Singer Course

Lesson 1 • Posture and Body Alignment

Establishes optimal standing and seated posture for unrestricted airflow. Poor alignment habits are identified and corrected through targeted exercises.

Lesson 2 • Breath as the Foundation of Sound

Teaches diaphragmatic breathing and its role in sustaining phonation. Connects breath management directly to tone quality and phrase length.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Phonation

Explains how vocal folds initiate and sustain tone through controlled airflow. Students produce their first intentional, supported tones.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Pitch and Intervals

Defines pitch as frequency and introduces half steps, whole steps, and common intervals. Builds the ear-training foundation needed for melodic accuracy.

Lesson 2 • Reading Basic Music Notation

Introduces the staff, clefs, note values, and time signatures relevant to vocal music. Enables students to decode simple sheet music independently.

Lesson 3 • Solfege and Ear Training Practice

Applies movable-do solfege to major and minor scales for melodic sight-singing. Reinforces pitch accuracy and tonal memory simultaneously.

Lesson 4 • Matching Pitch and Staying in Tune

Trains the feedback loop between hearing a pitch and reproducing it accurately. Addresses common causes of flat and sharp singing.

Lesson 1 • Expanding the Upper Range

Introduces safe techniques for extending head voice and falsetto upward. Students add usable high notes without strain or vocal fatigue.

Lesson 2 • Navigating the Passaggio

Teaches strategies for crossing register transitions without breaks or tension. Smooth passaggio navigation is the central skill of this section.

Lesson 3 • Strengthening the Lower Range

Develops chest voice depth and resonance in the lower register. Exercises build power and clarity on low pitches without pushing.

Lesson 4 • Consistent Range Warm-Up Routines

Establishes a daily warm-up protocol that covers the full vocal range safely. Students design personalized routines based on their voice type.

Lesson 1 • Singing the Five Core Vowels

Trains pure production of the five primary sung vowels across the range. Consistent vowel quality is linked to intonation and resonance balance.

Lesson 2 • Diphthongs and Vowel Transitions

Addresses the timing and shaping of diphthongs in sung text. Proper diphthong management prevents tone disruption and aids intelligibility.

Lesson 3 • Formant Tuning and Vowel Acoustics

Introduces the acoustic relationship between vowel shape and resonance peaks. Students adjust tongue and lip position to enhance or darken tone.

Lesson 4 • Tone Color as an Expressive Tool

Teaches intentional shifts in tone color to serve musical and emotional expression. Students apply bright, warm, and mixed timbres to short phrases.

Lesson 1 • Diction in Different Musical Styles

Adapts diction standards to classical, musical theater, and contemporary pop styles. Students apply style-appropriate articulation to short repertoire excerpts.

Lesson 2 • Vowel Integrity Under Articulation

Ensures that consonant activity does not collapse or distort the surrounding vowels. Exercises isolate the independence of tongue, lips, and jaw.

Lesson 3 • Consonants in Rhythmic Context

Trains placement of consonants on the beat without disrupting vowel sustain. Students practice consonant timing in rhythmically varied phrases.

Lesson 4 • Lyric Stress and Natural Speech Rhythm

Aligns musical stress with natural spoken word stress for authentic text delivery. Misaligned stress patterns are identified and corrected.

Lesson 1 • How the Voice Gets Injured

Identifies the most common vocal injuries, their causes, and early warning signs. Understanding injury mechanisms enables proactive prevention.

Lesson 2 • Hydration and Physical Wellness

Establishes the role of systemic and surface hydration in vocal fold health. Dietary, sleep, and exercise habits that support the voice are outlined.

Lesson 3 • Managing Illness and Environmental Factors

Guides singers through performing with minor illness and navigating environmental hazards. Students learn when to modify, postpone, or cancel a performance.

Lesson 4 • Vocal Dose and Practice Scheduling

Introduces vocal dose as a framework for managing total daily voice use. Students create balanced practice schedules that prevent cumulative strain.

Lesson 1 • Building a Complete Interpretation

Integrates text analysis, phrasing, dynamics, and timing into a unified performance. Students present a fully interpreted song for peer and instructor feedback.

Lesson 2 • Musical Phrasing and Breath Shaping

Develops the ability to shape musical phrases with dynamic contour and intentional breath placement. Phrasing choices are linked to textual meaning.

Lesson 3 • Dynamics as an Expressive Tool

Trains controlled use of volume from pianissimo to fortissimo for emotional effect. Students apply dynamic contrast to repertoire without losing tone quality.

Lesson 4 • Analyzing a Song's Text and Meaning

Teaches close reading of lyrics to uncover narrative, subtext, and emotional arc. Text analysis directly informs every subsequent interpretive decision.

Lesson 1 • Microphone Technique and Amplification

Covers microphone types, handling technique, and distance management for amplified performance. Students practice consistent mic technique across dynamic levels.

Lesson 2 • Working with an Accompanist

Establishes communication protocols between singer and accompanist before and during performance. Students rehearse cuing, tempo negotiation, and recovery from errors.

Lesson 3 • Physical Presence and Movement

Trains intentional use of gesture, facial expression, and body movement on stage. Physical choices are aligned with the song's emotional content.

Lesson 4 • Full Performance Run-Through and Review

Students perform a complete program under simulated performance conditions. Structured self-review and peer critique consolidate all course learning.