Vocal Science™ Delivering (In-Person) to the Online World…

Vocally speaking, that is exactly what The Royans Professional Vocal School and The Royans Institute for Non-Surgical Voice Repair do and advocate.

We are about to celebrate our 40^th anniversary since we first opened our doors (February 15th, 1984).

When we did, we had in our possession one rotary phone and sometime later, a tape answering machine.

In no time, we had over 100 students, 7 teachers, a retail music store and rehearsal space for the bands to practice.

Those were the days…

Interestingly enough, the business was by far more efficient, not to mention, more personalized and even more intimate, so to speak.

We neither texted each other trying to establish the schedule or confirm the various music lessons and of course, our specialty, voice and vocal sessions.
And, needless to say, we did not email each other for the information or for details concerning our services.

Everything was done fast, but very efficient via landline on both ends.
Nevertheless, the school was booming!!

Today, people have no concept of talking on the phone and lately, even no concept of actually receiving voice/vocal instruction in person along with the treatment for their voice disorders.

They want everything done via phone, Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp.

Go figure!

I am old school and I find when I work with a person’s voice and nevertheless, with the person as a whole, it does become quite an intimate endeavour, as the voice reflects the person’s true being and through its development establishes their identification of the state of their being.

The human body represents the “instrument“, from which the person (speaker or singer) should be able to extract the maximum desirable capacity. 

It is only possible when the person's body is positioned properly and all the components of the body (and needless to say, the voice) are working in full conjunction and coordination with each other.

If the person does not stand straight and thus, their body is quite slouched, the sound of their voice will be drawn down and it will end up in the chest and eventually will die at the person’s feet, so to speak.

If, for example, the person stands with the pelvis out, their sound will be falling onto their hips. It will also become crooked and, nevertheless, will never reach its desired aimed destination.

As we already know the sound of the voice is a physical material body and it travels as such, i.e. relatively, respectively, prospectively to the person’s height, width and central line of one's body.

How is it possible to establish the above described via Zoom, let alone on the phone...?
Beats me...

I work with the person, not with the robot, therefore the real eye contact (not virtual), and the real connection (like the mother and the unborn child connected with an umbilical cord) are very important.

I get to know my student by looking at them and by carefully listening to their life experiences. That sometimes starts even from their childhood.

Also, the emotional makeup of the person I am working with is very important in our present and future voice/vocal development. 

It never ceases to amaze me, especially when it comes to a serious voice repair, that those troubled people are asking for a virtual cure.

I wouldn’t be surprised if soon, chiropractic doctors and masseuses will be questioned whether or not they could perform their skills virtually, so that the very lazy and out-of-touch people would be able to receive even those services not leaving their couch or their home per se. 
Funny, isn't it? 
In my opinion, it would be... However, if it wasn't so sad!

It is the least to say foolish, but, unfortunately, the above described is almost becoming a reality...?  

I am, personally, really scared, as I’m not sure where this world is going to end up.

No wonder the economy is exponentially going down the drain, as the real people have been substituted by machines and robots.

Staying on the topic, I have to say, that recently I am finding big articles and interactions on Social Media.
They even identified me as an expert and said that they would value my opinion. 
All of that was about Vocal Coaching online. 
From where I sit, it is not even for discussion. 

In fact, one of my assistants revealed to me that his future date wanted to give her agreement to go on an actual date... via Zoom...? 

He was not exactly a "spring chicken", however (still young enough), but even he was quite a bit shocked, to say the least, by such an "electronic" proposition. 

Really... How pathetic is that?

I understand that this is our world today and somehow, at least the parts of it, I, unfortunately, have to accept.
What a pity...

But, if I can help it, I would still like to continue doing what I have been doing best for a greater part of my life - delivering my experience and expertise, my love and passion for what I do (even to today’s online world), up close, interactive and intimate, (and NEEDLESS to say), IN-PERSON!