Vocal Technique Second Edition Table of Contents
331 pages, paperback, 6 x 9 inches. Copyright © 2021 by Stephen LaTour and Julia Davids
Kindle and other electronic formats available.
Kindle and other electronic formats available.
Introduction: A guide to stylistically flexible vocal technique
Contemporary styles encompass CCM and musical theatre
Second edition coverage
Benefits of improved vocal technique
Intentional use of exercises is essential to vocal development
Importance of attention to vocal technique in the choral setting
Improving communication among singers of different styles
and between voice teachers and conductors
A note about symbols used in this book
A word about terminology
Chapter 1: Posture/Alignment
Essentials of proper posture/body alignment
Important aspects of body alignment
Common alignment problems
Avoid extraneous body movement
Sitting posture and seat types
Exercises for body alignment
Chapter 2: Breath Control
Phases of the breathing cycle
Inhalation
Very brief suspension
Exhalation
Additional points about exhalation
Recovery
Timing of breathing
Breathing in contemporary styles—limitations imposed by dancing
Respiratory muscle training
Breathing exercises
Chapter 3: Initiation, Creation, and Release of Sound
How sound is initiated and created
Good hydration is critical for proper vocal fold vibration
Components of the singer’s instrument
Muscles affecting pitch
Sound level and timbre affected by firmness of vocal fold closure
Method of initiating sound affects glottal tension
Coordinated onset should be used for most singing
Some glottal onsets are useful
Is belting less healthy than classical/legit vocal production?
Breathy onset is generally undesirable
Onset and younger singers
Release of sound
Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises assist vocal fold vibration
Onset and release exercises
Chapter 4: Resonance
Superior resonance improves tonal quality and vocal efficiency
Fundamental frequency and higher harmonics
Structure of the vocal tract
Resonance and formants
Adjusting the larynx
Adjusting the oral pharynx
Adjusting the mouth
Classical versus contemporary resonance and vocal tract shape
Good resonance helps intonation
Resonance and the concepts of “chest voice” and “head voice”
Resonance and “placement”
Exercises for enhancing resonance
Chapter 5: Vowels
Tip of the tongue should rest at the base of the lower front teeth
Basic vowel production for classical/legit styles
Perceptions of vowels as “bright” versus “dark”
Vowels in contemporary styles
Vowel consistency for intonation and ensemble blending
Problematic vowels
Modification of vowels for higher pitches
Diphthongs, triphthongs, and glides
Altering the tonal color of vowels
A summary philosophy of vowel formation
Vowel exercises
Chapter 6: Consonants
The articulators
Quick, efficient consonant formation in classical singing
Consonant length is often extended in contemporary styles
Classical/legit singers should be judicious about exaggeration
Consonants requiring special consideration
Jaw position when singing l, k, g, t, d, m, n, ng
Think of [w] and “y” in terms of the vowels [u] and [i]
Voiced versus unvoiced consonants
Final consonants
Adding “uh” or “ah” to final consonants versus elision
Sometimes consonants should precede the beat
Consonant exercises
Chapter 7: Vibrato
Vibrato is a natural phenomenon
Desirable vibrato rate and extent
Style implications for vibrato
Solving vibrato problems
Modifying vibrato
Vibrato in choral singing
Vibrato in early music
Vibrato exercises
Chapter 8: Negotiation of the Vocal Registers
What are vocal registers?
Two main (modal) registers
Middle register (mixed voice)
Children’s registers
Differences in chest and head voice use in classical and
contemporary styles
Modern singers most likely to struggle with the upper register
Transitions between registers (passaggi)
Negotiating the register transitions
Special registers
Register exercises
Chapter 9: Voice Classification and Improving Range
Distribution and classification of voice types
Tessitura versus range
Classification of voices in contemporary styles
Singing higher pitches
Accessing lower pitches for female singers
Handling leaps in pitch
Exercises to increase range
Chapter 10: Improving Intonation
Causes of poor intonation
Repertoire-specific intonation issues
Extraneous factors affecting intonation
Concluding thoughts about intonation
Exercises to improve intonation
Chapter 11: Legato, Staccato, Accents, Melismas/Riffs
Dynamic Control, and Special Vocal Effects
Legato involves vowel-to-vowel continuity
Staccato
Accents
Vocal ornaments and embellishments
Dynamic control
Special vocal effects
Exercises for legato, staccato, accents, melismas, and dynamics
Chapter 12: Improving Choral Blend
Blend philosophies
Choral sound
Keys to a blended sound
The role of timbre in blending
Voice positioning
Concluding thoughts on blend
Chapter 13: Changing Voices
Overview of voice change during childhood and puberty
Voices are changing at younger ages
Vocal development in adolescent males
Vocal development in adolescent females
Part assignment during vocal change
Vocal technique issues in child and adolescent voices
Vocal exercise issues specific to adolescents
Transgender singers
Aging voices
Chapter 14: Reducing Tension
Larynx and neck/pharynx tension
Jaw tension
Tongue tension
Tongue groove—is it a sign of tension?
Lip tension
Shoulders
Legs
Concluding thoughts on tension
Exercises to reduce tension
Chapter 15: Guarding Singers’ Vocal Health
Hydration
Vocal stamina and fatigue
Stress, anxiety, and vocal health
Meal consumption prior to singing
Mucus
Gastric reflux
Singing and the common cold
Medications with the potential to cause vocal fold bleeding
Hormonal factors affecting the voice
Additional medication considerations
If surgery is contemplated
Vocal health concerns of professional singers
Vocal health of amateur singers
Choral conductor’s role in maintaining vocal health
Chapter 16: A Productive Warm-Up
Why are warm-ups important?
