Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dan Faber. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

I’m a musical theatre voice teacher and vocal coach. When I first started my business, I was catering exclusively to those pursuing musical theatre professionally in NYC. I would only teach in-person lessons, most often for the purpose of preparing singers for upcoming auditions. This was the model for my whole studio.

Then, unexpectedly, the Pandemic hit. Broadway shut down. Everything shut down. No shows = no auditions = no coachings = no business. I needed to pivot hard and revamp my business model. During the pandemic, everything switched to online, and I had to as well.

I was encouraged by a colleague to start a TikTok. I never pictured myself as a content creator, but I figured, why not. This was the beginning of an incredible journey that changed my business and my life. I was able to put out short videos focused on singing tips, industry insights, and generally entertaining content. This attracted singers around the world who I could work with online, from anywhere!

I now have ~200k followers across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. My studio is 100% online, and my business went from total collapse to stronger than ever!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Dan Faber is a Singer, AEA Musical Theatre Actor, SAG TV/Film/VO Actor, and Vocal Pedagogue based in LA and NY. He became a certified voice teacher in 2012 when he graduated with highest honors from the University of Delaware with his Bachelors in Vocal Music Education. He is currently continuing his education with the world renowned Institute for Vocal Advancement (IVA), working through rigorous course study to matriculate through its many distinctive certification levels. Dan was recently the Vocal Coach for Season 2 of the hit show, Only Murders In The Building, and is also a Private Vocal Instructor with Broadway From Home! , Kanyok Arts Initiative, and Emily Kristen Morris Vocal Studio. Over the past decade, Dan has performed in a variety of styles on some of the greatest stages in New York, Boston, LA, Seattle, Tokyo (Disney!), Beijing, Sydney, Melbourne, Munich, and over 200 other towns and cities, nationally and internationally. As a voice teacher, Dan focuses on proper vocal technique, which he’s learned is the basis of great singing, in every style.

As a Voice Teacher I help you:

Find and best utilize your unique, natural voice
Develop your mix voice to seamlessly blend your voices and sing with balance and ease from low to high
Develop your vocal agility and flexibility, to navigate every musical passage
Control your breathing to best support your sound
Improve your dynamic control, to sing as soft or as loud as you need
Improve your overall vocal technique!

As a Vocal Coach I help you:

Sing like a pro in the style that you love, especially: Musical Theatre, Pop, Rock, Jazz
Enhance your phrasing, to turn notes into music
Discover and improve your stylistic tone quality – from belt to legit and everything in between
Grow your performance through interpretation and imagination
Perfect your Song Learning – Learn the correct notes, rhythm, and all other technical aspects of every song you need!
Grow your Repertoire – Sing in the styles and eras that best serve your goals

I’ve been where you are!
I used to stretch and strain for high notes, or flip into a falsetto.
I had SOME control of my voice…but I would hear professional singers and think, “How?!”

I’ve been studying voice for over 20 years – and I’m still studying, every day!
I’ve found my voice and made it work, building a successful professional singing career.

Through my own studies (UD, IVA) and professional performance experience I have learned and implemented the most effective techniques for vocal improvement. I am so excited to pass along the absolute best tools and tips to help you grow in your own singing journey!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I used to be a full time actor, primarily in the musical theatre industry. I was traveling around the country and the world performing most of the year. This was an incredible experience, and I’m thrilled to have had those opportunities. However, all those songs about the lonely road / isolating life of an artist became more and more impactful. I was missing out on a lot of life – weddings, birthdays, graduations, get togethers…life. Most importantly, in the first two years of dating my now-wife, I was on the road for 18/24 months. Life as a performer was simply not sustainable, and I needed to make a change.

During my last long-term musical theatre gig, I knew I needed to prep for change. My undergraduate degree was in vocal music education, so I wanted to start a private voice studio. I pulled out some vocal pedagogy textbooks and went back into studying. When I finished that last contract, I got a few friends as my guinea pig students, and started teaching lessons. Over the years, I continued to do the occasional musical theatre gig, and a few more TV/Film/Commercial gigs (as they were shorter term contracts and easier to do while growing my business).

My relationship with my wife is better than ever. My family ties are stronger than ever. My friendships are deeper than ever. I feel like this career shift has allowed me to still fully invest in my craft, while having control of my life!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Many of us have sang before. We were in choirs, we maybe even took private voice lessons, often learning “classical” voice. We think we learned “how to sing” from these groups / sessions. Alternatively, we never sang in any formal setting, but learned to sing by trying to “sound like” our favorite singers. Both of these approaches have led so many singers to use a “singing voice” – put on a sound that isn’t their natural sound, but rather is manufactured to try to sound a certain way. Heck, I used to teach like this too.

However, I’ve learned so much through continued education, and now believe that “putting on a singing voice” / manufacturing a singing sound, is not necessarily the best baseline for your instrument. Building your voice to be closer to your natural speaking voice is often a better approach to singing, regardless of the style!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.DanFaberVocalStudio.com
• Instagram: @DanFaberVocalStudio
• Youtube: @DanFaberVocalStudio
• TikTok: @DanFaberVocalStudio

Image Credits
Katie Cassin Photography