Alami Voice Studio – Student FAQ

How should I practice? How often should I practice?

A productive practice session includes three essential components:

🧘‍♀️ 1. Stretch and Breathe

Start by stretching your body. Shake out tension, loosen up, and do a quick “jump check” to make sure your knees are buoyant—not locked or stiff. Then, try this simple breathing exercise:
Inhale for 2 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 10 on a shhhh or ssss sound.
As you progress, increase your exhale time—this builds breath control, power, and stamina for longer singing phrases.

🎶 2. Vocal Exercises (Not Just Warm-Ups!)

We call this section “vocal exercises” because we’re building strength, agility, and vocal coordination—just like athletes do when training for an event.

Think of this as your vocal gym:

  • Start with SOVTs (semi-occluded vocal tract exercises): humming, lip trills, straw phonation, or the “ng” sound.

  • Continue with customized exercises your teacher has provided to target your goals.

  • Aim for 10–15 minutes of exercises.

Prefer visual guidance? Ask your teacher for recommended YouTube vocal routines—or stick with audio/piano track exercises. Either approach works beautifully!

🎭 3. Score Study + Performance Practice

Time to sing your song! This is often the most fun part.

Here’s what to focus on:

  • Tackle tricky sections we worked on in lessons.

  • Practice rhythms by speaking the text before singing.

  • If singing in a foreign language, rehearse the diction slowly and carefully.

  • Practice performance posture and storytelling: find your focal point, stay relaxed, and tell the story.

  • Try performing in front of a mirror or record yourself—then reflect on what you notice. Bring your thoughts to your next lesson!

  • Practice in front of a friend or family member—it helps build confidence.

And remember: singing should feel joyful, even when it’s hard work. 🎉

How often should I practice?

Ideally, every day—but realistically, aim for at least 3 times per week.

Younger students will receive a practice check sheet to help us track frequency and build consistent habits. In the beginning, we focus on creating the habit, not counting minutes. Once you’re consistent, 20 minutes is a great daily benchmark.

What happens during a voice lesson?

Each lesson is tailored to YOU and includes three core sections:

💬 1. Check-In

We always begin by checking in—because your voice is part of you, and how you're feeling physically and emotionally matters.
Feeling tired? Coming down with something? Excited about something? Let your teacher know.
We’ll adjust the lesson accordingly to support healthy singing and your overall well-being.

🗣️ 2. Stretching + Vocal Exercises

Together we:

  • Stretch the body

  • Breathe deeply

  • Do vocal exercises to strengthen posture, improve vocal technique, and prepare for repertoire

These 15 minutes of guided exercises help you:

  • Sing more clearly, powerfully, and expressively

  • Adjust vowels and posture

  • Gain versatility across different musical styles

Often, we’ll reference these exercises when working on your solo piece, bringing everything full-circle.

🎵 3. Solo Repertoire + Performance Techniques

Now it’s time to sing your piece! Here’s what we do:

  • You sing as much of the piece as you can

  • Your teacher listens carefully and makes notes

  • We go back to focus on (“magnify”) areas that need attention—like diction, rhythm, pitch, or musical phrasing

  • We might speak-sing, use movement (Eurhythmics), or isolate tricky rhythms or intervals

Your lesson ends with a tailored practice assignment, and you're always encouraged to record your lesson to review later. This is a great way to reinforce what you're learning and track your progress!

If you have any questions—ask away. That’s what we’re here for.
Let’s build strong habits, healthy technique, and joyful singing together! 🎤💛