Are these lessons suitable for beginners?
Absolutely. I love teaching people how to pitch to a note – it is a skill, it is very learnable. Please be aware that if you struggle with pitching (making your sung voice match a particular pitch that you can hear) you may find your first lessons tiring, there’s lots of
brain stuff happening when you learn this. There is lots of information available on the benefits of singing for your brain and general wellbeing, so if this is you, take the plunge, it's good for you!
Are these lessons suitable for people who have been taught before?
Of course! Everyone is welcome, regardless of level. If you are a particularly advanced singer looking for a specialist, if I am unable to advance you further, I will be able to discuss with you suitable teachers I know who will be best suited to your needs.
Are there any pre-requisites for our lessons?
It would be wise to have an idea what songs you want to sing in advance as these may inform the exercises we look at at the beginning of the lesson, however, we can work on songs on the fly if you happen to be inspired, or I can suggest music if you’re uncertain what you want to sing or what might suit you best. I will adapt each lesson around what you need, so don’t fret if you are uncertain what to sing. Equally if you are very certain what you want to sing, it can save us minutes if I have a copy in advance!
How does scheduling work?
You may come as often or as infrequently as you wish, have lessons weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or occasionally, whatever
works best for you. Daytime and evening slots are available to accommodate shift workers, lunch hours and different time zones. Simply book via the calendar and off we go. Please see cancellation policy below.
What is the difference between a 30 minute and 1 hour lesson?
In a 30 minute lesson we will have time for assessment and tailored exercises leaving us around 5-10 minutes to apply what you've learned to a song. I’d recommend 1 hour for most students, especially to get started, and once you’re confident with application of exercises to song and have worked on your musical ear, that would be a good time to reduce lesson length if you wish. A 1 hour lesson is rather
comprehensive, a 30 minute lesson hit’s all the high-points so it is entirely up to you what you prefer.
What technology do I need for a virtual singing lesson?
Ideally download Zoom and use a laptop or desktop computer over a mobile phone as the Zoom ‘musician’ settings do not
seem to work on the web version of Zoom or the mobile phone version, but we will manage in any case. Headphones can help you but are by no means essential to the online experience.
A stable internet connection is required. That
said, I do teach students in rural areas where the internet is a bit unstable and these work fine, however, you must be prepared in this case that occasionally time is lost from lessons due to the connection and I am unable to refund this loss.
Do I need to pay for Zoom?
No, you do not need to pay for Zoom to have a 1 hour lesson with me, my paid subscription covers that requirement.
Zoom recordings?
I recommend recording your own Zoom lessons for singing against in between lessons. You are most welcome to store our Zoom lessons on your personal computers/phones, however, I ask that you don’t share clips of our lessons online without my permission. Likewise, I keep recordings of our lessons for reflection on progress and, if it is beneficial, for clipping and enquiring with colleagues. No lesson or clip will be shared without your permission.
Booking Process
Go to lessons page and click on the 1 Hour or 30 Minute Lesson image which will take you to the booking page, or select Book Now from the header to find the same selections. Then select the Schedule Now button, pick your slot from available times and complete your booking. You will receive automated email reminders with a zoom link included in the email, open this link when your lesson is due to begin and we will meet on Zoom.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation can be done with no penalties up to 24 hours in advance. If a cancellation is made on the day the charge will be 50% of the lesson cost. If no notice is given the lesson is then non-refundable. The key thing is to communicate with me, a timely communication may result in me being able to adjust my diary. For instance, if you have an in-person lesson and become stuck in traffic, I may be able to juggle other students so let me know as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you are 15 minutes or more late to a lesson and have not communicated problems, I will treat this as a lesson cancelled with no notice and go off to make myself a cup of tea.