(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best vocal & singing books

Teaching Kids To Sing by Kenneth Phillips is a great vocal pedagogy curriculum. I use it all the way through high school as part of the warm-up every day. Find or create a sight-singing curriculum. When you're far away from concerts, spend up to about 20 minutes or 35-40% of the rehearsal learning to sight read. I'm doing my own this year, and I'd love to share more details if you're interested. Running the rehearsal depends on what you're preparing. Unison music is great because it gets everybody singing, but it's also tricky because some boys are reluctant to sing in the treble clef if they aren't used to it. Two part music is great, but it's usually written in the wrong key if you've got mixed choirs. It's okay to transpose a whole song to make it fit your choir better. SAB music is alright if you've got confident singers, but definitely don't start there if you don't think the kids can handle it.

The two-part arrangement of Bring Us Peace by Spevacek is a great place to start because it is a two-part round that echoes a fourth below, so it fits high voices and low voices well.

There are excellent tabs books for DSOTM, Wall and WYWH. Also excellent tab books for division bell and on an island.

There really isn't much out there for animals but there are some fairly decent dogs solo transcriptions.

If you are looking for easier stuff check out this book:

Pink Floyd: Easy Guitar with Riffs and Solos https://www.amazon.com/dp/1476815305/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_tqL3wbVFHHFQ0

This one might be good too (somewhat strange mix of songs...):

Ultimate Guitar Play-Along Pink Floyd Book/online audio https://www.amazon.com/dp/0739050443/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_msL3wbYY60PH3

This book looks really cool. Sounds like it comes with slowed down audio and play along parts too which can be really helpful

Pink Floyd - Guitar Signature Licks: A Step-by-Step Breakdown of David Gilmour's Guitar Styles and Techniques https://www.amazon.com/dp/1476821240/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_XvL3wbTZ41WX6

Sorry but you obviously know nothing about Ice Cube. I suggest you read my professor, Gail Woldu's, book about Ice Cube to get better information.

Ice Cube definitely doesn't try to sell a gangster image anymore. In his early 20s, he was from the streets and the ghetto, like every other early gangster rapper. He and others like him were angry at the very real injustices that the black community faced, despite being twenty years removed from the Civil Rights era.

You listen to the gangster rap from the late 80s and early 90s and you'll see that it's hard hitting poetry created by a community who could not express themselves in traditional methods. Hip hop culture (which includes things like breakdancing, graffiti, clothing, and of course, music) really began all the way back in the late 60s with groups like the Last Poets, and was heavily influenced by the Black Panthers. By the time Cube, Pac, and that whole wave of music came along, the genre had matured into a force for the youth; something that other struggling blacks around the country could identify with. It became popular and empowered the black community in that they could say look: "this is who we are, we are angry and we will no longer hesitate to show it", and when a generation of white youths could identify with the central tenant of rebelling against authority, the genre really kicked off.

Today we call that sub-genre "conscious rap" as well as "gangsta rap". Rap music today, and hip-hop culture in general, is no longer controlled by the artist but by the multi-billion dollar record companies who have full control over what is produced and released.

If you want to hear really good rap music, start looking abroad. My now alma-mater puts on the best international hip-hop festival in the US (and probably the world), if you're near Connecticut I strongly recommend the Trinity College International Hip-Hop Festival. Also, check out Democracy in Dakar which is a documentary about the political atmosphere in Dakar, Senegal, and explores the relationship that exists there between rap music and politics.

This is in our FAQ: ”Do I have absolute pitch (AP)? How can I learn absolute pitch?”

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Learning AP

If you are old enough to make a post on reddit, unfortunately, you are probably too old to acquire AP. Like language acquisition, there is a critical period for obtaining AP.^1 While there are always outliers, the average point for onset of critical-learning-period skills typically falls at about 6 years old. Many absolute pitch ("perfect pitch") possessors report beginning musical training before age six. Nearly all report their first musical training beginning before age 12. All of us have the ability to acquire AP from birth, but if those parts of the brain aren't exercised at a young age, the ability closes off because it isn't needed or used.

Programs/classes/software that claim to teach you perfect pitch are a scam. Scientific studies have shown that adults essentially cannot acquire AP.^(2,3,4,5)

But not to worry! You really don't need AP to be a good musician. Much more important is relative pitch and other aural skills that can be learned. (see FAQ: "How do I get better at ear training/aural skills? What apps/websites can I use?")

Sources

^1 John Crozier, "Absolute Pitch: Practice Makes Perfect, the Earlier the Better"

^2 Levitin/Zatorre, "On the Nature of Early Music Training and Absolute Pitch"

^3 Baharloo et al, "Absolute Pitch: An Approach for Identification of Genetic and Nongenetic Components"

^4 Gary Karpinski, Aural Skills Acquisition, 59–61

^5 Takeuchi/Hulse, "Absolute Pitch"

The books I use were the same books singers use. A book I used was this. http://www.amazon.com/Vocal-Technique-Finding-Essential-Concepts/dp/063401319X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311219836&sr=8-1

Training your singing voice drastically improves your speaking voice. Tone is much better, voice is much clearer. Those exercises will increase your vocal range, and you might have an easier and more natural time speaking lower (deeper) once you practice.

