Dialect / Dictation Coach

In music, a dialect or diction coach is someone who assists vocalists and actors with their pronunciation and helps vocalists sing with clarity. Sometimes, this may mean assisting vocalists, such as opera singers, with their pronunciation in various languages. Other times, it may mean training an actor to speak with an accent of a certain region.

Dialect and diction coaches need to have a clear understanding of how a variety of dialects are produced and have the skillset to explain that knowledge so another person can reproduce those same sounds. They need to have the ability to meet a client where they are and create a plan for the client’s speech development.

Often, dialect and diction coaches will have a degree in either vocal performance, theater, speech therapy, or linguistics. Aspiring dialect and diction coaches may also choose to train with a current dialect and diction coach as an apprentice. Those with degrees in speech therapy may also work as a therapist for people with speech disorders, while those with degrees in vocal performance may use their dialect and diction training in a private studio setting.