Voice Resources
On this page you will find required materials for voice lessons here at Promethean Studios and various other resources for the voice as well. The resources on this page are specifically for the voice, more generic resources (music stores, recording studios, etc) are listed here. At the time this information was entered, all links worked and products listed were available. For information purposes only; we won't post resources when we know there might be any sort of problem with a product, business, or person listed but please check out the reliability, appropriateness, and reputation of any recommendation you plan to use.
Please have these for your Lessons
- An instrument in fair condition - I guess you’re good there.
- 3 ring binder - with loose-leaf paper and pockets for holding handouts.
- Pencil - Erasable, colored pencils are best.
- Manuscript paper (music paper, staff paper) - Click here and print 5 sheets of ‘medium music paper, treble clef only’, bring them to your lesson. (If you’re a male classical singer, download and bring ‘medium music paper, bass clef only). Feel free to download any of the other types of music paper you want and your friends can, too. For assignments and written exercises.
- 5 GB flash drive or larger - suggestions and details below.
- Download Audacity (optional) – details below.
- Recordings or CDs of accompaniments (karaoke) - the originals for 5 songs of your choice, suggestions and details below.
- Classical students - will need the sheet music for their songs.
- Download the lyrics for the 5 (pop) songs you’re working on - suggestions and details below.
More details and resources
- Pencil - Musicians write with pencils because they make changes to their music and make frequent notations on the pages. Erasable, colored pencils are best.
- 5 GB flash drive (or larger) - To record your lesson, when you begin each lesson, give your flash drive to your instructor and they'll record your lessons. Be sure and take the drive with you when you leave and listen to it in your computer the day of or the day after your lesson. This will give you a way to review the lesson and give your instructor a way to send demonstrations of technique or songs home with you. If you'll review your lesson each week, you'll progress about 5 to 10% faster.
- Audacity - Also, if you'd like to get a even more out of some of your own practices, download Audacity, a free computer-based recording program. It does many great things to help you practice; people even make professional albums with it. You can change the pitch of your song, record yourself, record yourself singing with your song, or isolate sections of songs for practice. Many good things.
- Metronome - At this moment you don't need a metronome for lessons. But you will eventually (in 2 to 4 months) need a pitch device (piano, keyboard, guitar) and a counting device for the inevitable special exercise or two that you'll be doing. The minimum to fulfill this would be a metronome and a guitar or keyboard. A little home keyboard with rhythms and metronomic markings is more fun than a metronome. If you buy a metronome here's some resources: Apps for iphone – Tempo Advance is the best - $4. For Android, Tempo - $2. Standalone metronomes: Planet Waves PW-MT-02 ($15), Korg MA-1 ($20-25). Use the metronome whenever possible. It will develop your sense of rhythm and counting; equally important, it will show you where you should be practicing. Students who practice with metronomes or rhythm machines will also progress about 5 to 10 percent faster.
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Recordings or CDs of accompaniments (karaoke) and the original for 5 songs
of your choice - within these guide lines: 1) No songs where violence, drugs, cursing, or
sex figure largely, 2) No songs where what you like about the song is
how hard it is – for now. Just pick songs you think are cool. Also
known as backing tracks - the music plays, there is no singer and YOU
SING. These are available on the internet through YouTube and at iTunes.
- The quality of lessons is better if the instructor is not playing the piano and can concentrate fully on your singing. These backing tracks come in a wide variety, classical to metal. You can put the karaokes and originals on your flash drive if you like. Sheet music for these songs is useful, but definitely not required. You will work through 1-2 songs per month, and will need to keep a steady supply of cool songs available, as we learn the old ones.
- Download the lyrics for the 5 songs (pop) you’re working on (suggestions and details below). Go to Google, type in your song and the word “Lyrics”. Copy the lyrics into a document and double space the lines. You will use this to create a ‘map’ to work on your song.
- Vocal Exercises - Provided by the studio. These essential exercises that will develop the voice's range and resonance.
More voice resources
Broadway
- Internet Broadway Database - http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=4804
Opera
- Opera base - http://operabase.com/index.cgi?lang=en
- Opera Glass - http://opera.stanford.edu/main.html\
For more information on vocal lessons, contact Promethean Studios!