A Systematic Approach to Voice

A Systematic Approach to Voice: The Art of Studio Application, Second Edition is a flexible, enduring resource for voice teachers, coaches, speech pathologists, and singers. Grounded in current voice science, it offers a systematic framework for identifying technical challenges and choosing effective corrective strategies. Drawing on Dr. Kari Ragan’s years of pedagogic experience, the book organizes training through five interdependent voice systems—respiration, phonation, registration, articulation, and resonance—equipping teachers with a practical method for guiding singers toward more efficient coordination.

This expanded second edition adds new chapters that deepen the pedagogical framework and broaden its application, while substantial structural revisions provide greater clarity and accessibility. At the heart of the text is an extensive collection of corrective vocal exercises, presented with clear intent and cueing, so teachers and singers can choose strategies quickly and apply them successfully in the moment. The aim is technically reliable singing in service of artistry.

New to the Second Edition

• New chapters: 
• “Evidence-Based Voice Pedagogy (EBVP): A Tripartite Framework”
• “Vocal Cool-Down: Principles and Practice”
• “Pop Singing: Musical Foundations” 
• “The Transgender and Gender-Expansive Singer”
• “Motor Learning Theory Applied to Teaching Singing” 
• Significantly expanded coverage of semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs), including a systematic approach to studio application

Key Features

• 100+ video demonstrations of the vocal exercises and sample warm-ups
• 100+ vocal exercises for studio application across contemporary and classical styles 
• Brief mechanics overviews for each voice system, plus “key takeaways” that translate concepts into studio-ready priorities 
• A systematic approach to SOVT selection and use in the studio
• Kinesthetic singing tools to support coordination and feedback 
• Twelve vocal warm-up routines for contemporary and classical genres, adaptable to varied skill levels

Kari Ragan, DMA, MM, BM, is an internationally recognized voice pedagogue and Singing Voice Rehabilitation Specialist (SVRS) with a career spanning more than four decades. She is known for her commitment to applying voice science in service of artistic expression—a guiding principle that has shaped her work with singers across genres and career stages. Dr. Ragan earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Washington (2005) and both a Master and Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She received the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship in 2012, was named a Master Teacher for the NATS Intern Program in 2021, and was inducted into the American Academy of Teachers of Singing in 2025. From 2010 to 2021, she served on the voice faculty at the University of Washington and has maintained a vibrant independent voice studio since 1983. Working in affiliation with the University of Washington’s laryngology program, Dr. Ragan collaborates with a multidisciplinary voice team to support singers recovering from vocal injury or pathology and partners with voice clinics throughout the United States to help rehabilitate injured voices. An active presenter and educator, Dr. Ragan is frequently invited to give workshops and lectures for voice organizations and academic institutions nationally and internationally. She has presented for NATS, the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA), The Voice Foundation, the International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT), and many others. Dr. Ragan is the co-founder and organizer of the multi-disciplinary Northwest Voice: The Art and Science of the Performing Voice Conference. Since 2011, she has also served as moderator of the popular NATS Chat series.