The Singer’s Guide
This is the show for ambitious singers who want more than just scales and song practice.
We’ll talk about the things your regular lessons don’t always cover — like ways to practice without waking the neighbours, the best tools for finding the perfect backing track, and how to turn warming up from a chore into something you actually look forward to.
Because being a singer is about more than just your voice — it’s about confidence, preparation, and all the little skills that make performing effortless.
Listen on:
Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
In this Singer’s Guide podcast episode, Tessa interviews vocal coach Heather Baker (@thesingingteacher), founder member of the Institute of Vocal Advancement and a master’s-trained vocal pedagogy specialist, about the one thing she wishes singers knew.
Heather emphasises experimenting with vocal tract shaping - playing with vowels and adjustable elements like the tongue, larynx, pharynx, jaw and lips - to find the unique configurations that help each individual voice resonate best.
She explains that different shapes can make singing easier or harder and influence style choices.
Tessa and Heather discuss using recordings and teacher feedback to counter inaccurate self-perception, building trust between internal sensations and external sound, and how willingness to be vulnerable and try new coordinations speeds vocal progress.
00:00 Welcome to Season Two
00:58 Meet Heather Baker
02:40 The Big Question
03:36 Vocal Tract Shaping Basics
05:58 Playful Experiments With Vowels
07:04 Style Choices Classical vs Belt
08:31 Recordings and Feedback Loops
10:35 Familiar vs Comfortable Sounds
11:35 Confidence Vulnerability and Growth
14:06 Where to Find Heather
14:55 Final Thanks and Goodbye
FIND HEATHER:
Heather is a world-renowned singing teacher and vocal coach with over 25 years of experience working with contemporary singers.
Her clients range from Award Winning Recording Artists to West End and Broadway performers to Complete Beginners and everything in-between! She is a Founding Director of The Institute of Vocal Advancement and has amassed over 10,000 followers across her social media platforms.
Heather holds a Masters Degree in Vocal Pedagogy and has completed years of ongoing training and study on the voice. She is an expert in her field and has a passion for helping singers develop their true potential and achieve the results they deserve.
https://www.thesingingteacher.biz/
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The Singer's Guide is hosted by Tessa Smith.
www.tessasmith.com
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
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🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub: www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
Tessa welcomes listeners to The Singer’s Guide and announces that season two is coming soon.
She explains that season one focused on “what I wish I’d known sooner as a singer,” covering topics like warming up, cooling down, and how to practice.
For season two, she has invited a range of respected singing teachers and peers and will ask each one question: “What’s one thing that you wish singers knew?”
She mentions guests including Heather Baker, Jeremy Ryan Mossman, John Henny, Chelsea Wilson, and Lucinda Allen, and shares that episodes will be released fortnightly on Tuesdays starting 7 July 2026.
The Singer's Guide is hosted by Tessa Smith.
www.tessasmith.com
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub: www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa: www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Feb 03, 2026
Tuesday Feb 03, 2026
In this final episode of season one of The Singer's Guide Podcast, host Tessa reflects on the journey so far.
She highlights her favourite episodes, the overall approach to diverse topics such as vocal health and practice techniques, and discusses areas for improvement.
Tessa also shares insightful responses from singers on what they wish they had learned earlier in their singing careers.
Looking ahead to season two, she plans to incorporate feedback and introduce new perspectives by inviting other singing teachers to join the conversation.
Tessa concludes by asking listeners for their favorite episodes and suggestions for future topics.
00:00 Introduction and Reflection
02:26 Season Highlights and Favourite Episodes
03:31 Areas for Improvement
07:02 Singer's Answers to the Question "What Do You Wish You'd Learned Sooner?"
10:39 Final Thoughts and Season 2 Preview
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub: www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Jan 20, 2026
Tuesday Jan 20, 2026
In episode 11 of The Singer's Guide Podcast, host Tessa discusses the broad array of skills necessary to build a successful singing career.
Drawing from her experience as a jazz singer, vocal coach, choir leader, and academic researcher, she categorises these skills into three main personas: the artist, the learner, and the professional.
Tessa delves into the specifics of vocal technique, musicianship, and performance skills under the artist persona.
For the learner, she highlights the importance of voice science, vocal health, and reflective practices.
The professional persona focuses on industry-specific hard skills and essential soft skills like organisation, communication, and project management.
Throughout the episode, Tessa stresses that while the list of required skills can seem overwhelming, they can be developed and improved over time through practice and experience.
She concludes by asking the listener 'What do you wish you had learned sooner?'
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
02:19 The Life of a Freelance Singer
02:42 Tessa's Career Journey
05:25 Essential Skills for Singers
06:11 The Artist Persona
08:21 The Learner Persona
09:42 The Professional Persona
13:16 The Importance of Practice
14:41 Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Jan 06, 2026
Tuesday Jan 06, 2026
In the 10th episode of the Singer's Guide podcast, host Tessa Smith delves into the topic of goal setting for singers to kick off the first episode of 2026.
The episode focuses on the SMART goals framework - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound - offering practical tips for setting realistic and motivating goals.
