A client insists on an unsuitable vocal technique. How do you handle it?
When a client insists on using a vocal technique that may not be suitable, it's crucial to guide them towards a healthier approach without causing friction. Here’s how you can address this:
- Explain the risks: Clearly outline the potential harm the unsuitable technique could cause to their vocal health.
- Offer alternatives: Suggest other techniques that align with their goals but are safer and more effective.
- Demonstrate results: Show the positive outcomes of using the recommended techniques through examples or exercises.
How do you handle challenging client preferences in vocal coaching? Share your strategies.
A client insists on an unsuitable vocal technique. How do you handle it?
When a client insists on using a vocal technique that may not be suitable, it's crucial to guide them towards a healthier approach without causing friction. Here’s how you can address this:
- Explain the risks: Clearly outline the potential harm the unsuitable technique could cause to their vocal health.
- Offer alternatives: Suggest other techniques that align with their goals but are safer and more effective.
- Demonstrate results: Show the positive outcomes of using the recommended techniques through examples or exercises.
How do you handle challenging client preferences in vocal coaching? Share your strategies.
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"Unsuitable vocal technique" according to whom? It can "ruin a song," according to whom? What is wrong with allowing a client to experiment with questionable vocal timbres on any song? What is the 'unsuitable' technique? A hard rock growl in which you don't possess the knowledge on how to do it correctly, to keep their voice safe? Then direct them to a vox teacher who's skilled at that technique. They're out there. What is the client wanting to express, by using the technique? Their form of vocal artistic expression is important. As long as the safety of their vocal health is at the forefront, there's nothing wrong with a client experimenting with various vocal techniques. Support them. Encourage them to express safely. However that sounds.
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Using an unsuitable vocal technique can ruin a song, harm your singing voice, might not match the music, and throw another person's performance off. If the person insist on doing this explain to them why it doesn't work. Show them other versions of the song that are different than the technique they want to use and explain to them why these techniques work better. Explain the history of the song and why the song is sung in the other techniques. Try to get them to maybe use that technique in another song by giving choices of where that technique might work better. Ask them why they want to use the technique and give them good reasons why it doesn't work with that specific song. Provide better choices of techniques and show them why it works.
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Very often it is better to redirect the attention by giving some repertoire solvable with the suitable technique we want them to find being better and not with the unsustainable option, usually when they get back to the song the fixed badly they are not satisfied anymore by the worst option.
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Obviously this question really depends on context, but for the most part, we typically damage our voices from sustained and long term abuse. Ensuring your client uses their voice in a variety of healthy ways to help balance out any questionable use is a solid way forward. I have seen the most “scientific” techniques lead to vocal damage in young students so muscular balance and flexibility is imperative.
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