Can a voice coach help someone learn to sing who now sounds like a cat in pain?

[Tap, tap, tap]

My dd9 is a very talented visual artist. I can't say the same for her voice. She also struggles to learn the piano. She loves music and recognizes her limitations. I would like to help her, but don't know what to do. I was hoping that her piano lessons would help her hear music a little differently but it hasn't helped.

I am thinking about putting he in private voice lessons to see if they can teach her to produce a more accurate note. I am not looking for a concert quality voice, just something she won't be teased about.

Has anyone used a voice coach before and can give me some ideas of what to look for in a coach?




BTW: We have the same strengths and weaknesses. That is why I want to help her.

Tap

[Hillary in KS]

Yes, they can.

when I was looking for a voice teacher, I called the music department at the local university and asked for recommendations. You'll want to ask around for a teacher who knows about working with children's voices.

HIllary

[Mama Anna]

Sometimes a good quality children's choir can help in such a situation because your dd will be surrounded by the pitch that she needs to produce. I may be misinterpreting what you wrote (please disregard advice if I am), but it's likely that her ear is what needs the training - being able to center in on a pitch, hear it "in her head," and then reproduce it. Learning vocal technique can help with slight intonation difficulties - a little sharp or flat - but stuff that's really out of tune often might need more work through ear-training.

There was a trumpet major in my Sight-singing class in college who had no sense of pitch whatever. Our instructor required him to sing in his church's choir for a year and his ear was much improved by the end of it.

Anyway, whatever situation you find, make sure the teacher/coach/director really will care about helping your dd succeed. Some musicians "have no time" for the "intonationally-challenged" and professionals can have little mercy at times!

HTH!

Mama Anna

PS: One methodology that you might want to research is Kodaly. It's a Hungarian (I think?) method of teaching pitch and rhythm in a gentle way with folk and children's songs. (Think Sound of Music's "Do, a deer, a female deer.")
MK

[LlamaMama]

I wish I had unlimited time and money because I would definitely get voice lessons. If there was an ideal "finishing school" out there, a basic voice class would be a great component.

I did take a couple of voice lessons in high school. What I learned was that my voice sounds much better when singing loudly rather than softly (to drown out my so-so sound). I don't have the guts to belt out the tunes in a public setting, though.

It is great that you recognize and want to help your daughter in that area while she still has time for classes.

[True Blue]

I think choir is an excellent choice. Many voice teachers won't take kids this young. Choir has helped both my kids immensely and they love it.

[strider]

I had a completely tuneless friend in college who improved a lot with a voice coach.

My dh has a very difficult time with pitch, but has nice tone quality and incredible projection. This can be a fatal combination--this means he can easily sing louder than the rest of the congregation put together, on the WRONG NOTE. In his case, it actually helps him a great deal if I sing directly at his ear. You might give that a try too.