I have worked with Leora, Addy, Meredith, and Alyssa. My whole life, I have been told I was a bad singer. I didn't care. I sang anyways. I sang because I loved to sing. It was not for the entertainment of others. I am an Executive Assistant and my role can be stressful. Turns out executive work is incredibly stressful. Executives work around the clock. I decided to do something for myself so I signed up with Songbird. I didn't anticipate my voice would improve so much. I have gone from people grimacing when I sing to people stopping what they are doing to listen in. I have developed the confidence to sing in open mikes in bars. I sing in front of friends. My voice has completely transformed. Songbird studios is one of the best investments I have made. No matter how stressful my week is, I can count on my weekly lesson. It gives me a sense of peace and stability. The coaches are incredibly dedicated and empathetic. Singing is vulnerable and they create a safe space to learn. I truly recommend this to anyone who is looking to improve their voice and have a good place to go every week. read more

I have worked with Songbird Studios a couple of times now. The first time I worked with them I was connected with Masha to prepare for my audition for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Masha brought so much experience to our lessons. She could always explain technique in an approachable way and really helped shaped my solo. She gave me the confidence I needed to sing in front of the judge's panel. Ultimately, I nailed my audition and began singing with Chorus. I stopped taking lessons with them and rejoined this year in preparation for a solo audition. I currently take lessons with Gary Brintz. Gary has become a huge mentor. The work I did with him helped me earn the opportunity to solo for SF GMC at Davies Symphony Hall with the SF Symphony. I sang "Rocket Man" by Sir Elton John to an audience of about 2700 people. He believed in my voice when I didn't. He helped me expand my range to hit the notes I needed for my performance. It was one of the most epic nights of my life and I simply could not have done with it without Gary's support and guidance. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Take lessons at Songbird Studios! read more

As a former professional (and now serious amateur) singer with decades of experience, I have taken lessons sporadically over my life. I was pretty good, but also had developed a number of bad habits as what little technique I had drifted over the years. Recovering from a serious illness, I found I could no longer sing the way I used to. Songbird Studios, and specifically May Oskan, have helped guide me and given me tools to sing better than I did before: sustainably, correctly, and easily with tone, clarity, precision, and emotion. The online lessons have been a life-saver during the pandemic. The subscription model emphasizes ongoing work and consistency. The online tools are a nice bonus. A great place for voice lessons, whether you consider yourself a total beginner, a seasoned professional, or somewhere in between. read more

I've been with Songbird for about a year, and it has completely changed my life in the most positive ways! I grew up singing but never knew how to really do it properly....until now! And I learn SO much every week! Riley has been absolutely phenomenal. She's so encouraging, so fun, and creates a wonderfully safe space to experiment, learn, laugh, make plenty of mistakes (woohoo!), and grow. She's truly there for you, and helps you see your learning journey as a true journey-- no pressure to be perfect, do what really works well for you, and enjoy while learning!! She has an incredible, knowledgeable background and can figure out the most amazing solutions to all my singing challenges. It seriously floors me! Example: I'll try singing something, perhaps even just one particular note, and it won't come out the way I want. She'll hear it, and instantly have me try different vocal exercises that are SO perfectly matched to my needs.....and I get rapid improvement. It's mind blowing. I'm truly grateful to have been paired with Riley!!! I'd also like to give a big shout out to Robert!!! I've had such a great experience with Songbird that I recently ALSO signed up for his new, AMAZING A Cappella class. Robert has an amazing ear, and has taught me so much in only 2 weeks so far, it's just incredible. He puts tons of work into helping us all grow together, and the man gets RESULTS. Our class--- not knowing how to sing a cappella before-- could sing together with various harmonies and sounds all at once, within just one or two classes, AND analyze the sounds we're hearing, so that we can adjust our own sounds to blend well with the group. The amount I've learned from Riley and Robert has been truly impressive. I'm so grateful to be learning from them! read more

