In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Susan Anders

Vocal Coach

Susan Anders

Susan Anders (born Susan Streitwieser) grew up in Berkeley, California, at the tail end of the revolutionary wave rolling through the Bay Area. After collecting degrees from UC Santa Cruz and SF State, she got herself into a bunch of weird and cool musical situations. Among the weird: delivering singing telegrams wearing a table around her waist, and teaching doo-wop versions of Beatles songs to Buddhist monks. Among the cool: stints in a cappella, rock, jazz and Motown bands that played throughout northern California.

In 1990 Susan moved to Los Angeles, where she met and later married displaced Ohioan Tom Manche. Susan's Room was formed, and the band independently released five albums of eclectic acoustic pop throughout the rest of the decade, all to glowing reviews. They found a radio home at non-commercial and community radio stations worldwide and toured and recorded for the rest of the decade.

At the turn of the century Susan felt her songs moving in a country direction. In 2002 Susan and Tom moved to Nashville, Tennessee. She released a solo CD, Release, and a lullaby CD, You Can Close Your Eyes. Her songs appeared on albums from the Four Bitchin' Babes, The Irrationals, Jordan Carter, and many other independent artists.

In 2010 Susan took a break from writing country songs to record a CD of more personal acoustic pop songs about mid-life, Swimmer.

Susan is also is also a vocal coach who has worked with thousands of singers, including Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum), Joey Heatherton, Rose MacGowan, Constance Marie, and L7. Her instructional releases include The No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout and Harmony Singing By Ear. Her new iphone app Sing Harmonies was released in the summer of 2010.

Arrangements (See list of Arrangements.)

Displaying 1-8 of 8 items.

Susan Anders : Singing Live

Review: Singing LIve is filled with tips and step-by-step exercises to help you discover your individual performing style and polish your performing skills. If you are a beginning performer, this book will show you how to build your performance chops and confidence before you face a real audience. If you are a more experienced performer, you'll find out how to make your performances not just good, but truly great. Singing LIve also covers everything you need to know about giving a stand-out performance besides rehearsing your song, including how build a powerful repertoire, how to deal with stage fright, effective audition preparation and delivery, sound-check and mic technique know-how, developing great stage patter, and much more. The Singing LIve method will work for you whether you sing pop, R&B, country, folk, rock, jazz or any other contemporary style. Most importantly, Singing LIve will help you develop or refine a performance style that is both polished and authentic for you. Susan Anders has coached Josh Gracin, Rose MacGowan, Joey Heatherton, Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum), members of L7, and thousands of other performers.

Chapters: Defining Your Goals, Intention & Stage Persona, Performance Goals, Knowing Your Song Inside & Out, Stage Persona, Song Selection, Vocal Technique & Delivery, Lyric Study, Eye Focus & Facial Expressions, Learning Natural, Expressive Gestures & Stage Moves, Effective Performance Rehearsals, Handling Stage Freight, Videotaping Yourself, Audition Preparation, Forming A Performance Critique Group, Mic Technique, What To Wear On Stage, Open Mics, Piano Bars, Karaoke and Sit-Ins, Getting What You Want At A Sound Check, Developing Great Stage Patter, Pacing Your Set, Mental Preparation, Preparing On The Day Of Your Show, Tips From The Pros

Susan Anders : Harmony Singing by Ear

Review: A step by step approach to learn how to find and sing harmonies above and below a melody. Three CDs of instructional narratives and fully produced music tracks with and without guide vocals. The instructional sections walk you through how to find the upper and lower harmony parts for eight songs. Those same harmonies are sung on music tracks. Vocal coach Susan Anders has successfully used this how to harmonize method for over twenty years with pop, R&B, folk, jazz, rock and country singers. Skill Level: Beginning to Intermediate. The parts range from baritone to soprano range, but all parts can be sung an octave above or below what is on the CD to allow lower and higher singers to join in.

Chapters: Harmonizing Theory, Parallel 2 and 3-Part Harmonies, Finding the Upper Harmony, Finding the Upper Upper Harmony, Finding the Lower Harmony, Call-response Harmonies, Blue Note Harmonies, Block Chord Harmonies, Chromatic Harmonies, Polishing Your Harmony Part, Supplementary Exercises, Songs: Chapel of Love, Sweet Dreams, I Can See Clearly Now, Angel From Montgomery, Centerpiece, Bring It On Home To Me, One of Us, Walk Away Renee

Susan Anders : More Harmony Singing By Ear

Review: The follow-up to Susan Anders' popular Harmony Singing by Ear uses the same effective method with seven new harmony songs and accompanying teaching segments. Singers who have used Harmony Singing by Ear as well as singers with beginning harmonizing skills can deepen their harmonizing ability with this new set of songs and harmony instruction. One, two or more singers can learn two and three-part harmony singing above and below a melody. More Harmony Singing by Ear includes:Three CDs with nearly four hours of instructional narration and fully produced music tracks. Music tracks with and without guide vocals. The music-only tracks can be used for rehearsal and performances. Seven pop, rock, and jazz songs; six songs arranged for 3 part harmony, one for 2 part harmony.

