Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"A Systematic Approach to Voice: The Art of Studio Application is a professional resource presenting a framework for the integration of science-informed principles of voice production and pedagogical application in the training of singers. Author Dr. Kari Ragan has spent years using this organizational template of the five voice systems - respiration, phonation, registration, articulation and resonance - to identify technical challenges and design corrective vocal exercises in order to facilitate efficient singing. Each of the voice system chapters contains a brief overview of the mechanics as well as key points for teachers, or "teacher takeaways." The book's core offering is vocal exercises which, framed within a systematic approach, provide strategies for the art of studio application. The intent is an approach that leads to technically proficient singing working in service of great artistry"--

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. xi)
• Acknowledgments (p. xv)
• Reviewers (p. xvii)
• 1 A Systematic Approach (p. 1)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• The Heuristic Nature of a Systematic Approach (p. 4)
• Kinesthetic Singing Tools (p. 4)
• Alterations of Vocal Exercises (p. 6)
• Summary (p. 6)
• References (p. 7)
• Selected Resource (p. 7)
• 2 The Twenty-First Century Voice Teacher (p. 9)
• Introduction (p. 9)
• Cross-Training the Voice Athlete (p. 11)
• Voice Habilitation (p. 12)
• A Vocal Warm-Up Versus Vocal Function Exercises (p. 13)
• Motor Learning Theory and the Singer (p. 14)
• Summary (p. 15)
• References (p. 16)
• Selected Resources (p. 17)
• 3 A Systematic Approach to Respiration (p. 19)
• Overview of Respiration (p. 19)
• Inhalation (p. 20)
• Exhalation (p. 22)
• Teacher Takeaways of Respiration (p. 24)
• Application of Respiration (p. 28)
• Body Awareness Exercises (p. 29)
• 3-1 Large Ball-Stretching and Lengthening (p. 30)
• 3-2 Large Ball-Posture and Alignment (p. 32)
• Respiration Coordination Exercises (p. 34)
• 3-3 Sustaining Unvoiced Consonants (p. 35)
• 3-4 Rhythmic Patterns on Unvoiced Consonants /s/, /f/, /¿/, or /∫/ (p. 37)
• 3-5 Alternating Unvoiced/Voiced Consonant Pairs (p. 38)
• 3-6 Flow-Ball by POWERbreathe (p. 40)
• 3-7 Flow-Ball Voiceless Staccato (p. 42)
• 3-8 Flow-Ball Voiceless Messa di Voce (p. 43)
• 3-9 Flow-Ball Voiced "Flownation" (p. 44)
• Breath Depletion Exercises (p. 45)
• 3-10 Breath Depletion Prior to Inhalation (p. 45)
• 3-11 Breath Depletion Conditioning (p. 46)
• Respiration and Resonance Coordination (p. 48)
• 3-12 /∫um/ Patterns (p. 48)
• Rib Cage Expansion (p. 51)
• 3-13 Exercise Band (p. 51)
• Respiratory Release (p. 55)
• 3-14 Pelvic Floor Release (p. 55)
• 3-15 Xiphoid Process Area Release (p. 57)
• Core Engagement (p. 60)
• 3-16 Encouraging Core Engagement Through Exercise Balls (p. 60)
• 3-17 Large Ball Squat (p. 62)
• 3-18 Exercise Band Core Engagement (p. 64)
• Summary (p. 65)
• References (p. 65)
• Selected Resources (p. 67)
• 4 A Systematic Approach to Phonation (p. 69)
• Overview of Phonation (p. 69)
• Teacher Takeaways of Phonation (p. 73)
• Overview of Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract (SOVT) Postures (p. 74)
• Diameter of Straw or Tube (p. 76)
• Length of Straw or Tube (p. 78)
• Material of Straw or Tube (p. 79)
• Straw or Tube in Water (Water Bubble Phonation) (p. 79)
• The Use of an Anesthesia Mask to Facilitate an SOVT Posture (p. 82)
• Teacher Takeaways of SOVT Postures (p. 84)
• Application of Phonation (p. 86)
• Straw Phonation/Pitch Glides (p. 88)
• 4-1 Straw Phonation Pitch Glides-Small Intervals (p. 88)
• 4-2 Straw Phonation Pitch Glides-Full-Range (p. 89)
• 4-3 Straw Phonation Pitch Glides-Varying Intervals (p. 90)
• 4-4 Straw Phonation Scales (p. 92)
• 4-5 Straw Phonation Pitch Glides to Vowels (p. 92)
• Water Bubbles (p. 95)
• 4-6 Water Bubble Pitch Glides (p. 95)
• 4-7 Water Bubble Repertoire (p. 98)
• Lip Trills (p. 100)
• 4-8 Arpeggio Lip Trills (p. 100)
• 4-9 Chromatic Lip Trills (p. 100)
• Vocal Onsets (p. 101)
• 4-10 Mastering Staccato (p. 102)
• 4-11 Water Bubble Staccato (p. 104)
• 4-12 Staccato to Legato (p. 105)
• Vocal Fry (p. 107)
• 4-13 Vocal Fry-Sustaining (p. 107)
• 4-14 Vocal Fry to Chest Registration (p. 107)
• 4-15 Vocal Fry to Head Registration (p. 108)
• Summary (p. 109)
• References (p. 110)
• Selected Resources (p. 112)
