German for Singers: A Textbook of Diction and Phonetics

Now published by Plural!

German for Singers: A Textbook of Diction and Phonetics, Third Edition maintains the clear and comprehensive approach that has made it the standard for German lyric diction instruction for more than 40 years. German language professor William Odom, professor and professional singer Benno Schollum, and professor and vocal coach Christina Balsam Curren have crafted a systematic introduction infused with their decades of experience teaching and singing in German. This classic text has been improved and updated to reflect current International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) usage, with new exercises, practical translations of all excerpts and song texts, and expanded audio resources on the PluralPlus companion website.

Both detailed and concise, the textbook is designed to give students a thorough overview of German lyric diction in one semester. The chapters flow in an organized and logical progression that guides students toward mastery. Difficult sounds are presented first so that students may receive adequate time to practice them as the complexity of the corresponding exercises increases. Appendices include pronunciation charts and additional song texts.

Organized to promote a systematic acquisition of German sounds and symbols, German for Singers also serves as a thorough reference manual for the singer, coach, or teacher. The updates to the third edition ensure that this foundational text will inspire the next generation of German lyric artists and teachers.

Key Features

• An introduction to phonetics
• Guidance on transcription for singers
• Integrated exercises
• Consonant and vowel charts for English and German
• A selection of recommended song texts

New to the Third Edition

• Updated IPA symbols
• Revised exercises and added examples
• Practical translations of song texts
• Additional audio tracks on the companion website
• For instructors, transcriptions of all exercises

PluralPlus Online Ancillary Materials

• For instructors: PowerPoint slides, Transcriptions of All Exercises
• For students: Audio files, Answers to Student Exercises, Additional IPA Exercises based on complete song texts

Preface to the Third Edition
Recordings
Alphabetical Index
Reviewers

Part I. Phonetics

Chapter 1. Introductions to Phonetics
Chapter 2. Transcribing Sounds
Chapter 3. Describing Sounds: Articulatory Phonetics

Part II. The Sounds of German

Chapter 4. Introduction
Chapter 5. The Sounds of r, ch

Section 1: r, rr Part I
Section 2: ch Part I

Chapter 6. Monophthongs–Part One: Long and Closed or Short and Open

Section 1: i
Section 2: ü, y
Section 3: e
Section 4: ö
Section 5: o
Section 6: u

Chapter 7. Word Structure and Stress

Section 1: Structural Elements
Section 2: Stress
Section 3: Pronunciation Problems
Section 4: Double Consonants and Tied Consonants
Section 5: Stress in Loan Words

Chapter 8. The Sounds of b, d, g

Section 1: b, bb
Section 2: d, dt, dd
Section 3: g, ig, gn, gg

Chapter 9. Monophthongs: Part II

Section 1: a
Section 2: ä
Section 3: ie

Chapter 10. The Sounds of s and Its Combinations

Section 1: s, ß, ss
Section 2: st, sp
Section 3: sch

Chapter 11. Diphthongs

Section 1: au
Section 2: ei
Section 3: eu, äu
Section 4: Other Vowel Combinations

Chapter 12. The Sounds of l; the Sounds of r (Conclusion)

Section 1: l, ll
Section 2: r, rr (Conclusion)

Chapter 13. The Sounds of h, j

Section 1: h
Section 2: j

Chapter 14. The Sounds of z, p, t, k, x, qu

Section 1: z, zz, tz
Section 2: p, pp, pf, ps, ph
Section 3: t, tt, th, tsch, ti
Section 4: k,kn, ck, kk
Section 5: x [ks]
Section 6: qu [kv]

Chapter 15. The Sounds of c and ch (Conclusion)

Section 1: c
Section 2: ch (Conclusion)
Section 3: chs

Chapter 16. The Sounds of w, v, f

Section 1: w
Section 2: v
Section 3: f, ff

Chapter 17. The Sounds of m, n

Secton 1: m, mm
Section 2: n, nn, ng, nk

Appendix A. Charts

Charts 1. English Consonants
Chart 2. German Consonants
Chart 3. English Vowels
Chart 4. German Vowels

Appendix B. Additional Song Texts

German for Singers: A Textbook of Diction and Phonetics, Third Edition comes with access to supplementary student and instructor resources on a PluralPlus companion website.

The companion website is located at: https://www.pluralpublishing.com/publication/gs3e

STUDENTS:

The student resources include audio tracks that correspond to the text and answers to student exercises.

To access the resources, you must register on the companion website and log in using the access code located in the front of your textbook. If you purchased an eBook directly from Plural accessible on the Plural eReader, the resources are accessible within the Plural eBook.  

INSTRUCTORS:

The instructor resources include transcriptions of all exercises and PowerPoint lecture slides.
You will also have access to all of the student resources listed above.

To access the instructor resources, you must contact Plural Publishing, Inc. to be verified as an instructor and receive your access code.

   Email: instructormaterials@pluralpublishing.com

            Tel: 866-758-7251 (toll free) or 858-492-1555

*Note for students: If you have purchased this textbook used or have rented it, your access code will not work if it was already redeemed by the original buyer of the book. Plural Publishing does not offer replacement access codes for used or rented textbooks.