- Preparing for your lesson
To bring:
- Please bring your own water. I am happy to provide this if you forget, but prefer to not wash six glasses per day if possible!
- Your music. Printed (double sided!) and in your three ring binder.
- Does music on your phone count? NOPE!
- Other things to put in your binder: Notebook paper for taking notes
- Straws, gauze, and anything else you may need to practice/warm up
Physical preparation:
- Please wear clothing that is comfortable and allows for movement
- Please do not wear heavy perfumes or colognes. Most singing spaces will ask you to be fragrance-free, and this is no exception.
Beginning your lesson
In-Person Lessons:
- Please come on in at your lesson time. No need to knock - the door should be unlocked.
- Please make sure the door is all the way closed behind you! In the winter, the door shrinks and can blow open.
- During the summer, the door swells. Turn the knob and push harder than you might think. If it still doesn’t open, knock. I may have accidentally locked it.
- If you are EARLY! If you are like three minutes early, come on in. If you are MORE than three minutes early, please text me to see if I am ready for you.
- If you are late, please let me know so I don’t worry.
- Interrupt me!!!! If you are here at your lesson time and I am going on and on with the student before you, PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOU ARE HERE!!! I will keep going with them if I didn’t hear you come in.
- If you need to leave exactly on time, please let me know that as well. I’ll just keep going with you, too!
Facetime Lessons:
- It is your responsibility to FaceTime me at your lesson time.
- If you will be more than five minutes late, please text so I can plan accordingly
The Animals
Lucy: She's a lover, but is also highly sensitive. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of the lessons and the singing gets to her.
- If she is under the sofa, please do not approach her. If you want to say hi to her, come get me and I’ll get her out.
- If she looks like she’s growling at you, she is. It means she’s over-stimulated and the best thing to do is to walk away.
- She does not like aggressive petting or playing. Always be gentle and sweet.
Cricket: He's a maniac. You may ALWAYS request that I kick him out of lesson and I will oblige.
During your lesson
So. Lets just say the main point of voice lessons is to create new vocal habits, yes? And in order to create a new habit, you have a job to do during the week: to reinforce the skills we’re working on in lesson. The best way to do that is to make sure you really really understand and remember the new skill, and then really think about it throughout the following week. How to do that?
- Take notes during exercise. What exercises are we doing? What are you thinking about while doing them? What is physiologically happening and what is the tonal outcome?
- Ask questions!
- Take voice memos
- Record your lesson (but let me know first so I know I’m being recorded)
Ending your lesson
- Ask for any supplies you need for the week
- Throw away all trash. This includes straws, gauze, tissues, etc.
- Bring any used dishes to the kitchen and place them next to the sink
- Double check to see you have all belongings. Don’t forget your water bottle and your jacket!
- Make sure the door is all the way closed behind you
- When you get in your car, take a minute to tell your future self what we worked on. This could include making a hand-written note or making a voice memo