I went to Melissa for vocal lessons based on all the positive reviews I read here on Yelp, and…read moreafter working with her, found them to be 100% accurate. I was looking for a vocal coach that could help me, an inexperienced singer, prepare a song for a musical theater camp. Melissa was patient, supportive, upbeat and full of great suggestions. I never felt less-than even though she has the credentials to work with the highest level singers. I highly recommend her for anyone looking for a great vocal coach.

In the field of psychology, a "therapeutic alliance" encapsulates the relationship a…read morepsychotherapist and their client has to reach agreed-upon goals. When I reminisce on my voice relationship with Melissa--from autumn of 2019 until now (January 20th of 2025, as this is being typed)--the connotative strength of the word "alliance" accurately reflects the effectiveness of her pedagogical methods. Before I began working with Melissa, I intended to study with Lynn Helding, a renowned voice professor and pedagogue at University of Southern California. While a spot wasn't available for me in Lynn Helding's schedule, she referred me to Melissa, who was Helding's protégé as a USC DMA candidate at the time. If the concept of "when one door closes, another one opens" is to be embraced, then I will use the example of my path being directed to Melissa as evidence the concept is true. When I lived in San Gabriel Valley from autumn 2019 to February 2020, I would drive at least one hour to Venice from Alhambra for lessons with Melissa on a weekly basis, never regretting the time commitment (via another Yelp account, I wrote my first review for her on January 6th, 2020). As someone with a penchant for analytical thinking, I immediately benefitted from her extensive vocology research knowledge that would be applied to warmups and aria rep. Furthermore, my singing practice has always been spiritually rooted, and Melissa also engaging in music as a spiritual experience leads to her imparting memorable aphorisms that nurture my vocal growth; without her impactful communication skills, I wouldn't have been able to write the essay "Contemplative Consequences from a Decade of Singing" (https://web.archive.org/web/20220517012057/https://www.ruminatemagazine.com/blogs/ruminate-blog/contemplative-consequences-from-a-decade-of-singing). After I moved back to Bellevue, Washington due to COVID-19 lockdowns, I continued to train with Melissa via Zoom. Although I was nervous about doing lessons on screen, she ensured that the quality of the experience would be the same, even trying out different devices (ex. Google Hangouts) to figure out which would work best. The care that Melissa puts into her teaching was also demonstrated by her hosting monthly Zoom studio classes, in which her students would gather together for 2 hours in a weekend afternoon to perform for each other. I began studying with Melissa as a classical countertenor/sopranist at the age of 24 & a half 1/2, but her students represent a spectrum of ages and genre interests, such as CCM (contemporary commercial music). She currently works as an assistant professor of musical theatre at USC, in addition to singing in the LA Opera Chorus; if you're looking to improve your vocal technique in any way, I certainly recommend contacting Melissa now, before her availability becomes more limited. Though I took a three year hiatus from voice lessons to focus on my writing, I have retained my singing stamina because of Melissa's lasting pedagogical influence. Today, after my first lesson in three years with her, I experienced rejuvenation in my body, mind, and spirit, as her wholehearted commitment to developing potential in her students has remained apparent. Melissa: thank you so much for your vocal allyship. Through whatever is to come in the future, I know I will always be thrilled to continue growing with you singing.

I'm an actor currently based in New York, but I work with Paloma in LA as well, and she has helped…read moremy acting career tremendously. From mastering cadence and vocal technique to helping me find and replicate the voice of Malcolm X, she has an incredible understanding of the actor's instrument. She stays true to the fundamentals while bringing a real sensitivity to artistry, finding innovative ways to help you discover breath, voice, rhythm, and use your instrument to its fullest ability. I recently wrapped a TV show, have a Netflix film coming out next month, and we literally just finished another session today preparing for what's next. I'm grateful to have Paloma on my team, and anyone who gets to work with her is blessed to have her on theirs.

