MUSC 23300 - Commercial Applied Voice

Vocal study at the 200-level for Commercial Music and Music Industry students focuses on developing a healthy, flexible, and sustainable vocal technique that supports a wide variety of commercial styles. Emphasis is placed on core fundamentals of voice production-including posture, breath management, coordinated onset, vowel clarity, and tone balance-while also encouraging stylistic versatility and authentic personal expression. Students will work toward ease, confidence, and artistry in performance across genres, with attention to microphone technique, amplification, and collaboration with rhythm section or tracks. This course is designed to give students essential proficiencies so that the voice may serve as a reliable tool for creative expression and professional performance. MUSC 20004 also prepares students to audition for vocal study at the 30000 level in Commercial Music and Music Technology.

Preparation for Course
P: Department permission required. Restricted to students admitted to a program in the School of Music.

Cr. 2.
Notes
May be repeated for credit.
Lab fee for material costs and studio maintenance.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Diagnose and refine breath management, vowel tuning, and register transitions across a wider dynamic range; apply these choices to repertoire to shape phrasing and intensity.
2. Select and combine specific techniques - onset type (balanced/aspirate/glottal), resonance strategies, dynamics, vibrato/straight tone, intentional breath - to craft contrasted interpretations of the same passage and justify the choices.
3. Analyze markers of at least three commercial styles (e.g., pop, R&B/soul, country/jazz), demonstrate each with appropriate diction/ornament/groove, and adapt delivery to a live or tracked arrangement.
4. Create a weekly plan that targets one technical and one musical objective, track and evaluate outcomes with short metrics (reps, ranges, tuner/metronome reads), and revise the plan based on data and coach feedback.
5. Assess a performance using a rubric (pitch, rhythm, diction, tone, expression, style fit, mic technique) and set actionable goals; demonstrate improvement.