Specific benefits of a thoughtful warm-up sequence
Warm-up sequence
Sample warm-up sequences
Vocal cool-down
Compendium of suggested exercises for warm-up
Appendix: IPA Symbols for Important Vowels and Consonants
References
Index
Contemporary styles encompass CCM and musical theatre
Second edition coverage
Benefits of improved vocal technique
Intentional use of exercises is essential to vocal development
Importance of attention to vocal technique in the choral setting
Improving communication among singers of different styles
and between voice teachers and conductors
A note about symbols used in this book
A word about terminology
Chapter 1: Posture/Alignment
Essentials of proper posture/body alignment
Important aspects of body alignment
Common alignment problems
Avoid extraneous body movement
Sitting posture and seat types
Exercises for body alignment
Chapter 2: Breath Control
Phases of the breathing cycle
Inhalation
Very brief suspension
Exhalation
Additional points about exhalation
Recovery
Timing of breathing
Breathing in contemporary styles—limitations imposed by dancing
Respiratory muscle training
Breathing exercises
Chapter 3: Initiation, Creation, and Release of Sound
How sound is initiated and created
Good hydration is critical for proper vocal fold vibration
Components of the singer’s instrument
Muscles affecting pitch
Sound level and timbre affected by firmness of vocal fold closure
Method of initiating sound affects glottal tension
Coordinated onset should be used for most singing
Some glottal onsets are useful
Is belting less healthy than classical/legit vocal production?
Breathy onset is generally undesirable
Onset and younger singers
Release of sound
Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises assist vocal fold vibration
Onset and release exercises
Chapter 4: Resonance
Superior resonance improves tonal quality and vocal efficiency
Fundamental frequency and higher harmonics
Structure of the vocal tract
Resonance and formants
Adjusting the larynx
Adjusting the oral pharynx
Adjusting the mouth
Classical versus contemporary resonance and vocal tract shape
Good resonance helps intonation
Resonance and the concepts of “chest voice” and “head voice”
Resonance and “placement”
Exercises for enhancing resonance
Chapter 5: Vowels
Tip of the tongue should rest at the base of the lower front teeth
Basic vowel production for classical/legit styles
Perceptions of vowels as “bright” versus “dark”
Vowels in contemporary styles
Vowel consistency for intonation and ensemble blending
Problematic vowels
Modification of vowels for higher pitches
Diphthongs, triphthongs, and glides
Altering the tonal color of vowels
A summary philosophy of vowel formation
Vowel exercises
Chapter 6: Consonants
The articulators
Quick, efficient consonant formation in classical singing
Consonant length is often extended in contemporary styles
Classical/legit singers should be judicious about exaggeration
Consonants requiring special consideration
Jaw position when singing l, k, g, t, d, m, n, ng
Think of [w] and “y” in terms of the vowels [u] and [i]
Voiced versus unvoiced consonants
Final consonants
Adding “uh” or “ah” to final consonants versus elision
Sometimes consonants should precede the beat
Consonant exercises
Chapter 7: Vibrato
Vibrato is a natural phenomenon
Desirable vibrato rate and extent
Style implications for vibrato
Solving vibrato problems
Modifying vibrato
Vibrato in choral singing
Vibrato in early music
Vibrato exercises
Chapter 8: Negotiation of the Vocal Registers
What are vocal registers?
Two main (modal) registers
Middle register (mixed voice)
Children’s registers
Differences in chest and head voice use in classical and
contemporary styles
Modern singers most likely to struggle with the upper register
Transitions between registers (passaggi)
Negotiating the register transitions
Special registers
Register exercises
Chapter 9: Voice Classification and Improving Range
Distribution and classification of voice types
Tessitura versus range
Classification of voices in contemporary styles
Singing higher pitches
Accessing lower pitches for female singers
Handling leaps in pitch
Exercises to increase range
Chapter 10: Improving Intonation
Causes of poor intonation
Repertoire-specific intonation issues
Extraneous factors affecting intonation
Concluding thoughts about intonation
Exercises to improve intonation
Chapter 11: Legato, Staccato, Accents, Melismas/Riffs
Dynamic Control, and Special Vocal Effects
Legato involves vowel-to-vowel continuity
Staccato
Accents
Vocal ornaments and embellishments
Dynamic control
Special vocal effects
Exercises for legato, staccato, accents, melismas, and dynamics
Chapter 12: Improving Choral Blend
Blend philosophies
Choral sound
Keys to a blended sound
The role of timbre in blending
Voice positioning
Concluding thoughts on blend
Chapter 13: Changing Voices
Overview of voice change during childhood and puberty
Voices are changing at younger ages
Vocal development in adolescent males
Vocal development in adolescent females
Part assignment during vocal change
Vocal technique issues in child and adolescent voices
Vocal exercise issues specific to adolescents
Transgender singers
Aging voices
Chapter 14: Reducing Tension
Larynx and neck/pharynx tension
Jaw tension
Tongue tension
Tongue groove—is it a sign of tension?
Lip tension
Shoulders
Legs
Concluding thoughts on tension
Exercises to reduce tension
Chapter 15: Guarding Singers’ Vocal Health
Hydration
Vocal stamina and fatigue
Stress, anxiety, and vocal health
Meal consumption prior to singing
Mucus
Gastric reflux
Singing and the common cold
Medications with the potential to cause vocal fold bleeding
Hormonal factors affecting the voice
Additional medication considerations
If surgery is contemplated
Vocal health concerns of professional singers
Vocal health of amateur singers
Choral conductor’s role in maintaining vocal health
Chapter 16: A Productive Warm-Up
Why are warm-ups important?
Specific benefits of a thoughtful warm-up sequence
Warm-up sequence
Sample warm-up sequences
Vocal cool-down
Compendium of suggested exercises for warm-up
Appendix: IPA Symbols for Important Vowels and Consonants
References
Index