Taking lessons at Songbird has been a great experience and I've learned so much from my teacher Christina. I always know what I'm working toward and Christina makes sure I have the knowledge and skills I need to get there. There's a lot more to singing than I knew when I started and it's been interesting and exciting to learn all about it. Plus, Christina always makes it fun. read more

Shoutout to my amazing vocal coach, Leora G. She's such a great motivator and always optimistic. I learned and still learning a lot from her. She makes every lesson easy to learn and fun. Whenever I am struggling, she always find a way for me to learn it. I always look forward coming every week for my vocal training with her. I love to challenge myself and she's very supportive of me. She makes every lessons worth it. - Eleonor read more

Taking voice lessons with Christina has truly been a life (and voice!) changing experience! I started during the pandemic doing online lessons and, three years later, I still look forward to every one! Christina blows me away: she can hear EXACTLY what is "off" about what I'm doing and teaches and shows me how to make my voice do things I would never have thought possible! Christina has totally transformed my range, clarity and depth of sound. She's built a solid, logical base, and corrected bad habits, to give me the ability to sing each song uniquely. I now have an amazing diverse group of songs ranging from Broadway to country to Stevie Nicks and Adele and more! Christina uses warm ups, scales, singing straw work, great visuals and years of vocal experience and education to methodically teach me to understand HOW to get an incredible vocal range and sound while gaining an understanding of my "instrument ": Christina is professional and will work hard to reach the goals you set. But she's also patient and incredibly funny and kind and absolutely supportive as you "put yourself out there" trying songs and taking your voice, and yourself, to new, unchartered places. read more

Christina is an amazing teacher. I'd never had singing lessons before, and she patiently taught me how to expand my range beyond anything I ever thought possible. She's amazingly knowledgeable about "the instrument" that is one's voice and how to sing any type of music you can think of. Highly, highly recommend taking lessons with her - super educational and always fun! read more

I wouldn't say I'm the farthest thing from being musically inclined, but i wouldn't be surprised if others said it about me. I've always loved listening to music, but until i started taking lessons from Riley, actually participating in the making of ANY music would have been less likely than performing open heart surgery, on myself! A few months ago i found myself with a little spare time, and decided that just once, I'd like to sing a karaoke song and not embarrass myself. This stems from an evening of far to many adult beverages and a misguided sense that "Puff the Magic Dragon" was a sure crowd pleaser. So I began taking lessons with little hope of being able to say more than "well i tried!" Riley has changed everything! Now, I have a couple of songs i can pull off anytime its required, and even I don't think I'm horrible. Even more shocked are friends and family, who can actually stick around and listen. I'd say Riley is a great teacher, but that doesn't do her justice. Her skill set is more like that of a truly great coach. She can recognize strengths that you didn't know you had, and get you to feel real confidence in them. She also identifies your weaknesses, clearly explains what you need to do to get better, establishes achievable goals, gives you benchmarks so you know you're making progress, assures herself (and you) that you understand what you've learned, and can execute a game plan that'll really work! Always challenges but never discourages; you know she's behind you all the way! Oh, and she's a gifted musician with an amazing voice! I'm in awe, truly. She's like the Bruce Bochy of singing (but without the chewing tobacco or enormous head.) So a huge thanks to Songbird, but I'm truly grateful for Riley's help and guidance. Now I know i can actually sing and I just want to get better. Thanks Riley! read more

It's been about a year and half since I retired and decided to take singing lessons even though I am certainly not a professional singer but have always enjoyed singing, especially Broadway. I took advantage of Songbird's offer for a free lesson and was hooked up with Natasha Czajka. That was my lucky day! Natasha was so kind, patient and put me through different vocal warm-ups to determine my vocal range. When I started, it wasn't very wide but with her excellent communication and explanation of the different voice techniques that she teaches, my range has expanded greatly to my amazement. Not only does Natasha teach these techniques, she has challenged me in applying them in many different style songs ranging from Ballads, Crooning, Operatic, Jazz and other forms I had no idea I could do or even would enjoy. With her encouragement and with practice, maybe one day I'll sing at one of the Singer Circles. At 69, I think I may be the oldest student of Songbird and wish to publicly thank them for being there for anyone at any age to pursue their passion. I look forward to many more years working with Natasha as I have come to truly love her for making my life more enriched. Thank you Natasha!! read more