Chapters: Lean On Me, Proud Mary, It Doesn't Matter Anymore, Teach Your Children, Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On), Baby, Baby All the Time, Drive My Car

Susan Anders : Singing With Style

Review: A 3 CD set with almost four hours of material that teaches good singing technique and how to stylize, using eleven standards played by a jazz trio. The Vocal Warm Up Section includes the songs with vocals and instructional tracks. The Vocal Style Section includes the songs with more stylized vocals and instructional tracks. CD #3 has the same songs minus the vocals so singers can work "without the training wheels." These tracks without vocals can be used as a vocal warm up, or for practicing different vocal style concepts. The Vocal Warm Up and Vocal Style sections can be used independently of each other. The songs progress from very easy to fairly difficult. Low to high alto range: Eb- Eb (two octaves)

Chapters: Vocal Technique: Breathing and Posture, Range Expansion & Strengthening High Notes, Warming Up Correctly, Vibrato Development and Control, Building Better Intonation, Stylizing Technique: Phrasing & Ornaments, Pentatonic Riffs, Melodic & Rhythmic Alterations, Scat Singing, Lyric Interpretation, Texture & Timbre Changes, Making Smart Vocal Style Choices, Songs - It Don't Mean A Thing, Stormy Monday, Baby Baby All The Time, Honeysuckle Rose, Good Morning Heartache, Ain't Misbehavin', Do Nothin' Til You Hear From, Our Love Is Hear To Stay, Cry Me A River, Lullabye Of Birdland, So Nice (Summer Samba)

Susan Anders : The No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout Vol. 1 - Alto / Bass

Review: This innovative method uses 17 fully produced songs and instructional tracks to teach singers how to develop and maintain good vocal technique. Detailed voice instruction is combined with pop, rock and jazz songs that gradually increase in difficulty. Singers can learn the essentials of contemporary singing technique OR use the song sequence with or without the recommended warm up sounds as a complete vocal warm up. Ideas and examples for song stylizing are also included. The CDs can be used with or without the guidebook. This book is tailored specifically for Altos and Basses.

Chapters: Breathing & Posture: Angel From Montgomery, Tone Placement, Resonance & Loosening Face and Throat: Centerpiece, Approaching Higher Notes: Sweet Dreams, Strengthening Low Notes: Wade in the Water, Understanding Singer's Diction: I'll Stand By You, Understanding Singer's Diction Part 2: Unchained Melody, Looping, Consonants, Vibrato Development: Can't Help Falling in Love, Register Navigation and Range Expansion: Willow Weep for Me, How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Opening High Notes, the Inner Smile: Since I Fell for You, Building Sustenance & Volume: Dark End of the Street, Pitch Work, Step-wise Movement: Walk Away Renee, Pitch Work, Chromatic Movement: All of Me, Increasing Tonal Richness, Articulation: Save the Best for Last, Working with Larger Melodic Leaps: Sunny Came Home, Putting it All Together: Young at Heart, Belting: Crazy Baby

Susan Anders : The No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout Vol. 1 - Baritone / Soprano

Susan Anders : The No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout Vol. 2 - Soprano / Baritone

Review: This follow-up to Volume One of Susan Anders' Vocal Workout includes 18 fully-produced pop, rock and jazz songs and instructional tracks, and is the same level of difficulty (so using Volume One is not a prerequisite). Beginning singers can learn how to sing correctly and develop their voices by singing through the workout at their own pace, with or without the guidebook. Experienced singers can skip the audio singing lessons and use the workout to warm up and maintain their vocal technique and strength. Song stylizing concepts are included, as well as chapters on staying healthy on tour and how to keep aging vocal cords strong.This book is tailored specifically for Sopranos and Baritones.

Chapters: Facial Resonance (Placement): I Can See Clearly Now, Breathing & Posture: Dear Prudence, Combining Correct Breathing and Placement: Why Don't You Do Right?, Approaching Higher Notes: You Gotta Be, Strengthening Low Notes: Summertime, Understanding Singer's Diction: One of Us, Understanding Singer's Diction Part 2: Get Here, Diphthongs, Looping, & "R" & "L": I'm Beginning To See the Light, Range Expansion & Vibrato Work: Don't Know Why, Developing the "Mix" Register: Sunday Kind of Love, Opening High Notes with the Inner Smile: Thank You, Pitch Work, Step-wise Movement: You're Still the One, Building Sustenance & Volume: Tracks of My Tears, Pitch Work, Chromatic Movement: Ms. Celie's Blues (Sister), Increasing Tonal Richness, Articulation: Alison, Ending Phrases on High Notes: I Hope You Dance, Putting it All Together: Bridge Over Troubled Water, Belting: Cry

Susan Anders : The No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout Vol. 2 - Alto / Bass

Review: This follow-up to Volume One of Susan Anders' Vocal Workout includes 18 fully-produced pop, rock and jazz songs and instructional tracks, and is the same level of difficulty (so using Volume One is not a prerequisite). Beginning singers can learn how to sing correctly and develop their voices by singing through the workout at their own pace, with or without the guidebook. Experienced singers can skip the audio singing lessons and use the workout to warm up and maintain their vocal technique and strength. Song stylizing concepts are included, as well as chapters on staying healthy on tour and how to keep aging vocal cords strong. This book is tailored specifically for Altos and Basses.