Learn to Sing
Thank you for joining the course! I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
Please find below some information about what to expect. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Click to jump to a section:
Overview
Programme
Online sessions
In-person sessions and directions
Accessibility
What to bring
COVID-19 safety precautions
Rescheduling
Terms and conditions
About me
Contact
Overview​
Learn to Sing is a short course in singing with 5 60-minute sessions to kickstart the voice. We will follow a plan that will help you develop your singing technique quickly over a concentrated period of time.
During the last session, you will perform a song for me and an invited guest (if you wish). This course can be done online, in-person or a combination of both.
Each session includes:
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A technical theme
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The voice gym: muscle training and awareness to develop your voice
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Scales: exercises for your sound and range
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Singing: work on your chosen song
Programme
Session 1: You and your voice
How do you want to sound? What is your style? We lay the foundation for your voice development with exercises for breathing and posture. Please bring a song or we will choose one together.
Session 2: Extend your range
We build your range with exercises to help you overcome breaks in your voice and also work musically on your song.
Session 3: Loud and soft
Learn to use dynamics to get more feeling and expression in your song. We'll also work with 3 different ways to start the tone (called 'onsets').
Session 4: Text
Singing is not just about vocals. With exercises for tongue and lips, we'll work on consonants and diction so that your message becomes emotional and clear.
Session 5: Showtime!
In this session, we'll summarise what we have learned and take the step from craft to performance. You can just sing for me or even invite a guest if you want.
Online sessions
I typically use Zoom for online sessions, but it may be possible for us to use another platform on request. Please make sure your WiFi connection is as stable as possible and that you have the latest version of Zoom. A cable is preferable to a router.
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In-person sessions and directions
My studio is located within St Michael and All Angels Church near Seven Dials. The address is:
St Michael and All Angels Church
Powis Road
Brighton
BN1 3FU
Technical requirements for online sessions
In Zoom's audio settings please check the following:
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"Automatically adjust microphone volume" is unticked
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"Suppress background noise" is low
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"Show in-meeting option to enable "Original Sound"" is ticked
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"High-fidelity music mode" is ticked
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"Echo cancellation" is ticked
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"Stereo audio" is ticked
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Please note: these settings will be slightly different for a tablet or smartphone.
Just prior to your scheduled appointment time, I will meet you at the entrance to the community garden off Powis Road (across from the red phone boxes in Powis Square) and take you through to my teaching studio.
Please note: Your in-person session can be changed to an online session on request. Please contact me in advance to arrange.
Accessibility
Unfortunately my studio is not accessible to wheelchair users. Access to the space is via a winding stone staircase, so access may also be difficult for people with mobility issues. Please let me know your access requirements in advance and I will do my best to make any reasonable adjustments for our session. There are no toilet facilities.
What to bring
Please bring two songs that you would like to work on. When thinking of songs to choose, please select something that you like and that you find easy to hum or sing along with. Keep it simple; avoid songs that have too much 'production' and elaborate arrangements - they are hard to recreate in the teaching studio.
Ideally, the songs should be brought in the form of sheet music so that I can support you during the session. You can either email me a PDF so that I can prepare or have it ready to share at the top of the session.
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A backing track is also very useful for a complete sing through of a song. If your session is online, it is best if you have a separate device in your room for playback. For in-person sessions, I have a bluetooth speaker available.
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Don't worry if any of this is not possible initially - I will be happy to advise. Just bring yourself!
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COVID-19 safety precautions
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Testing
I take a lateral flow tests regularly. If you can please do the same, that will help make the session as COVID-19 safe as possible.
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Ventilation
There is at least a 30 minute gap between clients during which I disinfect and thoroughly ventilate the studio space. I use a CO2 monitor to gauge the air quality in my studio and a Winix air purifier with HEPA filter is in continuous operation throughout the day.
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Additional information
Hand sanitiser and tissues are available.
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Please note: If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, the flu or a cold you should not attend an in-person session. Please contact me at least 24 hours in advance to reschedule or switch to an online session instead.
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Rescheduling​
If you need to postpone a booked one-to-one session, please make the request more than 24 hours before the time the session is due to begin. You can either contact me directly or create an account by clicking the 'Log in' button at the top of the page and reschedule yourself.
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Terms and conditions
Sessions cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours' notice are non-refundable. Read more about my terms and conditions.
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About me
Read more about me on my Meet Stefan page.
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Get in touch
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
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