There are many, many vocalists out there that sing without the guidance of a professional vocal coach. This is not OK! Vocal coaches are important for you and your vocal cords. So if you're a singer and you want to sing better and healthier, here's why you should get a coach.

1. They push you to become better.

They might get scary and they might still make you sing with a stuffy nose. They might even make you sing a classical piece or two, but it's only to help you grow (plus, singing classical music is super fun). They only push you because they know you have the potential to do it and once you do it, you'll be better than you were before. You can only improve as a singer, especially if you practice. You'll have to overcome many challenges as a vocalist, so if you can accept a few challenges your coach throws at you, it'll make life as a vocalist a bit easier!

2. They help disprove the "singers aren't musicians" stereotype.

Going to a music school everyday, it's a running joke that the vocalists are not musicians. Although it's only a joke, many people really do believe it to be true, since singers are "known" for not knowing their music theory, and not knowing how to read music. However, having a vocal coach can help you with theory and sight singing, which is a big help if you want to do music in college and professionally. It's a necessity to not only know how to sing, but what to sing. If you sing jazz, and you need to take a scat solo, you need to know which scale to sing from. If you audition for music in college, they will ask you to sight sing. Theory is so important and your coach can totally help you if they know their stuff.

3. They teach you to sing healthily.

This is the most important point of all. If you are a singer of any kind, you need to know what your body is doing. If your voice hurts, you lose your voice, or feel like you're straining during or after you sing, you are not singing healthily, and need a coach. There is way more to vocal health than drinking tea. A vocal coach can teach you all that you need to know to become a healthier singer. You wouldn't believe how far you could go with healthier cords. Your range can expand, you could sing for long periods of time, and so much more. It's so important to know what your body is doing while you are singing. Poor vocal health can lead to scary things like nodules. So if you want to stay a singer and keep the range you have, you need to have a coach.

4. They're your number one fans.

They only want the best for you. They want to see you succeed and see you confident in your voice. They are there to help you improve, not to make you look or sound bad. If you start to get down, they're going to be the ones who can pick you back up the best. Singing is a lot harder than it looks, and if anyone knows it best it's a vocal coach. So if you are struggling, they want to help you and see you succeed. There's no better feeling to them then seeing you fly.

5. They love questions.

The number one thing I always ask my vocal teacher is "why?" When we do new warm ups I say, "Why are we doing this warm up? What is this helping me with?" And she gladly explains what my body is doing, and why it's helping me. If a vocal coach cannot explain why, they shouldn't be teaching you. They should know what, where, why, and how, and should not mind answering any questions.

6. They become your best friends.

I can happily say my vocal coach is my best friend. I can tell her anything. I can come into her lessons crying over something, and she'd comfort me. She has taught me how to sing, and how to deal with tough things and choices in life. A vocal coach is more than just someone who teaches you. They're someone who takes you under their wing, helps and watches you grow and dedicates their time to helping you. There is no one out who will support you or have your back more than your coach. It's such a blessing to have one.