Robert L. rock voice technique, voice, singing, acting, theatrical singing, Broadway singing, speaking... Seattle, WA

Initially inspired by artists such as Steve Perry, Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson and Geoff Tate;  Robert looked to find a voice teacher that understood how to train the techniques required to sing with hyper-extended range and power.  The pursuit led Robert to eventually meet the legendary Maestro David P. Kyle of Seattle, WA.  Maestro David Kyle taught for over 25 years in New York, 4 years in San Francisco and nearly 30 years in Seattle where he became the preeminent private voice coach for rock and metal singers of the 70s, 80s and 90s. Artists such as, Geoff Tate from Queensryche, Ann Wilson from Heart & Layne Staley from Alice in Chains all studied with Maestro David Kyle.  At TVS, much inspiration has come from Maestro Kyle’s studio; positive mental imagery, training with amplification, developing head registers and helping singers to bridge the Passagio continue to represent the cutting-edge voice pedagogy found at TVS. Robert is the continuation of the Maestro’s legacy.  Robert works hard to push the envelope of the Maestro’s foundation and remains active in incorporating new ideas and research to the TVS repertoire of techniques and knowledge base.

Robert is a graduate of the University of Miami where he trained with the talented artist and teacher, Dr. David Alt.  The Classical form has contributed to Roberts influence and has served to provide a healthy perspective on the differences and how to incorporate both worlds in a cohesive and sensible manner.  After completing a Bachelors Degree in Business/Industry and Vocal performance, Robert moved to Seattle to continue his mentorship with Maestro David Kyle and pursue work in performance and recording.  Eventually discovering a gift for teaching, in 1994, Robert founded The Vocalist Studio.

Key to the TVS technique, is the mission to train singers to “bridge & connect”.  Simply stated, to develop vocal strength and coordination that allows the singer to seamlessly bridge the Passagio and develop a full voice in the head voice registers to enable the singing voice to have a 4-5 octave range, in addition to helping singers have incredible power and complete freedom from tension caused by constriction from singing too high in the chest resonance.  TVS is considered one of the few studios that have the expertise to train these coveted skills that virtually all singers in any genre look to develop. 

To assist vocalists that can not train privately in Seattle, WA, Robert and his elite vocal athletes, “The Screaming Pillars”, have produced an exhaustive book, CD and DVD training system called, “The Four Pillars of Singing: Definitive Techniques For The Modern Vocalist”  TVS is also a pioneer in offering real-time training over the internet via web cam, making the TVS technique accessible to people all over the world.

Robert is a co-founder and Director of the TC-Helicon Voice Council .  The TC-Helicon Voice Council is a team of top vocal pedegogues and vocal scientists in North America and Europe that contribute to Voice Council whose mission statement is to produce educational content regarding voice technique and voice technology for singers.  Today, the TC-Helicon Voice Council is considered one of the preeminent resources for singers on the internet and Robert is Directing the continued recruitment of the world’s leading voice pedagogues and scientists of vocal research to contribute to this important educational initiative. Robert is also an active member of The Voice Foundation which is the world’s oldest and leading organization dedicated to voice medicine, science, and education.

As an artist, Robert recently released an EP with Producer/Engineer, Jason Shavey titled "Back To The Line" and is working on a full length production titled "Vox Humana" with producers Dave Cardwell & Zack Uidl. Another project with producer and writer Brandon Bee, will augment occasional session work and workshops in the Seattle market.

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"MAESTRO" DAVID P. KYLE

Robert's 12 years with Maestro David P. Kyle is the corner-stone of the TVS technique.  "Maestro", as David Kyle insisted on being called, was the Pacific Northwest's preeminent vocal teacher for rock, metal and jazz singers for over 50 years.  The "Maestro" became a local icon and was considered by the industry to be one of the best vocal instructors for contemporary singers in the country.  Artists that studied with the late "Maestro" include; Geoff Tate, (Queensryche), Ann Wilson (Heart), Liza Minnelli, Terry Young (RAIL) and Layne Staley (Alice in Chains), among others...

Unique to the "Maestro's" approach was his method for expanding vocal range into multiple "registers", while eliminating psychological barriers that hinder singers freedom of expression, by use of creative visualization techniques.  Use of amplification and embracing technology was also an important part of the "Kyle" experience.  The innovation of training with amplification continues.  At TVS, vocalists not only enjoy working with a full PA system, but do so on a live, 260 seat staged facility in downtown Seattle, WA. 

