„Having 100 singing students requires having to find 100 different ways to teach the same thing.“
(Marko Osterholz, „Singing Rocks!“)
Everyone can sing
Even if some people claim that they have no talent – everyone who is able to speak has everything it takes to sing. Basically, singing an innate and natural way of producing sound. In most cases it has been a matter of culture and society that separated singing from speaking. With the delicate and „risky“ nature of singing publicly it is not unusual that most many voice problems are rooted in our mindset and lack of self-confidence.
Coaching vs. Teaching
Even the great Sokrates said „… I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.“
Singing by itself is an abstract term. Everyone has a different and individual idea of how one does it and have found themselves different approaches. Therefore a good Vocal Coach or Voice Teacher needs to find various different approaches, strategies and concepts to address their students properly and add to their existing ideas (concepts of constructivism).
Voice learning methods
Vocal technique should ENABLE a student to sing better, not PREVENT them from better singing. Most singing schools teach one method. These methods themselves are not necessarily bad of useless. But in order to distinguish this method there are a number of rules that need to be applied in order to gain better results. Everything that does not correspond to these rules need to be „corrected“.
Accordingly, a student learns to sing by the rules of this method – regardless if this is something they wanted in the first place, regardless their prior vocal abilities, regardless of their understanding of their voice, regardless of their stylistic and artistic development. At the end of the day, students often are not able to distinguish between the physical mechanisms the create and modify their sound, timbre and tone and the rules of the method they have learnt.
Vocal coaching should never be a choice of personal taste or style
A good vocal coach or voice teacher will not rate of judge the way you choose your personal style. Everything you incorporate into your singing by your own choice is an artistic element and therefore out of the question. However, an evaluation of technical and stylistic choices is imperative for your learning and singing progress. What effect is used to which degree… where… and how often…? Which resonance strategy works best in what context…? etc.
Singing Art vs. Voice Science
Unfortunately, there has been a huge misunderstanding when discussing the singing voice. When talking about musical genre, repertoire, style, etc. this clearly falls under the category of Singing Art; as opposed to discussions about voice production and modification are the field of voice science. If a singer has problems attaining high notes effortlessly, a voice teacher should be able to identify and address that problem and find exercises that help the singer. In that case, stylistic approaches would not help and only cause frustration and most commonly make the singer question their talent rather than the methods of the voice teacher.
There is no „wrong“
(unless it actually is hurtful to the voice). Way too often, voice teachers „correct“ minor inconsistencies or mini flaws that may not even be relevant to the exercise that you are working with. Exercises only make sense if you know what they are for and what the goal is. It might as well be okay to sing a few notes out of tune when the exercise addresses the coordination of the crico-thyroid-muscles or your resonance strategy etc.
No singer, vocal coach or voice teacher has ever mastered everything
Although some claim they can sing everything themselves and also teach everything to anyone… this would rather be a case of delusion of grandeur than of expertise. Besides the complex mechanisms and interactions of cartilages, muscles and tissue to attain and modify a clean tone, there are the fields of style and musical gerne, didactics and pedagogy, learning psychology and neurology, performance considerations, personal biases, etc.
In other words – find someone you are comfortable working with, someone who understands your ideas, your goals and someone who challenges you become better!
Marko is a deeply caring and highly skilled voice teacher who is devoted to teaching the whole artist – body, mind, and soul. He is an excellent singer and rock singer, but more than that he has a great understanding of vocal pedagogy as a whole. He also has a wonderful appreciation of the psychological components of singing and performing. Beyond his knowledge and abilities, Marko is open-minded, generous, and kind. I highly recommend him!
(Marko is) a highly qualified collegue in the field of voice, who is able to convey valuable knowledge to us voice therapists. I receive precious advice and new impulses for my therapy sessions and I am totally looking forward to our next seminar.
After just 2 voice lessons with Marko I had way more endurance on stage and the sound of my voice had grown significantly. But not only is Marko an awesome vocalcoach, he is also the nicest guy ever! 100% recommended!
(beginners) as well as Pro’s benefit from his fundamental knowledge on singing and the voice and are given progession and development. He is a good counselor during intense studiosessions, working with me on style and technique, as well as melodylines and vocalarrangements.
In more than 10 years I had several voice teachers, but I made my biggest with Marko! Thank you so much – see ya next time :)
For 3 years I get precise instructions for my voice development from Marko. His teaching style transforms theoretical insights into vocal action and positive habit. His open-minded and appreciative approach does not put any voice into boxes, and creates room for improvement and joyful learning :)
With Marko it is all about the artist and about what he or she wants to express with their voice. Proper training and the knowledge about voice modifications spared me many hours of hoarseness after rehearsal and shows.
Marko is a deeply caring and highly skilled voice teacher who is devoted to teaching the whole artist – body, mind, and soul. He is an excellent singer and rock singer, but more than that he has a great understanding of vocal pedagogy as a whole. He also has a wonderful appreciation of the psychological components of singing and performing. Beyond his knowledge and abilities, Marko is open-minded, generous, and kind. I highly recommend him!
(Marko is) a highly qualified collegue in the field of voice, who is able to convey valuable knowledge to us voice therapists. I receive precious advice and new impulses for my therapy sessions and I am totally looking forward to our next seminar.
After just 2 voice lessons with Marko I had way more endurance on stage and the sound of my voice had grown significantly. But not only is Marko an awesome vocalcoach, he is also the nicest guy ever! 100% recommended!
(beginners) as well as Pro’s benefit from his fundamental knowledge on singing and the voice and are given progession and development. He is a good counselor during intense studiosessions, working with me on style and technique, as well as melodylines and vocalarrangements.
In more than 10 years I had several voice teachers, but I made my biggest with Marko! Thank you so much – see ya next time :)
For 3 years I get precise instructions for my voice development from Marko. His teaching style transforms theoretical insights into vocal action and positive habit. His open-minded and appreciative approach does not put any voice into boxes, and creates room for improvement and joyful learning :)
With Marko it is all about the artist and about what he or she wants to express with their voice. Proper training and the knowledge about voice modifications spared me many hours of hoarseness after rehearsal and shows.
Contact.
Marko Osterholz
Hindenburgstrasse 45
32289 Rödinghausen
Mobile: +49 177 752 1645
Phone: +49 5226 593 66 43
E-Mail: info@rockvoice.de