Walking into the music studio, I’m greeted by warm smiles of parents in the waiting room, and the sound of vocal exercises and piano keys. Sean comes out to introduce himself and ushers me in and asks what my goals are...
Flashback to a week before waking up to froggy throat, as I would call it. I had a long week of clients and lots of detailed discussions and apparently, all the honey in the world wasn’t going to help me through another week. I had to look for the long-term solution. I did an online search and thought I’d give this studio a try since they had a reasonable package deal.
My goals? To learn how to use my voice with less strain. I work with clients who have facial, neck and vocal restrictions but Sean has helped me take this up a notch through the countless “Poooooooooey...ooooeey....
Those who work with me know that I have a very inquisitive mind on the mechanisms of..really...how anything works. These lessons and homework have shown me that to explore the variations and potential of your voice, there are aspects to consider like:
- The ability to activate specific facial muscles, especially around the upper corners of the lips
- Restrictions in tissue around the mandible, hyoid and back of neck
- How you shape the inside of your mouth
- Where you initiate the sound from
- Tongue position
- How your position your chest and back and the postural muscles that activate them
And mostly, how all these interplay with how you use your breath.
Sure, I enjoy that my vocal range has improved and I haven’t experienced a froggy throat for a long time but the ability to create a different sound than what I thought I was born with has been the most interesting part of this journey. And it’s a plus, that Sean’s a blast to work with as well. Patient, genuine with people, and brings humor to an otherwise potentially awkward sense of self. I highly recommend giving voice or singing lessons a go, and if you’re up for another challenge, he teaches the drums as well! Sean and his partner Van have been an incredible addition to the activities I encourage my clients to explore.
Testimonials:
“I had a lot of fun in my lesson with Sean. It’s been years since I’ve played the drums and I really enjoyed a refresher class. He was patient, good natured and if I lived in California I would definitely take lessons with him full time.” - JS
"I was pleasantly surprised that the voice lessons that I took with Sean in September 2019 helped to open my throat chakra. This allowed me to gradually express my repressed thoughts and feelings. I also enjoyed learning proper breathing and singing techniques." - LT
“He made me feel comfortable with singing in front of other people. Super easy to work with and he really has a great ear.” - JR
“I have nothing but good things you say about Sean's voice lessons. The lessons I've had with him so far have far exceeded anything I thought a typical voice lesson would be like. He listens to my needs (as I see them) and my concerns and fears about singing, and gives me guidance in a way that also makes me feel very comfortable and safe. ” - BH
#singyourheartout #voicesthatcare