Short Courses & Events / Archive

Practical Magic*: The Art & Science of Balancing Voices with SOVTs and VFEs

Wednesday 22nd January 2025, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)

Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises (SOVTs) and Vocal Function Exercises (VFEs) are celebrated tools in voice care and training, combining science, artistry, and practicality to promote vocal health, efficiency, and resilience.

SOVTs, or Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises, harness the power of back pressure and airflow efficiency to create an optimal environment for vocal fold vibration. By balancing the relationship between airflow and vocal fold closure, SOVTs are uniquely effective in promoting vocal efficiency, reducing strain, and enhancing resonance—laying the foundation for healthy and functional voice use. Building on this foundation, VFEs are often described as the perfect blend of semi-occlusion, resonant voice training (RVT), and thyroarytenoid (TA) engagement. They are uniquely effective in promoting strength, balance, and coordination across vocal subsystems.

To fully unlock the potential of these powerhouse techniques, we need more than theory—we need practical skills for teaching, adapting, and applying them in real-world contexts.

In this hands-on, interactive workshop, Melanie Tapson—a professional singer, interdisciplinary voice specialist, and clinical voice therapist—explores the intersection of art and science in using these techniques to rebalance and refine vocal function.

You’ll discover:

  • the mechanics of SOVTs and VFEs and how they leverage airflow, back pressure, and engagement for vocal efficiency.
  • how VFEs combine principles of SOVTs, RVT, and TA engagement to create a balanced, functional voice across a variety of styles.
  • practical strategies for teaching and adapting these exercises for diverse needs, from singers and speakers to clinical voice therapy clients.

Through live demonstrations, group practice, and peer coaching, you’ll learn how to:

  • teach SOVTs and VFEs with clarity and precision.
  • integrate their principles to support vocal health, recovery, and stylistic flexibility.
  • troubleshoot challenges and adapt exercises for individualized results.

Interactive breakout activities will give you the chance to brainstorm new approaches, practice techniques, and build confidence in applying these tools in your own practice. Whether you’re focused on artistry, therapy, or pedagogy, this workshop will equip you with the skills to help your clients and students achieve vocal balance and success.

Join us for an evidence-based, practical, and engaging deep dive into the magic of SOVTs and VFEs — and leave inspired to bring balance to every voice you work with.

🏷️ 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

Melanie Tapson

Melanie Tapson is a professional singer, Singing Voice Specialist, and speech-language pathologist whose practice specializes in voice assessment and therapy...

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Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.

Learn More

Sorry, 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.

A neurodiversity-affirmative approach to the voice!
Wednesday 29th October 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

A neurodiversity-affirmative approach to the voice!

Hilary Davies

In recent years, the music therapy profession has begun to consider the application of the neurodiversity paradigm to music therapy practice, in particular In relation to autism, and an increasing amount of literature embracing this perspective has been published. This lecture, delivered from a lived experience perspective, will provide an explanation of the key concepts around neurodiversity - particular consideration will be given to the use of the voice, both one's own but also to the neurodivergent individual’s particular ways of using language, song and vocal sounds.

Creative Articulation
Thursday 30th October 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Creative Articulation

Annie Morrison

Most of us have little idea of HOW we speak, or what to do to make speech more muscular. Join Annie Morrison (creator of the 'Morrison Bone Prop') for this two hour session on Creative Articulation, a holistic and haptic approach to the touchings and feelings of the articulators in the dance of speech. Seeing articulation as a purely mechanical skill is detrimental to an actor's process: it is crucial to understand what language is doing on a biological level.

The Belt Voice in R&B/Soul Singing: Vocal Characteristics & Physiology
Tuesday 4th November 2025
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(London Time)

The Belt Voice in R&B/Soul Singing: Vocal Characteristics & Physiology

Dr Matt Allen

The belt’s got soul! This course offers a deep dive into the vocal artistry and biomechanics of R&B/soul singing, with a particular focus on the belt voice—a powerful and expressive vocal technique central to the genre. Drawing from over 80 years of stylistic evolution, the course explores how R&B/soul singing has shaped contemporary commercial music and investigates the unique vocal traits that define its sound.