Reorganizing the Pillars of Voice Pedagogy: A Tiered Approach to Teaching Voice

Abstract

Many pedagogy texts and classes are organized around a linear progression: alignment, respiration, phonation/registration, resonance, then articulation. While this organization is easy to understand and implement, it does not inherently account for the complex interrelationships among the various subsystems. This article proposes a conceptual framework that reorganizes some of the key elements of vocal technique into hierarchical tiers. This four-tiered model acknowledges that some concepts are more foundational than others. However, it also recognizes that the elements within the tiers interact in complex ways. Woven throughout each tier is the relationship between technique and expression. Students have reported that this organizational structure has made their practice more efficient and increased their self-efficacy and autonomy as musicians.