10 easy songs for your first singing lesson
Your first singing lesson with a new vocal coach or at a new singing school can feel a bit nerve-wrecking. Especially if it’s your very first singing lesson ever. Do you need to prepare scales? Learn to read sheet music? Practice big high notes? Good news: nope 😄 A trial singing lesson is mainly there so you can experience what singing lessons are like and feel whether there’s a click with your teacher. It is really helpful, though, if you bring a song you can work on together.
In this blog we’ll help you choose a song for your first singing lesson, and we’ll share a list of 10 easy songs that almost always work well, especially if you’re just starting out with singing lessons in Amsterdam. There’s no single “perfect” song that everyone should sing in their first lesson. What works for you depends on your taste, your voice and how comfortable you feel singing in general. These tips make it much easier.
TIP 1: Pick a song that you already know
Maybe you already have that one song you always sing: in the shower, at a bar, in the car or while doing the dishes. Or that song on the radio where you automatically start singing along as soon as it comes on. Take that song to your lesson. Because you already know the melody, you don’t have to spend your whole first singing lesson thinking “wait… how did this go again?” and you can focus more on your breath, sound, relaxation and having fun.
TIP 2: Don’t make it too hard on yourself
In fact: make it easy. That huge power ballad or dramatic aria can come later (hopefully with a bit of support from your new vocal coach 😉). For your trial lesson, it’s smarter to pick a song that’s actually a little easier than what you’d normally pick. Go for something that almost feels “too simple” rather than something right on the edge of your abilities. Your first singing lesson is not an audition. It’s a starting point.
TIP 3: Pick a song you genuinely like
As you may have picked up between the lines: there is no “mandatory first-lesson song”. What works for you depends on things like: your taste (pop, musical theatre, rock, soul…), the language you want to sing in (Dutch, English, something else) and how comfortable you feel with singing in general. So choose a song that genuinely makes you happy. Whether that’s André Hazes or Aretha Franklin, K3 or Kate Bush, Glee or Guns N’ Roses. If you enjoy singing it, the lesson will instantly feel better and it’s much easier to relax.
EXTRA TIP: Check the range of the song
Got a song in mind, but notice that some parts feel just a little too high or too low to sing comfortably? No problem. You definitely don’t have to figure out the “right key” by yourself. Just tell your teacher in the lesson (or in an email beforehand): “I’d love to sing this song, but it feels a bit high/low.” Your vocal coach can put the song in a different key, pick a section that fits you better (for example just the chorus), or suggest an alternative song with a similar vibe but a more comfortable range. Bonus tip at home: on YouTube you’ll find lots of karaoke tracks that are a few steps higher or lower. You can already experiment a bit and feel what works best for your voice.
If you’re reading this thinking: “OK… I’d actually like to give this a try,” that’s your sign 😉 You can book a trial singing lesson in Amsterdam and explore with your teacher which song fits your voice and level right now.
👉 Book your trial singing lesson in Amsterdam
Can’t make up your mind? We got you!
Below (and on our Spotify playlist 💖) you’ll find 10 easy songs for your first singing lesson. These are all songs we know from experience tend to work really well in a trial lesson or when you’re just starting with singing lessons.
Ready for you first singing lesson with us?
Whether you already have a favourite song in mind or still have no idea: you don’t have to figure it out on your own. During a trial lesson we’ll explore what suits your voice and current level, what your goals are (sing more freely, build technique, dare to be heard more), and how we can keep singing fun and relaxed for you.