Transform your voice.
Professional singers & actors, serious amateurs in training, and talented kids: express your authentic voice through song, with Koko Vocals vocal coaching lessons.
Nous parlons français / Magyarul is tanulhatsz
AWESOME, EASY HIGH NOTES
CLEAR VOCAL TONE
EXPRESS YOUR FAVE SONG
photo by Michael PollardVocal coaching expert
Koko Vocals specialises in effective and holistic vocal coaching. With our knowledge and expertise, we guide you towards a healthier voice, by building your singing muscles and brain pathways step-by-step, based on your specific needs as a singer.
We use a variety of playful, exploratory techniques to find the most effective approaches to developing your voice, based on your artistic and stylistic desires - including recording projects (albums), live performance, or just general confidence in singing - tension points, and learning styles and learning needs.
Find more information on how we work in recording contexts with singers and bands.
This includes advice on posture, breathing and exercise, as well as vocal hygiene to promote general health and well-being, and techniques you can hang your hat on to build your confidence, ability and stamina as a professional, or amateur, singer.
See Vocal Coaching page for detail on the Structure of a Vocal Coaching Session.
You can learn from our blog posts for free tips for a healthier voice!
Vocal coaching for kids
We are “parent and kid approved” (scroll down to our 5-star reviews!). Through our playful approaches, kids learn quick and easy ways to make their singing easier through effective vocal technique. We use everyday imagery, like “biting the hamburger” or “eating an apple”, which are easy to remember and provide effective strategies for improvement through play.
Parents should also be aware that children’s voices start to shift around age 11, so greater care is needed to ensure vocal stability through this time of change.
Just look at that “hamburger mouth” and relaxed tongue!
How we help kids learn to sing
We focus on sensation and sound - recognizing the registers of the voice. We teach our young singers to pay attention, to feel how the voice shifts between high and low ranges, exploring these through singing through straws, whining like a puppy dog or making motorcycle noises.
Often, children already have a sense of how to sing a song, through mimicry of professionals. We build in body and aural awareness and recognition of ‘how it feels’, connected to ‘how it sounds’. This helps with being able to recreate consistently and consciously the performance choices they are instinctually making. We do this in a fun way, building up the exercises step by step to give kids a sense of mastery, with lots of repetition through a “spiral” approach.
By “spiral” we mean we teach a technique, then move onto another, then return and repeat, but keep building up skills and confidence through each lesson.
Kids usually choose their own songs with guidance from Koko Vocals to ensure the songs are not too low or jump between registers too much, especially if they are trying to emulate adult singers. We use the KISS method - (Keep It Simple, Silly!).
Vocal coaching for professionals
We all need an outside eye to be at our best. Whether you seek support for auditions, character development, acting through song, or technical know-how to sing that one high note, we can work as detailed and in-depth as you need. We specialize in American accents (native speaker), and can even help you with Hungarian pronunciation, if you need!
Through our playful approaches, professionals can get immediate results. Our use of imagery and quirky names for techniques provide effective strategies for improvement through play.
How we work with professional singers and actors
Developing a performance or recording project is easier and more fun with an outside person to bounce off. In addition to technical fixes, we help you make interpretation choices - like onsets and offsets, vocal tone, and dynamic variation - to serve the emotional, expressive needs of the song. We work online or in person. (We’ve even done telephone consultations, we’re that good!)
We help you choose your audition/gig outfit, focusing on colors and shapes you suit best, considering the genre and era of the music.
Acting through song - do we believe you? We coach you to conjure the imagery and background to bring us into the world of your song.
Group singing needs communication and blend. We look at vowel shaping, tone matching and staggered breathing, for a start. Then, we look at audience connection and physicality for a unified look.
Express yourself through song as a singing performer.
Amateur Adult Singers
Starting singing with a voice coach can be daunting as an adult. At Koko Vocals, we use a very gentle, encouraging touch with clear anatomical background to help you connect to the voice as an instrument, rather than just as part of your self. Because you will get quick results in your tone, vocal range and resonance, you will gain confidence quickly.
How We Work With Amateur Adults
We begin with body awareness and general tension reduction in respiration and the vocal apparatus (larynx, tongue, jaw, etc.) through gentle release exercises. For adults, we may recommend getting a massage, gentle stretching and exercise to help support the voice.