Tessa emphasises the importance of aligning smaller goals with larger objectives and making the goal-setting process enjoyable.
She also introduces her Self Validated Voice Program and the Singer's Practice Hub as resources to help listeners achieve their 2026 singing goals.
00:00 Welcome to Episode 10: New Year, New Goals
03:39 Setting and Structuring Your Singing Goals
05:17 Understanding SMART Goals
10:41 Making Goal Setting Fun and Enjoyable
13:33 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
In the ninth episode of the Singer's Guide podcast, host Tessa offers best practices for maintaining vocal health on a daily basis, and what to do when feeling the onset of illness or fatigue.
Tessa also talks about options when illness sets in and you still have to perform, such as quiet practice, song modifications, and collaborative performance strategies.
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:10 Daily Vocal Care Tips
04:12 Handling Early Signs of Illness
06:34 Singing While Unwell
11:29 Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
In episode eight of The Singer's Guide Podcast, host Tessa discusses motivation, and how to motivate yourself to practice singing when it's lacking.
Tessa explains the concepts of internal (intrinsic) and external (extrinsic) motivation and shares strategies to harness both types.
She emphasises the importance of avoiding negative motivators and suggests setting deadlines, creating accountability, and using rewards as effective external motivators.
Additionally, she discusses the benefits of novelty and curiosity in enhancing internal motivation.
Tessa also highlights the value of documenting progress and incorporating varied practice activities, including enjoyable forms like singing in a choir or taking breaks.
The episode underscores the significance of self-compassion and offers practical tools like the Singer's Practice Hub to help maintain motivation.
00:00 Introduction
01:10 Understanding Motivation
02:32 Types of Motivation: Internal vs External
04:41 External Motivators: Deadlines and Rewards
08:56 Boosting Internal Motivation
12:36 Alternative Practice Methods
15:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
In Episode 7 of The Singer's Guide, hosted by Tessa, the spotlight is on the Singer's Practice Hub; a comprehensive resource designed to improve singers' skills and support their vocal journey.
Tessa explains the origin and development of the Hub, emphasising the practical relevance of the extensive research she conducted during her master's degree in vocal pedagogy.
The episode breaks down the multiple sections of the Hub, including Fundamentals, Warming Up, Mindset Shifts, Singing Snacks, Voiceless Options, Resources, Song Work, Song Studies, and Beyond Singing.
Additionally, Tessa introduces the community aspect facilitated through Telegram, allowing for motivation, support, and accountability among members.
Throughout the episode, listeners are encouraged to consider the multifaceted elements of singing practice, and Tessa reassures potential members that the Hub is well-organised to prevent overwhelming users.
The Singer's Practice Hub is praised as a valuable tool for becoming a confident, independent singer.
00:00 Introduction to The Singer's Guide Podcast
01:46 The Birth of the Singer's Practice Hub
02:31 Research and Insights from Master's Degree Research
04:59 Creating a Practical Resource for Singers
06:25 Exploring the Singer's Practice Hub
06:56 Community and Support within the Hub
08:08 Fundamentals and Main Sections
09:36 Mindset Shifts and Singing Snacks
12:29 Voiceless Options and Additional Resources
14:22 Song Work and Beyond Singing
16:12 Conclusion and Invitation to Join
----
🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
In episode six of The Singer's Guide podcast, Tessa explores the question of whether singers should learn music theory.
She discusses the variability among singers' needs, highlighting that while music theory can be beneficial, it is not essential for everyone.
Tessa explains the practical uses of music theory for reading sheet music, songwriting, and understanding vocal challenges.
She shares personal experiences from her role in a close harmony trio and emphasises how music theory helps her with self-compassion and problem-solving.
Additionally, Tessa introduces her Singer's Practice Hub, which includes music theory elements to support singers' practice.
The episode concludes with Tessa inviting listeners to share what they wish they had learned earlier in their singing careers.
00:00 Welcome to The Singer's Guide Podcast
00:52 Should Singers Know Music Theory?
01:50 The Practical Benefits of Music Theory
02:55 Using Music Theory for Self-Compassion
05:50 The Singer's Practice Hub
06:35 Final Thoughts and Listener Questions
----
🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
In episode five of The Singer's Guide Podcast, Tessa discusses ways to practise singing without disturbing others.
She introduces a Quiet Practice Toolkit, which includes three voiceless practice options complete with worksheets.
The episode covers lyric memorisation and annotation, self-reviewing recordings, and lip-syncing with emotional prompts.
These tools allow singers to continue developing their skills even in environments where they must remain quiet.
Tessa also encourages listeners to share what they wish they had learned earlier in their singing journey for a future podcast episode.
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
00:52 The Importance of Practice
02:38 Quiet Practice Toolkit Introduction
04:13 Tool 1: Lyrics-Based Practice
07:00 Tool 2: Listening and Self-Review
10:40 Tool 3: Lip-Syncing with Emotional Prompts
13:27 Conclusion and Listener Engagement
----
🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound
https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit
----
🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub:
www.singerspracticehub.com
🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa:
www.thesingersguide.com
🎵 Music by Tessa Smith
🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.