/conductor to vet the demonstration recordings or recordings you release or videos you post before you bring them before the public. The average recording engineer these days is not a trained musician and may miss glaring mistakes or not bring them to your attention because they want to keep your custom.
10. So is the bottom line that I should not quit my day job and start a music career in mid-life?
You should absolutely not quit your day job; you will need it to fund interesting musical projects you may wish to do.
If your goal is to make money, the arts and entertainment field offer you the worst odds of any profession, If your goal is to receive unconditional love, you have come to the wrong place too because the love from an audience is conditional upon your delivery of a quality performance of the kind that interests them. If your goal is to make music then by all means do not count yourself out because of a late start!
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