20-Hour Course Description
The BAST 20-Hour course will introduce you to the fundamentals of being a great singing teacher followed by 12 months free education and support through the BAST Membership.
Course Content
On this course, you will cover:
- basic anatomy and physiology of the voice and respiratory system as it pertains to singing
- assessing and managing the voice
- intro to vocal science
- common vocal technique issues in singers
- teaching and learning styles
- the ‘tools of the trade’ –sounds, scales, instruction, etc
- application into song
- giving the first lesson
- lesson planning
- keeping students motivated
- vocal health advice for singers
- setting up your studio
- getting your business started
- finding students
Yup, we’ve thought of pretty much everything!
I attended the BAST intensive course with 4 of my fellow Voiceworks teachers and I will be recommending that all teachers at Voiceworks Studio complete this course as soon as possible. Gemma Sugrue, Director, Voiceworks Studio (Ireland)
Length of course
20 hours – 10 x 2-hour classes either in person or virtually.
Learning objectives
To get the student teacher to a place where they feel comfortable and equipped to start teaching one-to-one singing lessons.
Delivery Method
Lectures, interactive practical exercises, Q&A, discussion. The class is recorded and the presentations, audio, and weekly resources will be made available for download by the student.
Content
- Basic anatomy and physiology of the larynx and respiratory system
- Teaching and learning styles, goals and methods
- Teaching tools – sounds, scales and instruction
- Assessment – body, and voice (spoken and sung)
- Acquiring a history
- Voice classifications
- Vocal registers
- The transition between vocal registers
- Diagnosing the voice (spoken and sung)
- Vowels and consonants
- Intro to formants and harmonics
- Vowel tuning
- Vocal exercises – The what, how, when
- Application into song
- Repertoire
- Learning styles and teaching strategies
- Considerations in teaching children, teens, adults and the elderly
- Motivating students and your self
- Vocal pathology
- Vocal health advice
- Setting up your studio
- Good business practices
- How to market your service
Told you – this course is packed with goodies!
Practical activities
Putting it all into practice. Most weeks there will be a practical application segment in the lesson applying the theory learned that day. During the course the teacher and students will work on each other. If the BAST Trainer deems it necessary or a ‘guinea pig’ student may be brought in for practice and demonstration purposes.
Homework
We encourage self-study. You are an adult and we hope that you will put in the work required to get good at this job. There is only so much we can do in 2 hours a week, so the rest is up to you. Each week has an accompanying Pop Quiz and we have tons of suggested self-study activities and reading to recommend between classes.
Resources and references are available at the end of every class presentation.
Evaluation
There is no formal assessment made on this course (yet…). Your BAST Trainer will be making an ongoing evaluation and will guide and advise individuals as to the areas they need further work on as well as where they may be able to gain further skills or knowledge if appropriate.
On Completion
You will receive:
- an attractive Certificate of Attendance signed by your BAST Trainer (minimum 90% attendance)
- 12 months Free BAST Membership where you can meet previous BAST grads, attend a monthly Troubleshooting Clinic with a BAST Trainer, listen to the monthly Teachers On Teaching podcast, gain free access to past and future regular guest expert webinars & training videos, connect with other singing teachers, get discounts off BAST and partner events, products and resources, 1 year Free iSing Magazine Membership and access to all the trainers for advice and support PLUS more.
- Access to the BAST Facebook Singing Teacher’s Members Group
- First notification of future BAST discounts on educational events and offers
BAST not only gave me the confidence that I could provide informed, fun and successful singing lessons, but infused me with a passion to delve deeper into the vocal chasm. Alexa Terry (UK)
Course Eligibility
We highly recommend you have the minimum of the following:
1. Three-five years of performance experience and/or a qualification in music/performance/singing from a recognised university or college.
2. Basic keyboard skills are preferred but not essential to begin the course. As a requirement to get the course certificate you need to pass (60%) the Keyboard & Scales Evaluation Test. We believe that to teach effectively you need, at the very least, be able to play scales, arpeggios and root position chords. It is therefore highly recommended non-players get piano lessons.
3. Music theory preferred but not essential to begin the course. All the note names including #’s and ♭’s , triad and seventh chords, commonly used time signatures (2/2, 4/4, 3/4, 12/8), note and rest values plus their dotted values, triplet. All Major scales and triads. Note values Semi Quaver (Sixteenth Note) Quaver (Eight Note), Crotchet (Quarter Note), Minim (Half Note) and Semi Breve (Whole Note), dotted and their rests.
Test yourself
There is a basic online course we have created for those who need development in this area. To find out if you already know what’s needed and/or to do the BAST Keyboard & Scales course join or login to the Free BAST Membership. The course is listed in the left hand menu.