My 40th birthday is coming up and I promised myself I was going to rock forty! Then I asked myself, how I can rock 40? I can barely even belt out my favorite songs in the shower, let alone a simple stanza of Amazing Grace in church, without getting an oxygen treatment. I needed to learn how to breathe again, like I did when I sang in choir. After reading the post in our Tried and Tested group for Voice Lessons to Go, I jumped at the opportunity.
Ariella Vaccarino, the creator of Voice Lessons to Go, is a trained opera singer, vocal coach, and mother of three. She offers a choice of 4 different levels of Vocal Assessments. The price of these assessments, range from $9.99 to $39.99. You simply record yourself singing a song. You then email Ariella an mp3 or link of that recording, along with any questions. Within a week she gives you her assessment. She has a set of training CD’s that she will recommend to you for your level of expertise. Even better she is going to recommend what you need, not push a sale.
You don’t want to sing professionally. You don’t want to be on American Idol. So why would you want to try these lessons. Well, have you ever felt led to join the church choir? Do you avoid going out for a fun night with friends, being to chicken to get up and sing Karaoke? Twelve years ago I wanted to sing in our church choir. I was in my late 20’s and had forgotten the tap, baton, piano, and other hated lessons that I was drug to weekly as a child. I, with my amnesia, stupidly asked my mom for help. She excitedly stood me next to the family piano and proceeded to play scales for me to sing. Upon finishing my scales she told me I sounded like a howling dog. She then turned into one of those beauty queen tyrant mothers you see on the Life or Oxygen TV network movies. I barely escaped before the hairspray was unleashed to tease my hair into a huge bouffant fit for a tiara. Devastated, I told my friend Cara about my experience. Cara was a great singer who had vocal training. She convinced me to try Karaoke, knowing I was still feeling led to try out for choir. Cara used her musical training to make my public “voice lessons” fun. A few weeks later I tried out for the choir and made it. I was a “howling” soprano. So you are wondering, Lisa why are you telling me this life story of yours? Simple, I had to do publicly what Voice Lessons to Go offers you in the complete privacy of your own home.
Twelve years later with a C-section, and a five month old, I am stepping out again to sing aloud. I recorded my voice and emailed it to Voice Lessons to Go for their “Mini Lesson”. Ariella listened to my voice and gave me an honest assessment. Guess what, I can sing! I may not be the next Mary J. Blige or Norah Jones, but I can sing in the choir loft with a few lessons to whip me back in shape. In the comment section below I have placed excerpts from the assessment that Ariella gave me. You can see for yourself what to expect for you or your child if you decide to try the assessment portion of Voice Lessons to Go.
Why would you want to consider trying this program?
- With the top end assessment and all the CD’s it will cost you $80. This includes warm ups, breathing, pitch training, scales, proper vowels, and stamina. Budget wise this beats the pricey amount you pay for hourly lessons. Plus you do not have to drive to and from the lesson or schedule lessons around your work and school. Vocal training is now on your time schedule.
- You can use the CD’s anywhere.
- No piano or other instrument is necessary and you don’t need to read sheet music. Everything is on the CD’s. Ariealla has also created a separate set of lessons called Vocalize. This is geared towards those who do read sheet music. The Vocalize program can be used by piano teachers, vocal coaches, and choir directors for training students and choir members.
- You can buy the CD’s you want and not do the vocal assessment. The program is a la carte.
- No one has to know you are trying to become the next American Idol or just want to show up the local karaoke know it all microphone hog.
- Your whole family can use the Voice Lessons to Go and you could be the Von Trapp family keeping the coastal empire alive with the sound of music.
- You can score perfect on Rock Band.
- FREE SHIPPING!
I have to admit it was fun recording the vocal assessment. I picked the best song ever. I love to sing this song to my smiling baby girl. What song did I pick? “Danke Schoen”, the Wayne Newton version. Yes you can laugh, that is the point of music. Music makes us laugh, cry, and dance around like crazy little monkeys.
As I say to each their own. I would recommend this to every Hip Coastal Mommy for all the reasons above and more. Even if you are a professional singer, these CD’s are wonderful to use as a warm up on the way to an audition. The Voice Lessons to Go CD’s are a great economical gift for children and grandchildren who want to learn to sing. For us Hip Coastal Mommies, maybe using these CD's to be able hang with our kids on Rock Band or join the choir would be great. As for Karaoke, now being at the hot new age of 40, I am of the opinion Karaoke should be sung loud and off key, just for fun.