[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

My son and his wife, my daughter-in-law, both teach voice at the local college. From my viewpoint they are very good at what they do. I have seen some great examples where my son has taken a couple of different male singers who didn't seem like they had any idea how to sing and turned them both into very respectable singers for musical theater.

I have had a little coaching in the way of voice lessons, but my best approach has been recording myself. I have used a tape recorder since I was 16 years old. If a person is aware of correct pitch, limited vocal range, volume, dynamic range, expression, and tone, using a recorder combined with a lot of practice can help a person improve.

But not everyone has a good ear, not everyone is self critical enough to improve on their own. My son and his wife use recorders for every lesson they do. Sometimes it takes an outside vocal coach or instructor to help a person make corrections.

- Glenn

Hi Glenn

From a music educator's perspective, I took voice lessons, sang in choirs, madrigal groups, and ensembles all through college. I had 4 years of operatic lessons.

But on the weekends I sang folk, which is highly stylized. Then I started playing in rock bands (anything but operatic).

Then post college I was in at ground-level of the modern worship movement (EARLY 1970s) where we were basically singing music composed by singers from bar-bands. As we married, had kids and grew up, we just adapted the style from the bands to church.

I led worship in bands for over 35 years, and the techniques I learned from taking opera lessons, singing in plays, choirs, ensembles etc certainly served me well when it came to supporting from the diaphragm (not the throat) and other solid basics.

I'm not sure most people would benefit from the level of lessons I had (I have a degree in elementary/secondary instrumental and vocal school system music programs). But the techniques which were most beneficial could be 'coached' on a less strenuous level in a year or less.