The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer.

The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer, Second Edition is a compilation of voice exercises created and used by well-known voice pedagogues from preeminent colleges, established private studios, and clinical settings. The exercises focus on various aspects of contemporary commercial music (CCM) including bodywork, mental preparation, registration, and much more.

New to the Second Edition

• 20 new singing exercises
• Updated and expanded exercises, figures, and references throughout
• Access to a PluralPlus companion website with audio and video files to enhance understanding of exercises

Wendy D. LeBorgne and Marci Daniels Rosenberg join the VocalFri Podcast to talk about The Vocal Athlete, a landmark voice pedagogy text that was the first of its kind to fully incorporate contemporary and musical theater singing pedagogy alongside classical voice pedagogy in a fully evidence based manner. Listen here. 

Related Textbook

The book is designed to accompany the textbook, The Vocal Athlete, Second Edition, a first of its kind in singing science and pedagogy developed for singers of all styles with a particular emphasis on CCM.
The Vocal Athlete text and workbook are invaluable tools for anyone who uses or trains the singing voice or works with CCM singers.

Preface           

Acknowledgments      

Contributors   

Section I. Preparing the Singer’s Mind and Body

Introduction and Overview    

Chapter 1. Exercises for Mental Focus     

Centering the Breath 

Barbara J. Walker
 

The Voice Scan         

Robert C. Sussuma

Dialogue with Your Voice     

Joanna Cazden

Your Voice in Real Life: A Vocal Exploration Through Laughing and Crying       

Jeremy Ryan Mossman

Mental Focus and Vocal Preparation 

Martin L. Spencer

Scale of Vocal Effort 

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

Notes  

Chapter 2. Physical Stretches and Alignment       

Body Movement to Achieve Vocal Freedom

Sarah L. Schneider

Semi-Supine with Spinal Jiggle and Pelvic Bowl Slosh/Slide          

Marya Spring Cordes

Freeing the Neck and Shoulders

Marina Gilman

Balancing Your Head

Marina Gilman

Climbing the Ladder 

Caroline Helton

Anterior Chest Openers to Improve Posture

Jill Vonderhaar Nader

Lower Back Expansion

Sarah Maines

Postural Alignment, Core Strength, and Breath Support

Suzan Postel

Re-Organizaing the Entire Vocal Tract        

Robert Sussuma

Notes  

Chapter 3. Stretches and Exercises for Breathing

Physical Stretching for Optimal Rib Cage and Respiratory Muscle Expansion       

Erin N. Donahue and Wendy D. LeBorgne

Finding the Abs         

Joan Melton

Breath Management Strategy for Vocal Percussion  

Bari Hoffman Ruddy and Adam Lloyd

Breathing Body Release Visualization 

Suzan Postel

Breath Stamina Exercise for Aging Singers

Barbara Fox DeMaio

References     

Notes  

Chapter 4. Stretching and Relaxation for Tongue and Jaw        

Jaw Exercises for Singing      

Miriam van Mersbergen

Jaw Opening/Tongue Tension Isolation        

Miriam van Mersbergen

Reducing Jaw Region Tension and Cramping

Walt Fritz

Tongue Stretches for Singers 

Maria Cristina A. Jackson-Menaldi

Staccato and Legato Tongue Release

Tracy Bourne

Increasing Vocal Resonance by Decreasing Facial Tension

Catherine A. Walker

Guy-La Tongue Release and Flexibility

Edrie Means Weekly

Reference       

Notes  

Section II. Training the Hybrid Singer      

Introduction and Overview    

Chapter 5. Vocal Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs     

The Motor Boat 

Caroline Helton

Blowfish        

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

Descending 5-Tone on Lip Trill                  

Norman Spivey

Middle Voice Palate Stretch               

Beverly A. Patton

Mirening         

Thomas Francis Burke, III

The Gargle Exercise: Calibrate and Condition         

Jennifer C. Muckala

Straw Phonation to “Floaty” /u/ for Vocal Cool-Down

Kari Ragan

Vocal Cool-Down Exercise for the Hybrid Singer

Renee O. Gottliebson

Lifting the Palate

J. Austin Collum, Emily Dunn, and Bari Hoffman Ruddy

References     

Notes  

Chapter 6. Laryngeal Strength and Coordination           

Connecting the Voice to the Body and Breath           

Stephanie Samaras

Clari-Bees      

Katherine McConville

Messa di Voce for Musical Theatre/CCM Singers    

Mary Saunders Barton

Cup Phonation: A Semioccluded Vocal Tract Exercise        

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

The Elusive Whistle Register: Hanging Out Up High 

Jonelyn Langenstein and Brian E. Petty

Finding Efficient Vocal Fold Closure with Glottal Fry and Creaky Voice

Amelia A. Rollings

Notes  

Chapter 7. Registration and Vocal Tract Modification   

Head Voice Stability             

Sarah Maines

Head Voice in the Passaggio 

Beverly A. Patton

You Send Me  

Kathryn Green

Pinball Wizard           

Kathryn Green

Released Vocal Regulation    

Martin L. Spencer

Swing Arpeggio         

Michelle Rosen

Speech-Like Arpeggios

Norman Spivey

Sustained (2nd, 3rd, 5th, and Octave) Glide 

Bari Hoffman Ruddy and Adam Lloyd

Accessing “Mix”                      

Jeannette L. LoVetri

Vocalizing the Speaking Mix

Mary Saunders Barton

Four Exercises for Simple Speech                   

Beverly A. Patton

Register Transition Exploration         

Aaron M. Johnson

Honking          

Sarah L. Schneider

Meow Mix                  

Kelly M. Holst

Fix It in the Mix         

Starr Cookman

Slidy aa’s                  

Lisa Popeil

Hoot-n-Hollar             

James Curtis and Brian E. Petty

A Three-Part Exercise for Bright Vowels in High Tenor Voices

Billy Gollner

Belt Tactics: Physical Cues for Success        

Ann Evans Watson

The Three Birds         

David Harris and Laurel Irene

References     

Notes  

Chapter 8. Training Vocal Styles   

Bratty Twang  

Norman Spivey

Closed Position for High Conversational Music Theater 

Benjamin Czarnota

Woah Yeah!                

Patricia M. Linhart

Belted “Hey”               

Joan Ellison

Belt High Notes Like Oprah Winfrey

Jennifer DeRosa

Blissful Belting           

Joan Lader

Layla and the Canadian Surfer—Belting in Four Easy Steps

Chris York

Boom Ba Chicka         

Matthew Edwards

Phrase Shifting

Marcelle Gauvin

R&B Riff Exercise      

Jeffrey Evans Ramsey

Multiple Personalities Vocal Exercise           

Wendy D. LeBorgne

Register Isolation for Choral Singers

Edward Reisert

Light Chest Mix for Mixed Choir      

Thomas Arduini

Acting Through Song: Discovering Connections to Express Ourselves Clearly as Artists

Naz Edwards

The Ultimate Rock Sound     

Sheri Sanders

Verbal Diadochokinesis Exercise for Postmenopausal Women and Aging Male Voices

Barbara Fox DeMaio

Creating the Logical 16-Bar Audition Cut    

Robert Marks

References

Notes  

Conclusion

Purchasers of this book receive complimentary access to supplementary materials hosted on a PluralPlus companion website.

To access the materials, log in to the website using the URL and Access Code located inside the front cover of your copy of The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer, Second Edition.