SUGGESTIONS
Here are some of my most used and favoured resources ...
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Please note that I get no financial gain for these mentions, neither do I take any responsibility for their use.
BRILLIANT BOOKS​
J Fisher, G Kayes, The Wellcome Trust, 2016
(ISBN: 978-1-78125-656-5)
A great, straight-forward, and broadly-based book of exercises. Chapters include:
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speaking and singing warm ups
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speaking effectively
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beatboxing
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opera
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rock, pop, soul, jazz and country
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R Morris & L Hutchison, Compton Publishing, 2017 (ISBN: 978-1-909082-16-8)
A heavily researched book about applying the Accent Method of breathing to singing. It shows where some of our long-standing misconceptions come from, how scientific research has changed how we understand the subject, and ultimately, what we can do to breathe and support effectively. This is one for the teachers--its pithy!
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B Calais-Germain, F Germain, Éditions Désiris, 2016 (ISBN: 978-1-62055-419-7)
A book exclusively made to help singers understand how anatomy affects them and can be employed by them. Great for the singing geek!
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Owner's Manual to the Voice: A guide for singers and other professional voice users
R Gates, L Arrich Forrest, K Obert, OU Press, 2013
(ISBN: 978-0-19-996468-0)
A really useful book about the health of the human instrument. As stated on the back cover, 'It provides detailed ... treatments for care and safe keeping of the voice. It provides descriptions of dangers and disorders, and demystifies medical procedures'.
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THE VOCAL ATHLETE: application and technique for the hybrid singer
M Rosenberg & W Leborgne, Plural Publishing, 2nd Edition, 2021 (ISBN: 978-1-63550-164-3)
After going to some lectures by the authors, I had to get their books! This is the companion workbook that goes with the 'splainy text book. Written with the CCM, musical theatre, and hybrid singer in mind. Loads of exercises, reasons why, and videos and sound files. If you ever get the chance, go to their lectures!
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BREATH: the new science of a lost art
N Nestor, Penguin Random House UK, 2020 (ISBN: 978-0-241-28912-9)
Not meant particularly for singers, this book is to help folks breathe effectively for better health for life. I thought it clearly and concisely written and edited and very easy to read. READ IT!
AWESOME APPS​
Its a band on your phone! You write out or download chord charts to sing to. You can even have it repeat and change key up or down to practice, and repeat and speed up each replay to build agility. Made for musicians to practice and jam to when no band was available, I think. You can very easily share chord charts with other users, as I do in my lessons sometimes.
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A really flexible phone and tablet app that plays a variety of scales for warming up and exercising. If you buy it you can write your own exercises.
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Phone and tablet app great for improving reading and notation of rhythm, and for interval training, although I prefer Functional Ear Trainer for that.
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Phone and tablet app that teaches interval recognition by relating them to a cadence.
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A Freeware replacement for standard notation software. Writing your music out in notation is a brilliant way to embed interval and rhythm skills, as well as giving a permanent copy of your ideas.
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A really powerful (way more than my meagre needs make use of) Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). It's really cheap too, and the free-trial version is fully functional so you can really test drive it. There are some really great instructional videos on YouTube
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That's all it does! It shows you whether you're on pitch or not using a scrolling graph (which is great for glissando training) and stating the note sounded.
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This browser-based monitor by Singing Carrots (the name? I've no idea!) shows your pitch on a keyboard--it's really clear loads of fun. (https://singingcarrots.com/pitch-monitor)
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