Frequently asked questions
Am I the right candidate for vocal training?
Yes, anyone who uses their voice in any capacity is an ideal candidate for vocal training. Everyone can stand to benefit from vocal training but intensive voice users (singers, teachers, voice over artists, actors etc) or persons with existing vocal issues like fatigue may find this to be vital for protecting, understanding and growing their voice.
How does vocal training with us compare to studying with a music teacher or receiving classical training?
What inspired the start of Goalus was that very little emphasis is typically paid to training, conditioning and protecting the voice in most music lessons. Important information on the right way to develop vocal power, range, prevent vocal fatigue and tightness and tension in the throat while singing for extended periods of time is seldom a part of most music lessons.
Music lessons and classical training serve a different purpose. It is to teach you a style of music which has its own repertoire, rules and way of expression. If you are someone who loves a particular style of music and wants to learn more about it, you must train with a teacher who specialises in that style. The training at Goalus will beautifully compliment any music lessons that you are already taking or that you would like to take.
However if you are someone who wants to improve your voice, get better at singing, learn to sing or improve vocal endurance and avoid fatigue, vocal training is the perfect option for you.
Will voice training change my voice?
Voice training will not change the timbre/quality of your voice. However what will change is control, agility, vocal power, range, resonance, breath control and endurance among others.
How do these exercises work to develop my voice?
The answer to this question is muscle memory. The intention of vocal training is to build reflexes. The act of singing is comparable to other physical activities that rely on muscle memory such as swimming, driving, playing golf, drawing, playing an instrument. It is the by product of several muscles and bodily systems working in tandem and with a lot of precision.
The body constantly learns, remembers and applies every single facet of movement we engage in- useful or not.
When we engage in movement that is beneficial to the body, especially in a consistent and repetitive manner (in this case through vocal exercises and breath work), the body learns these new habits and applies them every time we need to use our voice. By doing these exercises, we are rewiring our mind and learning to engage the right muscles that help making the process of singing and speaking more efficient. Muscles that are not necessary in this process learn to disengage and that results in great amount of vocal freedom and control.
This means anyone with a vocal apparatus and an ear for pitch can learn to sing.
I consider myself a very bad singer. Can I learn to sing by training at Goalus?
The answer to this question will depend on a few factors.
The first step would be to evaluate your sense of pitch:
a. If I were to play two notes in a row, would you be able to identify whether the first is higher or lower in pitch than the second?
b. Would you be able to match pitch if I were to play and sing a note?
c. Have you ever (correctly) identified that you went off pitch while signing?
d. Have you ever (correctly) noticed someone else go off pitch while singing?
e. Have you tried learning a song and known that you are not getting the melody right?
If your answer to all these questions is YES, the cause for your 'bad' singing is, to a large extent, due to poor strength and conditioning in the muscles that help to vocalise and breathe. Vocal training is certainly going to improve your singing.
If your answer to any of these questions is NO, your 'bad' singing could a combination of poor ear training, poor muscle conditioning and strength. It may be useful to combine vocal training and ear training to improve your singing. Voice training alone may not suffice.
How long before I see changes?
This is very subjective and cannot be defined in clear terms. Growing the voice needs a lot of patience and time. Many exercises work in a very short time, almost instantly even. They may give you a feeling of instant relaxation, vocal freedom or increased power. Some other exercises are a lot more subtle in their impact. However, their effects compound with every repetition and regular practise is absolutely necessary to see lasting and noticeable changes. Even the exercises that act instantly will need constant repetition to impact your voice in a lasting way. There is no shortcut to vocal development, pretty much in the same way how you can't build your body in a few days or by working out erratically.
I sing only Indian music/ Western
music / rock / pop / classical / R'n'B / rap / etc. Will this help me?
Absolutely yes. The client will stand to benefit from the training irrespective of the genre that they like to work with. Clients would even be able to switch between multiple genres.
Note to Metalheads
We do not teach specialised forms of vocalisation like growling and screaming. If you're someone looking to learn this style, very few elements of this course would help you reach this goal.
What benefits can I expect to see if I were to train at Goalus?
Students would notice most or all of the following:
VOCAL FREEDOM
Singing feels more free or 'easier'. Notes need not be pushed out, they flow out effortlessly.
RELIEF FROM FATIGUE
Vocal fatigue and tightness are not an issue anymore. In the occasion that the student is still encountering vocal fatigue, they are able to resolve the problem very soon.
BREATH CONTROL
Heightened awareness of the body and a lot of insight into breath. People with unstable, shaky voices or voice with tremors will largely stand to benefit from breath work.
RANGE
Singers can feel their range expand both ways. Both high and low notes become more accessible and the voice sounds strong and firm and stable at all pitches. Singers find they can continuously grow their range with regular practise.
VOCAL POWER
Singers and speakers experience a more powerful voice that allows them to use their voice in a more intense way. Especially for persons who experience a breathy voice, the voice gains a lot of body.
ENDURANCE
Students can speak for a long time without injury or discomfort.
DYNAMICS
Students can comfortably change volume very efficiently and safely. This also makes the voice more expressive.
RESONANCE
Voice feel richer and fuller and lesser effort is needed to change volume. Ability of the voice to cut through an audience and sometimes even a band without a microphone.
REGISTERS ARE STRENGTHENED AND BLENDED
The registers of the voice (head, chest and mixed voices) are strengthened. The voice does not crack/quiver when switching between registers. Students are equipped with the tools to develop a strong mixed voice that is powerful yet flexible. Students may find that phenomena such as belting become more accessible to them.
VOCAL TEXTURE
Singers and voice actors/artists especially may be able to access a whole array of vocal textures in a safe and painless way.
ABILITY TO EXPRESS AND EMOTE BETTER
With greater mastery over the voice, students (especially singers) find that they can express a wider spectrum of emotions with their singing voice as they can now access a lot more textures and dynamics with their voice.
A MORE PROFESSIONAL SOUND
While there is no one idea of what a professional sound should be like, training at Goalus would fully prepare your voice as a professional or aspiring vocalist/voice user. We help you understand your voice and give you all the resources to protect and improve your voice. This is also a great way to work on issues that you need more work on in a targeted manner.
ABILITY TO HANDLE STAGE FRIGHT
A large part of the phenomenon of stage fear is physical. The body actually tightens up in response to the fear we feel and that is the reason why a lot of us underperform when we feel afraid on stage or just by virtue of being on stage. By relaxing the body physically, we can gain a lot of control over our voice and still sound great, irrespective of the thoughts in the mind.