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Hi, I’m Roger Love, celebrity voice coach and top-selling author. I’m working to make the world a better place, one singing voice at a time, starting with yours!

My parents joked that I started singing before I could speak and I remember running around the house performing for anyone who would listen when I was little. I begged and begged my parents to let me take singing lessons, but they wouldn’t budge until I started winning singing competitions and the biggest name in voice coaching said he’d take me on as a student.

More than thirty years later, I am still always practicing, refining, and working to make my own singing voice even better and stay in world-class performance shape. So I know that choosing the right online singing program is about more than just price. It’s about finding a coach who can take you from here to where your dreams become a reality. It’s about unleashing that spark in your soul that just can’t stop singing! And directing, nourishing, and fueling that spark until it becomes a fire that spreads light and warmth to everyone who listens to you sing.

I want to help you find the right online singing program for you, even if it’s not with me. So here are four key categories to keep in mind when looking for an online singing program.

First, check out the coach. Do they have a track record of success and professional reputation in the industry? Do they have a formal education in music? I was fortunate to start coaching celebrities like The Beach Boys and the Jacksons when I was 16, then continued coaching while I studied music at UCLA. In my humble opinion, formal music education enhanced my ability to coach singers across skill levels and genres in a way that just being a great singer couldn’t. I highly recommend you look into a coach’s formal education before allowing them to be your new instructor.

Next, does the coach’s personality excite and motivate you? For instance, my love for music and teaching inspires me to fill each lesson with fun and easy-to-understand steps, but plenty of people prefer drill instructor type coaches and lots of theoretical content.

Then, what genres do they coach? Over my career, I’ve been fortunate to work across genres as diverse as rap with Eminem, pop with Selena Gomez, rock with Def Leopard and Poison, country with legendary artists Brooks and Dunn (as well as country stars on the Silver Screen Jeff Bridges for the movie Crazy Heart and Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line), and indie for Capital Cities. These experiences showed me that one type of coaching does not fit all genres. If you’re looking to grow, you need a coach who knows your genre and can take you where you want to go.

Second, check the singing content. Do they teach Head, Middle, and Chest Voices? Middle Voice is a well-kept secret in the singing industry so many programs won’t even mention it. But I believe Middle is so vital that I teach it to every student, regardless of skill level, so they can start their singing journey with the key to unlocking their entire vocal range. If you’re just looking to perform songs that stay entirely within the Chest or Head Voice, maybe you don’t care if you can’t sing the full range.

How many videos do they offer? How long is the full program? How many exercises are included? I believe anyone can achieve an amazing singing voice, but it doesn’t come after just one lesson. If the program says they have 50 videos, for example, but the total program time of all the lessons together is only 2 hours, you’re not going to get much depth.

Can you get real-time instruction? Some programs offer classroom-like experiences where you can get coaching as you sing. I created my signature Love Notes annotated karaoke program so you can get instruction in real time as you sing without having to wake up at 4am to attend a class lecture in another time zone. If live interaction with classmates matters to you, be sure to seek that out.

Do you get feedback from the lead coach or junior coaches? I’m firm about giving personal video feedback myself but many students don’t mind hearing from a junior coach. Also, programs with lower level instructors are usually less expensive.

What’s the program level? Beginning, intermediate, and advanced singers all need different instruction to improve. Make sure your program is the right level for where you are now and that the coach offers ways for you to grow within their academy.

Third, go beyond voice. Great singing requires a coach who teaches you how to master excellent breathing technique, style, posture, vocal health, and a diet for peak performance. Stopping at just how your voice sounds is like spending 12 hours decorating a chocolate cake made without the sugar, butter, eggs or cocoa—it may look great from the outside right now, but it’s not going to deliver the happiness you’re hoping for.

Do they teach industry insights? Having worked with celebrity singers for so long, I know launching a career is about more than just being the best singer on the block. If you want to get gigs or make and record unique music, look for a coach who lays that out for you. In my programs, I share the secrets I’ve learned and experienced alongside some of the greatest and most successful singers and entertainers in history so that you are informed and have an advantage.

Fourth, look for guaranteed results. If your online program provides all of the above and you actively participate, they should stand behind their program. I even promise that your voice improves by one octave through my programs, guaranteed!

I’ve dedicated my life to singing and my career to helping others discover their greatest singing voice. Keep the four categories I mentioned in mind—coach, singing content, beyond singing content, and guaranteed results—and you’ll be on the path to building your perfect singing voice.