Coffin's Sounds of Singing: Principles and Applications of Vocal Techniques with Chromatic Vowel Chart [Paperback]

Berton Coffin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1960 | ISBN-10: 0810844184 | ISBN-13: 978-0810844186 | Edition: Second Edition

This essential foundation for teaching vocal technique is now available in paperback! Based on the great teaching of the past, it explains the utilization of principles and applications of vocal techniques. The Chromatic Vowel Chart defines the vowel color changes in chromatic progressions for all voices, and the text explains how singing principles can be used by relying on the ear, the eye, and the sense of vibration in the body. Cloth edition [0-8108-1933-3] published in 1987. Paperback edition available April 2002.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A strongly recommended addition to professional and academic vocal music instructional reference collections…an in-depth informational compendium concerning the production of resonating notes, and is informatively enhanced with interviews with expert teachers, diagrams, exercises and more, clearly marking it as a professional quality reference and instructional aide. (The Bookwatch )

Should prove useful in comparative vocal pedagogy courses and in the graduate music library. (Choice )

About the Author

The late Berton Coffin's teachings and writings established him as an international authority on vocal pedagogy. Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder, he also lived and taught in Europe from 1976 to 1983--in his private studio in Vienna; during summers with the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria; and in twenty-one opera houses in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. He presented master classes in the United States and in Europe and served as a visiting professor of voice at U.S. universities. Dr. Coffin, baritone, held academic and professional music degrees from Columbia University, Eastman School of Music, Chicago Musical College, and Earlham College.

Product Details

• Paperback: 313 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press; Second Edition edition (January 1, 1960)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810844184
• ISBN-13: 978-0810844186
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #655,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I personally studied with Dr. Coffin. This method works!, October 4, 1999

By 

Lois Decker "diva2" (Montrose, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coffin's Sounds of Singing (Hardcover)

For two years I studied personally with Dr. Coffin in graduate school. He was a genius who truly knew how the human voice works through much research from the standpoint of a physicist and a musician and pedagogist. He repaired my voice, damaged by erroneous former instruction, and added an octave to the upper range. I use this method for my students now and know it works very well when used properly, with proper understanding. The first part of the book should be helpful to all voice students in gaining an understanding of how the human singing voice works.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A professional quality reference and instructional aide, December 8, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coffin's Sounds of Singing: Principles and Applications of Vocal Techniques with Chromatic Vowel Chart (Paperback)

Now in its second edition, Coffin's Sounds Of Singing: Principles And Applications Of Vocal Techniques With Chromatic Vowel Chart by Berton Coffin is an extensive instructional concerning vocal techniques for the advanced singer. A strongly recommended addition to professional and academic vocal music instructional reference collections, Coffin's Sounds Of Singing is an in-depth informational compendium concerning the production of resonating notes, and is informatively enhanced with interviews with expert teachers, diagrams, exercises and more, clearly marking it as a professional quality reference and instructional aide.

5.0 out of 5 stars a must for any vocalist, June 26, 2010

By 

D. Jackson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Coffin's Sounds of Singing: Principles and Applications of Vocal Techniques with Chromatic Vowel Chart (Paperback)

I am enjoying his book very much. The concepts are not new, but are presented in a way that helps my understanding of the voice. I especially like the vowel chart because it is helping me to access parts of my voice that I had not really been able to sing in before.I am able to sing with more ease and freedom in my high range now that I am applying the principals in the book. The information is a little technical in places, but it is also more thorough than other sources. I highly recommend this book.