Good Teacher, Better Student: What Makes Voice Lessons Actually Work
What makes voice lessons actually work?
For a lot of singers, the answer seems simple: find a good teacher. But the real answer’s more complicated—and more powerful. The right teacher matters. So does being the kind of student who actually improves.
Hi, I’m Drew, and this is The Voice Science Podcast.
Today’s episode—Good Teacher, Better Student—was written by Timothy Wilds and edited by Josh Manuel.
If you’ve ever wondered how to choose a voice teacher, how to avoid wasting time and money, or how to get better faster, this episode breaks it down. We’ll talk about credentials, red flags, learning styles, and how to take responsibility for your own progress.
And if you’re looking for a structured way to improve your singing—VoSci Academy opens July 25th. It’s our new guided learning platform for singers, built by credentialed teachers and grounded in vocal science.
Join by August 4th to become a Founding Member and lock in lifetime access at our lowest price. Learn more at voicescience.org.
Let’s get into it.
These days, everyone seems to have an opinion about singing. From American Idol and The Voice to the rise of musical theatre on TikTok and streaming platforms, vocal performance is more visible—and more critiqued—than ever.
With that spotlight has come a wave of interest in voice lessons—and a flood of people offering to teach them.
So if you’re thinking about taking lessons, the first step is usually finding a teacher. Most folks start with a quick search—“voice teachers near me” or “voice lessons online”—and suddenly, you’ve got a long list of options.
At that point, it helps to understand what you’re looking at. Most of the teachers you’ll find fall into one of two categories: independent studio teachers or instructors affiliated with a music school. Where someone teaches doesn’t necessarily reflect their quality as a teacher.
Independent teachers may have more scheduling flexibility. School-based teachers might offer access to performance opportunities or extra classes. Each has its trade-offs—but neither context guarantees good instruction. It’s a secondary factor.
So, your initial search was successful and you now have some names. Based on what you read online or were told, all of them say they teach voice. But just because they say it, does it mean it’s true? Sadly, the answer is “no.” The next step is learning how to distinguish the real from the fake.
Just like in any professional field, you want evidence of real expertise: formal training, teaching experience, strong student reviews, professional memberships, and institutional affiliations.
And just like in those fields, credentials alone aren’t enough—ongoing education matters too. Yet in the world of private voice teaching, that’s surprisingly rare.
That’s why selecting a voice teacher is more like choosing a healthcare provider than picking a favorite performer. Would you hire a surgeon, therapist, or chiropractor with no credentials and no continuing education? Probably not—and your voice deserves the same care.
The student seeking a voice teacher needs to be a savvy consumer. Ask as much of your voice teacher as you would any other person claiming expertise in a field providing services. Have you ever wondered why anyone can call themselves a voice teacher and not have to show any evidence of being fit for the task?
There’s a long-standing tension in the arts between formal education and self-taught mastery. Plenty of brilliant musicians never stepped foot in a conservatory. Prince, Paul McCartney, and B.B. King didn’t have vocal pedagogy degrees—but they shaped the sound of modern music. So it’s fair to ask: if they didn’t need formal training, why should your voice teacher?
Here’s the catch: those people are outliers. They weren’t just talented—they were obsessive, disciplined, and surrounded by other high-level musicians. More importantly, they weren’t responsible for teaching others how to sing. Performing and teaching are different skills. Being good at one doesn’t guarantee skill at the other.
The idea that you can teach just because you’re “naturally good at it” is seductive—and often wrong. The same way being a great athlete doesn’t make you a great coach, being a skilled singer doesn’t automatically make you a skilled teacher. The best voice teachers often can’t rely on instinct. They’ve had to study, analyze, and learn how to make the implicit explicit.
I’ve worked with countless adult singers who returned to voice lessons after decades away—all because a middle school choir teacher told them they couldn’t sing. That one comment shaped their identity for years. The stakes aren’t small.
And that’s the point. Whether a teacher has formal degrees or not, the real question is: have they done the work to understand how voices work—not just their own, but a wide range of voices? Have they developed a toolkit beyond what worked for them?
Credentials can be one clue. So can years of experience, student outcomes, professional affiliations, and ongoing training. But you also have to look at how a teacher communicates. Can they explain what they’re doing? Can they adapt their teaching if one approach doesn’t land? Do they listen to you, not just demonstrate for you?
If you find a rare teacher who’s self-taught, highly experienced, and deeply invested in learning and teaching—great. But don’t confuse charisma with competence. There’s no governing body for voice teachers. Anyone can put up a website and start charging. That’s why it’s on you, the student, to dig deeper. Some common red flags? Big claims without credentials. No reviews or evidence of student progress. One-size-fits-all methods. Or worse, teachers who talk more than they listen.
