11/03/11

 
“I transform amateurs into professionals, and professionals into artists.” - Robert Benson
 
Private Voice Instruction

Private voice instruction is for anyone who wants to make the fastest, steadiest progress possible in developing a great singing voice.
 
My first goal is to explain to the student that a musical singing tone is not produced by any sort of manipulation of the throat muscles. The beautiful singing tone is directly produced by the correct usage of the abdominal and related muscles with respect to the inhalation and exhalation of air. Anyone who refuses to accept this fact will never learn to sing. In my career I have encountered only two such persons, and they were both of them musical failures because of their steadfast adherence to their own nonsensical belief systems.

In the first session I make sure you, the student, understands how to produce a basic singing tone. I guide you through the first attempts, resulting in your ability to do it on your own by the session's end. I expect that the student will have created a resonating singing tone by the end of the third 30 minute session. Sessions over the next 6 to 8 weeks focus on stabilization of the basic tone through guided vocalization during the sessions, and through your daily practice of 30 minutes per day. After the first 4-8 weeks, (once the tone is more or less solidified) we try out your new voice on actual songs. Range expansion work begins during the 10th week or later. After 3 months or so, more songs are added to the repertoire, more vocalization techniques are given, and the voice continues to be coached and trained to reach its highest development for the style of singing you're interested in.

A smooth, even-sounding vocal tone can be expected within 6 months, and a well controlled flexibility allowing a professional level of performance is expected within 12-24 months. Most classical teachers suggest at least three years of vocal study before seeking a singing career. That is certainly true for traditional bel canto (one of various styles of operatic) singing, where the required perfectly shaped vowels and flawlessly even tone take years to develop. However, popular music today allows you to begin performing much sooner than three years. In fact, performance of today's pop music often requires a child-like, completely "untrained" singing tone, which you'll probably have solidified only several weeks after the singing tone has been released! Of course, the development of musicianship takes longer. Sinatra/standards type singing will take at least a year or two to solidify.

When a student of mine is ready, I give him or her the opportunity of performing with the 12 musician Robert Benson Orchestra, or wherever I am currently performing as pianist. This is an important step if you're aspiring to attain professional status.

Correction of Bad Vocal Habits

Many singers come to me who have either taught themselves to sing, or they've studied voice, but have picked up bad habits somewhere along the way. They have unintentionally developed tension in the throat when singing. Almost every one of these persons knows or has heard about "singing with proper support", or "using the diaphragm". Many even know where the support muscles are. None, however, have the slightest idea of how to actually use the support muscles. Most persons find this muscular support to be mysterious. They may have studied with another voice teacher, (or with many different teachers!) but they weren't able to understand how the natural singing tone is correctly and effectively activated. In many cases, the technique had never been clearly demonstrated to them on a physical level - their instructor only explained it!
 
As a result of not understanding how to use the support muscles, they have often instinctively resorted to the use of the throat in their attempts to produce what they hope is a good singing tone. When trying to sing, they often have interference, which occurs when the throat tightens to the point where the tightness is actually interfering with the free flow of the singing tone. Interference manifests as a weird sounding, weak singing tone, characterized by a strange, narrow pulsation, preventing the manifestation of the desired true vibrato. I then show them how to relax the throat and energetically bring the support muscles into play, allowing the tone to resonate as it should, eliminating the interference. This sometimes can take weeks, depending on how long the student has been singing incorrectly. Older beginning voice students over 35 or so can sometimes take 6 months to undo the years of bad habits they have developed while singing over many years. Usually, however, dramatic results and breakthroughs take place immediately!
 
Click Here to view a video of a voice student of mine, Mike Bosco, after 2 1/2 years of instruction, singing with the Robert Benson Orchestra.

Rates

Private Voice Instruction

One 30 minute lesson - $35
One 60 minute lesson - $60

I currently have a few openings.
Questions?
Please call Robert Benson  312-640-5900

This site was last updated 11/03/11