Singing Courses

Absolutely! Most people can learn to sing and improve their voice with practice, training and proper instruction from a suitable teacher. It is also important to note that the human voice is very individual, and some people may be naturally more gifted at singing than others due to several factors such as musical ear, range and other physiological factors. Singing involves knowing your body well and understanding key concepts such as breathing, posture, projection, diction, body resonators and support mechanisms to name a few. These techniques are valid for all styles, whether you are learning lyrical, classical, jazz or pop techniques. This means that it is important to learn to sing from a qualified vocal teacher who will awaken the singer in you. However, it is important to understand that some individuals may have physical or medical problems that affect their ability to sing or produce certain sounds, such as breathing problems, anatomical abnormalities or health conditions that affect the vocal cords. However, these cases are quite rare. Finally, it is important to note that learning to sing, like any musical instrument, requires regular work and a commitment to practice. Singing is an art, and like any other art, it takes time and perseverance to master.

There are many exercises to improve your vocal technique and develop your ability to sing well. You will find the detailed program of our teacher Sandrina on our website. However, here are some examples of basic exercises that are commonly used: 1. Breathing exercises: Breathing exercises are essential for good singing. The basic exercises consist of breathing in slowly and deeply through the nose, concentrating on abdominal breathing, and then exhaling slowly through the mouth while controlling the air. For singing with different types of voices such as head voice or chest voice, breath work is essential and serves as a basic foundation for exploring different sounds. More advanced exercises, such as air retention and exhalation management, can also be used to improve breathing ability. 2. Vocalizations: Vocalizations are exercises that work on range, pitch, projection and diction. Vocalizations can be practiced on different vowels or consonants, and can be adapted according to the level and needs of the student. 3. Repertoire: The choice of songs to sing is also important to improve vocal technique. It is important to choose songs that are appropriate to the student's vocal ability level, while seeking to explore different musical styles and genres. By working on a variety of repertoire, lyrical, jazz, classical, pop and so on, you will accumulate a multitude of techniques that will help you become a complete singer. It is important to note that each singer has different needs and goals, and that the exercises and repertoire chosen must be adapted accordingly. Sandrina, our teacher at Apolline School of the Arts, will help you identify your specific needs and develop a personalized practice plan to achieve your vocal goals.

As you can imagine, it is important to drink enough water to maintain good hydration and take care of your voice. Water is the healthiest and most effective drink to hydrate the body and vocal cords. However, there are certain beverages that can be beneficial to the voice because of their hydrating, soothing or cleansing properties. Here are some examples: Hot tea with honey: Hot tea can help soothe irritated vocal cords, while honey can help soften the voice. Avoid adding too much sugar to tea, as sugar can help dry out the throat. Adding a little ginger is also recommended! Warm water with lemon and honey: Warm water with lemon and honey can help relieve sore throats and coughs, while offering antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Fresh fruit juice: Fresh fruit juice can help provide important nutrients and antioxidants for overall health, including vocal cord health. Avoid fruit juices with a lot of added sugar, as mentioned above, sugar can contribute to a dry throat. Herbal teas: Herbal teas can offer soothing properties for the throat, depending on the herbs used. For example, chamomile, peppermint and thyme are known for their soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Be careful though, some drinks can be harmful to the voice and can contribute to dehydration or irritation of the vocal cords, such as alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks, or drinks with a lot of added sugar. It is therefore recommended to limit their consumption before a class or a concert.

To sing, you don't need much equipment. In fact, it is the instrument that requires the least amount of equipment. However, here are a few things that might be useful for a singer: An accompanying instrument: If you are singing solo, several accompanying instruments can be beneficial such as a piano, guitar or ukulele. In class, our singing teacher usually uses the piano for accompaniment. This will allow you to maintain good accuracy throughout your practice, without accidentally changing keys. Scores: In opera or operatic singing, the scores give a lot of indications to interpret the piece as faithfully as possible. You will find indications of nuances, velocity, sounds in particular. In pop or jazz, a score will serve as a memory aid for the lyrics and also to help you situate yourself in the song if you have a jazz "Leadsheet" for example. A voice recorder: The use of a voice recorder is highly recommended to record your performances and listen to them later to work on your technique, your intonation, your diction and your interpretation. You can also use your phone! In our opinion, listening to yourself sing is the best way to target the elements you need to work on, because it allows you to listen to yourself from an outside ear. Even if most people "don't like their voice", it is imperative to try to get over that in order to progress quickly. Stage props: Unless you are an opera singer, you may need props such as a microphone, mic stand, monitor headphones, XLR cable, speakers and/or headphones.

Anyone can learn to sing, but it is true that some people have natural dispositions that make it easier for them to sing than others. However, that doesn't mean that if you don't have these natural dispositions, you can't learn to sing and become a good singer. Here are a few things that can help you know if you are cut out for singing: You like to sing: If you enjoy singing, it is a sign that you may be cut out for singing. Singing can be a fun, fulfilling and relaxing activity. You have a musical ear: If you are able to discern the different notes and melodies in music, this is an asset for singing. A musical ear will help you better understand the structure of songs and sing more accurately. You're willing to work hard: Singing, like any other skill, takes work and practice. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to train your voice, you have a good chance of making progress and improving your technique. You have a pleasant voice: If people often compliment you on the beauty of your voice or encourage you to sing, it's a sign that you may have a pleasant voice and could do with some singing.

