Online is the 18th Century
I am rather enjoying teaching online.
Do I miss seeing students in 3-D? Of course. I’m not a robot. Human contact is essential in learning the art of singing. But I am enjoying teaching online.
Why?
It makes students WORK.
I’m an able pianist. But I’m not making a grand effort as some of my colleagues are to accompany students in semi-real time. Again—why not?
It makes students WORK.
They have to stand there and sing, finding the center of the vowel inside themselves like students had to do in the 18th century. Voice teachers then often used the violin for instruction. The pitch or phrase was played, and then the student sang it.
Bam.
If singing with the piano is the equivalent of maximalism, singing with the benefit of the vocal line being played and then repeating it “call & response” style would be minimalism.
I like it. It works. I’ve done this in the studio forever, but see how effective it is now that I can’t noodle on the piano and give students their endorphin rush.
They have to create it themselves (wink).
I have a student who has worked with me for a long time, and it’s only in the last 3 months of this pressure cooker called corona that’s he’s getting his act together and singing beautifully within two octaves. Why? He’s only singing scales and select phrases of songs—perhaps the whole song at the end of the lesson.
I’m telling you voice teachers: we coddle our students far too much, especially those of us that are independent voice teachers. But what do we find when we raise the bar and make our students work?
They thrive.
Singing online makes the student work. It makes the teacher work too in a way that suits me just fine. I’m perfectly happy to work on scales and exercises for hours on end. At some point, when everything starts working the right way, a critical mass effect takes place, and the student really starts growing vocally. You know it. They know it, and it’s pretty wonderful to witness.
I’ve always thought that we have to go back to go forward; which means learning from the past—what legendary voice teachers did in the studio. Well, I’m telling you: in the 18th century, they weren’t playing accompaniment tracks!
You stood and found the center of singing in yourself.
To learn Garcia’s method of singing, contact the Shigo Voice Studio for voice lessons in New York City and online singing lessons in the art of bel canto.
