How 1-on-1 singing lessons helped Elsa improve breath control and pitch stability

Elsa, a passionate singer, wanted to master the song “Gimme Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie but found controlling her breath and maintaining steady pitch challenging during her performances.

After struggling with shaky vocals and difficulty hitting high notes, Elsa decided to work with Nicole Demers, a professional vocal coach at Wiingy, to build better breath support, pitch control, and confidence in her singing.

With Nicole’s patient guidance and customized exercises, Elsa started improving her vocal steadiness and learning to breathe efficiently while singing demanding songs. 

Here’s how focused 1-on-1 vocal coaching helped Elsa gain vocal control and refine her technique.

Why Elsa started singing lessons

Elsa shared that while she enjoyed singing, her voice often felt shaky, especially on high and sustained notes. She noticed difficulties in managing her breath and sometimes struggled with pitch accuracy during performances.

She explained,

“I think part of that is the breathing, I want to be breathing from that stomach area, to feel those muscles working while I’m singing.”

Knowing that breath control was key to better singing, Elsa sought a coach who could give her targeted exercises and clear feedback to develop healthy vocal habits.

If you want to learn to strengthen breath support and pitch control like Elsa, check out this guide from Wiingy’s vocal coaches: How to learn singing.

Real class insight: What Elsa worked on with Nicole

Building breath control and muscle engagement

Nicole introduced exercises focusing on diaphragmatic breathing and encouraged Elsa to place her hand on her stomach to feel the breath muscles working.

They practiced warm-ups including vocalizations that emphasized mixed voice resonance and nasality to develop control over vocal placement.

Working on pitch stability and vibrato control

Nicole guided Elsa to sing more flat tones without excessive vibrato to improve pitch steadiness, especially on challenging phrases in “Gimme Gimme.” Elsa practiced singing slowly with clear breath marks, learning to prepare mentally before jumps to higher notes.

Mastering song-specific challenges

They went through “Gimme Gimme” section by section, focusing on breath timing, mouth openness, and vowel shaping to help Elsa hit the difficult notes without strain. 

Nicole encouraged Elsa to open her mouth wide on high notes and to “land” on difficult notes with proper breath support rather than pushing upward.

Posture and vocal delivery tips

Nicole pointed out the importance of posture and abdominal engagement, showing Elsa how professional singers flex their stomach muscles to support their voice and project clearly.

The outcome: Better breath management and confident singing

Through consistent practice of warm-ups, breathing exercises, and song breakdowns, Elsa built greater breath control and learned to steady her voice on tricky parts.

Her pitch accuracy improved noticeably, and she gained confidence in approaching high notes with better preparation and support.

Nicole also provided helpful resources and lyric sheets with breath marks to aid Elsa’s independent practice.

What you can learn from Elsa’s journey

• Breath control and muscle awareness are vital for pitch stability and vocal health.
• Breaking songs into manageable sections with breath marks helps manage challenging phrases.
• Opening the mouth wide on high notes enhances vocal tone and ease.
• Personalized coaching accelerates skill building and helps overcome unique vocal challenges.

If you’re starting or returning to singing, this resource is a great place to begin: How to learn singing as an adult.

Try 1-on-1 coaching with expert vocal tutors

If you want to improve your breath control, pitch accuracy, and expressive singing, personalized lessons with coaches like Nicole Demers can help.

• Master diaphragmatic breathing and vocal warm-ups
• Build confidence in hitting high and sustained notes
• Receive real-time feedback and tailored vocal exercises
• Develop healthy singing habits for long-term growth

Book your free trial lesson today on Wiingy!

Meet the tutor – Nicole Demers

Nicole Demers is a skilled vocal coach with expertise in breath control, mixed voice techniques, and song interpretation.

She focuses on providing supportive, clear instruction tailored to each student’s goals, helping singers develop healthy technique and confidence.

See more student stories

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Footnote: Student’s name has been changed for privacy.