Look, Listen & Feel
SiNGER@LARGE
The Singer’s Instinct
Brandon Brophy
$16.55
http://singersinstinct.com
Nerissa’s verdict: ★★★★★
As a vocalist and singing
teacher, it was so exciting to
read a book like The Singer’s
Instinct by Brandon Brophy.
As is the case with so much
that is currently happening in
the world of singing (ahem,
like this magazine for
example!), as I was reading it
I kept thinking, “I wish this
book was around when I was
starting out singing!” Oh how
it would have helped me to
clearly identify my voice as a
beginner. !
!
Looking back, I was a ‘flipper’
who became a ‘strainer’ with
the onset of voice lessons
and I struggled for many
years before being SAVED by
a teacher who really
understood the voice. This
book would have helped
guide me not only on how to
address my voice type, but
also taught me about the
physiology behind my
instrument, its challenges and
joys, and of course, lessons
in good technique. In a
broader context, it would
have helped further develop
my understanding of music,
song, and how to seek out
and experiment with my own
style. WOW! What a tool for
any singer to have, and an
iSing | issue 1
NERISSA CAMPBELL REVIEWS BOOKS,
VIDEOS, TRAINING AND BASICALLY ANYTHING
SHE THINKS WILL BE USEFUL TO SINGERS
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amazing reference for a
teacher. !
!
The Singer’s Instinct claims it
will help you “activate the 4
impulses that unleash the
power of singing” and gives a
great overview of how to
accomplish just that. It is brief
and concise, imperative for
this kind of book, with
sections clearly defined and
broken down into informative
chapters with diagrams,
exercises and inspirational
quotes. This makes it a
fantastic jumping off point for
anyone looking to get started
in singing or teaching. !
!
The Vocal Impulse is the
book’s first and most in-depth
section,
and
not
coincidentally, the one that I
found the most informative.
Most importantly, I think this
section is crucial for aspiring
singers as it addresses
finding your particular voicehabit and how to structure
your technique work around
that habit. This invaluable
information has the potential
to empower any singer to
understand and learn about
his or her instrument, and
Brophy spells it out clearly. !
!
The following three sections
are equally important, each
giving practical advice and
exercises to the aspiring
singer. The Musical Impulse
section deals with the
importance of critical listening
while
providing
comprehensive instruction on
the fundamentals of keeping
time, rhythm, and intonation.
You may find this chapter
very basic if you know your
music theory well, but it
supplied me with a helpful
perspective to reference
when trying to get basic
music theory information
across to students in a way
that helps them develop as
singers. The section offers
practical advice on what to do
as well as how to go about
doing it (while still addressing
your voice-habit and the
importance of getting your
voice on track technically).
What everyone wants, right? !
The next section, The Vocal
Personality Impulse,
discusses understanding your
natural vocal timbre and how
to develop your voice to make
it your voice. I loved that this
chapter was included. For me
personally, it’s something that
I put a lot of emphasis on and
Swipe to read more!
isingmag.com
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