Yes, it is different. Singing with a microphone will have an impact on different aspects. In terms of voice, singing behind a microphone can allow singers to modulate their voice more easily and sing at lower volume levels. This can be beneficial for singers who have soft voices or to interpret a vocal line softly to match a certain style of music. Mic handling is an integral part of the skills required of a singer in rock or pop music for example. If you are performing in a recording studio, you will be asked to perform a song with headphone feedback. At this level, it is more disturbing to sing with headphones than to sing into a microphone, because you will not hear yourself as well as if you are singing Acapella for example. Also note that a recording studio microphone brings out all the details of the voice, both the beauty and the imperfections. In terms of skill levels, singing behind a mic can also require additional skills, such as managing distance and proximity to the mic. This is especially true for live performance, because in the studio, sound engineers use compression to avoid this problem. In live performance, it is therefore not uncommon to see singers playing with the distance of their microphone when they reach high notes with intensity for example. Ultimately, singing behind a microphone can offer both benefits and challenges for singers. It's important to become familiar with this object so that you won't be surprised if you are asked to sing live or in the studio.

Integrating music theory into a singing class is a common practice that can help singers improve their vocal technique and overall musical understanding. Here's how we do it at Apolline: teaching the basics of music theory. Our singing students need to understand notes, rhythms, scales and intervals in order to be able to read and interpret a score. We use the piano to support the theory. Vocal warm-up using music theory. Vocalization is a great way to help singers focus on their vocal technique while using music theory. Using exercises such as ascending and descending scales, our students focus on note and interval accuracy. Sight reading. This is an essential skill for any singer; a good knowledge of music theory is required. We create simple and progressive sight-reading exercises to help our students develop their understanding of the score.

Unfortunately, singing lessons cannot be given at home for practical reasons. The location of the lessons remains fixed, in Lausanne, and allows the students to follow a quality teaching with an equipped and adapted room. From experience, we have found that the distraction of the home environment can also affect the quality of the teaching and the concentration of the students, especially for the younger ones, which can have a negative impact on their progress in singing.

At Apolline, we organize workshops for the most motivated students who wish to discover group playing. This particular program is adapted for all ages, children, teenagers and adults, and can be a good way to overcome stress for example. In this framework, we push our students to perform in concerts, in different places such as bars/clubs in the city of Lausanne as well as during the annual Apolline Fest. This is the best way to reveal the passion for the stage that lies within you! This program is not suitable for beginners, but rather for students who have already mastered their instrument. A workshop room with good acoustics is provided to allow students to play in the best possible conditions, under the attentive ear of our workshop teacher. We will also teach them to acquire a good stage presence and the specific codes of the stage world. We take care to ensure that the pieces chosen appeal to everyone, in order to guarantee an enriching experience combining pleasure, high standards and progress. These workshops take place on a weekly basis.

There is no particular diploma given to students throughout their learning process. Indeed, Apolline favors learning that is based on pleasure through progression and not on performance. This is why we do not organize exams, and why there are no diplomas. Every year we organize a festival with the colors of the school: The Apolline Fest. You can read our article on this subject. Each student who wishes to do so has the opportunity to register and perform in front of an audience of friends and family. This is a good opportunity to showcase all the work done during the year. It is also common for our teachers to write letters of recommendation for students to help them achieve their goals. In addition, for experienced students, our teachers offer a professional curriculum to prepare motivated students for the art school entrance exams. All of our music teachers have a degree from an art school.

Yes, it is possible to teach composition during a singing class, in pop, jazz or classical music. In 2022, one of our teacher Sandrina's vocal students composed her own piece to be reworked in the workshop and finally recorded in a professional recording studio. In fact, many music classes include elements of music composition in addition to vocal technique. If you wish, our courses will also teach you the basics of music composition such as basic song structure, toplines and melodies, although some say that there is no precise method for composing beautiful songs. Finally, our courses can also teach you how to write music using music composition software such as Musescore or Sibelius, as well as show you how to create and develop your own musical ideas. It is important to note that vocal improvisation is a form of composition, as you will be creating melodies from your imagination and experience.

Yes, a voice lesson can be taught online via webcam. With the advances in technology and the popularity of online lessons since the pandemic, many teachers of all types are now using webcams to teach music lessons to their students. Webcam voice lessons can be effective, especially for students who have busy schedules or live far away from their teacher. We use several methods to teach online, using visual aids and screen sharing tools to enhance the quality of the lesson. It is important to note that a face-to-face class with a teacher will always be more effective than an online class, especially when the teacher and student are singing simultaneously. Moreover, this type of course is much more suitable for adults. Webcam lessons can therefore offer a satisfactory teaching quality for motivated and autonomous students.