In this post I will be reviewing VirtualVoiceLessons.Net, which is an online vocal training program. The program claims to be the most effective, affordable and popular online vocal lessons training program. I will look at each of these claims.
The program was created by Steve Childs of Musically Speaking Studios in Blackwood, NJ. Steve has been teaching voice and guitar for over 25 years. He is also a recording engineer and music producer. Steve is married to Contemporary Christian recording artist Dez Childs, who is also teaches voice and guitar, as well as piano.
How Does It Work?
The program contains 24 lessons encompassing all of the skills needed to become a good singer and safely learn all of the relevant techniques. There are four components to the lessons in this program.
Each lesson includes a pre-recorded video of up to 30 minutes. During the videos, instructor Steve Childs explains the concepts and provides demonstrations. His approach is to make his students their own voice teacher. He does this by explaining how the body works when singing, how to recognize what you are doing incorrectly, and how to immediately correct your mistakes.
Most of the lessons also include one or more audio exercises. There are normally at least two versions for male (low) and female (high). These exercises are the same ones that Steve gives to students in his studio.
The lessons also include notes and practice assignments. The notes help to ensure that the student understands the key points of the lesson. The practice assignments reinforce the lesson material.
It is recommended that students take one lesson per week and thorough learn the material. It is best to view the videos more than once and practice the exercises every day. If the material in a lesson is not masted in a week then the student should continue working on that lesson before starting the next. Also, there are times when a student may want to go back and review a previous lesson while learning a new skill that is related.
Affordability
There are two membership packages available to student. One is a monthly membership where the member is charged $8.95 each month and can cancel at any time with no further charges. The other option is a six month membership for $39.95. Clearly, the six month option is the better deal, but if you can to try it out for one month using the monthly option then cancel and rejoin for six months if you like it. This allows you to test out the program for $8.95 but also receive the benefit of the longer term pricing.
Similar programs cost anywhere from $29 for one month to $180 for one year. Based on these rates, VirtualVoiceLessons.net is certainly affordable and very competitive with other sites.
Popularity
VirtualVoiceLessons.net started in 2009 and was the first of its kind, a fully online singing lessons program. They have had over 1,000 members in this time, which is the highest count provided by any of the programs we contacted.
Effectiveness
In a survey of actual members conducted by Survey Monkey, 73% rated VirtualVoiceLessons.net as Excellent, while 14% gave it a rating of Very Good and the remaining 13% gave it a rating of Good. There were no ratings of Fair or Poor. This is a very impressive result.
Having viewed the lessons and gone through the entire program, I can say that it is very well done. I was not expecting the high level of detail. Some students may not enjoy learning this complexity, but learning how to sing is not about just ‘going for it’ or relying on natural ability. Steve is passionate about this subject and it shows in everything he says. Also, his confidence and experience is evident throughout.
How Does It Compare?
As you may know from a simple search, there are several online voice lessons programs available. You may also have seen free videos on sites such as Youtube. Keep in mind that watching random videos on Youtube simply does not compare to a structured program with quality instruction that guides you through the process of learning this complex subject. In the area of online voice lessons, you get what you pay for. As far as other paid online programs go, I have taken two others (which I will review soon) and found them to be inferior to VirtualVoiceLessons.net.
Conclusion
While it is impossible to fully verify the claim that VirtualVoiceLessons.Net is the most effective, affordable and popular vocal training program, my review indicates that there is no reason to believe otherwise. Each of the three parts of this claim have been have been reasonably verified. You can take a free lesson on the website to get an idea of the quality and content of instruction so it is a good idea to do so. Most sites do not offer a free lesson so this is a great way to determine if the program is right for you. I hope this VirtualVoiceLessons.net review helps you as you pursue your goals as a singer.
