How young is too young to
study singing?

While many enthusiastic parents see interest and talent in their children, they have questions about the age at which it is safe for them to begin vocal study.

The generally held view is that the optimal age to begin to develop the voice is in the mid to late teens because the vocal chords have reached relative maturity; for boys, their voices should have changed and calmed down before serious work begins. However, vocal training can be beneficial to younger boys and girls if it is done very carefully.

Don't build or shape. I would generally say that a child should not be trying to "build" their voice. My real-world dilemma is that many children are singing, anyway, without the benefit of proper guidance. Many of my young students, for example, sing in choirs at their schools, churches or synagogues. I think every child would benefit musically and personally from this experience, and I absolutely encourage it. But while many choir directors are knowledgeable with regard to vocal technique, even the best are aiming for a blended sound from the group. This desired sound is only possible when the individual singers manipulate their natural sound. Many singers end up with a "swallowed" sound and straight tone (eliminating natural vibrato). These habits will be hard to shake later. I'm not saying "no choir", but this is not the place to learn healthy technique unless there is no attempt to color the sound.

Don't push. Another pitfall to early singing is pushing. I remember my elementary school choir director forever shouting at us to sing louder. Well, singing "louder" is not a good idea for young voices. Not knowing how to properly support a tone, most children shout. "American Idol" notwithstanding, young singers must learn not to use their chest voice until they have mastered certain techniques. I have encountered too many young singers with damaged vocal chords, and it's much easier to slowly build a voice later than to rehabilitate one that has been pushed too hard. Singing should never hurt, and the voice will never feel fatigued as long as the singer is healthy and good vocal technique is being employed.

Don't sing in chest. The more an inexperienced singer pushes their chest voice higher, the more likely they are to create a kind of scarring on their chords that interferes with proper function of their vocal chords. In the beginning, many singers complain that their head voice is weak and breathy. This is true in most singers who have not developed their technique, so it is easy to gravitate to the more short-term gratification offered by chest voice. Chest voice is a function of the voice. But if damage occurs through overuse of chest voice, it can create a hole in the singer's range. The head voice that may have felt weak to begin with sounds even weaker as the surface of the chords becomes more irregular. The singer compensates by pushing more, and the damage is exacerbated.

This having been said, if someone asks me to train their four-year-old to sing, I don't automatically send them packing. It's a rare opportunity to check in regularly and make sure they're not getting into destructive habits. Most of the lesson can be spent developing musicianship skills, such as learning to read music, play piano, match pitches, harmonize, etcetera.

No pressure. I don't mean "no requirements". It's reasonable to require a child to prepare for their lesson in an age-appropriate manner. After all, the parent is paying for the time and providing a shuttle to the appointments. It helps if the child understands that lessons are a privilege, not a right.

Personally, I don't turn away students based on age or ability. I do turn away young students if I sense that either the parent or the child has unrealistic goals. Very talented children are often the most sensitive, and therein lies the danger. I can pretty comfortably promise enormous growth and a rewarding experience, but no one can promise commercial success to any artist.

"The Business" is fickle, as we all know. And I personally feel that the greatest care should be taken with young performers. I don't want to be a part of child's quest for stardom. A quest for employment?... Well, okay. But, in my experience, it's difficult for young artists not take things personally. Basically, any venue should be proportionate to the child's ability and maturity level. Some kids are perfectly comfortable auditioning for network television, while for others, even a voice lesson creates too much pressure.

If your child isn't more relaxed after their voice lesson than before it, then it's probably not the right time and place for them to study. Some of my favorite students state that they only come to voice lessons for a weekly break from the pressures of their academic life. Their parents know their kids don't practice. Many parents of my high-school students have told me the lessons are a kind of therapy. These kids don't want to be pushed. They get pushed enough. They just want to come in, work on technique a bit, sing through a few songs, and leave happy. Their skills improve over time even if they don't really care. Other students have serious goals and serious work habits. I keep their lessons very structured, and that's a joy for me as well.

There is so much of value to be learned from studying singing, or any kind of music. No student of any age or level should be turned away as long as there is a mutual understanding of goals and expectations.