This is my first time taking voice lessons, and I've been singing for roughly 8 years. I always struggled with voice fatigue, breath control, engaging my head voice, and belting in chest voice. Mana is my very first voice teacher, and I'm so amazed with how much improvement that I've noticed in myself in the last few months. My throat doesn't hurt when I sing, my vocal range is wider, my head voice is so much stronger--all thanks to the techniques Mana has taught me. She has taught me to be a healthier, more technical singer. She really knows how to explain the concepts in an easy way, and somehow my voice is able to follow her instructions even if my brain doesn't 100% understand how to get there. She has challenged me to sing songs I wouldn't have sung before, and truly cares about me as a person and my growth. I'm really bummed I haven't had a chance to learn with her in person yet, but I can't imagine how much more I could learn given how much I've learned in Zoom classes so far. If you're looking for a teacher who will challenge you to be a better, healthier singer, (and also serenade you with her beautiful voice) I definitely recommend Mana. read more

Can I give 1,000 stars? This is a spectacular way to grow your voice, refine your technique, and accomplish your goals whatever they may be. I wanted to become a professional singer and I have done just that with the incredible guidance of Whitney and her team. I've been studying voice with Whitney since long before Songbird and I have seen myself go from a complete novice to releasing a full length album and shooting my first music video. If you are serious about success, this is the place. I can't say enough good things. read more

Don't waste your money on Songbird. A few years ago I took several lessons fron Songbird and got assigned to a college student that did not even correct my posture and breathing. It was totally discouraging. I finally found a very experienced teacher with great credentials who helped me understand about proper posture and breathing in my first lesson. What a big difference. Now I can sing much higher and lower notes and no straining on my larynx. read more

I was at the point of my life where I needed to distract myself, grow, and learn something new. Singing has always been something I wanted to pick up since I already knew how to play the guitar. I found Songbird Studios online, tried a free vocal lesson they offered, and I've been a member ever since. The staff is helpful and good at what they do, and the online classes definitely help keep me sane during this pandemic. Shout out to my vocal coach, Elise, for helping me find my voice. Singing puts you in a vulnerable situation especially if it's new to you and you're on the shy side; however, Elise makes me feel comfortable. She offers a nonjudgemental environment where you can be yourself, learn from your mistakes, have fun, but be challenged at the same time. She's knowledgeable and goes through specific vocal exercises to help me get better on the specific things I need to work on. She explains things really well using analogies/metaphors, and takes into consideration if you learn by visual or kinesthetic. She gives me the freedom to choose any songs I want to sing and lets me know if we need to expand my vocal range or if the key needs to be changed in the key suitable to my voice. Overall, Songbird gives you all the tools you need to sing well, whether you're aspiring to sing professionally or just for fun. You get the necessary resources to improve your singing through Songbird Studios. In the end, it's up to you to practice everything you learned regularly (which I need to do more of hehe) until it becomes second nature. I highly recommend Songbird Studios for giving you ample of tools to be a better singer and Elise for being such a great coach! read more

Great studio with great teachers. Morgan has taught me a lot about my voice. With just 30 min meetings a week for a month I've already learned so much. The voice recordings they take also help me hear my mistakes and give me things to work on before the next lesson. I would totally continue with my lessons if I didn't have school in another city. read more

Songbird is amazing! Confidence in my singing has always been tough for me and my teacher Elise has really helped me step it up in that department. Elise for president! read more

I've been taking lessons with Caren for almost a year now. Originally met her as a substitute but loved her approach and energy so much that I suspended lessons for a few months until she had availability. She does a great job of making singing a fun experience and a great way to wind down after a stressful day. On top of that, she's incredibly precise at identifying issues in your singing technique and explaining how to overcome them in a way that isn't discretely abstract. While teaching singing is almost always going to have an abstract component to it, her explanations of physiology along with specific and clear exercises to land the proper technique that is portable immediately to the song you're working on is super helpful. She can also tie in music theory to provide a holistic view of what's happening as you work through a song. Working with Caren has made me pleasantly surprised at how flexible my voice can sound! read more