Which brings us to the next step: how to vet a teacher once you’ve found someone promising.
So, the most important task for the student who is looking for a teacher is to do your research. Take the time to comb through their credentials. This is the first of many steps.
Step number two is to set up a series of lessons (at least two, preferably three or four) to see the teacher in action. This is the only way to discover if they’re truly gifted at teaching. Good teachers are great listeners who constantly adjust the flow of a lesson in real time. If one method of communication isn’t working, they know how to shift course.
Step three is more subjective: do your personalities mesh well enough to build a positive working relationship?
Up to this point, the focus has been on assessing the teacher. But voice lessons are a two-way street. It’s time to consider the other person in the room—you, the student. What should you be prepared for?
Tell the teacher your goals up front—both short-term and long-term. Are you preparing for an audition? Do you have an upcoming performance and need help with persistent vocal issues? Or are you between projects and just want a technique refresh? A well-defined goal sets the lesson process in motion and gives both you and your teacher a clear direction.
That said, be open to modifying your goals as you go. New discoveries can reveal underlying technical challenges or unexpected strengths. Shifting goals doesn’t mean you’re off track—it means you’re learning.
Tell the teacher the level of work you’re prepared to do. Most voice teachers assume students want to improve their vocal production—but in my experience, that’s not always true. This is where students need to be honest about their intentions and investment.
And that starts with knowing what kind of help you’re actually looking for.
If you just want to sing through songs for fun, you don’t need formal instruction. Invite a friend who plays piano over for dinner and enjoy a songfest.
If you’re prepping a song for an audition or performance—focusing on interpretation, style, or diction—a vocal coach might be the right fit. Coaches specialize in shaping the musical and expressive aspects of a performance.
But if you’re running into persistent technical problems—like pitch accuracy, breath control, or register transitions—you need a voice teacher trained in vocal function and pedagogy. Teachers diagnose what’s going wrong under the hood and help you build new habits that last.
Some professionals do both. Others lean one way. What matters is knowing the kind of work you want to do—and finding someone qualified to support it.
Share your preferred learning styles—what tends to work best for you and what doesn’t. And ask your teacher the same. Teachers often relay information through their own dominant style, especially at first. Knowing this helps you advocate for what you need.
Talk to the teacher. Remember, voice teachers can’t see or touch your instrument. They rely on what you tell them—your sensations, thoughts, and impressions—to understand what’s happening. Don’t worry about having the perfect words. Just describe what you’re experiencing as clearly and honestly as you can.
Singers make choices based on the “manual of the voice” stored in the brain. If only students could print that manual out for the teacher! Since that’s impossible, your voice teacher is hanging on every word you share.
This kind of communication isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Because ultimately, your voice teacher can only guide the process. You’re the one who has to do the work.
Embrace the student’s role. As important as it is to find a qualified teacher, the outcome depends even more on the student. Your commitment to lessons—and especially to the work outside of them—largely determines your progress.
Signing up for lessons won’t make you a singing musician any more than paying for a gym membership will make you fit. You can spend extra and hire the best personal trainer—but if you’re not doing the work when no one’s watching, you won’t see results.
The teacher is your guide—not your engine. They walk with you, but they don’t walk for you.
Expect to see results—but be realistic about how long it takes for those results to stick. A knowledgeable voice teacher may quickly identify issues and offer helpful strategies. But they’re not magicians. Lasting change requires time, repetition, and focused effort.
Be honest with yourself: do you truly have the time and resources to commit to a focused period of study? Don’t start a three-month stretch knowing you’ll be missing lessons or squeezing in practice. Wait for a window where you can be consistent.
The occasional approach—sporadic lessons, hit-or-miss practice—slows everything down and frustrates both student and teacher. The more intentional and uninterrupted the study period, the more meaningful the progress.
So whether you’re looking for your first voice teacher or coming back after a break, remember: the teacher matters—but so does the student. Be curious. Stay honest. Do the work.
And above all, keep singing smart.
One last thing—VoSci Academy opens July 25th, but enrollment is only open for ten days.
If you’ve ever wanted to be part of shaping something new in vocal education, this is your moment. Join us as a Founding Member and help build the future of singer training—built on science, not superstition.
Head to voicescience.org to get on the list.
- Founder/Contributor
Timothy Wilds
WriterDrew Williams Orozco
Voice Over/Editor