We add body and facial support for power. We may change vowel and consonant shapes for easy high notes and improved resonance.
Once healthy habits and technique are in place, we play with stylistic and interpretive choices for your performance on stage, in your choir, or just in front of your bathroom mirror with a hairbrush. Either way, your confidence will be boosted!
Even amateur group singing requires communication and blend. We look at vowel shaping, tone matching and staggered breathing. Then, we look at audience connection and physicality for a unified look. We help with pronunciation of various languages, too.
Find more information on Ensemble Vocal Coaching for professionals and amateurs!
We take our ensemble / choir seriously…
But who says we can’t have a laugh while doing it?
Find more information on solo vocal coaching for professionals and amateurs, alike!
See below how Koko Vocals have given our clients a life- and voice-changing experience…
Five Star Google Reviews
Anikó has outstanding knowledge and the ability to explain how to get the most out of my voice. In just 4 lessons so far, she's managed to improve my projection, breath control and tone quality. I have no question that continuing to work with her will yield more breakthroughs for me. I'm a gigging singer and I've worked with several voice coaches. Anikó has taught me things I've never heard before.
She's also super fun and easy to work with. People of all levels, even seasoned pros, would benefit from working with her. 5 stars - Chris Varosy, USA
Aniko has been an amazing voice coach for my [teen] daughter. She is exceptional in her knowledge about vocal training and musical theater. Her teaching style is flexible to her students’ learning style. Aniko has the perfect balance of fun and playfulness while teaching techniques and warm ups that include proper breathing. Her encouragement builds confidence in young singers! 5 stars - Linda Westhead, USA
My two girls, aged 8 and 10, both had vocal lessons with Aniko. Both girls found the lessons to be fun, focused and informative. Aniko was able to adapt her teaching style to their very different personalities, keeping them engaged and enthusiastic to participate for the full duration of the lesson. Aniko was able to discuss theory and technique using everyday objects, that provided clear examples of what was being discussed, that the girls absolutely loved. Our lessons took place via Skype… Overall, I could not recommend the lessons highly enough - Aniko is an excellent teacher! - 5 stars - Tammy Stavropoulou, UK
We have 100% 5-star reviews on Google.
FAQs
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My training includes Classical voice training, Vocal Process teacher training, and my PhD in Music, singing, where I explored the voice and body in performance in depth.
I use a mix of teaching styles developed over more that 10 years of vocal tuition at the professional and university levels.
I am highly experienced with working with young people and kids, for whom I break down the knowledge age-appropriately.
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Both.
We start with a technical diagnostic for tension points we need to replace with good habits (singing teacher).
When those are in place, we can focus on your artistic performance choices (vocal coaching). This is where we intend to get you, as an artist.
With my clientele, I focus mainly on getting the vocal instrument and artistic expression working at its peak.
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Curiosity.
As an artist, being playful and open is essential.
We need to give ourselves room to make mistakes when trying out new techniques, so that we can find our easiest and most natural expression.
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I always book a 20-minute consultation before your first booking to allow us to feel out how we get along and to make sure your needs match my expertise (they usually do!), as well as our personalities.
Your first lesson includes the basics - anatomy and physiology (at your level of understanding) to ensure that the vocabulary, which I will be using throughout your lessons, makes sense to you.
In other words, the pressure will be off you and on me, at first. We’ll ease you into singing, if that’s what you prefer.
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Yes.
I have worked with several clients on the autism and ADHD spectra.
I find adult clients are able to tell me how they work best, to which I adapt. I do appreciate when a client is clear about their needs.
With kids and young people, I am able to read approaches they respond to best and adapt.
We discuss your learning style and personality type in our free consultation as part of our new client on-boarding process.
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Yes, in in-person lessons, I can accompany using basic chords and melody.
No, in online sessions, backing tracks or your own accompanist are recommended, due to time synchronization considerations.
I don’t do exam or performance accompaniment; you will want to hire a pianist experienced and trained as an accompanist.
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Classical
Contemporary Classical (including Extended Vocals, e.g. harmonics singing)
Jazz
Choral
Musical Theater
Pop (Blues-Rock, Folk, Ballad)
There is absolutely no obligation to book and pay for a singing lesson or block booking if you book a free consultation. Let’s just check in with your needs and see if we’re a fit! - Koko