Since the 1930s and ̕40s, jazz has stood tall in American popular music, drawing into its embrace not only great horn players, percussionists, guitarists, bassists, and pianists, but also some of the greatest singers in America's musical history. Jazz has laid the groundwork for important innovations in modern singing, opening up entirely new ways of delivering songs through what would eventually become jazz standards--songs that formed the basis of the American Songbook. In So You Want to Sing Jazz, singer and professor of voice Jan Shapiro gives a guided tour through the art and...

Country music, an original American artform, has been around since before the recording industry began and long before a singer even had the opportunity to sing into a microphone. From the early beginnings in the hills of Appalachia, to the rise of Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and the more recent megastars, including Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood, country music has proven to have staying power. It is one of the most popular styles of music in the world today, garnering more sales and downloads currently than any other genre. Many talented individuals are aspiring to sing country music and...

There are few works in existence that teach gospel singing and even fewer that focus on what gospel soloists need to know. In So You Want to Sing Gospel, Trineice Robinson-Martin offers the first resource to help individual gospel singers at all levels make the most of their primary instrument their voice. Robinson-Martin gathers together key information on gospel music history, vocal pedagogy, musical style and performance, and its place in music ministry. So You Want to Sing Gospel covers such vital matters as historical, cultural and spiritual perspectives on the gospel music tradition,...

Sacred music traditions vary profoundly from one religion to the next. Even within the Christian faith, one can hear a wide variety of music among and within different denominations. Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Evangelicals have all developed unique traditions. Many people are not exposed to multiple faith experiences in their upbringings, which can make exploring an unfamiliar sacred music style challenging. Because of this, singers and teachers regularly encounter religious singing styles to which they have not yet been exposed. In So You Want to Sing Sacred Music, multiple...

So many who love to sing are drawn to the immediacy and essential simplicity of the music we commonly call folk. Folk music, in fact, can serve as the perfect entry point for those just starting on their singing careers because of the ways in which it sidesteps the strictures of classical forms without giving up the fundamentals of professional singing techniques. In So You Want to Sing Folk Music, singer and writer Valerie Mindel demystifies this sprawling genre, looking at a variety of mainly traditional American musical styles as well as those of the folk revival that continues in various...

In So You Want to Sing Barbershop, veteran barbershoppers Billy J. Biffle of the Barbershop Harmony Society and Diane M. Clark of Sweet Adelines International provide a practical handbook for singers at all levels who want to learn about the American art form known as barbershop singing. Clark and Biffle explore the history of the style, survey the international organizational structure of the twenty-first century barbershop world, and outline techniques to develop the necessary vocal skills for the style. Guest authors Scott McCoy and Wendy LeBorgne provide valuable information on vocal...

So You Want to Sing A Cappella provides historical context as well as a comprehensive look at the a cappella community around the world at all levels. In addition, there is a specific focus on vocal techniques, rehearsal practices, and arranging processes to get readers started singing great a cappella!

So You Want to Sing Light Opera is a concise handbook for singers, teachers, and performers who want to learn more about the magnificent genre of light opera, including Viennese operetta, English comic opera, French opera bouffe, and Spanish zarzuela. Experienced performer Linda Lister brings clarity to this often misunderstood and overlooked category of music with detailed information beneficial to both veteran and novice singers. This resource will enhance the knowledge of teachers, conductors, and stage directors, as it broadens the perspectives and possibilities of light opera....

This book gathers together technical and practical wisdom from some of the world's most well-known practicing CCM pedagogues. Structured in interview format, each of the twelve master teachers represented speaks in-depth about their beliefs about vocal production and approaches to CCM technique and repertoire.

"A Project of the National Association of Teachers of Singing."