Are you looking to earn money on your singing ability? Have you been wondering how to lead a band, secure a gig, or identify the skills you need to stand out onstage? Becoming a professional singer today requires a variety of skills: from basic musicianship skills, arranging songs to best fit your style, recording demos, and even knowing how to manage your finances and book gigs. This course is designed to give singers insight on the tools you’ll need to start building a career as a professional singer. We’ll discuss various career options and revenue streams for today’s singer and identify the elements needed to create a sustainable career. After completing this course, you will have a roadmap of the skills you want to improve, insight on how to be an effective band leader, and tools to secure gigs.
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Building Your Career as a Professional Singer
Instructor: Ashlee Varner
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There are 5 modules in this course
Welcome to the course! In this first module, we will cover all of the details about this course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
In our first lesson, we will start by defining what is the difference between an amateur and professional vocalist. This will help us identify the goals you want to pursue as a singer in the music industry. We will also look at the basics of becoming an entrepreneur and building a resume for vocalist jobs. By the end of this lesson, you will have a list of possible job opportunities, and assessment of your current skill level, and a rough draft of a vocalist resume.
What's included
5 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
For our second lesson, we will begin to look at the musical knowledge you need to know in order to be a reliable and essential vocalist. We will start by learning about common song forms before analyzing song elements to discover how to change a song style to better fit our musical preferences. Finally, we will identify the best keys for your voice and practice writing our own chord charts. At the end of this lesson you will practice taking existing chord charts and change them to a different musical style.
What's included
6 videos2 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
If you want to be a professional vocalist, it is essential to understand how to lead a band. Your instrumentalists will be looking to you to provide insight on how the music should be played and for someone to lead the rehearsals effectively. In this lesson we will focus on different aspects of leading a band, from conducting to score study to rehearsal scheduling. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify your leadership strengths and weaknesses, practice giving specific feedback to your band, and organize the logistics necessary to have an effective rehearsal.
What's included
6 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
Now that we have covered the basics of starting a professional career as a vocalist, our final lesson will focus on how to maintain and grow your career. In this lesson, we will discuss vocal health, performance skills, gigging, and management. By the end of this lesson, you will know several vocal warm-ups, how to practice your stage presence, how to book a gig, and understand the pros and cons of hiring an outside manager.
What's included
7 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
Instructor
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Music and Art
Northeastern University
University of London
Kennesaw State University
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Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.