Even if you like your voice's pitch the way it is, you'll still find improvements. Sure, you might still sound gay, but you'll have a very confident and refined speaking voice, which is something very masculine.

Any audio recordings of how you sound? If you can start sounding a little bit like Tom Hardy (Guy from Inception who has a little bit of flamboyancy in his voice but is still a complete badass and ladykiller), you might like it.

If you're looking for a different approach to melodic dictation, you should definitely check out this book. I am currently pursuing a bachelor of science degree in music education and our aural skills courses rely on the concepts within Karpinski's Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing.

Although some of topics may seem a bit simple, this book is structured/organized VERY well, and discusses topics that I, personally have found extremely useful. To go off of what /u/bf1hipcat said, this book also goes into and stresses the importance of using protonotation in the beginning of your endeavors.

Also, if you buy a brand new copy, it'll come with an online code that will give you access to a large database of melodic and harmonic dictation practice!

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If you have any questions, feel free to ask away!

Good luck in all your musical endeavors!

Depending on how much theatre you plan on doing, I would suggest picking up a compilation book and start working through some pieces that catch you eye. The Musical Theatre Anthology, v.1 is my personal favorite. For a guy your range, all the suggestions are good, I'd also throw in "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific, maybe "Marian the Librarian" from Music Man, or "Reviewing the Situation" if you want to show off your patter.

I like to listen to a song, see if I like it, then start working on it. Some people will have a problem with that, and raise valid concerns, but I think that there's such a wealth of knowledge and experience to tap into, that it would be a waste not to use it. All the suggestions here are great, the key is to pick something you feel like you can have fun performing. Break a leg!

My friend Neil is a multi award winning singer and chorus director. He has a wealth of experience to share. He is the musical director of top flight British Barbershop Chorus and current British Champions the Cottontown Chorus.

He has an ebook available from amazon .

His chorus website do online auditions/voice testing.

As a professional musician and teacher, I've been (and seen my students) in that situation many, many times and learned the hard way...First of all, you need to really learn about this "nervousness" , since this is perhaps a manifestation of something happening internally (lack of preparation, personality trait, etc.). One of the things that you gotta know is that everyone--in the performing world-- (no exception) experiences nervousness (fear response) at some extent (regardless of what they tell you or you think). Mr. "he looks so relaxed when he plays" learned how to manage his nerves and embrace them as a positive force. I know it sounds esoteric but it's not....Once you accept is gonna happen, you need to define why it's happening. Does this situation mimicks your everyday personality? is it lack of preparation? are the stakes to high (competitions, job audition, etc.)? Are the odds against you? etc., so you can start looking at the real source of the problem and hopefully, finding some answers...Next, find (specifically) how this "nervousness" manifests. Is it physical? (Sweaty hands? dry mouth? shaky arms? stiff neck, etc.) or mental? (voices in your head, inability to stay focused, overreacting at small mistakes?. If it's physical, you might want to ask your doctor if he can prescribe you some propanolol, a beta-blocker used widely by performing artists (I'm not gonna tell you how it works, look it up) please talk to your doctor first (DON'T GET ONE FROM YOU FRIENDS!!), since he can evaluate your health and tell you if it's right for you. I know the musicians community is divided about using beta-blockers but I can tell you from my own experience that it helped me a lot with sweaty hands (I play a string instrument).
The mental aspect is a little bit more difficult to tackle but not impossible. Chances are that you are trying to micro-manage every aspect of your performance (don't mess up that fingering, exaggerate dynamics here, release the tension in your elbow to get a smoother legato) and this stuff gets in the way of artistry. Here is where you have to make a big difference between practicing and performing (two complete different things). Leave that micro-managing stuff for the practice room (but don't do it too much either, it will drive you nuts). Finally, performing is a skill that you need to practice!!! you need to put yourself into "performing mode" often so you can learn how to "embrace your fear". Play for your peers, friends, parents, bf/gf, etc. No one around? use your imagination. I have a colleague that used to put (he probably still does) a lettuce head with a baseball cap and glasses in front of him to simulate an audience. You need to practice performing so you get to understand your own fears and insecurities...
Some books that might help:

A soprano on her head: http://www.amazon.com/Soprano-Her-Head-Right-Side-Up-Performances/dp/0911226214

The inner game of music:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385231261/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0911226214&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0TG9NP8HF8RR8017J1J2

-Performance success (or anything by Don Greene): http://www.amazon.com/Performance-Success-Performing-Pressure-Theatre/dp/0878301224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278682151&sr=1-1

I could write a lot more about this topic, but I have rehearsal; pm if you have more questions.