I'm not surprised that Paloma has perfect. Five star review on yelp - I'm so glad I went based on…read morethese recommendations when I reached out to her for lessons I had not sung in decades when I began working with Paloma in October, with one very meaningful goal: to prepare Ave Maria for my mother's 80th birthday Mass. Paloma is a seasoned professional with an absolutely beautiful voice, and she made the entire process approachable, easy to digest, and genuinely fun. She taught me how the voice truly works--breath support, diaphragm use, vocal anatomy, resonance, tongue placement, and effective exercises that rebuilt my voice with care and intention. Her depth of knowledge is exceptional, yet she explains everything in a way that feels clear and accessible. Most importantly, I felt extremely comfortable and supported every step of the way. Thanks to Paloma's expertise, patience, and encouragement, I was able to deliver a heartfelt and beautiful tribute to my mother. If you are returning to singing after time away or preparing for something truly meaningful, I cannot recommend Paloma highly enough.

Lauren is a highly gifted and trained opera singer and ultimate expert in any style of vocal…read moreperformance, pitch, and rhythm. She is kind and encouraging and makes my son feel comfortable and confident. She is also a wonderful piano teacher and my older son took classes with her for that, as well. I highly recommend attending classes with her.

Everything was terrific! Lauren is a gifted instructor; she's charming, informative, and able to…read morecoax wonderful tones out of everyone!

Dot has truly brought my voice out of the dark cell I trapped it in for far too long, and has shown…read moreme the iridescent sparkle that has been inside me all along. In only three sessions I am completely giddy and falling in love with my voice. This isn't just an assigned affirmation I am TRYING to believe.... it is a TRUTH that has resided inside of me forever and now I am seeing its beauty. If you are looking for a safe person to explore your deepest vocal fears and trauma, look no further than Dot. She continues to nurture and hold my voice without judgement and lead me to my truth of my voice through breathe and song. I am in awe of her capacity to love and guide her students to the lightness of their being. Since working with Dot (again only three sessions) I have a newfound openness and confidence in myself that I really never thought I would have found by taking voice lessons. I was expecting to expand my vocal range, but I had no clue that I was actually going to be expanding my being into believing in ME! A "ME" I thought was lightyears away, but who was just waiting for the right coach to see my potential and be my mirror. If you're looking for a review or sign to invest in yourself and start working with Dot... HERE IS YOUR SIGN! You'll thank yourself after your vocal assessment. And then you'll thank yourself again for every lesson after as you uncover the goodness that has always been inside. YOU ARE WORTH THIS INVESTMENT! Your truest self has been waiting for you to love you. Let Dot help you do just that!

Dot is an exceptionally talented vocal empowerment teacher/coach whose unique and creative approach…read moreoffers a refreshing perspective. Her vibrant personality shines through in every session which also allows mine to comfortably shine as well. Her innovative methods have opened new doors for me, allowing me to explore my voice in ways I never thought possible. With Dot's guidance, my voice has undergone significant improvement, and I am profoundly grateful for the transformative tools she has shared. Her unique blend of expertise and creativity is exactly what we all need to unlock our full vocal potential. Thank you, Dot! You're the best!

Rich Schraier is one of the best teachers I have ever had. I'm a professional actor and singer and…read moreI owe a huge portion of what I am able to do to the teaching I received from him. He is tough but fair, and no one knows more than he does about the genre of musical theater. He is also a fantastic director and I cannot wait for the opportunity to work with him again. I highly recommend him for all levels! Whether you are just starting out or you are an old pro, you can get so much out of lessons from Rich.

From the owner: Known as a perfectionist, it should come as no surprise that I am extremely thorough when…read morepracticing my teaching methods with vocal coaching students. My major emphasis is on the performance & acting interpretation of the lyrics, but vocal technique, musical phrasing/dynamics, sight reading, ear training & basic piano fundamentals play an equally important role. Musicianship knowledge can greatly increase a singer's job success. We MUST eliminate the expression "there are musicians & then there are singers!" I am available for 1/2 hour & 1 hour private sessions. If inconvenient, I am also available for Skype sessions. I will help you prepare for an audition of any kind as well as long range singing goals. My teaching styles for piano are exactly the same as vocal coaching. I am thorough in all elements of learning, including becoming a better sight reader, develop ear training, start with a classical piano method & slowly add jazz, musical theater & pop to your playing repertoire. A variety of playing styles is essential, but so is good technique. I can work with students age 6 - 96, & I am very patient. I usually work from my home in W.L.A., but will travel to you within a 10 mile radius.

