Even breathing exercises.
There are a lot of ideas out there about breathing. Some are fine. Some are better. Some are fine but vague. Some are outright quackery. How is one to know, or choose? And without someone there to monitor you, how do you know you’re doing it right?
For the record, I find that many (if not most) voice teachers teach ideas about breathing that I find at best ineffective, and at worst counterproductive.
You ratted me out!
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My singing, on a good day, rises to mediocre. I learned to sing by recording myself and listening to it and trying to fix, one thing at a time, everything that was wrong with my vocals, which, initially, was everything.
Breath control.
Know your range.
Hit pitch.
Get those things down and then you can start work on the actual singing.
I can sing OK but not really, really well. Just yesterday, though, someone complimented me on my harmonizing during a hymn in church.
I’ve got decent baritone pipes. I can get up to first tenor if I stay off the liquor for a few weeks. In other words, I’ve just got decent baritone pipes.
Just out of curiosity, where would you go to find breathing instruction, if you don’t trust books or videos and you don’t trust vocal instructors?
I was given breathing instruction for both playing woodwind instruments (from a professional musician) and for singing (from a youth choir director). The elements of both were remarkably similar and equally effective as I became both an excellent woodwind player and a better than average singer.
Go to me! 
Ok, so I’m going to back off a bit from my last sentence there. I think there are some wrong-headed ideas out there, but everyone is trying to get the same basic thing. What I’m saying (badly, probably) is that often the words used are somewhat misleading. How many times have you heard “breathe from the diaphragm!”? Ultimately that’s a silly thing to say; what else are you going to breathe with? Often breathing instructions end up causing students to over think their breathing, and start trying to control things they have no control over (like the diaphragm). Having somebody there to monitor what you’re actually doing is the important thing. Whatever words they’re using, the result is what’s important–even if the words themselves don’t totally make sense. In both of your cases, you are talking about an actual person there to teach you directly, rather than just say words at you.
The more important point, however, is that about discerning good information from bad. The internet is full of crap.
Of course, when it comes to disagreements about vocal pedagogy, I’m right and everyone else is wrong.
That should go without saying.
But does it go without singing?
Since the OP does have musical ability, I’d encourage him to take voice lessons at least for a while and see what develops.
I’ve always been able to sing. There is some talent in the family. My parents were in church choirs and my father played the violin. My older brother was a classical musician, played piano and viola, and taught at a high school, as well as getting gigs at various churches.
I was a boy soprano in church choir and had a few solos here and there. When I was 11, I sang the part of Amahl in a high school production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors”. I did all of this mostly by ear. I didn’t read music, but I could follow the contour of the music to aid my memory.
Later on I taught myself to read music and play simple things on the piano, such as hymns.
Formal training: one class in college that filled me in on the basics, such as the names of intervals and so forth, and a few years of voice lessons.
As an adult, I’m an amateur tenor, good enough for choirs.
I apparently have perfect pitch where carrying a tune is concerned; i.e., I can sing a capella with no problem. I’ve sung in choirs, and have had ministers tell me I have a beautiful voice. With age, though, I seem to be going the way of all flesh, and my vocal chords are tightening up. If I try to sing in church nowadays, I usually have a fit of coughing before I reach the end of a hymn. 
My favorite musical is My Fair Lady, and I can belt out any tune from that at the drop of a hat. I also love The Sound of Money, MAD Magazine’s parody of guess which film? I seriously pissed off my vicar once when I started singing “How Do You Make a Movie 'Bout Religion?” while doing some volunteer work at church. :eek:
I also can play three musical instruments: trombone, fife, and Scottish bagpipe. Haven’t done any of 'em in years, though. I wish American schools would take musical education much more seriously than they do.
I have been in a number of choirs (high school, college, community, church, local live musicals), and a soloist in each of these. I have been in a number of musicals at the community theatre level. Barbershop bass. My range is from bass up to the highest baritone, but my natural easy range is bass. My preference is for a capella.
For me, singing just seemed to come naturally, and with little effort. I first learned to sing in church, where there was no instrumental accompanying the vocal. There were many folks who could sing in parts, so I developed an ear for singing parts. I have never had any voice lessons - just what a normal choir member would get during practices. I would recommend basic voice lessons. I have never learned to actually read music, but given the beginning note, I can follow a new piece just by seeing the note intervals once I’ve heard the piece played or sung. Some formal teaching would have been of great benefit. so I’ve just been an amateur who really enjoys singing which is very different from all my other interests and abilities. I play no musical instruments as I am too lazy to practice, and I suspect that I have little talent in that direction.
I got to a point that I think I could sing, for a few years anyway.
I had some gradeschool violin training along with church choir and school choirs. Later I got interested in the guitar, and focused my musical attention on that for years, backing up bands as a guitarist.
It was only by my mid 20s that singing really came up. I had always sucked at singing, but being around some good singers a lot, practicing music a lot and finally just trying to sing, eventually I got better at it. Eventually I led my own band and was the singer. We played hundreds of shows, but not for big piles of money or fame, it was just an art quest.
I was employed through pretty much all of this, and went to college, too. It was rough trying to balance it all. Then I gave up music and got a stable job.
Where would one go to find a teacher appropriate to my situation?
I’m pretty self-conscious about singing. I envision the teacher - 5 minutes in - saying, “here’s your money back; let’s not waste each other’s time”.
mmm
Check out any community music schools. Churches often offer lessons to community members. Go to a music store or Guitar Center and see if they have a bulletin board with advertisements. Ask around at music departments; avoid conservatories.
Two things: don’t be afraid to shop around. You need to find the right fit, and as I mentioned, there are lots of different approached to pedagogy; find the one that works for you. Also, most teachers are happy to take your money and work with you. Believe me, we need it.
Yeah, it was a joke.
I have a nice bass voice. I found out Sophomore year in high school when I went along with a friend to an audition at the local community theater (the production was Westside Story) for moral support and sang a song for the hell of it. I didn’t get a part, but was approached at school later that week by somebody who was there - he encouraged me to audition to be in the school’s chamber singers group (our ‘top tier’ chorus ensemble) for the following year. I did, and that was my “thing” for the rest of high school. I continued to sing through college.
I’ve never really done anything with my talent, though. No formal lessons (I was the only kid in that chamber singers group who wasn’t taking private lessons), very little practical use. I’ve fooled around with some public singing. Mostly I just use it for the original shot of self-validation via karaoke. I’ve done a very little bit of community theater, but I’m not a great actor and don’t feel comfortable moving around on a stage.
It’s weird to know that if I’d really made it a focus, I might have made something out of my voice. On the occasions that I sing regularly, my range (talk to any true bass about the woes of range) stretches to a point where I get a glimpse that I might maybe could’ve been a contender, if I’d tried.
But still, I’m a great guy at karaoke. Within a certain range. 
Rethinking this; if a conservatory has a vocal pedagogy class, there may be pedagogy students who are looking for students to teach for class. It may even be free! But in general conservatories are probably going to be disinclined to offer lessons to the community. At least at a price you’re probably willing to pay.
While I haven’t a note in my head. I am nevertheless incredibly proud of my niece who is currently performing in ‘The Voice of Ireland competition’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_MEUDlQ9bE&feature=youtu.be
FYI, the page this goes to provides your home address…the other one doesn’t (just city/state). You might want to fix that, unless you don’t care.
OK, after having the joke go over my head at least 3 times, I finally got it on the fourth reading. :smack: