Red Flags I See in the Vocal Coaching World That I Can’t Keep Quiet About

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I finally decided to say it out loud.

There are a few things I see happening in the vocal coaching world that honestly make my stomach turn. 

Because they don’t help singers get better. 

They keep them stuck.

Here are the biggest ones I can’t stop thinking about:

First, teaching every singer exactly the same way.

Your voice is not a template. 

It’s not a cookie-cutter instrument. 

Good coaching starts with listening first. 

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, and it can actually do more harm than good.

Second, making you dependent on the coach to sound good.

If months (or years) in you still feel like you can’t sing without their specific warm-up, their specific cues, or their constant approval… that’s a red flag. 

You should be getting more capable on your own, not more convinced that you need them to sound decent.

There are more, but those two hit me the hardest because I’ve seen too many talented singers lose confidence and joy because of them.

Here’s what I believe instead:

Your voice is unique. 

It deserves coaching that meets you where you are: not forcing you into someone else’s mold. 

And the goal should always be to make you more independent, more connected to your own instrument, and more confident in your sound.

That’s exactly why I created the Singing / Straw and the Singing / Straw Studio App the way I did. 

It’s not about me being the only person who can “fix” your voice. 

It’s about giving you simple, practical tools and guidance so you can understand and strengthen your own voice on your own terms.

Inside the App you’ll find guided workouts, real demonstrations, and monthly live sessions where we sing together and I can help you troubleshoot whatever’s happening in your voice right then and there.

You can try the whole Studio App free for 7 days here

What about you? 

What vocal coaching red flags have you seen or experienced? 

Drop them in the comments! 

I read every single one.