Sometimes I Forget That We’re in a Pandemic
WARNING: I’m about to sound tone-deaf to the reality of this pandemic, but let me explain.
Some time ago (maybe April?), the entire world suddenly discovered Zoom. I remember vividly the two weeks my internet and my online appointments started crashing all day. My internet provider explained it was due to everyone being online now, bogging down the system. Zoom made many apologies and worked tirelessly to keep those of us who rely on it daily, able to continue working.
See, that’s the thing: I’ve been coaching performers and singing teachers online for 11 years now, so I was fortunate enough to be able to continue working while everyone else’s careers were being suspended, terminated, or just thrown into the abyss of the unknown.
I realize how truly lucky I am in a time like this to have worked out all the kinks with bringing my vocal coaching business online all those years ago. I have an unfair advantage because I conquered the learning curve for figuring out how to make it work effectively and with as little interruption to the student as possible so long ago that I take it for granted. It became so normal to me so quickly back when I first moved it online that for years, I even forgot to mention in my marketing that my coaching all happens online and not in person, which led to some awkward conversations. As a result, my reality throughout this crazy time has been very different than most, and, consequently, sometimes I forget that we’re in a pandemic.
Gross, I know. And I’m sorry.
I’m in a few groups with other voice teachers, and it’s been interesting, to say the least, to read about the questions, discoveries, frustrations, and aha moments of teachers as they navigate moving into the virtual space which feels galaxies away from their comfort zones. Some are willing to totally remodel their home studios to make accommodations for teaching singers in person. Some use the group forum to vent about the frustrations of not being tech-savvy and losing clients left and right because they can’t figure it out. Some are spending hours researching, reading studies, and getting as informed as possible, so they can decide what level of risk they are willing to take.
And then there are some who are starting to see how teaching online versus in-person really can give you a competitive edge.
When I first moved my coaching business to the online space in 2009, my initial reason was to expand my reach. Through the advice of a friend, I realized that if I could bring the transformations I create from my piano out of my home to the online space, I would be able to teach singers anywhere in the world. Then, when full-time travel suddenly became my norm, it also afforded me the ability to teach from anywhere in the world. The first advantage was that I could continue to work with singers I’d started coaching once it was time for me to move on to another city, rather than having to re-establish myself with every move.
But once I overcame all the obstacles I first faced with online coaching, I discovered some HUGE advantages to it and said repeatedly that even if we settled down in one place long enough, I doubt if I’d ever go back to teaching in person.
Here are some examples of the edge teaching online gives me:
- My nose isn’t buried in the piano or my client’s sheet music, which allows me to focus all my attention on them, making me a much more effective teacher.
- No more clients showing up without their wallets, checkbooks, cash, etc., which meant no more excuses for not getting paid on time.
- Clients have to fully participate so they can describe how things feel to help me assess what’s going on, which means they REALLY are advancing quicker in terms of building muscle memory.
- Most of the time, clients feel more comfortable singing in their own homes than they do in mine – it helps them open up faster because they are learning in a safe space.
- No more canceled sessions because of the fear of spreading germs, or because they got stuck in traffic, or because they got lost, etc.
- I can record our sessions and share them with my clients without having to set up some kind of film set in my studio. This means they’re able to not just listen to a voice recording of what we do in each session but to watch. They can see themselves along with my feedback about it. Along these lines, I’m able to take effective notes and email them to my clients because my fingers aren’t glued to a piano.
I could go on, but these are some of the powerful results that made me a convert to the online space.
I’ve created more significant results in my clients online, made more money coaching online, and felt much more confident about the staying power of what I’m teaching. Plus, I have the empowered feeling of knowing I’ve created a way to expand my reach to singers worldwide instead of just from my zip code.
Would you like to feel more empowered as you make the shift to teaching online? Let’s talk. Please email me at info@singwithoutlimits.com, and I will be your power source.
I’m most excited to know the difference between legit and belt voice and practice choosing how to sing and speak intentionally in a way that is healthiest for me.
I’m singing songs I did not think I would ever be able to sing!
[Katti] is the best singing coach I've ever had. I love working with her because she's so supportive, she has such a great ear, and she can get to the heart of any of my problems right away. She's positive, very knowledgeable, and most of all - one of the biggest reasons I would highly recommend Katti is that she's a great human being.
I believe you can always improve your craft, so for the past few years I’ve been working with internationally acclaimed vocal teacher Katti Power.
Thank you so much for believing in me and for helping me become who I am today… You changed my life Katti.
Katti is an unforgettable voice instructor. I came to Katti when I was 18 years old because I wanted to improve my musical theatre sound. I had absolutely no clue how to belt before beginning [Unlimited Vocal Health™] and when I graduated from Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City four years later, I was the top belter in my class. The more lessons I took the more my confidence as a singer and an all around performer grew.
I’m so excited – I got the role I told you I was called back for (the initial audition consisted of a monologue and my singing “That’s Rich,” which I had worked with you in my VIP session)! Thank you so much, Katti, for your training! I’m thrilled, and will continue to make the efforts to sing without fear and apply the proper technique so I can sing without getting fatigued.
I can sing higher again and I’m more confident in my belting abilities, as well as my breath support!
Katti Power is bar-none, hands-down, one of the very best voice teachers out there. I’ve been singing for 23 years, and have had several teachers over the years, from NYC to LA. Many of my teachers have been good, but I learned more in one lesson with Katti than I did several months with other teachers.
I feel like I finally learned the secret of singing I’ve been looking for all my life! I always felt like my teachers didn’t quite “get” my voice and there was something either I really wasn’t getting or they really were not teaching. Now I know what it is! Thank you Katti!!
I’m really not sure where I would be without you. You have given me such confidence in so many areas and have given me the skills to take my performing to the next level.
Katti is BRILLIANT!!! I never thought I would be able to belt, but I was definitely proven wrong! Thanks to my ONE LESSON with Katti I have just landed a role in “Shout! The Mod Musical” and will be healthily belting my face off!
Thank you, Katti. I’ve learned so much from you; no words can express my gratitude!
I use to think my voice just couldn’t sing certain notes in certain ways, but that is completely false! I wish I had known these techniques back when I was struggling and performing every day. And knowing how to sing in my uncomfortable areas without hurting my voice is amazing. I feel like I could sing almost anything now!!
No joke, Katti Power is a complete and utter bad ass. She’ll turn you into one as well if you give her the chance.
Now that I have had that hour session I know how to overcome my straining and relax my throat when singing up high. The way Katti teaches, the illustrations she gives, and the exercises she uses help me to understand in a way I’d never thought about before…Knowing how quickly she fixed my problem, I feel extremely confident that she would be able to help anyone else…
I had the honor of working with Katti right before the Talent Quest National Competition. In only a few short lessons she had me miles above where I started out. Her methods help you stretch your range while keeping your vocal health. She continuously helped me get better each time we met.
Katti…helped me realize that my voice will always be there, and I just need to trust that it knows what to do. The biggest change was our work with how forward my belt is going. I had learned how to do it before, but something wasn’t clicking for me to keep it forward. Katti listened to my fear about having true power in my voice and allowed me to have a safe place to start the work to let myself be heard. I ended up belting a note I had tried to… belt for 10 years!