Today at The Vocalist Studio, vocalists continue to work with eleven essential Maestro Kyle workouts designed for bridging and head voice development, in addition to new vocalizes developed and researched by Robert to round out the repertoire of TVS vocalizes. In the Spring of 2009, The 2nd Edition of “Pillars” will be published and it will offer some of the most innovative new vocalizes and video tutorial footage in the the business of voice pedagogy.

DR. DAVID ALT

University of Miami School of Music

Bel Canto / Classical

David Alt, Professor (Voice), Chair, Department of Vocal Performance, and Program Director for Musical Theatre, received a D.M.A. degree from the University of Iowa and a Certificate from the Conservatoire de Musique, Geneva, Switzerland. Alt studied opera with Wesley Balk, Minnesota Opera Institute, and voice with the French baritone Gerard Souzay and soprano Maralin Niska. Nominated for the Carbonell Award for Best Actor for his work in Brecht on Brecht, Alt has been heard in reviews of the music of Bernstein, Coward, Gershwin, Berlin, Sondheim, and Weill. He also has performed with the New World Symphony, the Deerfield Beach Symphony, the Miami Bach Society, the Chamber Singers of Iowa City Bach Festival, the St. Louis Municipal Opera, the Quad City (Illinois) Symphony, the Southeast Iowa Symphony, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Carmel (California) Bach Festival, and New Theatre in Coral Gables. Alt's articles have appeared in journals of the Music Educator's National Conference, American Choral Directors, and National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Robert studied classical technique with Dr. Alt from 1988-1992 at the University of Miami where he earned his Bachelors degree in Voice and Music Industry/Business.  As a result of Robert's work with Dr. Alt, he was exposed to a large repertoire of classical aria and art song for Baritone voice.  Robert's work with Dr. Alt helped develop classical theory and baritone formant, melodic analysis, music theory, articulation and text interpretation.

Peter Egan
Estill International

Robert is currently working under the tutelage of  Peter Egan, one of the world's leading  experts on Estill Voice  training. The Estill Voice Model with  compulsory figures for Voice is an approach to voice training and speech pahtologists. Figures for voice control include mastering 13 structures along the vocal tract and laryngeal mechanism . The Estill system focuses on the study of and the ability to produce six vocal qualities; speech, Sob, Falsetto, Twang, Opera and Belt. Included in Estill study is the in-depth study of  laryngeal anatomy, physiology and Acoustics. The focused understanding of twang and belts have been critical to the TVS techniques of "bridging and connecting".

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TC-HELICON Voice Instructor Council

Director of Voice Council

Business Development

TC-Helicon Vocal Technologies is the only pro audio company in the world, solely dedicated to developing products, exclusively engineered to empower the vocal artist.  They believe that the voice is the world’s most beautiful instrument. Everything they do is dedicated to the singer.  TC-Helicon envisions a world where those who work with the voice in live and recording situations can bring out the very best from any performance, and where the possibilities of the vocal arts are enhanced by world-class technology. TC-Helicon is known for engineering the most sophisticated processors in the world and are considered the elite choice for vocal processors for live and recording applications.

The Voice Foundation

Associate Member Since 2008

The Voice Foundation which is the world’s oldest and leading organization dedicated to voice medicine, science, and education. The Foundation is committed to enhancing the gift of vocal communication through research, an annual symposium, producing scientific publications and educational videos and disseminating information through the media to raise awareness of voice care.

The Vocalist Studio is a company of contemporary vocalists who share a common technique, and practice one of the most innovative approaches to training singers available today. 21st Century vocal techniques, united with a method that embraces technology and training on a live stage, makes The Vocalist Studio one of the leading training facilities for the modern vocalist in the world today.

Too many voice studios are not teaching what students really want to learn. Simply stated, 16th century voice techniques and methods do not prepare the student for 21st century genres and applications. This disconnect is a huge problem in the world of voice pedagogy for so many people who wish to study a legitimate technique that applies to the modern form.

