The real trick is finding that good coach. Because the question is what makes a good coach. Having had experience with both good and bad coaches, here a few vital tips. Don't do anything that does not feel right. Your body knows what to do. The coach cannot feel what you are feeling, speak up, when it doesn't work for you. There are coaches out there, that can give you a quick 'fix'. They can make you sound great for a day, a week, maybe even several years, and suddenly your voice gives out. Just because a teacher works great for one person, even a famous singer, does not mean they are right for you. Some singers are great inspite of their coaches. Listen to your gut. The idea of learning to sing, is not about acquiring a voice. It is about uncovering the beauty of your own sound that was there all along. Not about imposing another style of artificial singing onto your vocal folds. More than anything it is about getting rid of accumulated knowledge to reveal the impeccable technique you used when you kept your parents awake as a baby crying and screaming for hours without getting hoarse. Remember the emotions you were able to express so well then? A good teacher lets you experiment with your voice and allows you plenty of time to become aware of what it feels like. Watch the teacher with other students. Does he/she use the same techniques with all of them. If yes, you may want to find someone, who teaches students according to their needs, not just based on one inflexible method. A good coach should be able to apply principles from various body awareness practices such as Alexander, Feldenkrais, Voice Movement Therapy, or Kinetic awareness. Someone who makes you usually sing for longer than a minute or two without allowing you to stop and evaluate your feelings is not letting you experience and build trust in your own abilities. Also remember that you yourself can only hear about 30% of what actually comes out of your mouth. Therefore it is really important to learn to feel what the sounds feel like and not to rely to heavily on what sounds right. Do not try to sound like someone else. Since you can't hear the other 70%, you will do things to your vocal folds that are not natural. Learning style has to do with experimenting with what your voice will do comfortably, to find where your boundaries are, and still be able to express your own emotions. But above all know, that a coach does not teach you how to sing, but helps you rediscover the beautiful voice you were born with and lets you experiment with it in a safe and nurturing environment.