Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my kids alone with these CDs or do I have to monitor them?
Kids can work with the CDs by themselves, everything they need to do is explained on the CDs. If you want to monitor anything, listen for whether the kids are singing at a medium volume. When they start to have fun singing they might forget and sing too loud before they are warmed up. They will be reminded to sing at a medium volume several times on the CDs, but a little monitoring in real life wouldn't hurt. The last three songs are for more advanced singers and kids should wait to sing them until they are comfortable singing the first ten songs.
A free study guide comes with each physical or download CD set purchase. It outlines the technical focus as well as things to try with each song. Teachers can play the CDs and simply monitor their students. Or they can listen to my narration outside of class, then paraphrase it or teach their own method to their students in class. Then the students would go directly to learning and singing the songs. Or, teachers can review and learn my method as well as the songs from the CDs, then teach the method and songs in class, just using the music-only tracks as accompaniment. Please do not copy the CDs for your students as that's an infringement of US copyright law. If you want to purchase quantities of the CDs for your students please email Zanna Discs about quantity discounts.
Why does a different singer sing the song versions with lyrics?
I'm an alto who usually sings in my chest voice. Since kids learn by mimicking, for the versions with lyrics I had one of my students, Haley Mullins, sing the songs. Haley is a soprano who uses more of her head voice when singing. Kids pre-puberty also sing in head voice, so Haley is a good role model for them.
My child has an unusually low voice, lower than what is typical. Can he or she still use the CDs?
If your child has a much lower voice than the typical kid range, there are two options. Use the CDs, but transpose the songs lower with the free (malware-/spyware-free as well) Audacity audio editor, which can be used to pitch-shift the tracks. It's available from Sourceforge here.
A second option is to use the alto version of the No Scales Just Songs Vocal Workout. Either Volume 1 or 2 will work. The songs on these CDs are in a lower range. The instruction is geared towards adults, but many kids have used the workouts successfully.
I bought a download of the CDs elsewhere and I want the study guide that's offered for free here.
Email us and we'll send you a pdf.
I've seen the age range listed for the CDs as being 7-13 or 8-13 on different sites. Why?
Some of the people who tested the beta version of the warmup thought it was better suited for kids 8-13. We put that in the copy on the CD and that went out to some sites. We've learned since the release that kids as young as 6 are able to learn from the CDs, so we split the difference and changed the copy about the appropriate ages on our site to 7-13. These are just guidelines; some singers slightly younger or older than this range may also enjoy the CDs.
I'm an adult soprano (or an adult baritone). Can I use the CDs as a vocal warm up?
Yes, the songs roughly fit into a soprano and baritone range and will warm up grown up voices, too. Baritones will sing an octave lower than me and Haley. Adult singers who want to dive deeper into voice technique should check out the No Scales Just Songs Vocal Workout, either Vol. 1 or 2.
My son is going through puberty and his voice is cracking a lot. Can he use the CDs?
If he is still mostly talking and singing in a higher voice, he can use the CDs. Some of the warm up sounds may relax and help his vocal cords make a more graceful transition during puberty. Once his voice has fully changed, the songs may no longer be in a good range for him. However, if his voice drops a full octave to baritone range he can sing the songs on the CD an octave lower.
Perhaps not. Frequently, but not always, a child's singing range lowers after puberty, so the range of the songs will no longer be a good fit. If your post-puberty child is a soprano or baritone they can still use the CDs. Have them sing along with some of the audio samples on the main detail page to see. If they are an alto or bass, the Alto/Bass version of the No Scales Just Songs Vocal Workout will work better for them.
How come this method works for both boys and girls?
Before puberty boys and girls have similar vocal ranges, roughly the same as an adult soprano.
Yes—you can reach us at 800-787-2647. Please call us if you have any trouble ordering online, or just prefer to order by phone. If you get our voicemail please leave a good time to reach you.
My kid likes to belt along with adult rock and R&B singers. Is belting covered on the CDs?
Belting is not covered on the CDs for a very important reason: a child's vocal cords are still growing and more vulnerable than an adult's. Belting is the most strenuous form of singing and can be a risky undertaking for a young singer, unless he or she has unusual vocal cords. It's important for a singer who wants to belt to learn good belt technique, but usually that's something to start learning as a teenager, not as a child. These CDs will get singers started on many of the elements of good belt technique, like breath control, posture, and vowel shaping. Once a young singer has gone through puberty, he or she can start to learn belt technique by using the No Scales Just Songs Vocal Workout, either Vol. 1 or 2.
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