I promise to be honest with you, and to tread gently with you, as this sound of your voice, that you allow to share with me, is personal and is to be treated with respect, joy and love. I don’t want to get all Byron Bay-hippie on you, but I have been teaching and singing long enough to know that it can be really very scary, really very tremendous, and really very rewarding and fulfilling. I hope I can lead you into the maze, offer you some ways to navigate it, and I’m pretty sure you’ll amaze both of us.

I believe there is room enough in this grand old world for each of us to express ourselves and stand tall by that. And if you choose to do that by writing or singing a song, as I do, then I’d love to help you…. because I think I can.

Whats Gunna Happen?!

Lessons are one hour long. A general format (though nothing is set in stone):

5/10 minutes – Vocal warmups

15/20 minutes – Voice Technique (Exploring sound, tone, colour, breath, support etc) by utilising Music Theory (Scales, chords, rhythms, dynamic etc)

20/25 minutes – Singing a song The Student holds a passion for. I can teach voice. It’s harder to teach passion. Applying vocal technique to the song to manipulate and explore.

5/10 minutes – Considering the songs meanings and letting that dictate the vocal technique. No point doing fancy vocal stuff if it doesnt apply to what the heck you’re singing about.

5/10 minutes – Recap/Record/Last time through make it fun/Dance moves/Practise the hard bit a few more times/Plan our next lesson’s song/Take over the world.

TWIG BIRD PRODUCTIONS is the combined forces of Shelly and Dan Brown together to help you in any way we can, creatively and musically. We have nurtured, encouraged and supported many music students through the processes of singing lessons, recording sessions, creating film clips, recording backing tracks for exams and auditions. Students have come for lessons over their holidays to Byron Bay. Visitors from Sweden, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Townsville, Sydney and Melbourne have come along, studied singing and music theory, taken piano lessons, composed original songs, written song lyrics, improvised, recorded and flourished right before our eyes.

I do not claim to know all there is to know about singing, vocal techniques, theory, performance and music! No! Does anyone? Really? pfff. But I love learning and I love teaching.

My Vocal Experience

• Taking contemporary and (a few) classical singing lessons since the age of 14 years old till 23 years, with several different vocal teachers,
• Teaching all ages of vocal students since 1999,
• Gaining my Certificate in Music at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium in Lismore (1998),
• Completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Music with Honours (Southern Cross University, NSW, 2003),
• Growing up in the Northern Rivers with constant and joyful encouragement to preform at local jam nights (Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Lismore, Eltham, Ballina, Alstonville, Bangalow, Mullumbimby, Brunswick Heads and  Billinudgel),
• A committed participant in African dance and drum classes,
• Participating in World Music choirs, Gospel choirs and Community choirs,
• Learning (or constantly trying to learn…) Spanish,
• Learning about and researching speech and vocal therapy,
• Taking sporadic half yearly courses on: drums, bass, guitar, flute. Whilst quietly trying my own ideas on banjo, ukulele, piano, baritone ukulele and electric guitar.
• I currently take GUITAR LESSONS with Karl Farren in Mullumbimby Via ZOOM
• I am a passionate member of the I HEART SONGWRITING CLUB.

I’ve performed in large funk bands (6 to 21 piece bands), small pop bands, duo’s, trios, quartets and as a solo artist. I have studied jazz since before I thought I could ever understand it. All of which has brought me to where I am today. And through these processes I have learnt that I love to share all of this amazing language that is Music. I love to be part of the inspiration process – your inspiration and mine. I love singing and I love seeing a student and friend progress, develop and succeed.