ELI12: Singers in general are trained to sing a standard form of English that grew out of the broadway scene and was popularized by Madeleine Marshall and her book. It's an English that's roughly halfway between American and British, tends to avoid the letter R and sounds pretty neutral (and is easier to sing on). Now singers of popular music have moved towards more local sorts of English, but Marshall's influence is pretty strong and will continue to be.

ELI5: Most singers (or singing teachers) learned the same special singing English, so they sound very similar.

Source: I'm an opera singer.

I found both of these very helpful. That said, I would like to reiterate that I saw instant improvement by sitting with a vocal coach and I have only done that like five times. I wish I had the time to do it more often.
Be patient. It doesn't happen over night. You have to develop a specific set of muscle coordination.
Happy journey!

https://www.amazon.com/Belting-Guide-Healthy-Powerful-Singing/dp/0876391587/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=Berklee+belting&qid=1568149739&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Vocal-Workouts-Contemporary-Singer-Berklee/dp/0876390475/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=Peckham+vocal&qid=1568149689&s=gateway&sr=8-1

You should be alright to start, actually. One thing though is that choir style singing is often pretty different from more pop/rock oriented material. So first thing I would do is to find someone you want to sing like and is reasonably within your range to model yourself after (my personal picks: David Bowie and Freddie Mercury). Start singing along to those songs, the car or home where you are comfortable are good places. There are some good vocal technique books out there (I own this despite creepy cover photo) which you should check out. You can still get instruction, though be sure to pick one who suits your style... you wouldn't want to learn an operatic style if your goal is to lead a rock band.

Of course, without hearing you specifically, I can't help you on anything specific. Can you not hold tones? Strained range? No soul in your singing?

Don't really know a single best resource - there are a few books (e.g. this or this) and a thousand youtube tutorials (e.g. this or this), but I can't vouch for any of them being the best or definitive. Reharmonization seems like a topic one should learn gradually, anyway, and incorporate one technique at a time into your playing, so a single "ultimate" resource may not be the right approach.

I cannot answer this question without spending the next 5 hours writing. I have spent about 11 year studying music and taking lessons trying to achieve better tone. I can't just funnel all of that into you.

What you do need to do in break down vocal technique into a few different ideas: Resonance (how to position your larynx, soft palate, tongue, and lips to create the tone you want); Breath (how you supply your instrument with power); phonation (how you put your vocal folds together to vibrate the air); alignment (how to coordinate your body so you're not impeding your own singing). If you want to sound the best you can, you have to improve on all of those fronts. And they're far more related than my ridiculous oversimplification of them states.

Each of those topics has entire books written about them. I would start with Complete Vocal Fitness as it's a great self-exploration guide to all of these topics. But it just scratches the surface.

I would say skip the history of opera types of books. They're a dime a dozen, and most of the information can be found on the internet. If she's going to study opera to become a singer, then she will instead get greater value from a book about singing, a book that will give her an understanding of the history of the greatest singers, what they sang, how they sang, etc.

To that end, these two books are absolutely essential:

We Sang Better. Vol 1: How We Sang

We Sang Better. Vol 2: Why It Was Better

Okay, because I don't know you and for all I know you could be a 22-year-old freshman who's been studying voice for 5 years or something, I would say get the Opera Singer's Career Guide , it has a lot of lists of roles for children or young/beginning singers. That said, the advice everyone is giving is pretty sound. Before you start learning any of these parts, check with your voice teacher and ask him/her if there's anything vocally appropriate for you. I would also say maybe try to do your school's scenes program or opera chorus? It's a good way to get your feet wet and learn the basics without doing any damage or burning out too quickly. Does your college have some sort of drama club? Maybe audition for some straight theatre to get some more acting ability while you work on your voice during school.

My suggestion is to learn on your own, and if you choose to go to college, pursue a major that has more profitable career options. Minor in music theory and invest your free time in practicing your instrument. Here is a reading list I recommend to start getting into serious music study and guitar playing:

• William Leavitt's Modern Method for Guitar - all three. buy it on amazon, this is your guitar bible
  
• Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene
  
• The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick - Seriously one of the best practice guides around. It is light on content, but explains how to practice and challenge yourself.
  
• A Real Book, for reading practice
  
• Tonal Harmony by Kostka
  
• Materials and Techniques of 20th Century Music, by Kostka
  
• The above books by Kostka will cover most of the theory content in the general undergraduate requirements for U.S. music programs
  
• Elementary Training for Musicians, Paul Hindemith - Very good book, particularly work on the sight reading material
  
• Progressive Sight Singing One of the most important skills for a well rounded musician
  
• Paul Gilbert's Terrifying Guitar Trip - Out of place with the above, but easily the best technical guide to guitar playing I have ever found. Even applicable if you don't want to play rock guitar.
  
  That was a fucking wall of text. Hopefully I didn't come off like a negative asshole or bore you to death. If you have any questions or complaints, let me know!

If you follow the link in the title it should take you to Amazon.com
Try https://amazon.com/dp/B075VQP1PX