Getting More Serious About Singing

I think my chest (or whatever muscle it was) has finally healed. Thank goodness! Now I am questioning my vocal lessons. Is this teacher really helping me or not? I certainly don't want to ruin my voice because of a bad teacher. Unfortunately the only teacher that looks incredible is like an 1 1/2 hours from me. It would be really hard to justify driving all that way for a 30 min-60 minute lesson. She is on western side of Pittsburgh. Not exactly a very nice place from what I can remember. My mom used to go to a craft store in that area. We would run to and from the car and never went there at night> LOL

I talked her last year sometime, but just wasn't quite ready to do lessons. I was too scared to sing for someone. Getting there wouldn't be too tough though from what I can see. (Just a very long drive) It's a straight shot down 79. Maybe her studio is located somewhere else though. (Not sure)

Right now she is offering a free first lesson and if you sign up for 12 weekly 1 hour lessons (I currently take 30 minute lessons), you save $110. I think that makes her CHEAPER than my current lessons.

(Doing the math)

It looks like she would be only a few more dollars per hour. After 3 months of lessons, I'd have to decide what I wanted to do.

Ms. Hissam has the credentials, education and incredible singing talent. Now she was trained classically (opera), but I know she does all sorts of stuff. Really all I want is to have someone help me breathe properly, use vibrato right and get better at trills and runs. I'm not that good with those yet. I have a tendency to do the jaw shake when I do runs, trills and vibrato. I've been watching myself in a mirror recently. Yikes!

Not knocking on my teacher now, she isn't as good as this other women. Not that she claimed to be though. I think I want to be more serious with singing. She is an alto and cannot sing along with me whatsoever and I don't think I sing that high. Comfortably I can go well into the 5th octave. I can hit the 6th, but I'm not comfortable with it yet. I say yet because I think there is potential. I'm not breathing right though.

All I hear is diaphragm, diaphragm! But...what does that even mean? I can puff my stomach up and fake it all day, but I'm not doing it right. I've started checking out videos on YouTube. There is one person in particular that has been very helpful.. I hate the type of music he sings, but he is a good teacher nonetheless. I've been using this video to get better.

Yeah I know I'm rambling on. Maybe this week I can record the first song I learned for lesson and put it up here for all of you to comment. It is called Treasure by Amethystium. You can listen to the original on YouTube here. This is the type of music I want to sing. Probably won't be famous or a household name, but I would be very happy. The singer in Treasure (Stine Mari Langstrand) also sings Trolltind by Lumsk. This is the song I am currently learning in lesson. As you can see, I have a little thing for this singer. I think she is absolutely incredible and being able to even tackle her songs is very uplifting. A few months ago, I had a terrible time with Treasure. Now I can sing it pretty easily. I know the lessons are working, but I just want to be the best possible.