Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

General Questions

What can I expect with Rock Singing Lessons?

With Rock Singing Lessons you can expect professional one-on-one coaching from Expert Rock Vocal Coaches that know rock and metal singing! Most students choose to do lessons 2x/month to get the most out of their training. [Book a lesson]

When can I schedule lessons?

Most lessons are held weekday afternoons evenings or on Sundays. The best way to schedule lessons, is to fill out this quick submission form, and we’ll connect you with one of our Expert Rock Vocal Coaches!

Where are you located?

We have instructors in Denver and in San Diego. All our instructors teach lessons online to be available to you wherever you are. We have students everywhere from Austin to Australia, from Utah to the UK!

How much are lessons?

You can find our current pricing options here.

What genres do you specialize in?

We’ve had the pleasure of teaching students in many contemporaty styles including rock, metal, pop, hard rock,  hardcore, gospel, grunge, classic rock, and many other styles!

How should I prepare for my first lesson?

If you’ve watched our videos, you’ve probably noticed we also mention a stirring straw for use for vocal exercises. These are the 3mm diameter straws you can often pick up at a gas station or by the paper coffee cups at Walmart. We’ll be using these for warmups and training too, but don’t sweat it if you can’t find one before the first lesson!

What will our first few lessons look like?

Think of it as starting a sort of personal training for your voice. When we start out, have a song or two in mind that you enjoy singing. We’ll find your natural voice range, work on getting good breath support, and help you learn how to control your tone to fit your sound.

We’ll also work on learning to “zip up” your vocal cords rather than strain them, so that your range will improve much more easily.

After you learn the fundamentals, you’ll sing through your favorite songs, and get feedback to help improve your technique. Although each student’s needs and goals are unique, typically, we will first focus on switching smoothly between registers, breath control, resonance and placement, and getting you to relax.

While our instructors do use some techniques that are taught traditionally, we specialize in rock vocals so that we can focus on the techniques that get you results!

What are the benefits of taking voice lessons online?

Students say they love the format of online lessons because they have increased focus and excel at the pace they are learning. Plus, they can take lessons from anywhere, including locally saving them the trouble of travel.

If you want exceptional rock voice training, don’t be limited by the choices of local instructors in your area. Learn how to sing, grit, scream, or belt from anywhere. [Book a Lesson]

What should I do before my first lesson?

Before your first lesson, you will receive an email with how to set up for lessons. In the initial lesson, we’ll quickly evaluate your voice and then jump into your training!

We ask all students to prepare for lessons by watching our free Rock Singing 101 videos or going through our extensive Rock Singing Complete course.

Vocal Technique

Can you get me to sing higher?

Believe it or not, you can sing almost any note. You just have to learn how to sing them. Range is mostly a matter of correct placement of the resonance. Most of our students gain half an octave on their range in the first lesson just by learning how to place correctly. It’s more about how you shape the notes than if you’re able to hit them. With some practice, you should be able to confidently and consistently expand your range. Yes, even a Baritone can learn to sing in Tenor or even Soprano range. [Book a Lesson]

How are tone and range connected and how can I improve mine?

Tone and range can be thought of as directly correlated, you’ll be happy to experience that improving your tone will also allow you to sing higher while staying relaxed. When you learn to tune the formant correctly (the pressure and resonance of your singing voice), tone becomes a matter of how you shape your tongue; and range becomes a matter of where you point and pull your resonance while still keeping it stable through breath support, mouth shape, and volume. One of the most powerful things you can do for your voice at first is to gain control of the bridge that separates your “full” chest voice, from your lighter, head voice. We’ll work on specific exercises for this type of voice control. Once we can make it a smooth transition, then you can more easily learn to mix the two resonances together (mixed voice), eventually extending your “full” voice sound to as high as your head voice can go. Singing in pitch can also be helped by learning to correct yourself in real time, using a tuning app.

How do I know if I'm singing/screaming properly?

Screaming correctly should never hurt, and singing full and loud should never be a strain. It’s all about getting control over the right muscles, and moving the resonance of the sound into the right place so that you can sing relaxed and still get a full sound. The simple rule of thumb, if it hurts, you’re damaging your vocal cords.

Can I add grit or fry to my voice without damaging it?

Yes. Grit, fry, and other vocal distortions, are all learnable. First, it’s all a matter of getting fry from the “false cords” above the vocal cords. Next, you’ll learn to move that sound to the correct part of the soft palate for the sound you want, and then amplify it. All safely as you are shaping, not pushing for the sound.

Help! I'm sick! How can I get my voice back quickly?

Although we are not doctors, Ester C, Ionic Zinc (or just vitamin C and zinc in general, if your stomach can handle it), and a ton of water are your friends right now – not just for getting over the cold, but for prevention as well. A decent nasal rinse, such as a nettie pot, Yin Chiao and Old Indian Wild Cherry Bark can help too. Be careful with antihistamines, because they can dry you out. In the long-run, preventing a cold is easier than getting rid of one. In short, immune boosters, hydration, and the straw exercise (seen in our videos), will help you recover more quickly.

How do I stay hydrated while singing?

We suggest purchasing a small pump spray bottle that you can put water in to keep your vocal cords specifically hydrated during singing. It will help you during lessons as well, so you don’t have to worry about drying out while working on expanding your range. Remember to drink plenty of water and that it can take 10 to 20 minutes to cycle through your body and affect your vocal cords. Additionally, using a personal steam inhaler for 10 minutes before singing works wonders for the voice, and super hydrates your vocal cords.

How can I have more endurance on stage?

As you learn better singing techniques, you’ll find you already have more energy. With endurance exercises on top of it, you will build the strength to perform longer.

The biggest thing to do right away is to relax your throat when you sing. Relax into the palate resonance of your voice and push into your upper abdominal and oblique muscles for volume.

Another key is to rehearse with the same energy you would like to have on stage. The amount of energy you exert during rehearsal will translate directly to the stage.

What results can I expect to see?

The following are some singing goals that we have helped our students achieve…

  • A unique, powerful voice
  • Improve my projection and breathing
  • Extend my range
  • Be ready to hit the studio in a couple of months
  • Make money with my music
  • Healthy grit & distortion
  • Knowing the proper way to sing
  • Preserve my voice and not strain
  • Hit round notes as well as high notes
  • Build endurance throughout shows
  • Improve tone, intonation first and range
  • Serious screaming and growling without damaging anything!
  • Increase the power and range of my voice
  • Improve my voice and specialize in range control and fry screams

Ready to start making progress with your voice? Book a lesson today!

Singing and screaming should be effortless.

We show you how to do it right.

Get Access to Rock Singing Lessons

IT’S TIME TO STOP FEELING VOCAL FATIGUE, TENSION, AND STRAIN.

Join Rock Singing Lessons to expand your range and add power to your voice.

 

________________

It doesn't need to be anything professionally recorded, a Dropbox link or other personal hosting site works perfectly fine. We'd love to take a listen to you before your first lesson!
Feel free to give as many DETAILS about what specifically would you like to get out of vocal training. How would you like us to help you with your vocal and music goals?

________________

What is 7+4?

© 2022 ROCKSTAR MINDSET. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.