Enter, The Vocalist Studio. TVS "gets" it and we are here to provide the right training for our clients. Here is how we do it…

THE TECHNIQUE:

TVS trains vocal athletes. Our technical agenda is strongly founded on helping the student to develop new levels of strength and coordination that will build a new singing voice that gives singers unbelievable endurance and capabilities. This technique enables our students to expand range to 4-5 octaves, develop unique power and master the skills of bridging & connecting. Bridging is the ability to seamlessly sing from the lower chest voice to the upper head voice with no perceived break between the two voices. The Passagio, commonly referred to as the break, represents the most challenging area of voice development for all singers. No other skill set in singing is fraught with more frustration or more joy, then the ability to bridge the Passagio. TVS is supreme in its expertise and understanding on how to train this mission critical skill.

Once bridging of the Passagio is developed and the singer is well into their head registers, TVS singers then work on the next most important skill, the ability to connect. Connecting refers to a process known by voice pedagogues as adduction. Adduction means the vocal folds are trained to come back together, or zip up, when in the head registers. The result is a full-voiced tone that will match the timbre of the lower voice and expand the singers range potential by 2-3 octaves.

Drilling workouts builds some of the most powerful and versatile voices in the business. TVS trained singers never pull chest, do not fatigue easily and never experience gripping in the throat or laryngeal regions. TVS singers enjoy an out of body experience when singing with super-human capabilities, yet feel no physical resistance or strain.

The sounds below are referred to as vocal applications and they are the sounds that modern musical genres require.


Seamlessly Bridging the Passagio or
The Break. (So the upper voice and
lower voice are one)

Hyper-Extending Vocal Range to 4-5 Octaves

Adduction in the Head Registers
(Replacing Falsetto with Full-Voiced Tone)

High Volume, High Velocity Respiratory Support

Healthy techniques for producing Rasp or Grott

Whistle Tones (Flageolet)

Extreme Screaming


THE METHOD:

TVS originated the method of training singers on a live stage with professional PAs and mics. Our singers use the tools of the trade and therefore, training is much more relevant and practical than the traditional voice lesson experience. We embrace the technology and tools that enhance the vocalists performance and learning experience. We are a boot camp that prepares contemporary singers for what they need now in a way that makes sense and is relevant for the singers current writing, performing or recording endeavors.

THE VIRTUAL LESSON:

Train over the internet with a web cam.

Head Voice Development, Bridging the Passagio, "the break", Rock, Jazz, Gospel, modern, microphones/PA

Expert in training singers how to bridge through the passagio... from the chest resonance to the head resonance and how to produce full voice tone in the head resonance (head voice).

specialist in scream techniques for rockers.

excellent with beginners and young people.

rock voice technique, voice, singing, acting, theatrical singing, Broadway singing, speaking & acting voice, opera voice, live tools for the vocalist, studio recording. Specialist in working with young people

"... It is freakin rare to find a teacher who is not only a master in his own right, but also eager to collaborate and share with others. That is what music is all about, and again, you're walking the talk."
P.Naga

"Thank you Robert for the great lesson. I can see the Maestro lives on in you. I am looking forward to the lessons with enthusiasm... God bless, thank you".
D.Ramirez

"... I checked out your page and your website. You have unbelievable technique! Simply amazing. You cover the issues that are really difficult for most singers, and you go right at it! Again, phenomenal. I actually bought your book/DVD/CD."
D.Beck
Nashville Producer/Engineer

"Hi Robert, Some pretty cool performances on the DVD! Tons of clear and important info everywhere..."
D.Willow

"... I think few pro singers have the chops you do ... The recording we did together, even on top of all the singing I've seen you do over the past couple years, is more than enough to show me I selected the right instructor ... "
J.Wellman

"Hi, Your program is great! I live in Japan."
M.Takayama

"Rob, you really got something going...with the live amplification, stage and then to learn the technique that is so hard to find from any other teachers. I am pumped"!
C.Browning

"...You are an incredible teacher...I have received accolades on the change in certain intrinsic tones of my voice and singing. This is a direct result of your lessons...I have, and will continue to speak very highly of THE VOCALIST STUDIO and your work."
M.Young

"Rob, ...that lesson had a profound impact on me as a singer. I havent been able to stop talking about it. Im excited about going to the next step in my singing..I want the money notes!!!!! I want to melt faces. I want the WOW factor...this whole week has been very inspirational and&