Justina T. Orange County, CA

12/2/2019

The short review: I’m taking adult vocal lessons, so if you’re in that market, you’re in for a treat. They also have seasonal instrumental classes, so if you’re learning the drums, ukulele, guitar, piano, etc. you can enhance your skills here. And there are also recitals every few months to show off what you’ve learned. For the kids program, there’s an acting class in addition to vocal lessons and lots of opportunities to perform/sing at events around Orange County.

The long review: For years, I’ve wondered if people are born great singers or if they learn to become great. It wasn’t until earlier this year I finally decided to figure out the answer. Singing teachers on YouTube largely pushed the latter – that people can learn proper technique and sing well through consistent practice. However, were they only saying this to encourage people to sign up for their music courses?

My first lesson at VS Music Studios brimmed with joy. It was so much fun to sing Disney songs (though they’ll accommodate other types of music as well!) and listen to the piano accompaniment. It felt like being a kid again, and I knew from that initial lesson that I’d want to become a regular. My goal is to have a decent singing voice (as multiple independent sources have told me that I sound terrible).

Van and Sean are incredibly understanding, patient, and, most importantly, honest. If you’re having an off-day (as I oft do), they won’t get frustrated at you for not singing up to your usual par. They’ll encourage you to keep trying and practicing even if you may think you’re hopeless at whatever you’re doing. Also, they won’t ever say anything mean or sarcastic – but they’ll let you know in an objective/straightforward way if you’re flat, your voice is stuck in your throat (which is my main dilemma), etc.

From my first lesson to my most recent one, I can totally hear a stark difference in how I sing. My voice is more resonant and I can hold a note for longer than 0.02 seconds!

Aside from vocal lessons, I’ve taken the eight-week ukulele beginners classes. Though Van and Sean didn’t teach these personally, I still had fun and learned a lot from the instructor. Be prepared to practice your instrument often at home since class time goes by fast!

So if you’re aiming to find your (singing) voice and learn how to breathe properly and effectively – or if you’re wanting to learn to play an instrument or become an actor – come on over to VS Music Studios.