If you are looking for a practical, step-by-step guide to developing
the tone and techniques required of a singer who sings in the classical
or romantic style this is just the book for you.
How to Get Off the Sofa and Sing Like a Professional (Opera) Singer
is by author, broadcaster and singer Robert Little. Robert says:
“It’s now some time since I decided I wanted to learn how to
sing. It took me about ten years to pluck up the courage and find the
opportunity to begin to learn to sing – which was just as well since an
adult male should be at least eighteen years old before starting to have
his voice trained. It’s a skill, an art and a technique which, many
years later, I’m still trying to perfect.
“This booklet tells something of my sojourn in singing but it
sets out a lot more of the singing technique that I’ve learnt along the
way. That technique, along with some excellent vocal coaching, has been
culled from professional opera singers who, in turn, learnt their
technique from the rather stern teacher of experience and, in one case,
the even sterner (but ultimately hugely rewarding) experience of working
with a world-class singing teacher in Rome.
“I hope that you’ll have at least as much fun from this extremely
demanding but rewarding performing art as I’ve had over the years.”
Table of Contents:
Preface
1 The maestro – and his teacher
1.1 Roles
1.2 Opportunity
1.3 Covent Garden audition
1.4 Well respected
2 Setting the scene
2.1 Recommendation
2.2 Advice which broke the ice
2.3 Deeper appreciation
3 The art of singing
3.1 To begin at the beginning…
3.2 What goes in must come out
3.3 Schools of thought
3.4 The hard and soft palates
3.5 The soft palate
3.6 The “passaggio”
3.7 The value of a vocal coach
3.8 Singing sounds
3.9 The lips
4 Which one are you?
4.1 Voices: types and ranges
4.1.1 Bass
4.1.2 Baritone
4.1.3 Tenor
4.1.4 Contralto
4.1.5 Mezzo Soprano
4.1.6 Soprano
4.2 Voices: derivations
5 Tenors
5.1 Some history
5.2 The formation of the tenor voice
5.3 Power
5.4 Types of tenor voice
5.5 Getting to the top
6 Down to business
6.1 Recap
6.2 Some basics .
6.2.1 Breath
6.2.2 Eyebrows
6.2.3 Listen
6.2.4 Singing softly
6.2.5 The face
6.2.6 The jaw
6.2.7 The mouth
6.2.8 Think
6.2.9 Throat
6.2.10 Vocal cords
6.3 Vocal Exercises
6.4 "Line” in singing
6.5 The value of a reputable vocal coach
6.6 And finally…
7 Words of wisdom
7.1 Preparing a role
7.1.1 Performing
7.1.2 Rehearsing opera
7.1.3 The voice
7.1.4 The work
7.2 Pitch
7.3 Potential and perseverance
7.4 Points to ponder
7.5 Pronunciation
7.6 Technique
7.7 Training
7.8 Vocal development
7.9 Vocal maturity
7.10 Vocal power
7.11 Workload
8 Glossary of musical terms
About the Author :
Bob (aka Robert) Little has pursued several parallel careers – and,
in various ways, writing has played a part in all of them. So far, his
life path has embraced, among other things:
- a couple of (full-time) professional careers, latterly as a writer
and publicist, principally specialising in corporate online learning
technologies. That career, pursued since 1990, has taken him – and
brought him work – around the world. It still sees his work published in
publications in the USA, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. Says
Bob: “‘Perspectives on Learning Technologies’
is a repository of many of the key things I learned about learning
technologies. While times and technologies change, people remain human –
so, sooner or later, those involved in any way with learning
technologies will face the same issues and challenges that others have
faced. Hopefully, this book can act as a reference and guide to help
readers to avoid at least some of the most obvious pitfalls.”
- a continuing career as a semi-professional singer in the classical tradition. His books in this sphere include: ‘How to get off the Sofa and Sing like a Professional Opera Singer’ and ‘Edgar Evans: Extempore’
– the latter being a biography of Bob’s singing teacher who, for 30
years, was a principal tenor with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
- some serious dalliance with playing cricket (Bob’s great sporting love). He’s the compiler and editor of ‘The Marshalswick Baptist Free Church Cricket Yearbook’
series of booklets. A complete series of these booklets can be found in
– among other places – the MCC Cricket Library at Lord’s Cricket
Ground.
- a soupçon of radio (but also some television) broadcasting.
- a love of history – evidenced in ‘A Perspective on Pendley: A history of Pendley Manor’ and ‘The Canvas Chapel’, his edited account of his father’s experiences as a driver in the Royal Army Service Corps during the Second World War.
- a long-term career as a nationally-recognised preacher within the
non-conformist tradition – which began when he was an undergraduate. His
experiences and studies in this field have led to ‘Bob’s Exploratory Theological Adventures’, published by the Endless Bookcase in 2022.
Review :
“Bob Little’s useful book takes a singer interested in perfecting
their technique by the hand and shows them in easy steps what can be
achieved. Understanding that singing in public is also about confidence,
through amusing anecdotes and inspiring quotations Little shows that he
has learned from the best and applied what he himself has learned to
his love of being on the stage. This book is both practical and
wonderfully inspirational. When I next want to ensure I keep in tune I,
too, will lift my eyebrows!”
Professor Frank Banks, The Open University
"The author’s infectious enthusiasm and humorous approach to his
subject permeates the whole text of this new e-book, and gracefully
offsets his insistence on the continuous and unyielding self-discipline
necessary for success in this demanding musical art form.
It's delightfully illuminated by a series of entertaining
quotations – not only does it include pearls of practical wisdom from
celebrated operatic stars, but also apposite philosophical ‘nuggets’
from a range of literary heroes.
The teaching of singing technique has always been something of a
minefield. There is the inescapable and probably unrealistic demand for
words and metaphors which can adequately convey internal sensation and
desired physical response in and from another person. In this case, the
nettle has been securely and successfully grasped, and a whole series of
challenging exercises, with particular emphasis on the correct
production of pure vowel sounds, are provided. Many would argue that
this is the most significant aspect of the singer’s armoury.
Robert Little first sets the scene in an introduction, which
includes both a comprehensive account of the professional career of his
inspiring teacher Edgar Evans – for many years a principal tenor at
Covent Garden - and also his own, occasionally faltering, steps as he
gradually acquires and hones his own singing techniques. These are
skilfully described and, by means of a series of exercises, form the
principal topic of the book. Key to the understanding of the exercises
is the provision of a music notation and note lettering diagram that can
be readily used by voices of all ranges.
This book will surely be a source of encouragement and a useful guide for the aspiring singer."
John Falk, retired (formerly assistant director of studies and head of student services at Trinity College of Music, London)
"This is an absolute gem of a 'how to' book!
For those even slightly interested in the art (and the science)
of singing, this book has much to say. It is in layman’s language, very
readable, with anecdotes and a bit of musical knowledge thrown in.
Robert Little uses his experience of the operatic stage and concert hall
to describe the life of singing, and tells of his inspirational
teacher, Edgar Evans, a leading tenor at Covent Garden for over thirty
years. But above all the little – or Little – book tells of the
technique of singing. What happens when you sing? How do you know what
type voice you have? These questions and many others are answered and
Robert Little’s enthusiasm for singing is infectious. Read this book and
you are likely to catch the singing fever! I heartily recommend it."
Margaret Johnson, vocal coach and musical director of the
Putteridge Bury Gilbert and Sullivan Society (including musical director
for the Society’s production at the 2011 International Gilbert and
Sullivan Festival, in Buxton, Derbyshire)
