ABSTRACT
Singing is a complex art form and there are as many ways to sing as there are genres of music. The skills required to sing various types or styles of music vary greatly, but there are common attributes among all forms that result in sustainable singing. Learning to sing in a way that does not harm the vocal mechanism and contributes positively to lifelong vocal health is essential, especially for children. Popular music typically features a forward and bright voice quality that is different from the vocal production of classical singers in terms of coordination of the acoustic setup, breath management, and most importantly registration, especially for female singers, where keys are set typically in the lower octave. While the foundational elements of good singing technique are essential across genres, popular music singing includes defining elements of stylized vocal production, often requiring a complex layering of “effects” specific to the genre.
