Online vs In-Person Singing Lessons: Which Is Better?

It’s one of the questions I’m asked most often:

“Are online singing lessons as good as in-person lessons?”

Having taught hundreds of singers in both formats, my answer is probably not what people expect.

The truth is, neither is automatically better.

The biggest factor in your progress isn’t whether you’re sitting in a studio or in front of a webcam. It’s your commitment to improving and the relationship you build with your teacher.

Let me explain.

The biggest misconception about online lessons. Many people assume online singing lessons simply can’t work.

Some worry about the sound quality. Others think the lessons will feel awkward, cold or overly technical. They imagine spending an hour singing scales while the teacher watches silently from a screen.

In reality, it’s usually the opposite

Singing is an incredibly personal thing. Your voice often reflects how you’re feeling emotionally, and over time, a good teacher gets to know far more than just your vocal technique. A connection develops. There’s conversation, laughter, problem-solving and, quite often, breakthroughs that have very little to do with singing exercises themselves.

What in-person lessons do better

There are definite advantages to teaching face-to-face, and I wouldn’t pretend otherwise.

When I’m in the room with someone, I can see their entire body. I notice the small details that are easy to miss through a camera. I can pick up on subtle movements, posture, breathing patterns and tension almost instinctively.

Sometimes singers struggle to describe what they’re feeling.

It’s a bit like asking someone what riding a bike feels like. Most people can do it, but explaining the sensations is surprisingly difficult.

Being there in person means I don’t have to rely entirely on those descriptions. I can observe what’s happening for myself.

There are practical benefits too.

I can physically guide someone’s posture or arm position if needed. I can immediately spot when someone is unintentionally cheating an exercise. Musicality work also feels more natural because there’s no internet delay, making rhythm exercises and warm-ups easier.

Those are genuine advantages.

What online lessons do better

This is the part that surprises most people.

Online lessons can actually solve problems faster.

Rather than waiting until next week to ask a question, it’s often possible to book a shorter session exactly when an issue arises.

Sometimes two thirty-minute lessons in a week are far more valuable than one longer lesson.

There’s another unexpected benefit.

Most people feel safer singing in their own home.

They aren’t worried about who’s listening outside the practice room. They can experiment, make strange sounds, crack, wobble and explore without feeling self-conscious.

Ironically, many singers become more fearless online than they ever would in a studio.

“Can you really hear enough through Zoom?”

Yes.

The first lesson usually involves a few minutes setting up microphones and audio settings, especially if someone hasn’t used Zoom’s Original Sound option before.

Once that’s sorted, I can hear far more than people expect.

After years of teaching, your ears become trained to recognise small changes in tone, coordination and tension.

Is it exactly the same as standing beside someone?

No.

Can I still identify the vast majority of technical issues?

Absolutely.

After all, singers are coached successfully from recordings, albums and performance videos every day. An experienced teacher isn’t relying on perfect audio— they’re listening for patterns.

Two students I’ll never forget

One of my online students arrived for her first lesson sitting in her car.

Someone had bought the lessons for her, and she was understandably sceptical. Quiet. Reserved. Unsure whether any of this could possibly work.

By the end of her four-lesson block, she’d made real progress, booked more lessons and was recommending me to her friends.

Nothing magical had happened.

She simply relaxed, trusted the process and gave herself permission to learn.

Another student lived in Canada.

He worked as an electrician climbing power lines, so our lessons started at six o’clock in the morning before work.

He’d been singing and playing guitar for years and already had a naturally interesting voice, but there were some fundamental technical issues holding him back.

Over time we worked through the tension, helped him understand how to approach higher notes without dragging unnecessary weight upwards, and gradually everything opened up.

Watching that voice emerge was incredibly rewarding.

It felt like opening the door of a cage and watching something finally become free.

Neither of those stories happened because the lessons were online.

They happened because those students turned up consistently, asked questions and kept practising.

So which is better?

If someone forced me to choose only one format for the rest of my career, I’d probably choose online.

Not because I think it’s technically superior.

Because it allows me to create a better coaching environment.

I can work from a dedicated studio, minimise travel, stay fresh between lessons and spend more of my energy doing what matters most: teaching.

Ultimately, that benefits my students too.

My honest opinion

After teaching singers for years, I’ve come to believe something very simple.

The work you get out is the work you put in.

A good singing teacher doesn’t magically improve your voice in one hour each week.

They help you understand your voice. They interpret what you’re experiencing. They answer the questions that arise through your practice and guide you towards the next step.

If you only sing during the lesson itself, it doesn’t really matter whether that lesson is online or in person.

Progress will be slow.

If you’re practising regularly throughout the week, arriving with questions, trying things, making mistakes and staying curious, then both online and in-person coaching can be incredibly effective.

The lesson isn’t where most of the improvement happens.

It’s where you discover what to work on next.