I came to Forbsey after months of pushing through my voice and hoping it would sort itself out on…read moreits own. I'd get through a set and be wrecked the next day. She figured out what I was doing almost immediately and never once made me feel dumb about it. She just went, okay, here's what's happening, let's fix it. What I appreciate most is that she actually coaches. She's not just running you through scales and calling it a lesson. She catches the one thing that's costing you and gives you something specific to work on, and she's encouraging the whole way through without it feeling fake. When something isn't there yet, she says so. When you finally land it, she's genuinely hyped for you. The biggest difference is how much less like work singing feels now. Stuff I used to muscle through I can just sing. No straining, no bracing for it. If you're grinding your voice down and can't figure out why, go see her.

Forbsey is an amazing vocal coach! She's knowledgeable, encouraging, and makes every less and…read moreenjoyable. Do the intro lesson with her and you'll notice a big improvement in your voice and confidence, like I did all in the first lesson??- YES!! I'm getting answers here that I couldn't from months of YouTubes. Highly recommend.!!

My teenage daughter is going to Melanie and things are going great. She loves it and appreciates…read morethe time they spend together. Already seeing improvements

Melanie is absolutely the best vocal coach I've ever had the privilege of working with. She's…read morehelped me improve my singing more than I thought I could and is unfailingly encouraging. She's also very honest and has good prices. I ten out of ten recommend her to anyone who's pursuing voice at any level :)

Juliana is a caring, knowledgeable instructor who explains concepts in terms beginners can…read moreunderstand. And she's efficient so you get a ton of reps and feedback in class. I actually have confidence while singing now! If you've always wanted to learn this is the best place to start!

I've retired and had never sung out loud! So the idea of singing lessons was very scary but it was…read morean inhibition that I really wanted to overcome. I did a lot of research on LA based teachers and Juliana's commitment to voice discovery for anyone got me through the door. I have never looked back. Juliana's teaching style is warm and constantly encouraging, giving you building blocks from physical preparation and relaxation through the many vocal techniques to enhance your sound. Her attention to detail is exemplary and she is an expert who always makes you feel you are in safe hands. She also goes above and beyond to ensure you have materials and videos to help you practice. My confidence has grown with every session and I continue to improve. For me, it is also a pleasure for my first audience to be her adorable cats and dogs who wander into our sessions. They are of course optional if you had concerns. I don't hesitate to recommend Juliana to anyone. Whatever your level, you will improve under her guidance. Simon

Brian is hands-down one of the best vocal coaches out there. He really understands the anatomy and…read morescience behind singing, and he explains what's happening in your body in a way that makes it easy to understand and recreate on your own. He's not cheap, but he's absolutely worth it if you want to learn efficiently instead of spending money on endless lessons that don't move the needle. I've been learning from him for almost a year, and I've learned so much more in that time than I did in four years at another studio. Thanks Brian!!

A little update here on yelp. It's only been four lessons, but I just wanted to take a moment to…read moreappreciate you by saying thank you very much for doing what you do!!! Music has always been there for me through many difficult parts of my life, but I've always felt like there was this gap between music and I that I could never close. I never felt like I had any talent to immerse myself, or further myself in it. Always just singing to myself, or when I'm alone, because that's the only time I have the courage to explore my voice. I have to say I've never felt this great singing before and it's only been four lessons. This year for me is big on self investment and rediscovering myself and where my interests/passion lies. You've gotta take some risks in life sometimes and taking a chance on vocal lessons with you has been by far one of the best decisions I've made in a while!. I'm still super stoked and I'm looking forward to what's to come!! Thanks voice dad!

Lauren Carter is an amazing vocal coach. I have been working with her and have transformed from…read morean off key hopeless singer to someone who can carry a tune and has the confidence to sing in public. She is patient and encouraging and highly recommend her.

My daughter has been working with Lauren for almost a year now. My little girl was diagnosed with a…read moreSpeech and Reading Disability and her psychiatrist recommended speech lessons as well as singing and piano classes to help her improve overall. With Lauren's expertise in singing and piano, and her calm patience, my daughter is speaking more fluently now and belts out songs all day long. Lauren is a pleasure to work with and my daughter just loves her. If you have small children who enjoy singing and want them to learn piano, Lauren is the best!