“How are you going to build style if you hear notes above what your singing and can’t get to it? […] Your ability to get through these things called bridges, these transitions, is what this whole act of singing is […] ‘Be patient.’ How do you spell it? ‘P-E-Y-T-I-E-U-N-T’. That’s how you get through. You narrow the vowel.”

- Maestro Seth Riggs, Speech Level Singing Originator

I teach exclusively Speech Level Singing (SLS) here at the studio. SLS is the only singing technique trusted and used by over 120 Grammy Award winners – a roster of celebrity singers you have grown up listening to, and that your Ipod is probably already filled with. They include singers like: Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Beyonce, Prince, and Anita Baker, just to name a few (for a more comprehensive list, see the Speech Level Singing Clients Page).

Why is Speech Level Singing so popular?

Although somewhat new to Toronto, Speech Level Singing (SLS) has recently catapulted into the world’s most sought after and reliable international vocal community – and it’s changing the way the world thinks about singing! It is the only standardized singing technique which actually allows the voice to function naturally, easily and efficiently. As such, it accesses the full breadth of all voice types and singing styles, opening up a very liberating freedom of expression for performers: If you have never experienced singing in a relaxed and connected voice before, trust me, you have never experienced the power of singing.

After learning SLS, you will have the ability to sing any style of music you choose from rnb, jazz, rock, pop, gospel, punk rock, and classical. Why? Because when your voice is connected and balanced, it can remain flexible and strong in any genre (and you won’t have to change the way you sing to do it!).

What Can Speech Level Singing Do For Your Voice?

Practically everyone that comes into the studio discovers:

• Enormous improvements after just the first voice lesson.
• Increases in vocal range, often, of more than an entire octave.
• Fuller, richer resonance, without effort.
• A natural confidence.
• Increased agility, flexibility and strength.
• Their singing sounds noticeably and undeniably better.

• They can sing their favorite songs – and actually sound great!

How Does Speech Level Singing Work?

Every voice is different, of course, but in order to find vocal balance, stability, and strength, we tend to work with the part of the singing voice that other teachers avoid: that pesky break between “chest” and “falsetto” voice. If you have any experience at all with singing, you know what I’m talking about!

To begin developing a speech level co-ordination, it is important to ensure the voice is rooted in the natural functioning of your chest voice, that is, the voice you speak with. Then, by isolating and developing the intrinsic muscles of the larynx, and releasing unnecessary muscles around it by relaxing or stabilizing the larynx itself, a newly developing head voice, very distinct from falsetto (note: in SLS terms, falsetto is defined as an undeveloped head voice), will soon emerge to find a blended connection to chest voice. When the voice is developed in a connected, relaxed and stable manner, it stays consistent throughout your entire vocal range, whether for speaking or singing.

Working in this way ensures that any breaks disappear, the singers range extends significantly, and the whole voice blends naturally, so that the rich overtones that make every singers voice uniquely special begin to emerge. As a result, your whole voice becomes fuller, richer, stronger, and more dynamic while the overwhelming majority of problems are eliminated. More importantly, YOU sound like YOU: Speech Level Singing preserves the unique vocal signature of every singer while not inhibiting his or her range, their dynamic capability, their creativity, or the development of their style.

Why do so many of todays singers struggle?

Speech Level Singing Instructors around the world know that without developing co-ordination within the vocal folds, and relaxing or neutralizing the larynx itself, spending countless hours of time on breathing, posture OR style (all of which are important for singing), can only help the singer to a very limiting degree. To fully tap the natural use of the voice, the singer must learn to manage the balance of expelled air and vocal cord closure in order to sing efficiently and effectively. Indeed, an over emphasis on only one part of the singing mechanism can cause more problems than it might hope to help.