How to choose a vocal coach when learning how to scream - and our completely unbiased opinion 😅
- Extreme Vocal Institute
- Sep 25
- 4 min read
POV: You're tired of digging through YouTube videos and you want to work with a vocal coach one-on-one to reach your goals and master your voice.
Choosing the right vocal coach can make all the difference in helping you accomplish your goals and do so with the confidence that you're building a strong foundation and good habits for sustainable vocal health. So how do you go about deciding who to work with? Here's a quick guide that might help you make your decision:
Define Your Goals:
Identify where you are in your extreme vocal journey; beginner, intermediate, advanced
What are your performance goals? Are you a hobbyist looking to scream along to your favorite bands or are you aiming to be a touring musician?
What are your short-term, mid-term and long-term goals for yourself and your voice?
Look for Experience and Expertise:
Does the vocal coach you're interested in working with have proven results with other clients?
Does this coach have experience working with clients that match your overall performance goals? (i.e. if you want to be a professional, have they worked with professionals or gotten clients to the point where they can be professional?)
Do you like how they sound? Can they do they techniques that you are interested in learning from them? Can they perform them well?
What is their overall experience/background with extreme vocals? (i.e. are they an artist themselves? Do they tour? Do they have other musical training?)
Teaching Style & Overall Personality:
Do they explain things in a way that you understand?
If you don't understand are they able to adapt and accommodate to find ways for you to understand?
Are they a positive, supportive presence?
Vocalizing is incredibly personal: are you comfortable being vulnerable in front of them?
How do they handle when you make mistakes?
Technique & Safety:
Do they emphasize things like warming up, good foundations, building good habits?
Do they implement good habits themselves?
Practicality & Logistics:
In-person lessons or online?
Pricing and packages (do they fit your budget/do they offer payment plans?)
Keep in mind that vocal coaches who specialize in extreme vocals may charge more than standard vocal coaches due it being a specialized area. If the vocal coach you're interested in working with is outside your budget, consider their qualifications and how that might affect the price of their lessons.
Access to resources (recorded lessons, exercises, warmups etc.)
Scheduling availability
Potential Red Flags
Vocal coaches who promise results instantly or within a specific time block (example: learn to scream in 4 weeks!)
Anyone who suggests to push through pain because it's "part of the process"
They don't come prepared to your lessons or have a plan to get you from where you are to your goals
They are unable to answer questions you have in lessons
Everyone is different and finding the right vocal coach for you and your voice is going to be what helps you check off those boxes and reach your goals in a healthy, sustainable way with good habits and confidence.
While we obviously would love for everyone to work with David and use our resources here at Extreme Vocal Institute, we know that's not necessarily realistic and that's totally okay! Our goal is to help as many people as possible on their vocal journey and if that means helping you figure out how to find the right coach for you then that's a small piece of the puzzle.
Now for the TOTALLY unbiased plug for why you should use our courses or work with David directly:
David has coached thousands of vocalists of all levels worldwide to find their screams, expand their repertoire and master their craft for a healthy and sustainable vocal career. While David specializes in extreme vocals—screaming, growling and all the other forms of vocal distortion— he teaches all kinds of singing as well.
Image descriptions left to right:
David with Eric & Dylan (I Prevail), David with Ricky Hoover (Ov Sulfur), David with Dave Stephens (We Came As Romans)
As a professional touring artist himself, David takes everything he teaches and applies it night after night on the road with his band Renesans. He has also worked as a vocal coach in studio with artists like Knocked Loose, The Word Alive, Atreyu, In Heart's Wake and more while they're in the recording process to help them push their vocal boundaries and deliver the best possible takes in the booth.
David's approach to vocal training has always been with technique, building a strong foundation and implement good habits to help you navigate your vocal journey injury free and with confidence. Many of the skills he teaches are rooted in classical and operatic techniques which are known to be the healthiest form of vocalizing and applied to extreme vocals but presented in a way that is easy to understand even if you have no formal musical training.
When you work with David in private coaching he develops training based on your goals and what works specifically for you and your voice. He is constantly developing new ways to get people to find their screams and is ready to adapt to whatever you have to throw at him. So if you're interested in leveling up your voice with David, now is the best time to start!