This is for the teachers here. Do you teach voices other than your own? By that I am asking if the female teachers here teach tenors and basses and vice versa. If so how did you acquire your knowledge of suitable repertoire and do you find it easy teaching material of which you don't have first hand knowledge? I tend to teach boy trebles and ladies of all ages. I have had a few successes over the years with gentlemen who wanted to be able to sing in tune but generally I don't teach what I haven't, or cannot sing myself. Just curious.

I'm probably a bit of a misfit because the problems I've had have meant I've sung all four parts at one time or another so have become acquainted to the repertoire for each one. I have to confess that I feel more successful teaching upper voices rather than lower voices, but part of that is personal preference. The two singing teachers I got on best with were female; I the male one and I just never 'gelled.'

Saying that though, I've only had three male students over 7 years and very few, if any, enquiries. Two of them did quite well and made good progress but both went to university after 6 months (admittedly to dance college and acting school) and the other was got rid of quite quickly as he was a bit odd (and made me feel very uncomfortable) and ended up in prison a few years later for interfering with the boys in his choir

David

As I teach vocal technique rather than repertoire, I do teach all voices, but strangely enough, I have a majority of guys in my studio - I only have about ten ladies, I don't know why, though.

Perhaps your no-nonsense rather technical approach appeals more to guys?
(just a thought)

I am similar to petrat... trebles and ladies and girls. I have had enquiries from men...when I taught in a church hall I turned them away as I was alone and felt unsafe. But would try now. Have been thinking about it too as I half teach my son whose voice has broken but I have a friend who includes singing in his piano lesson...as I felt unqualified. I talk to my son about his voice as am intrigued...the technique is surely the same but wheras I can demonstrate a head voice and chest voice to my pupils , can I to a broken voice...and does it feel the same...all you men out there...does it?

I teach all voices, but men are in the minority. I only have two basses, one baritone and four tenors. As for repertoire - yes my knowledge of it is more limited than for female voices and trebles, but I gain experience by attending festivals and listening to recordings. I also have my mentor who still teaches at Trinity and has vast experience, and her partner who is a tenor and teaches all male voices to ask advice from, both vocally and repertoire-wise (? ).
I'm always looking for and teaching new repertoire anyway - things I haven't come across before - so it's not really any different. you just have to get to know it.

The mind totally boggles, here, David!

What are the "problems" you've had, then? Are they medical?

so do men have a head voice and how does it feel.

Yes they do, and, although I haven't felt it personally it is so named because the resonances are felt in the head.

Might well be the case. Who knows? The ladies I do have seem to sing either exclusively classical, or RnB oddly enough - nothing in between. I have a much wider range of guys (Jazz, metal, classical, musical theatre etc).



Yup. It works differently from the female one though. Technically it's singing on the thin edges of the vocal folds (easily found with a light crying sound) - but people refer to it as head voice, like AnnC says, because the resonance is often felt in the head area.

I don't intend going in to detail on a public forum, and I know some people know already; suffice to say the problems were psychological, so not really sure they can be called 'medical'

I think you'll find psychiatry is generally regarded as a branch of medicine. Anyway, as you say, probably enough detail already. Just lay off the soya milk if you don't want to find yourself hitting those top Cs...

Yes I do teach men. The only voice I won't touch is the Counter-tenor, which I feel needs a specialist.

I might have good flautino technique and be able to blend that into head voice, but that is not the same as constantly teaching a falsettist.

As far as repertoire is concerned, I can learn things in my Soprano Voice or its lower echerlons even if the songs are meant for men.

I really don't find my s'ex a problem.

I mainly teach women although I have had a few male pupils. My experience based on a largish number of pupils is that women will practice and do their best to absorb what you tell them. Men see it as a contest

Now that is my experience in the area of NE London I teach I am perfectly prepared to believe iit is different in different areas.

That's interesting Tony, I've found the reverse to be true over here (or at least women are more likely to come up with reasons -excuses- why they can't do what I'm asking them) - the guys seem really motivated by it all. I've found that, as I work essentially with professionals, that the Women seem to come for lessons to be told how great they already are and don't really want to make the effort to change any underlying issues that are holding them back, where as the guys really want to progress.

Funny how things change in different places.