I joined Songbird Studios in August 2019. Since then, I have been taught by the amazing Elise. From the beginning, she has been very patient and has helped me become more confident as a singer. I had started as a beginner with minimal musical knowledge, and now have come very far in my journey as a singer, only brought this far by the guidance of Elise. She has always answered my questions and explained so many things to do with singing and one's voice to me. Her lessons have made singing increasingly difficult songs more approachable. I have learned so much and could never thank Elise enough. Being able to refine my singing as a skill and hobby with Elise has also helped me improve myself as an individual. She's a teacher you cannot replace. read more

This review is specifically for Michelle at the Irving Street location, and, really, it begins when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade in church. We had a kids' class, and one day, our youth group leader came to class to have a singing workshop. He gave a C and went around the room in a circle for each of us kiddos to repeat a C, and when it got to me, I couldn't replicate that sound. I was so embarrassed, and he wouldn't stop hounding me for a C that I could not produce. It sounded to me like I was making the right sound, and he spent like 5 minutes on me alone while everyone else just seemed to get it intuitively. This made me so self-conscious of my voice that I never tried to sing for the next 20 years, even when I was alone. In middle school, there was a math project where we had to compose a song about long division and perform it in front of the class. I chose to take an F on this project rather than do it--that's how deeply ingrained in me this shame and fear of singing was. I have always loved music. I played violin, my brothers played guitar and trombone, and my grandfather has a deep, booming bass voice and is the preacher and song leader of a church (not the same one we attended, mind you). I wanted to sing, I have always wanted it, yet I never really have. So I started taking lessons with Michelle. I felt so uncomfortable the first time. I was sweating profusely and probably as red as a tomato. I hated my voice. I would've given anything to have the soft, soaring, angelic voices I hear on the radio and which everyone else seems to have, but like my grandfather, I'm a bass. Michelle has taught me to accept my voice and how to use it correctly. She has never made me feel stupid or less-than because of my lack of experience, and I don't nervously sweat anymore when working with her. She takes the time to carefully and methodically explain things, and her approach to teaching gently exposes you to theory in application first and lets you realize on your own why that specific exercise or warm-up was important. And if you'd like to know the theory behind it, she'll explain that, too. Michelle has worked tirelessly with me through scales and arpeggios and warm-ups and grilled me on form and breathing, and I'm happy to report that in spite of all of the fear and self-loathing I've been dealt with respect to my voice, she helped me prepare a song and audition for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. I was accepted yesterday as an upper bass. To make a long story short, if you're looking for somewhere to learn to sing--or even more basically, to love yourself--look no further than Songbird. Ask for Michelle. read more

I've been working with Morgan every week for about 6 months now and I can't sing her praises enough (pun intended?)! She's not only experienced, incredibly supportive and all around a great person, she really listens to my voice and provides thoughtful feedback to help me master any song. We've covered a range of musical styles, from pop to jazz to musical theater, so it has been interesting to learn more about how to best sing each song. I also just recently performed in one of the studio's showcases -- it was such a positive environment for singers ranging from beginner to advanced and I would definitely sign up again! read more

My experience with Songbird has been fantastic! I feel like all the teachers focus really on the individual and how your voice works. I've been taking voice lessons for many years and never felt quite the same kinship with a teacher - Christina is the best! read more

This is less of a review for Morgan and more of a gushing statement of gratitude. I've never had a more intelligent, perceptive, and compassionate teacher. There is so much temptation to doubt oneself when trying to overcome the embarrassment of singing out loud, but this all melts away in the sunshine of her personality. Not only is she technically gifted for one so young, she has an incredible sense of fun that she imparts to every moment of the lesson. Challenges seem easy, and progress is a guarantee. Her instructional methods have affected not only my singing abilities, but my everyday expressive confidence as well. I would recommend a session with her to literally anyone. read more