A Systematic Approach to Voice: The Art of Studio Application, Second Edition is a flexible, enduring resource for voice teachers, coaches, speech pathologists, and singers. Grounded in current voice science, it offers a systematic framework for identifying technical challenges and choosing effective corrective strategies. Drawing on Dr. Kari Ragan’s years of pedagogic experience, the book organizes training through five interdependent voice systems—respiration, phonation, registration, articulation, and resonance—equipping teachers with a practical method for guiding singers toward more efficient coordination.
This expanded second edition adds new chapters that deepen the pedagogical framework and broaden its application, while substantial structural revisions provide greater clarity and accessibility. At the heart of the text is an extensive collection of corrective vocal exercises, presented with clear intent and cueing, so teachers and singers can choose strategies quickly and apply them successfully in the moment. The aim is technically reliable singing in service of artistry.
New to the Second Edition
- New chapters:
- “Evidence-Based Voice Pedagogy (EBVP): A Tripartite Framework”
- “Vocal Cool-Down: Principles and Practice”
- “Pop Singing: Musical Foundations” by Jordyn Day
- “The Transgender and Gender-Expansive Singer” by Jae Bernado & Emerald Lesley
- “Motor Learning Theory Applied to Teaching Singing” by Lynn Maxfield
- Significantly expanded coverage of semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs), including a systematic approach to studio application
Review
“Bit by bit, putting it together,” as Stephen Sondheim has written—that’s what Kari Ragan’s book offers. Students, teachers, and ultimately audiences are in for a treat. This book will certainly expand their skill set, sharpen their knowledge, and answer the questions they most frequently ask.
—Joan Lader, Vocal Coach, Tony Award honoree