Frequently Asked Questions


Q. Should I have lessons if I can already sing?

A. Most natural singers use only a fraction of the voice that might be available to them with a little coaching. Many professional singers and speakers seek our coaching to extend range, eliminate unwanted breaks or changes in sound quality, or learn new muscle set-ups to create different stylistic sounds that they might not know how to use already.

Q. Do you teach pop, rock, musical theatre and other styles of music?

A. We can show you how to set the voice up to make appropriate stylistic sounds for any style of music. You will need different co-ordinations for opera than rock and we can show you the difference. Your vocal health is our biggest concern. Some high intensity sounds have inherent risks that require safeguarding.

Q. How many lessons do I need?

A. Some singers find the answers to life long problems in a few lessons. Some keep coming on a weekly basis to further develop fitness or stay in good vocal shape. A voice in good shape should have 2-3 octaves of full voice (modal) range with the flexibility to make a variety of sound qualities. If you don’t it’s probably worth having a consultation to find out why.

Q. I hear a lot about bad coaches hurting voices. Is this a real problem?

A. I don’t know if the coaches can be blamed directly, but there are certainly people who encourage vocal abuse who might not know any better. Some teachers never bother to find out what new information is available form the world of voice science and research. Believe me, we know a lot more today about how the voice works than we used to. The bottom line is you are responsible for the health of your voice. If someone is encouraging you to do something that hurts, stop. Ask the coach when his/her last lesson or training day was. I think it’s very important for us as teachers and coaches to keep developing our own voices and stay on top of the latest developments in the world of voice. Anyone who spouts 17th Century clichés like “Sing from your diaphragm! Place it forward! More breath support! Etc.” and can’t explain the basic workings of the larynx or show you how to make the sounds you want should be avoided. Also, please don’t let coaches make you sing the way they want you to sound. Our job should be to show you how to make the artistic choices you want in healthy and sustainable ways, not to impose our personal taste on your voice!

Q. Can I get lessons over the phone or internet?

A. We work with a lot of clients this way once we have had some good sessions face to face first. A lot of clients like this option when touring or for a cheeky warm up before a performance.

Q. Do you teach children and beginners?

A. We don’t teach children under 16 unless they are already working performers. We do work with beginners who have a good sense of music so we can spend time on the voice as opposed to teaching repertoire.

Q. Do you have contacts within the world of performance?

A. Yes. We have a network of photographers, stylists, specialist vocal style coaches, movement experts, management companies, physios and other performance related practitioners all at the top of their professions who we warmly recommend to our clients when needed.

Q. Why is there such a difference in price between vocal coaches?

A. That’s a tricky question. I think you usually get what you pay for. However, charging £200/hour because you’re on TV might not guarantee expert knowledge. The most expert teachers and coaches in the UK usually charge between £60-75/hour for one to one work. There are certainly more and less expensive people out there. I’d say that if you can’t feel a big difference during your fist lesson you are probably in the wrong company.

Q. Are sounds like belting dangerous?

A. Absolutely not! That is as long as you produce them correctly. All high intensity voice use (yelling, belting, twang, mixed speech qualities and even opera) has potential risks. These can be safeguarded with simple tools that a qualified teacher should be able to show you.

Q. You have some well known people on your Testimonials page. I would like lessons, but I don’t want my image or name being used in publicity. Is this ok?

A. Absolutely! Client confidentiality is very important to us. Sometimes we get high profile artists who for whatever reason would rather people not know they were having coaching or particularly rehabilitative work after an injury, etc. We would never use a client’s name, photo or testimonial without expressed permission. To do so would be unethical.