How to become a singing teacher—where to start?

So you want to become a singing teacher? Well you've certainly come to the right place! 

We've got tips and information right here for you on how to get started.

Have a musical foundation

Your journey to becoming a singing teacher should include some kind of musical background in singing, playing an instrument, and/or participating in some form of music education—you may find it difficult to become a singing teacher if you haven't had music lessons yourself! 

Make sure you have a solid foundation of musical knowledge before you pursue a career in teaching singing.

Learn from an experienced voice teacher 

The next step is to find a good voice teacher to learn from. 

And by a "good" voice teacher, we mean someone who uses a system to enable them to balance the voice. A good voice teacher is able to pass this knowledge of vocal balance on to their students in a way that works for each individual voice, applying the best vocal skills and techniques to songs in any style or genre.

Seeking the guidance of a more experienced teacher as often as you can will definitely help you as you learn more about becoming a singing teacher yourself.  

Experienced teachers can provide you with feedback and tips for how to improve your teaching skills. And take opportunities to observe them as they teach so you can format your lessons similarly and hone your skills as an instructor.

Stand out from the crowd

Try to capitalize on your strengths and use your background and existing knowledge to help establish yourself in a certain area of the music business. 

Although the vocal technique you teach should be applicable to all styles of music, building expertise in one or two areas will enable you to develop a unique selling proposition for you and your studio. 

This means that if you have a background as a musical theatre performer, focus on that genre. 

Or if you're a rock singer, stick to rock!

Just go for it!

Get in and get started! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We know it's never easy to start anything new (nor should it be).

It can be especially challenging in the beginning when you're dealing with the unknown—with voices and vocal tendencies you're not familiar with and that are hard to categorize.

Fixing vocal issues might be even harder, but don't give up! It's all part of the learning process.

Of course we think your best option for learning how to teach singing is to enroll in a teacher training program for singing teachers . . . like this one at the Institute for Vocal Advancement (IVA), where you'd become part of a whole community of singing teachers ranging from beginners to world-renowned masters of the art of teaching singing.

At IVA, we know exactly how to help you achieve your goals as a singing teacher no matter where you are in your career. 

We'd love to be a part of your journey.