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Want to start to learn to sing, but worried about having to sing in front of vocal coaches or take lessons in person?
Online singing lessons can solve a lot of problems for aspiring singers, they’re usually cheaper than private lessons, and they take a lot of the anxiety and embarrassment out of starting to sing in front of a stranger. It doesn’t matter if you start out as flat as a pancake if the only person to hear it is yourself.
Music courses in guitar, drums, and other instruments have actually grown a lot faster than singing courses. It is only in recent years that some online singing lessons have reached a stage where they can really transform your ability.
In this guide, we break down five of the best options for online vocal lessons to take you from a pure amateur to a competent or even a professional singer level.
Singeo – A Growing Course From a Great Brand
Singeo is a great beginner course made by Musora
Singeo is brought to you by the same team behind other online courses such as Drumeo. Drumeo is incredibly in-depth, and while Singeo hasn’t grown to the same sort of levels yet, it is a brilliant course for beginners and we expect the content on the platform to grow to the same sort of levels as other Musora courses.
Singeo 7-Day Free Trial
Singeo is split into 10 simple lessons within a curriculum, and also has a huge database of over 100 songs, which you can change in pitch to suit your own vocal register.
Lisa Witt is the lead voice and tutor, and she has a background of more contemporary or “pop” singing. Lisa is a big character and her charisma is great for keeping you motivated through the course, as there are often times when you might want to quit, like any hobby.
The song selection is fantastic, and there is something for everyone in there. This means there’s plenty of opportunity to explore new genres and styles with different vocal coaches.
Singeo manages to incorporate a human element that not every singing course manages to, as the course includes live Q&A sessions, and the vast majority of your questions get answered by Lisa and the team.
In terms of the price, annual membership is $127, or you can pay monthly for $12 per month. Though the course doesn’t have as much material as some others, this is a really reasonable price and there is even a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- The course is logically-planned and great for beginners to build up a basic knowledge and level of skill.
- You can get real feedback from your tutors and the course leaders.
- Lessons are taught by charismatic teachers to keep you engaged.
Cons:
- The course isn’t complete yet, we definitely expect there to be a lot more added to the course. The full curriculum is not currently on the site.
Read our full review of Singeo here.
Udemy – Beginner Singing Course For Men
A short and sweet beginner course for male singing registers
If you really just want to delve into the very basics then this sort of course can help you no end. It doesn’t have a huge amount of learning resources, but it does focus on taking you from an absolute beginner to someone who can really sing.
The course promises “no fluff” and we can certainly vouch for that. It dives straight into the good stuff, and while there’s only around an hour of video, it is all filled with valuable insight if you have a male vocal range. You’ll likely watch it time and time again and go through the exercises.
Course leader Adam Mishan is a famous singer in his own right, and he even lets people who take the course get involved in singing competitions on his YouTube channel. So, there’s the chance for some exposure once you’ve built your confidence.
As well as the video course, Adam Mishan has clearly gone to some effort to connect with those who sign up for the course. There are MP3 lessons you can download to practice singing anywhere (we recommend the car).
There’s a community, too. It takes the form of a Discord server and while it isn’t as active as some of the bigger courses, it is great to connect with others.
Adam promotes the course as being for total beginners. You really don’t need any existing knowledge to give it a go.
Pros:
- Works even if you are a total beginner, you don’t need any pre-existing knowledge.
- Learn the foundations of singing and build your confidence.
- Downloadable resources that you can take out and about anywhere with you.
Cons:
- Not a huge base of video lessons. For instance, there’s only a fraction of the learning materials of Singeo.
- Those who already have a basic knowledge of singing might not learn as much as true beginners.
The Vocalist Studio – A Range of Vocal Courses
Specialized vocal courses from a professional singer
The Vocalist Studio offers something a little bit different when compared to some of the other courses. Rather than being a case of buying a course as a one-off or a monthly membership, it is split into a variety of different courses with their own specializations.
This makes it a good option if you are the sort of person who already knows a bit about singing, and just wants to enhance your knowledge.
There is an introductory course, which is definitely the place to start. The Four Pillars of Singing Hardcopy & eBook costs $179 and has been enjoyed by an estimated 10,000 people to date. If you want to add the full online course, it is another $199. These are one-off costs, though, so you will retain access once you’ve spent rather than have to pay monthly.
From here, you can go on to enjoy many other courses by founder and expert singer Robert Lunte, whose method has helped hundreds, if not thousands, learn how to sing.
Other courses include “Belting in the Head Voice” and there are even courses that have been repackaged into different languages. If you’re a German or Italian and you aren’t that comfortable being taught in English, that isn’t a problem.
Pros:
- A 14-day money-back guarantee.
- 616 Page book to keep referring back to.
- Loads of great vocal exercises and expert knowledge and insight.
Cons:
- Much more expensive than some other courses, especially if you want both the book and the online course, which can cost almost $400 with shipping.
