Why I Still Take Voice Lessons

/ Katie

“But why are you taking voice lessons?”

I get this question a lot. It’s usually followed by:

“You can sing.”

And, well, yes, I can. I’ve been singing for longer than I’ve been talking, or so my parents tell me, and it’s one of my favorite things in the world – to feel the music and create a moment and a memory.

But as with any skill, singing requires technique, patience, and practice, and the more diligent you are, the better you’ll become.

And I suppose that’s the simple answer to why I still take voice lessons. But I thought it would be interesting today to dig a little deeper. So, let’s get started.

I take lessons because I enjoy them.

I like learning. Even when it’s hard. Even when it knocks me down a peg. And the more I learn, the more I realize I still need to learn, and that’s exciting. Plus, I just like singing, and so it’s fun to set aside at least an hour every week that I know will be devoted to something I truly enjoy.

I take lessons because I am decidedly not an expert.

I started voice lessons when I was nine years old. I took them all throughout school, and then into college. And then I took a really long break. I decided that singing wasn’t what I wanted to do as a career, and I focused on other things. In the decade and change I wasn’t taking lessons, there were a lot of things I…well…forgot. Muscle memory fades, technique gets rusty. I’m not a bad singer, but I can be so much better, and I want to be.

I take lessons because it holds me accountable.

I’m going to tell you a shameful secret. Are you ready? Oh, God, I hate to admit it, but: I AM LAZY. Like, really, I’m terrible at deadlines, I really like naps, and I’m not great at motivating myself. I do it, and I work hard, but it’s a challenge. Having a teacher (an awesome one, I might add) who can keep me accountable and help me choose the right areas to focus on is just really invaluable, and it keeps me moving forward.

I take lessons because it makes a difference.

I get a little better with every vocal warm-up. I get a little better every time I master a difficult passage in a song. With every lesson, I get better. And the better I get, the happier I am. My voice is an instrument, just like a guitar or a piano. How I take care of it, and the love I give to it, matters.

I take lessons because there is always more to learn.

I mentioned this a little earlier, but I think it deserves a few more words. I will never know everything about how to be the best singer I can be. The more I learn, the better I get, the more that world will open up to me, and the more I’ll have to learn. And I think this is applicable in life, just generally. There is always, always more to learn, and I’m pretty satisfied knowing that I’ll be a perennial student. It makes me excited, knowing that I’m just one breakthrough away from the next life-changing piece of information.

I think that covers it pretty well, but now I’m curious. I’d love to know – do you have a skill you’re still working to hone? How do you approach it? What motivates you to keep learning?

A random post for a Monday, I know, and different from my usual content, but I hope you enjoyed it!

14 thoughts on “Why I Still Take Voice Lessons”

    • Singing I can do, but I’ve always struggled to learn to play an instrument. I’ve tried both piano and guitar (and ukelele, and harmonica, and drums…), and I just don’t seem to have a knack for it. I figure in music, as in all things, everyone has different strengths. Wish I could play something to accompany myself, though.

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  3. Katie, every time I see you expressing something like this, that took many of us much longer to learn, I feel a sense of optimism in the future. Yes, of course I am still learning, and honing those skills that have made me good at so many things, in the belief one never stops learning. Sometimes it is practice with a good coach, and sometimes it is just learning how to assess one’s own skills and figure out what needs to be changed and how. “It is okay to make mistakes while learning”…and we are always learning if we are “seeking to be a more effective human being”–two of my mantras and those I tried to pass on to students. You rock…and sing. 🙂

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    • I wish there were a button for “love,” instead of just “like.” This wonderful, sweet comment made my day. 🙂 Thank you! And I love your two mantras! I think learning to make mistakes is one of the most difficult things we do as humans, and it’s a skill in and of itself. It’s a perpetual lesson, but so important and worth remembering.

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      • As are you. 🙂 I always learn new things from your posts, and I always look forward to reading them. I say often that one of my favorite things about blogging is connecting with people, and that’s certainly true in this case. I’m glad we’ve been able to connect.

        Thank you again for the kind words! I’ve been a little under the weather, and they’ve really brightened my day.

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