One of the most often asked questions I hear from parents is “How soon should I start my child in voice lessons? “ I firmly believe “the sooner the better” is the correct answer to that question. Just look at the career of superstar Justin Bieber. Once he was discovered, his career took off and he has been recording, performing, and touring ever since. That is a challenging life for a kid, but one that many children today would like to have. If a singer is not vocally ready for the challenge, whether a child or adult, they won’t be able to sustain the pace of a successful career.
In our culture, the music business is becoming more and more youth-fixated. Justin Bieber is a great example. The demographic that buys music today are the pre-teens, so young kids who sing well have a built-in following. But, you have to be vocally ready for the rigors of touring and singing constantly. The only way to prepare for that very challenging lifestyle, whether your child wants to be the next Justin Bieber, or just to have fun with singing as they grow up, is to make sure they start vocal training as soon as they show an interest in singing. Who knows, with the right vocal training, begun at an early age, your child may be the next Justin Bieber!
At my Sing Like a Star Studios, we work with children as young as four years old, if they have the ability to focus for 15 minutes on simple scales and exercises, followed by 15 minutes on fun songs. FYI to parents: if they are just singing songs, you are not getting much bang for your buck in terms of vocal development, and even young children should be taught the correct way to sing, as soon as they start showing an interest in singing.
Good habits, just like bad habits can be engrained in us from a young age, and starting your child out right with healthy vocal habits will lead to a lifetime of enjoyment for them in singing.
I do not believe that the airy, breathy and weak “choral blend” sound that children are taught to sing with in school choirs is going to do much toward developing good vocal habits or a strong voice (although choir is terrific for many other things, such as musicianship and team dynamics). Many choral teachers have been taught that “airy and breathy” is the only correct way to sing, and it does result in a more blend-able sound. But the singers are taught to blow far too much air over the vocal cords, which are not adducted, or brought together, properly. This can be vocally damaging.
Listen to a baby cry. A baby’s developing vocal cords can create a very strong sound. Babies can cry for hours but they never lose their voices. Why is that? Do babies vocalize on an airy and breathy sound? Not at all.
Babies vocalize in their crying on the vowel sound [ae]-the vowel sound in “at” or “apple”. This wonderful vowel brings the vocal cords together so excess air does not escape through the adducted vocal cords, resulting in a strong and powerful sound. Babies also engage their bodies when creating the cry sound. The combination of adducted vocal cords, bodily engagement and the [ae] vowel are Nature’s way of developing the voice.
Singing, of course, requires many more varied sounds and pitches than crying does, but should employ the basic concepts of adducted vocal cords and a non-breathy vocal production. I have found that young children usually are often able to understand clear and correct vocal production much more easily than older singers who have been brainwashed for years with the “airy is good” mode of thinking.
I wish you all the best as you reach for your dreams! Tricia Grey, MM
At Sing Like a Star Studios you can learn the vocal technique of the stars. If you don’t live near Atlanta, you can take voice lessons with Skype. Please visit our website at www.singlikeastar.com and click on the GET STARTED tab to register for a professional vocal evaluation and consultation.
