Top 5 Benefits of Voice Lessons for 6th-12th graders!

Back to school means the end of another great summer with the kids, and the start of the school year that just seems to get busier each year. Students have the option to choose from what feels like thousands of options for activities; its hard to find the perfect one for them and even harder to find time to support them in it.  We might be just a bit biased, but we think voice lessons are THE BEST activity your child can add to their curriculum- especially since they can be done virtually on a busy day!  Below are 5 of our favorite reasons to get kids involved in voice lessons. 
​
​Improved test scores  
Dr. Kyle Pruett, clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, says “People who have had formal musical training tend to be pretty good at remembering information stored in memory.”  Who knew that you could train for the SAT/ACT away from a book and desk while having fun doing it?
 
Encourages collaboration and communication skills 
Singers rarely perform alone.  Typically, they collaborate with a pianist, guitarist or another instrumentalist/vocalist.  This act of collaboration practices the social skills required to communicate effectively with someone.  I have seen high school students make tremendous strides in their communication and their listening ability by taking just a few private voice lessons.
 
It teaches discipline
They say that practice makes perfect, but I have learned that practice makes permanent. What you practice with your voice will become second nature.  Practicing also requires a bit of a self-starting attitude, as sometimes it isn’t fun at first.  I define Finely Tuned as "making precise adjustments for optimal performance."   Once a student internalizes how to Finely Tune their voice in lessons, they can then apply these same principles to other activities in their lives.  We also post some of our favorite practice exercises on our YouTube page so students can access for free whenever they would like. 
 
It promotes self awareness 
Let’s face it…what student at this age couldn’t benefit from a little bump up in their self-awareness? These can be trying years, but learning how to sing creates self-awareness by noticing and recognizing how you create specific sounds using your body.
 
It forces the brain to work harder
A singer must use many parts of the brain to create their art.  They are constantly internalizing notes, words, and rhythms, all while trying to convey a message. This is multi-tasking at its finest! The focus required to take a private voice lesson forces a student to be engaged the whole time, as opposed to hiding in a class with 30 other people as so many high school students do in band or chorus classes.  The private attention a young singer will get in a voice lesson is different than just about any other activity out there and is often highlighted by the students as their favorite part of lessons.  
 
The Bottom line: Taking private voice lessons not only allows students to pursue a hobby, but also helps them develop habits that are applicable to everything they do in life. Voice lessons are a terrific after school activity (an added bonus of no commute if you take lessons online)! Visit our Voice Lessons page to learn more about our approach. 

About Finely Tuned Voice Lessons:
Finely Tuned Voice Lessons (FTVL) is a private music studio located in Mercer County, NJ and online anywhere with internet! Our studio offers 5-star rated private voice lessons to singers of all ages and abilities, with a special emphasis on middle school and high school students. You can learn more about about our voice studio by visiting our website, sending us at an email at [email protected].