Where to Start: Private Lessons, Practice Groups, or Courses?
- Luke
- Dec 23, 2025
- 3 min read
One of the most common questions I get is: “What’s the best way to work with you?”The answer depends less on your experience level and more on what your voice needs right now.
Some people come to me in the middle of a show run or concert season. Others want consistent skill-building, or a deeper understanding of how their voice actually works. I offer three primary modes of learning—Private Lessons, Practice Groups, and Courses—each designed to support your voice in a different way.
Private Lessons: Individual Coaching for Real-World Vocal Demands
Private lessons are the most flexible and responsive way to work with me as a vocal coach.
In one-on-one sessions—either in person or online—we focus on what your voice needs right now. That might mean maintaining vocal health during a run of shows, supporting you through rehearsals or concerts, addressing fatigue or inconsistency, or helping your voice feel dependable week to week.
My coaching is informed by Estill Voice Training, but you do not need to have taken an Estill course to begin private lessons. Many singers and speakers start here simply because they need skilled, individualized support during a demanding or transitional period—and that is always welcome.
For those who want a deeper technical framework to support this work, Estill courses offer tools that can later enrich and clarify what we explore in private coaching.
Best for:
Performers in shows, rehearsals, concerts, or tours
Ongoing vocal support during demanding schedules
Addressing fatigue, stamina, consistency, or recovery
Anyone who wants highly individualized coaching
Practice Groups: Sharpening Skills Through Guided Practice
Practice Groups are for singers who already have a foundation in Estill Voice Training and want to apply, reinforce, and stabilize their skills over time.
These sessions are coached, not lecture-based. We focus on guided practice—strengthening coordination, refining vocal choices, and building consistency in a supportive, structured environment. Practice Groups are especially useful for keeping skills active between private lessons or while preparing for Estill certification.
They also offer something many singers miss once coursework ends: regular accountability and shared momentum, without the intensity of one-on-one coaching.
Best for:
Singers who have completed Estill Level 1 & 2
Those preparing for Estill Figure Proficiency (EFP)
Vocalists who want structured, ongoing practice
Learners who benefit from repetition and community
Courses: The Foundation That Informs Everything
Estill Voice Training Level 1 & 2 courses provide the technical foundation that informs all of my coaching work.
These courses give you a clear, functional understanding of how the voice works, along with a shared vocabulary that makes training more efficient and communication more precise. For many singers, speakers, and teachers, this coursework becomes a turning point—turning guesswork into choice and effort into strategy.
While it’s not required to begin private lessons, my goal is that everyone eventually encounters this work, because it empowers you to take ownership of your voice and get more out of any coaching environment.
Best for:
Anyone seeking a clear, repeatable approach to vocal training
Singers, actors, teachers, and speakers
Those interested in Estill certification pathways
Learners who want tools that transfer across styles
No matter where you start—private lessons, practice groups, or courses—supporting your voice doesn’t begin and end in a session. That’s why I also offer guided Vocal Check-ins and Cool-downs: short, intentional practices you can use before and after rehearsals, performances, classes, or long days of voice use. These science-based routines, informed by Estill Voice Training, help you assess how your voice feels, prepare it efficiently, and recover with care. Think of them as daily touchpoints that keep you connected to your voice between lessons, courses, and real-world demands—so your training actually supports your life, not the other way around.
About the author:
Luke Steinhauer, MBA, is a premier Vocal Coach, Director of Operations @ Estill Voice International, a TEDx speaker, and Estill Master Trainer (EMT) based in New York City. Luke is a graduate of The University of Michigan and Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business, CUNY.
Socials: @lukesteinhauervoice @estillvoice
Website: www.lukesteinhauer.com
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