The importance of voice coaching

Singer Divya RT is offering vocal training programmes for artistes, voice-over professionals, and bathroom singers through her startup

A Bengaluru-based voice training startup, founded by entrepreneur and singer Divya R T, has been featured as one of the top 10 best women startups in the ‘Bangalore 2021 by Silicon India’ report.

Started in 2017, VOXCOACH offers various online and offline technical vocal training programmes for singers, voice artistes, and commoners. In an interview with Metrolife, Divya shares her journey on how she established this voice-based startup and highlights the need for vocal training in today’s age. Excerpts from an interview:

How did you develop an interest in voice coaching?

My lecturing job led me towards the path of pursuing vocal coaching as a profession. It has been a transformational journey from being an articulate student to a nurturing coach. Since childhood, I have had a propensity for music and a talent for singing.

After a long gap of 15 years, I experienced an urge to pursue singing again and explore voice techniques to make the process of vocalisation smoother. This process brought good results and motivated me to share these benefits with others.

How did you come up with VOXCOACH? What programmes do you offer?

I started VOXCOACH in 2017 when a former chemistry student asked me to conduct a vocal training programme during the weekends to improve her singing. That is what got the ball rolling.

We offer application-based and skill-based vocal courses catering to both beginners and professionals. These courses are graded and certified with guidelines defined by us. There are session-wise booking options for those who are not keen to take a full course.

How do you define voice training?

Voice coaching or training comprises a set of exercises that allow the body to reset its voice-related machinery to a normal state. These voice exercises act as tools to fix existing and future vocal-related issues. This process gives you a complete understanding of voice dynamics. Anybody with a strong will and healthy body can get trained.

You also offer voice therapy. What is that?

I’m a voice therapist, who has completed a certificate course in therapy related to vocal trauma. I depend on the diagnosis done by other specialists and technicians to design a sensible roadmap to recovery from vocal trauma. For this kind of therapy to work, clients need to diligently follow suggestions on voice care and do their voice exercises regularly.

Any voice exercises you suggest for singers and commoners?

You can do a gentle tongue stretch (ie. open the mouth and stretch the tongue out and downwards) or do a neck stretch (upwards and downwards, and from side to side). Hold these stretches for a few seconds and repeat two-three times. This releases tension around the voice box and begins to restore its flexibility. Sighing also instantly switches the voice box into a relaxed mode. A relaxed set of muscles will always perform the tasks efficiently than stiff muscles.