Vocal Instruction
We offer one-on-one coaching for vocalists of any level
We offer classes and series by age, level & specialty interest
We offer one day workshops by age, level and specialty interest
TESTIMONIALS
* Names abbreviated to respect the singers' privacy.
“I always walk away from my lessons excited and motivated. Greg is masterful at what he does and works with you to develop your own voice.” — Chris L.
“Greg’s the best! Such a great, genuine guy who wants to see his students succeed - some of the best vocal results I’ve ever experienced.” — Ryan R.
“The first time I actually loved the sound that was coming out of my voice!”
— Kellen W.
“Greg is not only an amazing teacher, but patient and very detailed. For years I was told by music teachers that I couldn’t sing, but after only a few lessons with Greg, I realized this wasn’t true at all! He has not only taught me technique and how to use my vocal instrument properly, but also given me the encouragement to sing confidently.” — Max R.
“It is a pleasure working with Greg. His teaching methods have greatly improved my voice and his dedication to teaching technique has proven to be extremely beneficial to my studio times. I would recommend him to anyone who aspires to further their skills.” — Jessi M.
“Greg is the best! I’ve had several different private instructors and attended vocal workshops and no one was able to break down and explain key concepts in vocal technique like Greg. On top of that, his positive, upbeat style is always fun to be around!” — Jordan H.
TEACHING APPROACH
At the LANDLIGHTS Center for Voice, we believe that using our voices optimally, whether singing, acting or public speaking, relies upon three equally important pillars: TECHNIQUE, UNINHIBITEDNESS and INTERPRETATION, and we train all three equally:
TECHNIQUE:
The technique we teach at LCV is called Complete Vocal Technique (CVT), which is a simple to understand, immediately effective, anatomy-based technique. Through laryngoscopic research and analysis, the team at the Complete Vocal Institute (CVI) in Copenhagen, Denmark, has been scientifically examining for decades what in fact is going on inside our vocal tracts when we produce all kinds of sounds.
In the studies, they have found that there are certain physiological rules and settings to produce all vocal sounds in a healthy way. That’s also why this technique works for any and every genre. “Complete” vocal technique truly is complete: it applies to every sound, color, effect, volume and pitch.
Here are some of their industry-changing findings:
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There are no voice “parts” or “registers”
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There is no such thing as tone-deafness - everyone can learn to sing in pitch
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All adults can attain at least a 3 octave range
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Using the voice should always feel great; never painful or uncomfortable
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There is no need to do vocal “warm-ups”
This is why in our coaching sessions and group classes, we never just sing scales or do traditional vocal “warm-ups.” Instead, we get straight into building a healthy technique through song-work and muscle-memory targeted exercises, working throughout each session.
UNINHIBITEDNESS:
It is fascinating how much our mind comes into play when we use our voice. Our speaking patterns are dictated by many things, including our culture, where we were raised, gender norms in our society, familial dynamics, and more. On top of this, many people have had negative experiences in the past when they sang or spoke in public. Even the most experienced performers can also fall victim to their own self-judgement and inhibitions.
For these reasons, in order to free the voice, technique is only one component. We also have to learn to become comfortable making different sounds, volumes, sound colors, effects, etc., because it is often “inhibition” which inhibits our technical or interpretive growth. For many, this is the key to unlocking what is prohibiting our freest, most empowered and most enjoyable vocal experience. At LCV, we work with established methods within the Zone of Proximal Development to comfortably and enjoyably guide vocalists to expand their “comfort zones” and develop the skill of not judging themselves or worrying about the judgement of others. Many vocalists find that this work benefits them most, both while performing, and in their everyday lives.
INTERPRETATION:
With few exceptions, every time we use our voice in public we are communicating words. Whether they be song lyrics, lines from a script, words in a speech, or just everyday conversation, we are using our voice to communicate something. When we communicate, not only are we conveying meaning through words, we are communicating emotions, context, subtext, relationship dynamics, and more.
Even in everyday life, when we are talking about something important, the voice changes via dynamics (loudness:softness), pitch (high:low), tone, timbre, color and effect. This is what makes communication human and not monotone like a robot.
For this reason, learning to use the voice in an expressive matter helps vocalists bring written material to life.
Training Interpretation in combination with technique and uninhibitedness helps us access a larger and freer vocal toolkit. With this toolkit, we are able to more fully and flexibly access the true emotional context and subtext of what we are saying or singing. At LCV, we draw from various interpretive techniques to enable vocalists to find their most natural and expressive vocal abilities, including exercises from such luminaries as Sanford Meisner, Keith Johnstone and Konstantin Stanislavski.