This week, Alexa chats with the brilliant Ian Howell to explore how we really hear the singers we work with. From psychoacoustics and functional listening to timbre, bias and intention, Ian unpacks the hidden processes behind vocal perception—and how understanding them can transform the way we teach. A deep, fascinating conversation for any singing teacher wanting sharper ears and smarter tools.

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?

1:53 What is psychoacoustics?

5:28 How is sound perceived by us?

12:38 What impacts the way we perceive sound?

20:46 Separating function from bias

25:48 Belt scenario

35:36 How do singers hear themselves?

40:59 How to listen and observe with skill

1:05:27 The relationship between intent and perception

1:15:15 Using spectrograms

1:19:57 The way Ian teaches

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS

Hearing Singing - A Guide to Functional Listening and Voice Perception by Ian Howell

Johan Sundberg

The Acoustics of the Singing Voice by Johan Sundberg

Science of the Singing Voice by Johan Sundberg

Ingo Titze

‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ by Sarah Bareilles

Jeannie LoVetri

Feldenkrais

Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.63 Developing a Singer’s Self Awareness and Clarifying Intention with Robert Sussuma

Cornelius Reid

Voce Vista

Advice for Young Musicians by Ian Howell

Structure of Singing by Richard Miller

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Ian Howell is the Founder and Chief Educator of the Embodied Music Lab, offering professional development and consulting for musicians and teachers. He is the author of Advice for Young Musicians (2023) and Hearing Singing: A Guide to Functional Listening and Voice Perception (2025). From 2013–2023, Ian served on the voice faculty at the New England Conservatory, directing the graduate voice pedagogy program and leading research in the NEC Voice and Sound Analysis Lab, where he and his students presented widely and contributed vital work during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice. >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

basttraining.com | Updates | Email Us | Free Group

In this episode, Becky Morton, Principal of Further Education at ACM and Alexa explore what the FE academic route can offer young singers stepping into today’s music industry. Becky shares curriculum structure with project-based training, and how this helps students to build both industry awareness and artist identity. The pair dig into why early professional habits matter, how the diploma pathway compares to traditional A-levels, and what young performers gain from learning to work with producers, bands and music businesses in a real-world environment. Becky also talks about current vocal trends, the technical demands of pop-rock singing, and how ACM is adapting its teaching to industry changes, including the rise of AI.

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?

03:50 The role of Principle of FE at the Academy of Contemporary Music

5:00 Benefits and challenges of an academic route into music

10:13 A look at technique for pop-rock

12:50 Defining the pop-rock aesthetic

15:14 Artists to study in this genre

18:16 How important is music theory and sight singing?

22:54 2025 vocal and musical trends

30:56 What Becky wishes every singer understood

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS

ACM

UAL

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.231 Evolving Vocal Trends: Training Functional Registration in Contemporary Commercial Music

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.222 The Rise of AI: What it Means for Singers & Teachers with Singing Teachers Talk - Ep,226 The Rise of AI: Practical Tools and Strategies for the Singing Teachers

ISM

Suno

Udio

Follow Becky’s Bands: The Likeness; Two’s Up; The Hooch Toots

ABOUT THE GUEST

Rebecca Morton, Principal of FE at ACM, is a professional musician, vocal coach, and musical director with 20+ years of experience. She has collaborated with artists such as Adrian Smith, Imogen Heap, and Alexander O’Neal, and toured as the solo backing vocalist for Hitomi Yaida across major UK and Japanese arenas. Her work includes recordings with Crispian Mills, Mattafix, cast albums, and dance releases with EMI and Hed Kandi. A vocal coach since 2002, she has supported artists like James Toseland and Marlon Roudette. Holding a Masters in Music Psychology, she champions passion, reliability, and excellence at ACM.

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Instagram: @acm_ldn

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice. >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

basttraining.com | Updates | Email Us | Free Group

In this episode, Alexa shares 10 brilliant songs that sit in the A4–D5 low-belt zone for female singers — a range full of character, energy, and storytelling potential.

From Standard Broadway favourites, 90s pop-rock anthems and modern hits this episode is packed with fresh repertoire ideas, stylistic insight, and creative inspiration for singers and teachers alike.

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST

0:38 Why might these songs be helpful?

2:07 10 ‘low belt’ songs for female singers

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.205 10 Songs to Inspire Your Singing Lessons

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.210 10 Songs to Celebrate Pride in Your Studio

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.212 10 Songs to Find Your Pop Style

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.219 10 Songs for Male Contemporary Musical Theatre Singers

Amanda Flynn

ABOUT THE GUEST

Alexa runs a singing tuition practice in the South of England, and is a singing tutor at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools – Italia Conti, where she also regularly panels auditions and assessments. Alexa is the host of the BAST Training Singing Teachers Talk podcast, mentors for the BAST Training Level 5 qualification, and has presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for Vocology in Practise and The Sing Space.

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website

Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice. >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

basttraining.com | Updates | Email Us | Free Group