What is the Voice Lessons To The World Vocal Course?
The Voice Lessons To The World Vocal Course consists of 12 sessions of "voice lessons" that include exercises to target specific aspects of your voice so you can develop proper vocal technique. The Complete Course includes the Beginner level, Intermediate level, Advanced level, and Master level. Each level has three sessions that are about 35-45 minutes in length. Justin Stoney takes you through each exercise, teaches you how to do it, shares what it is for, and guides you as you practice it. The levels progress in their difficulty. And, each session is meant to serve you for a while until you feel you have mastered the exercises, at which point you would move to the next session or the next level. We recommend watching the Voice Lessons To The World Show while doing the Course to have in depth explanations on Vocal Technique.
What is the Voice Lessons To The World Show?
The Voice Lessons To The World Show consists of in depth explanations of a myriad of vocal topics. Most episodes include an exercise for you to practice that complements the information given in the episode. We highly recommend watching these while doing the Course, as it forms a well rounded understanding of singing and what it requires.
How is the Vocal Course different from the Voice Lessons To The World Show?
The main difference is that the Vocal Course is almost purely exercises, whereas the Show goes in depth on numerous vocal concepts and usually includes only one or a few exercises.
Does anything else come with the Course?
The Course includes:
Lesson videos: In the videos, Justin takes you through each exercise, with information, encouragement, and guidance.
Exercise Recordings: These are recordings that you can download and take with you wherever you go! Do you like to practice in the car? Would you rather just use a recording instead of the video? These are a great option!
Exercise Outline: Each session comes with its own exercise outline. These document the specifics of the exercise for your reference, or so you can play them on your own!
What are my options when purchasing the Course?
You can purchase the levels all together in the Complete Course package, you can purchase each level separately, or you can purchase an individual session from a particular level.
How do I know which level of the Course to purchase?
The Beginner Level is a good level for ANY singer(even professionals!) as it is always beneficial to go back to the fundamentals and make sure your foundation is solid. This will set you up well in general and also for the higher levels of the Course.
But, if you've been singing for a while and you feel that a higher level is for you, then we recommend starting with the Intermediate.
If you're completely unsure, we recommend starting with the Beginner.
Whatever you decide, if the level you've chosen ends up being too tough or too easy, let us know within 7 days of your purchase and we'll swap it out for a different level.
What should my practice look like and how do I know when I should move up to the next level?
Each level of the course has three progressive sections. We suggest taking one section and using it for your practice 5-6 days a week and leaving a day of rest. Once you are feeling ready for a greater challenge then you can move to the next level. You are also welcome to jump around and take different exercises from each level. Overall, the course is designed to serve your vocal journey over the long term. But, you can work through it as fast or as slow as you want. It's certainly okay to look ahead a bit if you haven't completed or mastered every single exercise. On the other hand, it's also very valuable to go back to previous levels to work on your fundamentals. Feel free to look ahead a little bit. However, if it gets too challenging, that's okay. Just stay at the level that you feel most comfortable doing until you feel like you're ready to look ahead once again.
Will the Course teach me how to do growls and other distortions?
The VLTTW Course does not teach distortion.
Using distortion in a healthy way requires very specific technique and it takes a lot of time and care to develop this. While it is possible to sustainably sing with distortion, we strongly advise being very cautious and studying with an expert to achieve distortion styles.
If you would like to study with Justin Stoney to develop distortion, send us an email at Assistant@NewYorkVocalCoaching.com.
What are the vocal exercises supposed to accomplish?
Vocal exercises train the muscle of the vocal folds and the muscles of the larynx, coordinating them to work in different capacities to produce different vocal qualities. Given the right exercise, it will target aspects of the voice to develop a certain technique. The goal is to set your voice up with the ideal situation for whatever technique you’re working on. Some vocal exercises are vague in their intention and don’t do much for the voice. But, the VLTTW Vocal Course exercises are specifically designed to create the ideal circumstances for the voice so you can achieve your vocal goals.
What if I have questions as I work through the Course?
Upon purchase of the course, you are welcome to reach out to Carolyn@NewYorkVocalCoaching.com with any questions you have as you practice.
Will the Vocal Course actually work?
Yes! We have had countless responses from people sharing how the Course has helped them take their vocal abilities to new heights. To read people's stories, visit our testimonial page. That being said, what you put into it will be what you get out of it! We recommend practicing 5-6 days out of the week, making sure your practice is focusing on *quality over quantity, and pairing your practice with watching the Voice Lessons To The World Show.
However, the downside of any vocal course is that a live voice teacher is not present with you. For this reason, you are welcome to reach out to Carolyn@NewYorkVocalCoaching.com with questions as you study.
How do I know if my practice is quality practice?
