Jump to content

Voice teachers and their singing...

Rate this topic


Jeran

Recommended Posts

One of the major things I look for in a voice teacher is their ability to lead by example. That's the coolest thing about Robert, James Lugo, and Ken Tamplin. They actually sing! There are numerous videos, songs or examples of them actually showing that they USE the techniques they teach! I just don't understand a voice teacher who doesn't have examples of themselves actually singing songs!

I'm wondering, then, if you guys know of any videos of some of the other teachers actually singing full songs, live in the studio or on stage? Guys like Kevin Richards (I've heard him sing when giving examples of Foreigner, at least), Brett Manning (the clip of him singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" has mysteriously disappeared from Youtube), Jaime Vendera,or other teachers who have courses. Just wondering.

Note: I'm NOT saying that these teachers can't sing. I'm not implying that at all, I'm just wondering if there are videos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Thanks for pointing that out Jeran, I really appreciate it and I know Ken and James do too. There will be a lot more singing coming from me soon as I have several project coming out my ears right now and spending a lot of time working on the art.

This is a big deal to me, leading by example. I share your sentiments... But to be fair I want to be clear on a few points. There are some voice teachers who can't sing or don't sing, that still are good voice technique teachers and coaches. Strangely, you don't have to be an amazing singer, to be a good voice teacher and get results from your students. However, if you do sing, it is better, and if you do sing great, it can't be beat.

I think I am a pretty good singer, but there are people that probably sing better than me or people enjoy listening too more in my own studio. Being the voice coach does not mean you have to be the most gifted singer in your studio, but it better damn well mean you can do it well. I think some teachers don't try because the erroneously feel that because they are the Master voice coach in their studio, they have to be the most gifted singer? Those that feel this way are upside down. King Arthur was not the best night in Camelot, that was Lancelot, but King Arthur can hold his own in battle. You get the point... voice teachers need to remove this none sense notion that they have to be the "best" in their studio when it comes to the art of singing.

I can't speak for Ken or James, but for me... it is 20% about, "listen to me" and 80% about, "if I'm going to ask my students to do this, I had better lead from the front and do it as well".

You nailed it, leading by example is VERY POWERFUL VOODOO and this is one voice coach that will always lead from the front for my students... that, I will assure you... it has become such an important principle and hits at the core of who I am, my personal character, what i stand for and how I feel about my students. Students who spend money on me, look up to me, etc..., deserve to have me lead from the front! I can't even imagine not leading by example for my students, my teachers and everyone involved in TVS. The thought of being a teacher that just talks a lot, but never shows anything, simply bothers me to no end.

... and that isn't just for me. All the Certified Instructors of TVS are currently active as artists and get out there and sing from time to time or all the time. You cannot join my team of teachers if you don't sing, period. You don't sing? You can't lead from the front for your students? You will not be a TVS Certified Instructor. To your point, I don't get these huge armies of teachers other voice schools recruit and ... who among them, is actually singing?! IS THIS A TALE OF "THE EMPERORS NEW CLOTHES"?

YES, YOU WANT YOUR VOICE COACH TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Let's see... Jeanne Deva sings, Judy Rodman sings, Steve Fraser sings in choral music, Daniel sings, ... My good friends Kevin Richards and Jaime Vendera can also sing... I assure you!!... they just need to get some content done... when you think about it, there are a good handful of teachers that do, but still, I think its a minority. Hats off to all that do...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah but studio recordings (especially today) can be deceiving as one can take a week to record one vocal track. How come we never see Brett Manning singing full songs live? He does live shows. I am sure some of them have been recording on video.

The two existing videos of Brett singing live VERY BADLY on YouTube were pulled by Manning via his lawyers.

Kevin Richards

http://www.rockthestagenyc.com

Brett Manning has a MySpace page with quite a few songs on it from his EP he made several years ago.

http://www.myspace.com/brettmanningrocks

~~Dante~~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert - I completely agree with you, and highly respect you and the other teachers for actually doing it. I also agree that a teacher doesn't HAVE to be great at what they teach, as long as they can help their students with what they want to learn. For me, and it's just me, personally, I'm not going to go to a guy for flying lessons if he's never been up in the air.

Kevin - Awesome! Thank you very much for posting. You practice what you preach, lead by example, and know what you're doing. To me, that says it all about you, as a role model.

You're also completely spot-on about the studio recordings. I don't judge someone by their studio stuff, I judge them live. As you mentioned, the clips of Brett singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" have been pulled, and I can't say I wouldn't do the same. I've seen some other stuff of his that I wouldn't consider indicitive of his being one of the most well known voice teachers. That's only my opinion, and I mean no disrespect to him or his fans, but as a consumer looking to purchase a product, I look for quality of the product, not the packaging.

Robert, James, Ken and now Kevin are all, in my mind, that much more respectable as teachers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ya'll don't make link in here, for the umpteenth time, Robert singing "Green Menalishi." It's one of my favorite performances of that song. Yeah, it's proof that the teacher can sing. But I think it stands as an artistic performance, in its own right. It's Robert, regardless of being teacher and business owner. It's Robert, the artist.

I like the example songs that Ken has shown at his site. I didn't know that Kevin had live content. I've been trying to see it but Frankenstein keeps crashing. So, next time I sneak up on it, maybe it will work. For it was Kevin's tutorials on youtube that led me to this forum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey jeran i don't know if you have gone to my site www.danielformicavocalstudio.com but i have always been a singer first teacher second. I have made my living singing (boogie knights metalshop, spazmatics and many corporate bands. I decided to teach cause i have taking lessons from alot of teachers and coaches and i decided that i had ALOT to share. Also my business of singing slowed down alot the last few yrs not as much money as before i had to start thinking for my future. anyway check me out

daniel

www.danielformicavocalstudio.com

ps

some of the bands i have sung for like Boogie Knights, Metalshop singers like Jeff Scott Soto have also sung for. So you know its demanding :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...