• 5 A Systematic Approach to Registration (p. 115)
• Overview of Registration (p. 115)
• Teacher Takeaways of Registration (p. 120)
• Application of Registration (p. 123)
• Female Head Registration Isolation (p. 125)
• 5-1 Soft /u/-Secondo Passaggio (p. 125)
• 5-2 Sustained Head Registration Isolation (p. 126)
• 5-3 Head Registration Isolation Crescendo (p. 128)
• 5-4 Advanced Head Registration Isolation (p. 129)
• 5-5 Advanced Head Registration-Bel-Canto Inspired (p. 131)
• Male Head Registration Isolation (p. 132)
• 5-6 Soft /u/ for Balanced Registration (p. 132)
• 5-7 Head Registration Isolation Through Variation of Dynamics and Vowels (p. 133)
• 5-8 Building a Bridge Across Registers (p. 134)
• Male Registration Coordination (p. 136)
• 5-9 Head Registration to Develop High Notes in Chest Registration (p. 136)
• 5-10 Messa di Voce Through the Secondo Passaggio (p. 137)
• Female Chest Registration Isolation (p. 138)
• 5-11 Chest Registration Isolation (p. 138)
• 5-12 Head Registration to Facilitate Efficient Chest Registration (p. 140)
• 5-13 Building a Bridge to Belting (p. 142)
• Mixed Registration for a Broad Spectrum of Sound (p. 144)
• 5-14 "Meow" CCM Mixed Registration (p. 144)
• 5-15 "My"-CCM Mixed Registration (p. 144)
• 5-16 Arpeggio Mixed Registration (p. 145)
• 5-17 Ode to Joan Lader (p. 146)
• 5-18 Alternating Registration (p. 147)
• 5-19 Mastering Messa di Voce (p. 149)
• Summary (p. 150)
• References (p. 150)
• Selected Resources (p. 151)
• 6 A Systematic Approach to Articulation (p. 153)
• Overview of Articulation (p. 153)
• The Jaw (p. 154)
• The Tongue (p. 157)
• The Soft Palate (p. 158)
• The Pharynx (p. 159)
• Teacher Takeaways of Articulation (p. 161)
• Application of Articulation (p. 161)
• Jaw Stretches (p. 162)
• 6-1 Preparing the Jaw (p. 162)
• Jaw: Voiced Exercises (p. 168)
• 6-2 Wine Cork Between Front Teeth (p. 168)
• 6-3 Wine Cork Between Molars (p. 170)
• 6-4 Masseter Muscle Release (p. 172)
• Tongue Stretches (p. 173)
• 6-5 Tongue Out Stretch (p. 173)
• 6-6 Tongue Curl Stretch (p. 175)
• 6-7 Underside of Tongue Stretch (p. 176)
• 6-8 Circular Tongue Stretch (p. 177)
• Tongue: Voiced Exercises (p. 178)
• 6-9 Dental Consonants (p. 178)
• 6-10 Palatal Consonants (p. 179)
• 6-11 Developing Jaw and Tongue Independence (p. 180)
• 6-12 Voiced Raspberry and Tongue Trills (p. 180)
• 6-13 Base of Tongue Disengagement (p. 181)
• 6-14 Candy on the Tongue (p. 183)
• 6-15 Gauze on the Tongue (p. 184)
• 6-16 Ode to Barbara Dosche (p. 186)
• 6-17 Dental/Palatal Consonant Combinations (p. 187)
• Soft Palate Stretches (p. 188)
• 6-18 Isolating the Soft Palate Activation (p. 188)
• Soft Palate: Voiced Exercises (p. 189)
• 6-19 Soft Palate Exploration with Voicing (p. 189)
• 6-20 Using Nasality to Explore the Contrast of Soft Palate Elevation (p. 190)
• 6-21 Thumb in Moudi Against the Soft Palate (p. 191)
• Summary (p. 193)
• Reference (p. 193)
• Selected Resources (p. 193)
• 7 A Systematic Approach to Resonance (p. 195)
• Overview of Resonance (p. 195)
• High-Frequency Spectral Content: Vocal Ring (p. 198)
• Classical Singer's Lofted Resonance Strategy (p. 199)
• CCM Singer's Brassy Resonance Strategy (p. 200)
• Western Classical Versus CCM (p. 204)
• Teacher Takeaways (p. 204)
• Application of Resonance (p. 206)
• 7-1 Chant Speech-Humming (p. 208)
• 7-2 Pitch Glides-Humming (p. 209)
• 7-3 Using /hm/ to Facilitate Resonance (p. 210)
• 7-4 Ode to Ellen Faull (p. 211)
• 7-5 Alternating /m/ with a Vowel Series (p. 212)
• 7-6 Bending Forward (p. 213)
• 7-7 Lying Over a Ball (p. 214)
• 7-8 Chopstick Between the Teeth (p. 215)
• 7-9 Chadley's "Weird" /$$$/ Exercise (p. 217)
• 7-10 Y-Buzz (p. 219)
• 7-11 Facilitating Brassy Resonance (Twang) (p. 220)
• Summary (p. 222)
• References (p. 222)
• Selected Resources (p. 223)
• 8 Sample Vocal Warm-Up Routines (p. 225)
• Introduction (p. 225)
• Classical Female (Middle/High School, Undergraduate, Avocational Singer) (p. 227)
• Classical Female (Undergraduate/Graduate, Emerging Professional, Professional Singer) (p. 228)
• Classical Male (Middle/High School, Undergraduate, Avocational Singer) (p. 229)
• Classical Male (Undergraduate/Graduate, Emerging Professional, Professional Singer) (p. 230)
• CCM Female (Beginning/Intermediate) (p. 231)
• CCM Female (Intermediate/Advanced) (p. 232)
• CCM Male (Beginning/Intermediate) (p. 233)
• CCM Male (Intermediate/Advanced) (p. 234)
• Index (p. 235)

Author notes provided by Syndetics