Accents and Phonetics 101 (the basics explained)
Wednesday 17th July 2024, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)
This short course is designed for voice coaches or singing teachers who are interested in adding phonetics and accent work to their portfolio. It is designed as a brief introduction or taster, offering an overview of the topic as well as some quick tips and tricks for you to takeaway.
Accents and phonetics work can be integrated into voice work in many ways. Whether you are a new voice teacher working with actors who would like to know more about incorporating accent work into your practice, a singing teacher who works with performers needing to use accent work or just a voice teacher who could benefit from understanding more about how we produce sounds from a phonetic perspective, this brief introductory course is for you.
In the Autumn, VSC will be launching an eight-session course on accents and phonetics, so this taster session could provide a brief insight into the kind of work we will be exploring, or it could be a stand-alone session to help you learn a little more about working with the spoken voice in this way.
We will cover:
- Phonetics basics (how we produce sound, how it is heard, and how we label sounds)
- Brief introduction to IPA
- Introduction to accent work (including phonetic and intuitive approaches)
What you will take away:
- An appreciation of how accessible accents and phonetics can be
- Tools to start integrating accents and phonetics into your work
- Some great links and resources for you to take this further if you’d like to
- A taster of the kind of work we’ll be doing in the eight-week course with VSC
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Louisa Morgan
Louisa Morgan is a lecturer, voice teacher and researcher, with a special focus on spoken and sung emotion. Louisa lectures with Voice Study Centre (spoken voice lead) and teaches Musical Theatre students on the MA/MFA course at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Thursday 11th December 2025
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
(London Time)
Picking Up Good Vibrations: Pedagogical and Clinical Voice Analysis!
Dr Calvin Baker
Voice teachers and clinicians strongly rely on auditory perceptual modes of voice evaluation. These are considered the gold standard for assessing voice quality and training effects (e.g., a singer’s progress from lesson to lesson or across voice therapy). Join Dr Calvin Baker as he explores techniques for instrumentally analysing the singing voice. Specific considerations for the challenges of obtaining reliable, robust, and comparable data will be presented, and practical recommendations for recording and analysing the singing voice in pedagogical and clinical contexts will be made.
Thursday 11th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Pedagogy of Vibrato: Integrating Science and Studio Practice
Dr Justin John Moniz
Vibrato is more than just a shimmer in the sound—it’s one of the voice’s most powerful tools for artistry and expression. In this dynamic course, Justin John Moniz—Associate Director of Vocal Performance and Coordinator of Vocal Pedagogy at NYU Steinhardt, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Singing—pulls back the curtain on vibrato, blending history, science, and studio know-how into an engaging exploration for singers and teachers alike.
Tuesday 16th December 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Inspired Sound: Unlocking the Science of Choral Acoustics
Professor Helena Daffern
In this session, Professor Helena Daffern will explore the fascinating science behind choral sound, offering choir singers and directors valuable insights into achieving a cohesive and expressive ensemble, no matter what their standard. The concept of choral blend will be examined —what it is, how it can be cultivated, and the roles of intonation and vibrato will be analysed. The decisions that have to be made around intonation when tuning thirds or dealing with modulations over the course of an a cappella piece will be explained in the context of existing research and different singing styles such as barbershop singing and solo voice ensembles.