FAQs

The first thing to try is to try to sing them quieter. Most people have an underdeveloped head register/falsetto, and singing quieter will allow your throat to relax and build the head voice muscles so that they can assist you in the higher range and relieve some of the pressure. This varies person to person and to know for yourself, it’s best to work with a qualified vocal coach.

Belting is basically singing higher louder. It’s like controlled, skilled yelling - and it’s something everyone can learn how to do! Belting is one of Forward Voice Studio’s areas of expertise (as well as one of Alex’s FAVORITE things to teach). Want to learn how to belt? Learn more about how to sign up for lessons.

Unless you have physical limitations (i.e. damage to the ears, throat, or brain), everyone can learn how to sing! Singing is a physical skill that takes practice and repetition to learn how to do. It’s a good debate about whether or not “talent” exists, but you can think of it like running: Everyone can run, everyone can improve their running, but not everyone is going to be an Olympic runner. The best part about singing, however, is that your voice is only part of what you do - the rest is up to how well you communicate your story. THAT’s what people really want to hear, and that is something EVERYONE can do.

Lessons are hyper-customized to your needs on any given day, but typically follow a two part format. The first half of the lesson is dedicated to vocal exercises. If you’ve ever done vocal warmups on YouTube, you’ll be familiar with some of these. However, these exercises aren’t just to warm up your voice - they’re going to change it. Repetition of highly personalized exercises is the fastest way to improve your singing voice, and that is a big emphasis of lessons, especially at the very beginning. However, you’re not here to just do exercises - you’re here to sing songs! The second half of the lesson is dedicated to just that, with an emphasis on singing songs that are physically comfortable so that you can focus on other parts of singing like expression and lyric interpretation. Again, this format is very fluid, so if you find that you’re learning a lot doing exercises, we will do a whole lesson of just exercises. However if you have a gig this weekend and want to work on your songs we will only work on your songs. 

Confidence is built on two key components: 1) a deep understanding of what you’re communicating and why and 2) trust in your physical tools to express what you want to express when you want to express it. Confidence requires you to be deeply in tune with your body and the skill to control it, as well as a deep understanding of yourself and your message. This applies to all areas of vocal use - songs, speeches, presentations, you name it! Confidence comes from the physical, mental, and emotional, which is why Alex teaches all three in voice lessons. You can learn more about his methods here.

Absolutely! We love working with beginners - there’s so much to discover and so much to gain. In fact, most of our singers are (were!) beginners who’s biggest challenge is getting over the nerves of singing in front of others. We prioritize creating an environment of positive encouragement to take risk and take moments of failure as learning opportunities rather than personal failings. You can learn more about the Studio’s methods here.

Forward Voice Studio teaches singers from teens to senior citizens. We occasionally work with singers younger than 13 years old, but this is on a case-by-case basis. While students younger than 13 certainly benefit from taking private voice lessons, Forward Voice Studio’s methods are built around self motivation and is best suited for older kids and adults.

Absolutely - take a look at testimonials to hear exactly how.

You’ll see results from some of the exercises right away, but typically the skills you build in exercises take a little longer to make their way into singing songs (6-8 weeks). This depends on how much you’re singing, what kind of awareness you have of the muscles of your throat, and, most importantly, how frequently and efficiently you practice in between lessons. The rule of thumb is that it takes about 1.5-2 years of regular practice to get comfortable with the fundamentals, then another few years to master them. However, this depends on a lot of factors and can vary widely person to person.

During your free Discovery Call, you and Alex will discuss your goals, challenges, and what the next best steps are for you in your vocal training. It’s a chance for you and Alex to get to know each other before diving into the intricacies of training. You can book your free Discovery Call here.

Somatic Voicework™ (The LoVetri Method) is a body-based, science-driven vocal pedagogy designed to foster healthy vocal function across all music styles. It emphasizes singing as a holistic, physical experience, integrating traditional pedagogy with voice medicine, speech-language pathology, and movement to help singers develop awareness and control of their voices. Developed by master teacher Jeannette Louise (Jeanie) LoVetri, this methodology stands out as a practical, open-ended system for training the whole person—mind, body, and emotions. You can learn more about the method here.

Some do and some don’t. There is a trend right now of more and more taking lessons. Take a look at this interview with Billie Eilish about her work with my mentor, Doug Peck.

It depends on your experience and your goals. If you’re a total beginner, you will get the most out of your training by practicing however frequently it fits into your schedule. If that’s 10 minutes, 3 days a week, great! At the start, it’s all about deepening your awareness of the sensations of singing. The vocal folds are tiny (about the width of your pinky finger), so in order to make changes and control them you have to first develop a deep sense of what it feels like to sing. Typically, though, the more you practice, the faster you’ll see results.

Forward Voice Studio currently only has the capacity to teach lessons online via Zoom. But don’t worry - you get the same high quality lesson with the convenience of being able to take lessons anywhere! And this isn’t just a sales pitch - Alex also takes online lessons from his mentors who live in New York and Los Angeles, so you can rest assured he practices what he preaches! Learn about how to sign up.

Yes! Zoom sound settings have come a long way since the early days of Covid. I even take an occasional voice lesson with my mentors in LA and NYC via Zoom, so you can rest assured that I practice what I preach! As far as tech, it’s best to take lessons on a laptop. However, many people take them on their tablets or phones and have no issues. The benefit of the laptop is that you can record lessons directly to your computer, which is a great resource for practicing in between lessons.

It depends. At Forward Voice Studio, lessons start at $130, however the more frequently you take lessons, the better value you get per-lesson. You can see the different membership options at this link. Part of the process of signing up involves identifying your goals and advising a frequency to help you achieve those goals, and custom lesson packages can be made-for-you to fit your budget. Book a free Voice Lesson Consultation and we can talk about how voice lessons can fit in to whatever budget you have.

Someone who is kind, knowledgeable, patient, friendly, and still willing to push you to new heights. Learning to sing often involves being vulnerable, and your singing teachers should make you feel comfortable enough to take risks without fear of judgement. The right fit is important - if your singing teacher makes you feel bad about yourself or says things like “I’m not your therapist,” think twice before signing up. (Note: Most singing teachers are not qualified to be therapists but should be equipped with enough empathy and coaching skills to facilitate the emotional introspection needed for personal growth).

Forward Voice Studio teaches basic vocal function that for beginners is applicable to any style of singing. Part of the Studio’s methods involve guiding you to create your own personal taste and style (you can learn more about that here). The Studio offers advanced stylistic training in belting and legit musical theatre and classical styles.

Get started by booking a free Discovery Call at this link. You can learn more about some of our different packages by visiting this “How to Sign Up” page.

Forward Voice Studio most commonly works with three different types of people: 1) beginners with no experience singing or taking voice lessons. 2) people rekindling an old passion and wanting to refresh their technique before singing in front of others 3) high school teens who are serious students and preparing for auditions for musicals at school and beyond. A common tie among all of our singers is the internal fire to be their best and perform with confidence.