Be Present. Try to eliminate anything distracting so you're able to focus on your practice. Is there a quiet place you can go where you're not around other people? This is best so that you're not thinking about people hearing you. It's important to be present with your sound, your body, and your task.
Be Ready. Are you prepared to practice? It's best to make sure you're rested, nourished, and hydrated so that you are in tip-top shape for your practice. This will ensure that your body, mind, and soul are ready to go!
Be Aware. It's important to be aware of your body as you practice. Are you feeling tension? Does something hurt? Is your voice feeling tired? Does your singing feel different than it did yesterday? Can you think of a reason why these things might be? Be aware of your body and what it's telling you so that you can make the necessary adjustments for optimal health and optimal practice.
Be Caring. It's super important to be kind to yourself as you practice. So, be caring in your self-talk! Did you miss the note? That's okay! Is your practice session just not going well today? That's okay! The way you respond to yourself will set the tone for your practice sessions, present and future. Give yourself grace and just do your best. The singing voice takes time to develop and it's your job to give it a positive environment for it to grow happy and healthy.
Be Thoughtful. Are you thinking as you practice or are you just going through the motions? Make sure you're really paying attention to what your voice and body are doing as you sing. Ask yourself: How did the exercise feel? Did it work? Why or why not? Do I need to make any adjustments? Did I breathe well? Did I sing the vowel correctly? Was my mouth in the right position? Make sure your mind is engaged during your practice session. If you can, try practicing in front of a mirror so you can more easily notice any unhelpful habits or tension in your body.
Be Imaginative. The exercises can be silly, the songs you sing can be emotionally demanding, and these things can be TOUGH. So let go! Allow your imagination to be free. Have fun with the exercises and be okay with sounding silly or just flat out ridiculous! And when you're practicing a song, allow the emotion of the piece to lead the way. Let yourself be free and oh the places you'll go!
Be Courageous. All the experts make it look so easy. But, don't be fooled! Singing is hard. So push through with courage! It's going to take time and discipline to develop your skills. So even when it's tough, keep going. Remember to sing for Joy and not for perfection.
Be Excited. Let yourself be excited by your vocal progress no matter how small something might seem. Did you finally reach that note? HOORAY! Did you learn to lower your Larynx? HOORAY! Celebrate the little things and let yourself be excited in your daily singing. It's most important to sing for the Joy of it. This joy will propel you forward and keep you going through vocal glory and vocal hardship.
This P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E method is important to keep in mind, but don't let it overwhelm you! As you actively consider these things, over time they will become healthy habits that you naturally include in your daily singing.
Will you listen to my voice and tell me how I sound?
The Course does not include evaluations of your voice. For feedback, we recommend going to a voice teacher and having a Voice Lesson or considering a Vocal Evaluation.
If you’re not able to do regular Voice Lessons, consider occasional lessons such as once a month or once every couple of months. If this is something you are considering, you can reach out to Assistant@NewYorkVocalCoaching.com.
We also offer Vocal Evaluations as a service. With these, a teacher listens to your recording and offers detailed feedback regarding technique, issues you might have, where you’re at in your vocal progress, and how to move forward vocally. For more information, you can reach out to Assistant@NewYorkVocalCoaching.com.
Should I get Justin's book too?
If you haven't heard, Justin has a book coming out this year! His book, Sing Like Never Before focuses on how the instrument works, tips for it to function optimally, debunking many singing myths, and overall giving you the knowledge you need to understand your instrument and good singing technique.
Most vocal books are difficult to read and aren't meant for a singer. With this in mind, Justin wanted to create a book that is accessible for singers, a book that will really help them to understand their voice, taking their vocal journey to the next level. Each chapter is short yet rich with information and accompanied by fun illustrations for the visual learner.
Purchasing the book along with the Course is not necessary. But, if you're looking for a guide, something that will help you to understand your instrument in a comprehensive yet accessible way, then Sing Like Never Before might be the book for you.
If you would like to receive email updates on the book you can visit the website at SingLikeNeverBefore.com.
Do you have any other resources for me?
Be sure to check out our New York Vocal Coaching Monthly YouTube Chat where you can chat with Justin Stoney and Brendan Houdek twice a month.
We also have a Facebook Bi-Weekly Chat. Visit our Facebook Home Page to see archived chats and tune in Sundays when we go live!
We're stoked about our New York Vocal Coaching Podcast. If you have questions, thoughts, or requests on what topics you’d like to hear more about, reach out to us at podcast@newyorkvocalcoaching.com.
Haven't subscribed to our Daily Vocal Tips yet? You're missing out!
Looking for some reading material? Check out our Vocal Articles.
Visit us on Instagram and Facebook for vocal joy, daily tips, and studio news!