Learning Musical Theatre as an Adult

It’s never too late to start singing lessons for beginner adults and learning musical theatre is no exception! It is a very unique style of singing, almost blending influences of pop and opera as well as exceptional acting to bring the stories to life. If you have just started your singing lessons for beginner adults, you may be have been inspired by famous musical theatre productions such as ‘Cats’, ‘Wicked’, ‘Les Miserables’ and many more, which is great, but it can also be a bit daunting from a perspective of a novice or someone who is used to a different singing style. In this article, we will break down everything you can expect from your musical theatre singing lessons.

What is different about musical theatre?

While other musical genres might have the song itself as the hero, in musical theatre, the song is an extension of storyline and lyrics. This isn’t to say that it doesn’t take exceptional skill and dexterity to sing musical theatre, but rather that it’s just as important to properly enunciate and act out the lyrics and even have good dancing skills. Good miking technique will also be important for when you are ready to take the stage. Musical theatre songs can vary from spoken word to big, almost operatic ballads. The good news is, that this broad range of singing styles allows you to pick songs that are perfectly suited to the level you’re currently at, so anyone can get started with learning everything they need to know about performing in this genre.

Stamina and vocal maintenance

Musical theatre stars are no strangers to performing almost every night of the week. This kind of schedule highlights the importance of mastering your vocal technique and proper vocal maintenance to ensure your vocal cords can keep up with a demanding and strenuous diary. As you embark on your musical theatre singing lessons for beginner adults, your teacher will develop your voice, while ensuring you don’t overstrain or risk damaging it. This style of singing is fantastic for learning how to sustain impressive belts, having a controlled and varied dynamic range, while being comfortable enough to focus on the artistic performance of the song and keeping your vocal cords healthy, lesson after lesson.

That characteristic belt

Belting is a technique commonly used in musical theatre, where the singer combines their top and bottom voice to produce a sound that is dynamic, full of energy and can almost sound like yelling. If you haven’t got a background in singing, achieving a good belting sound that flows freely without straining or sounding nasal can be difficult, but the truth is, we are all born with a natural belting voice. That loud, shouty sound that new-borns make is very similar to a vocal belt – it is unrestrained and open, but as we learn to sing, we learn to control it a bit more to fit the song. So, if you’re worried you don’t have enough vocal power just yet, don’t be! You can already belt, and you’ve been doing that from the very early stages of your life, your vocal coach will just show you how to tap into it and learn to use it in a song.

Don’t let your excuses stop you

A common issue that we see in our singing lessons for beginner adults is a lack of confidence that may completely deter you from pursuing your passion. Learning to sing as an adult is a little different, as you are likely to have other commitments, you may think it’s too late to learn and that you will not achieve great results since you are starting later on in life. We are here to tell you this is not true at all! Plenty of successful artists started later than usual, for example, Sheryl Crow who didn’t record her debut album until she was 30. Or Bill Withers, who also didn’t release music until he was in his 30s. Plenty more artists found success in mid-30s, such as Leonard Cohen and Andrea Bocelli and also Susan Boyle who was 48 when she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent! Now imagine if all of these incredible artists had let their age hold them back. Furthermore, you would never tell someone it’s too late to get in shape or learn something new and singing is no different. If you feel the need to express yourself musically, don’t overthink it – give it a try and learn to love the process of learning and growing, you never know where it may take you.

Singing lessons for beginner adults – what to expect

At London Singing Institute, we want you to enjoy your singing lessons for beginner adults. If you have never attended one, it can be a little intimidating as you may not know what to expect. The most important thing is to keep an open mind, trust the learning process and don’t take yourself too seriously – just have fun with it. Your vocal coach will help you understand and identify the positive characteristics about your voice (and trust us, everyone has them) as well as areas that you need to improve on so your vocal can become the best version of itself. Keep in mind that while you have many vocalists that you admire, you are unlikely to sound exactly like them and that’s the beauty of it! Each of us have a different voice, which is the precise reason we fall in love with our favourite artists and their unique characteristics, so it’s crucial that you discover your own and learn to embrace them. Last but not least, if you do want to progress faster, it’s important to have a good practice routine so you can implement everything you learn in your lesson. Above everything else, musical theatre singing is about being able to let go and tell a story through song, so as long as you have the passion and the drive to learn and embrace the different characters in this style, you will certainly see yourself progress in no time!

Don’t forget, if you are unable to travel to us, we also offer online singing lessons from wherever you are in the world! It’s now easier than ever to learn with an expert vocal coach from the comfort of your own home. Travel is no longer an issue, so you can make the most of your free time by learning with one of our experienced vocal instructors.

For further information about our musical theatre lessons for adults, please visit our website: www.londonsinginginstitute.co.uk