Speech Level Singing

What Is Speech Level Singing?
Signs and Symptoms
Who Is Seth Riggs?
How Does SLS Work?
SLS Teaching Requirements
SLS Summer Vocal Program

What Is Speech Level Singing?

The singing technique that...

Is suitable for all styles of singing
Will quickly help you understand the singing process
Will give you a connected, strong and natural sound
Eliminates unwanted "breaks", "flips" and "yodels"
Balances the tone throughout your range
Gives you a "belted" sound without strain or pain
Significantly Increases your range
Eliminates sudden changes of tone or character
Ensures vocal flexibility
Ensures your voice will do its job and last the distance

What do Josh Groban, Faith Hill, Jesse McCartney, Natalie Cole, Ricky Martin, Michael Bolton, the late Luther Vandross, Kelly Clarkson, James Ingram, Bernadette Peters, Val Kilmer, Julio Iglesias, Brian Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg, Stevie Wonder and Prince all have in common? Well besides being recognised as successful performers who sing they are a few of the hundreds of artists that have been taught a vocal technique that helped them gain vocal fitness and get them through trouble spots, that technique is called Speech Level Singing (SLS^TM) developed by legendary vocal teacher Seth Riggs.

Granted a singer may already have a beautiful or workable voice but will it stay that way under the heavy demands of recording, intensity of eight shows a week or a rigorous touring schedule? Can the voice be relied to be at it's best every time it is required to sing?

Through SLS^TM singers will gain a healthy vocal technique that will strengthen the voice, increase flexibility, smooth out the bridges, remain connected through out the full range, increase range and ensure longevity of a vocal career. Students of SLS^TM report positive results in only a few weeks of application.

What Signs and Symptoms that indicate the need for singing technique lessons?

VOICE CARE TIPS from the British Voice Association (BVA)

If any of the following are experienced, then a vocal teacher should be sought out immediately:

Throat pain on or after singing. It may be prudent to get your vocal cords checked by a Ear Nose and Throat specialist first. Check the BVA for your nearest Voice Clinic (UK only)
Vocal fatigue after 1 or more songs
Huskiness during or after singing/speaking for any length of time
Splitting notes ie. hearing more that one note at a time
Unable to reach high/low notes every time
Lack of breath control
A disconnected sound any where in the register
Restrictive emotional interpretation due to vocal limitations
Lack of vocal flexibility
Limited singing range
Pitching problems
Lack of vocal control
Lack of vocal confidence
Lack of tonal balance

Who Is Seth Riggs?

Seth Riggs Photo Seth Riggs, founder and President of Speech Level Singing is considered by many to be the best and most successful voice teacher in the world. He is certainly the busiest. No other teacher, past or present, has ever matched his phenomenal track record. His students are a veritable "Who's Who" of singers, actors, dancers, and entertainers throughout the world.

Seth Riggs's vocal technique and the methods he uses to teach the technique were forged and tempered by the fierce demands placed on the world's top performers, who must often perform several shows a night - night after night! A great deal of money is always at stake, so his clients' voices must be able to function easily, without strain. It is no wonder that whenever singers come to Los Angeles from other parts of the world, producers, directors and fellow performers send them to see this master vocal technician.

In the pragmatic world of show business, where time is money, Seth Riggs is the man professionals turn to for results.

What the Stars Say about Seth and SLS

How Does SLS Work?

SLS^TM technique will help singers find and strengthen their "natural" voice by training the neuromuscular system to produce sound in a healthy unencumbered manner. Singers who use SLS^TM find their voice expresses it's self freely, unhampered by interfering muscular involvement or tension which in turn ensures the lyrics are produced easily and clearly. This is achieved through specific exercises that train and re enforce the body to sing free of tension. SLS^TM exercises prevent the muscles around the larynx (voice box) from engaging and ensure the vocal folds muscles develop correctly so that there is no interference with sound production. As the singer gets used to producing sounds with a larynx that remains in a neutral position they find the voice is flexible, connected, strong, free and balanced through out it's registers. An exciting and liberating feeling; trust us! Singing in this way gives the artist the freedom to concentrate on being just that, an Artist. Now who doesn't want that!

SLS Teaching Requirements and Levels

Certified teachers are the ONLY teachers privileged to use Seth Riggs' name or the Speech Level Singing trademark. For a list of certified SLS teachers worldwide please click here

SLS teachers have completed educational requirements per their level of certification. These levels are from 1 through to the highest level, 5. Graduation from one level to another requires at least two years of continual study including proficiency testing. The minimum requirement for a Level 5 is a 10-year commitment. A Level 5 teacher is expected to be able to give information, instruction, and execute a vocal lesson as true to the Speech Level Singing technique as intended by Seth Riggs.

There are a growing number of singing teachers training in SLS in the UK and worldwide. The UK has teachers available all over the UK and Ireland. Check locations of certified teachers by clicking here. SLS is the official vocal technique taught at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA). There are also SLS teachers on staff at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford.

Seth and Master Instructors who form the Instructor Management Team (IMT)travel the world conducting Masterclasses and offering private lessons throughout the world.Click here for the next SLS event near you.

If you are interested in becoming a certified SLS teacher click here for more information

SLS Summer Vocal Program, Hollywood Los Angeles

Check out the Seth Riggs' Summer Vocal Program held in LA every year during the summer holidays (July/Aug). It not only covers singing, performance and auditioning techniques across a wide variety of genres but also provides education in subjects such as the Music Biz, Song Writing and Artist Development. It is also a fantastic opportunity to network with the Music Industry professionals who come to talk and observe performances during the course. The Summer Vocal Program will provide valuable information to any budding "Star" who wants to understand and conquer the intricate and complicated world of today's Music Industry. Past guests include Terri Ellis (En Vogue), Kimball, producers; Eddie Krammer (Jimi Hendricks, Beatles, Led Zeplin, Whitesnake), Mark Hudson (Ozzy Osborne, Aerosmith, Ringo Starr, also wrote The Reason sung by Celine Dion), Patrick Leonard songwriter/producer (Madonna, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Natasha Bedingfield) actor Adrian Zmed (TJ Hooker, Grease for Broadway, Grease 2 the film), Boko Suzuki musical director of Rent and Wicked, singers Rachel Lampa and James Ingram, and master vocal coach Seth Riggs himself. There were also talks from a variety of other MI professionals covering A&R, management, agencies, related industries such as film and advertising, dance, record companies and publishing.

www.speechlevelsinging.com