The singer's companion : a guide to improving your voice and performance / by Brent Monahan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Monahan, Brent Jeffrey.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Singing.

Singing--Instruction and study.

Physical Description:

xiii, 169 pages : illustrations, music ; 23 cm + 1 audio disc (4 3/4 in.)

Place of Publication:

Pompton Plains, N.J. : Limelight Editions, 2006.

Summary:

In an accessible, easy-to-use format, author Brent Monahan has distilled the depository of knowledge on singing, presenting the tried-and-true methods that have endured for centuries. Every great singer, whether consciously or unconsciously, uses the techniques and skills you will learn here. Brilliant singers and teachers, such as Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Eileen Farrell, Manuel Garcia, and Emma Seiler, prove the point with dozens of charming and pithy quotations.

Monahan simplifies the art of learning to sing well, focusing not on physiology or theories, but rather providing practical advice and techniques, as taught by renowned experts, universities, and conservatories. Topics include stance, breathing, phonation, resonance, range, health, choosing a teacher, vocal exercise, musicianship, pronunciation and diction, interpretation, performance, and selecting material. Diagrams, exercise sheets, sample songs, and an illustrative CD supplement the text. Especially helpful are "What to do when this thing doesn't work" diagnostic sectioris and vocal exercises favored by wise teachers over the ages. Any singer, from classical to popular, from the would-be professional to the diligent choir member, can benefit from this concise, down-to-earth, yet thorough companion.

Contents:

Part I The Mechanics of Singing

1 Stance 3

2 Breathing/The Torso 11

3 Phonation/The Throat 39

4 Resonance/The Head 47

5 Range and Timbre 65

6 Singing and Health 75

7 The Teacher/The Lesson 83

8 Practice/Vocal Exercises 95

Part II The Artistry of Singing

9 Musicianship 117

10 Pronunciation and Diction 123

11 Interpretation 131

12 Performance 141

Exercise Sheets 149

Sample Song 1 "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" 153

Sample Song 2 "Who Was I?" 157

CD Track List 171.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1574671502

9781574671506

OCLC:

71285283