Estill Voice Training – Art and Science

Estill Voice Training™ is the result of years of research by Estill International, building on the pioneering work of Jo Estill, a singer who posed the question ‘How am I doing this?’

Estill Voice Training™ separates the science of voice production from the art of performance. Based on a solid foundation of anatomy and physiology, Estill Voice Training™ gives the singer independent control over the structures involved in making sound – then shows how to mix those structures to make six distinct voice qualities – Speech, Falsetto, Sob, Twang, Opera and Belt.

Perhaps the easiest way to understand this is to think of the structures as ingredients and the Voice Qualities as basic recipes i.e. ways to mix those ingredients. Each Voice Quality lends itself more or less to a specific genre of music, but they are really ‘starting points’, quick ways to set up the voice, rather than prescriptive (i.e. ‘only way’) choices. Using the recipe analogy, it is like having a basic cake recipe and a basic bread recipe, which you choose to start from, then adapt to your specific needs.

Janice was a member of  the Voice Research Society (now the BVA Council), who flew Jo Estill to England from America to run her early courses.  They realised that the research Jo was presenting would be the key to understanding the interplay between vocal function and resonance.  Jo’s work on the larynx and head & neck, with Janice’s research into the breathing and support system and primal sound muscle junctions, form the basis of the Classical Voice Training syllabus and workbook we use today.

Why do I need Estill Voice Training™?

One of the guiding principles of Estill Voice Training™ is ‘knowledge is power’ – knowing how your voice works is a good thing! Estill gives the singer control of their voice. If you’re coming from a background of understanding the voice through imagery, the anatomical nature of Estill can be a real eye-opener! Many students who come across Estill Voice Training™ for the first time have stunning insights.
Quite often, we find that long-standing problems are overcome simply by having a better understanding of how the voice works. But this does not mean that it is a ‘quick fix’. Taking basic understanding to advanced performance can take many months of practice – Andrew can help you begin this journey and keep you on the path to vocal success.

Singing lessons or Science lessons?

Some people get a little put-off when they hear about the scientific nature of Estill Voice Training™, as though they would need a thorough grounding in anatomy and physiology to benefit from it. The reality is that EVT and Classical Voice Training is based on a thorough understanding of the body, but the way that information is presented makes it accessible to all voice users. Far from ‘bombarding you with scientific mumbo-jumbo’, Classical Voice Training tailors the information to your personal needs: you only need to take away that which is most relevant to you.

Far from bombarding you with scientific mumbo-jumbo, Classical Voice Training will tailor the information to your personal needs – you only need to take away that which is most relevant to you.

On the other hand, if you’re the kind of singer who does want to understand the science behind the technique, we will be more than happy to discuss it with you.

For more information on what Classical Voice Training can do for you click here.

Book on a course with us now!