So You Want to Sing Rock: A Guide for Performers

by Matt Edwards

Overview

Matt Edwards, one of the leading voice teachers for commercial music styles, shares his approach to coordinating the voice so that singers can focus on performing. Fully updated and expanded, this new edition gives specific advice for beginner, intermediate, and advanced performers as well as those crossing over from classical or musical theatre.

So You Want to Sing Rock provides a comprehensive guide and covers a wide variety of topics: rock history, voice science, vocal health, audio technology, technical approaches to singing rock, and stylistic parameters for various rock subgenres. The book is not only the ideal guide for singing professionals but the perfect reference work for voice teachers and their students, lead and back-up singers, record producers, and studio engineers.

The So You Want to Sing series is produced in partnership with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Please visit www.nats.org to access style-specific exercises, audio and video files, and additional resources.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538185711
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/28/2024
Series:	So You Want to Sing , #22
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	362
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Matt Edwards is one of the leading voice teachers for commercial and musical theatre styles in the United States. He is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at Shenandoah Conservatory where he developed the first pop/rock training program for musical theatre majors in the United States. He is also Artistic Director of the Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute. He has been a recipient of the Van Lawrence Fellowship and a master teacher for the NATS Intern program where he collaborated with Dr. Aaron Johnson at NYU Langone Voice Center to measure vocal tract adjustments between styles using real-time MRI. His website is: https://www.edwardsvoice.com/.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

List of Figures

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Singing and Voice Science

Chapter 3: How Learning Works: An Introduction to Motor Learning Theory

Chapter 4: A Listening Journey Through the History of Rock ‘n Roll

Chapter 5: The Basics of Singing Rock ‘n Roll

Chapter 6: Tips for Beginners

Chapter 7: Tips for Those Already Singing Rock ‘n Roll

Chapter 8: Crossing Over from Classical or Musical Theatre

Chapter 9: Developing Your Style

Chapter 10: Singing with Audio Technology

Chapter 11: Vocal Health for Singers

Chapter 12: Navigating Through an Ever-Evolving Musical Landscape

Chapter 13: Improving Your Skills After Reading This Book

Chapter 14: Final Thoughts

Appendix A: Vocal Exercise Patterns

Appendix B: Phonetic Symbols

Glossary

About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

In this new edition, Matt Edwards continues to provide expert advice for rock ‘n’ roll singers on surviving and thriving in today's ever-changing music business. His deep understanding of vocal function and musical style gives students and teachers solid advice on how to train for this vocally demanding career. So You Want to Sing Rock is a must-have addition to any vocal pedagogy library.

Marcelle Gauvin

This is an invaluable resource for any teacher working with contemporary vocal styles. Even if you own numerous other pedagogy books, this updated and expanded edition goes beyond many traditional resources. So You Want to Sing Rock is highly relevant to today’s teachers, providing valuable information on how to keep pace with an ever-evolving industry, and is a must have addition for any voice pedagogy collection.”

Marci Rosenberg

The new edition of So You Want to Sing Rock is thoroughly researched and demonstrates Matt Edwards’ creativity and originality as well as his mastery of the subject. He has produced an evidence-based instructional manual that has direct and meaningful relevance and utility. Of key importance, the book features concrete and research-based information relative to the commercial music industry, repertoire, and audio technology—all of which rock and pop-rock singers must master. For anyone whose work intersects with rock singing, this book is a must-read."

Leda Scearce

This book is a must have for every voice teacher's collection. The additional chapters in the new edition supply a goldmine of historical application to the genre as well as exercises and practical advice rooted in functional voice training, all while encouraging the singer to find and believe in their unique and authentic sound.

Melissa Foster