30 Day Singer – Introductory Course with an Entourage Cast
Learn to sing in a variety of styles
One of the things that we really like about this course is the fact that it covers all the basics in a short time (it couldn’t really be called the 30 day singer otherwise) but it also has space to grow.
The first part is the 30 day beginner course which provides you with all the foundational knowledge you need before you start to introduce more advanced techniques. It aims to prepare you to get to the point where you could do a simple performance.
Next, you can dive into style studies, showing you how some of your favorite singers do things! This is a great way to learn to sing like Bowie or Adele! There’s a really eclectic list of singers to focus on.
In the third part (this will be long after 30 days) you can focus on things like belting out your voice, breathing techniques, harmonies, and more. The advanced vocal techniques taught take you to the next level.
Then, it’s time for the “performance training” part of the course, which even covers things like pre-show nerves.
Your membership also includes smaller chunks of courses made by some guest instructors such as Reagan James from The Voice. You’ll learn from multiple great musicians.
In terms of the cost, it can work out expensive if you pay monthly, at $29.95, but a yearly membership is $129 – much more reasonable at just over £10 a month.
Pros:
- Lots of learning materials for the price including video lessons.
- Learn multiple singing styles and build on a foundational knowledge of singing.
Cons:
- Not much interactive content.
- No progress saving as you go through the course.
Masterclass – Christina Aguilera Teaches Singing
Learn from one of the modern greats
Masterclass has grown at an impressive rate in the last couple of years, and it is an amazing way to improve virtually any skill you can think of. Including singing.
The platform has everyone from Aaron Sorkin to Gordon Ramsay teaching their own craft, but those who want to learn how to sing can greatly enjoy the course put together with Christina Aguilera.
Though this might not be the most comprehensive course on the market, it can certainly prove very helpful for those who want to break into singing, particularly if you have career aspirations.
This course doesn’t just focus on technique and style (though there is a fair amount of that) it also focuses on other aspects of show business and building your confidence, and recognizing your own strengths and weaknesses as a performer.
Aguilera is able to share tips from the very top of the industry, and whatever you think of the songs she performs, this certainly shows an incredible professionalism when it comes to performance.
There are almost four hours of videos in the course, and it is easy to digest. There’s even an app for watching it on your Smart TV.
The pricing is a little bit unusual here. Masterclass works a little bit like a Netflix subscription. You don’t pay for the individual courses or videos on the platform, you join as a yearly membership. The cost is $180 per year.
Now, for just the Christina Aguilera course, we’d say it works out pricey, but Masterclass has over 100 different courses. You can learn how to do other things you have always wanted to, or just boost your cooking skills.
Pros:
- Access to lots of other courses included, many of which are music lessons.
- Excellent video access to watch how a real professional singer does her thing.
Cons:
- Not as in-depth as other courses with no lessons other than video lessons.
- Expensive if you aren’t going to take advantage of other Masterclass lessons.
Conclusion – Pick The Right Lessons For You
There’s not a “one size fits all” solution here, and as you can see from our list, singing courses vary greatly in terms of what they cover.
The art of singing is so varied. If you were to have private singing lessons, any teacher will tell you that there is not just one simple way to learn how to sing.
Much of the foundational knowledge such as breathing and understanding pitch is the same, but actually, it’s important that you develop your own style and learn about things like genre. Many of the courses on our list allow you to dive into developing your own vocal quirks and confidence, so you can become the type of singer you dream of.
FAQs
Are online singing lessons as good as in-person/private singing lessons?
A lot of people are concerned about whether singing lessons online are as effective. They certainly can be, but the only downside is that you need to judge your own singing rather than have a tutor to do this for you. It helps to record yourself and utilize any community features your course might have.
A major benefit, however, is the fact that you are no longer confined to teachers available in your geographical area, but can choose amongst thousands of coaches and courses from all around the world, which makes it a lot easier to find one that suits your personal needs.
Can I learn to sing online for free?
There are a lot of free resources out there including different articles and YouTube channels dedicated to helping you learn how to sing, but to get a full and succinct course it is usually worth parting with some money and getting the added features such as an online community and even interactive lessons. These aren’t usually available with free lessons.
Free lessons are a great way to get started though. If you are a total beginner and not really sure if singing is the right thing for you, then a free course might be the right option. If after a while you do decide that you want to stick with it and learn more, then you should invest some money in a proper course – be it online or in person.
What do I need for online singing lessons?
That largely depends on the type of lesson you are having, but one thing you will surely need is a high speed internet connection. It will not only be frustrating, but also hinder your progress if the video you’re watching is freezing all the time, and it will be even worse if you are having one on one lessons with a real vocal coach.
A good microphone would be useful as well, as you will want to record yourself in order to monitor your progress and check for mistakes you might be making- and it’s even more important if you are having one on one lessons with a teacher.
Lastly, a good pair of headphones – not really necessary, but they will help you pick up on details in your voice and singing that you would not catch with speakers or low quality headphones.