Voice Teacher or Vocal Coach? What's the difference?

Written By: Chelsea & Cynthia 

Whether you are a beginning singer or the most experienced of Broadway stars, all singers need a voice teacher or coach to support them. But how do you find the one that's right for you?

When searching for a teacher or a coach, professionals often use all sorts of different terminology to describe their expertise, and it can be challenging to understand what each teacher is actually offering.

Additionally, each singer needs something unique - not everyone is looking for the same kind of instruction. Finding a teacher you click with can feel a lot like dating- you might need to try a few before you find your match.

Which is why we believe it's important that singers do proper research before booking a lesson with someone, or even accept that they might need to try out a few different coaches or teachers to understand what they're really looking for and what they want to accomplish.

Let's start with the basics - what is the difference between a voice teacher and a vocal coach? 

Voice Teacher: The primary goal of a voice teacher is to improve a singer's actual singing ability or vocal technique. With a voice teacher, you're going to work on things like, increasing your range, building stamina, or improving your quality of tone. You'll work on vocal exercises and apply those exercises or technical concepts to music. A voice teacher will often include performance work, but the first focus is always on proper technique.

A voice teacher should have extensive voice teacher training, whether that's a degree or a private certification. Either way, they should be trained in how to work with other voices and not just be proficient singers themselves.

Vocal Coach: Someone who is very well versed in vocal and musical styles. For a vocal coach, it's not just about the technique, but about figuring out the style, genre, and what the voice quality then needs to be. A voice coach needs to have an extensive knowledge of repertoire and the musical theater cannon, so they know what makes pop music sound like pop music, rock sound like rock, or classical sound like classical, etc. These professionals tend to be really great musicians as a pianist, music director or conductor. Not always, but oftentimes that's where voice coaches get their start.

During a vocal coaching session you would find repertoire for your audition book or concert series, they'll help you make piano tracks and put the finishing touches on your audition or performance material. With this, they should be an expert in helping you tell the story through the style and voice qualities that the song requires.

Can someone be BOTH a vocal coach and voice teacher? 

It's possible! We are are two examples, as we would consider ourselves voice teachers and voice coaches. However, even in the case of the two of us, we each lean stronger in one direction or the other. This isn't to say that these two things are mutually exclusive - however, it is rare to find someone who incorporates both.

So...who should you be working with? 

You have to get into what your goals and needs are. Are you struggling vocally? Maybe you're unable to audition for certain roles because you don't have the range, stamina, or you're losing your voice, or you can't stay in the quality that the style requires. For all of those things, it's a great opportunity to receive voice teacher training.

If you are auditioning for a role and you need help familiarizing yourself with a pop rock song and you're struggling with the style, then that's a perfect thing for a voice coach to assist with the storytelling.

Take the time to evaluate your needs and begin to search for a teacher or coach based on those criteria.

How do you go about finding a great voice teacher or a great vocal coach? What red flags are there to be aware of when starting your search?

It's important to note that anyone can call themselves a voice teacher or a vocal coach. There's no universal regulation for voice teaching in our country, so the onus is on you to do the research on who you're working with.

When Researching Voice Teachers:

1. Find someone who has a university degree, some kind of private certification or that they have taken ongoing classes. 
2. Take a first lesson as a trial run. Consider how much singing you actually did in that lesson versus how much did you chit chat? Or how much information gathering was there, or did you feel a difference in your voice afterwards?
3. What kind of language did that teacher use? All singers resonate with all sorts of different language - some singers enjoy imagery, others prefer metaphors. You've have to find the right fit for you.
4. A great place to start is by looking online. IVA has an amazing database of certified voice teachers all over the world. And don't count out virtual lessons. Since the pandemic, all of us have been online. It opens up your possibility of people that you could work with.

Voice Teacher Red Flags: 

1. Teachers who have built a teaching career off of their performing resume as opposed to their teacher training. Just being a good singer yourself does not mean you know how to coax that same sound quality out of other singers.
2. Pedagogical harassment - when the teacher asks for something and the student attempts it, it doesn't work, and the teacher doubles down. Rather than the teacher recognizing that the student cannot do the thing they are asking them to do, and it's the teacher's job to have another tool, exercise, explanation, or experience to help move the needle towards the goal needing to be accomplished
3. If a teacher can't sing at all themselves. Your voice teacher does not need to have a Broadway level voice but you need to find someone who has a functioning voice and can relatively demonstrate what they want you to do. 
4. Teachers who have certain styles that they will avoid. Whether it be rock pop, contemporary or whatever it is. But teachers who "only work on a healthy voice" or your "core instrument" - inherently that adds judgment to any other style and limits your abilities. 

When Researching Voice Coaches: 

1. They must know a wide range of repertoire/styles. When you're talking to a potential coach, ask which styles they feel most comfortable working on, what their background is in these different styles, and which styles they love to work on the most. Feel free to be specific with those questions too. Ask about the specific audition you're working towards and if they can help you, or if they have someone else they recommend. 
2. Knowing the context of the songs and the shows that the songs come from. If the voice coach is going to be coaching you on a piece of material for a specific show, when the coach doesn't know that show, then they could still coach you on the right style, but the storytelling could be way off.

Voice Coach Red Flags:

1. If they don't know the styles, repertoire, they don't understand the musical theater or cannon for the context.
2. Coaches who try to coach vocal technique. For example, let's say you're struggling on the high note and they start saying to just go for it or just take a bigger breath. If that direction sits funny with you, you can request to stay on track with storytelling or just keep focusing on the acting beats. As a singer you are in charge of your voice and keeping it healthy (and safe). 

As you work with new teachers and coaches, its okay if someone ends up not being the right fit for you. Just listen to yourself - if you feel like you're improving, you're finding some enlightenment, things are getting clearer, you feel energized or more confident, then that means you found a great match.

If you're finding it's the opposite and you're more drained, more discouraged, or you're feeling ignored, then acknowledge that instinct because there WILL be somebody out there who will be a better fit for you. 

  There's a lot available to you as a singer, just take the time to do the research and understand that the difference between a voice teacher and coach. With those tools in place, you'll develop a team for yourself that feels appropriate and be the catalyst for powerful auditions and performances 

If you're interested in diving deeper into this topic, or exploring other interesting musical theatre conversations - check out the Broadway Vocal Coach podcast! Or check us out on Instagram, and get involved in the conversation! 

And if you’re ready to get expert mentorship and ongoing training, then you’re invited to join us inside the BVC membership. Book a free consult with us - we can’t wait to hear your story and help you take the next step in your career.