Belting: A Guide to Healthy, Powerful Singing

Learn techniques for powerful singing—without injuring your voice. Belting is a powerful and vibrant popular singing style, but it can be hard on the voice, even career-ending. But belting does not have to be harmful! If you are interested in learning how to belt healthfully, effectively and musically—this book is for you. Author Jeannie Gagné has carefully researched, taught, and refined this approach over two decades of teaching at Berklee College of Music, and in her private studio. This book includes exercises with audio accompaniment, studies of vocal anatomy, teaching you how to understand your unique voice, and video tutorials that show you how to belt healthfully with great creative expression.

You will learn to:

• Sing in a powerful, vibrant belt voice in various styles of music
• Belt strong, higher notes healthfully and effectively
• Know when it is better not to belt
• Identify the truths about how belting works, and the false myths about belting
• Understand your vocal anatomy
• Navigate through your different vocal registers
• Improve your intonation and sound quality
• Develop singing techniques that will last for years to come

Jeannie Gagné’s career as a professional singer and professor of voice at Berklee College of Music spans over thirty years. She has trained thousands of vocalists in singing and vocal wellness in the United States and abroad. She is also the author of Your Singing Voice (Berklee Press, 2012).

“This book is not only a wonderful resource for singers on the subject of belting, but in my opinion, it is the new must-have industry ‘bible’ for established and new vocalists. I love and appreciate the emphasis on vocal preservation.”

—Maysa, Soul/Jazz/R and B Diva (Lead Singer for Incognito, Stevie Wonder, Dave Koz and Friends, Shanachie, Oprah)

“I love this book! Jeannie Gagné provides a fantastic, well-researched text that takes the mystery out of belting, establishing a clear, sound approach to developing an individualized, powerful belt voice. As a classically trained singer and teacher of singing, I once had the misconception as many others do that belting was harmful for the voice. As a medical voice therapist and singing voice specialist, I have had the opportunity to work with many singers across multiple styles that incorporate belting as a stylistic feature. I now work regularly on belting with my singers, and it can indeed be employed just as healthfully as other vocal qualities. However, the approach to belting is often misunderstood, and there have been few resources available for students and teachers alike on the subject. This book makes things clear for the student, and is also a great resource for voice teachers.”

—Douglas F. Roth, M.M., M.A., CCC-SLP, Associate Director of the Voice and Swallowing Center at Tufts Medical Center, Speech-Language Pathologist/Voice Therapist, Teacher of Singing, Professional Singer

“Finally, a comprehensive singing manual that deals with the art of belting in a safe, practical, and contemporary way. The true power of this book lies in its depth of knowledge, awareness, visualization of the voice and how it all works, and how it can work for the individual. This book may possibly be the handbook of technique and maintenance for the contemporary vocalist.”

—Everett Bradley, GRAMMY-Nominated Singer/Musician and Television/Theater Composer (Bruce Springsteen, Hall and Oates, Quincy Jones, Bobby McFerrin, Broadway’s SWING, The Meredith Vieira Show)

“Jeannie has unlocked the mysteries of healthy belting in this comprehensive book. It can be used by singers in all stages of their growth to strengthen the voice and add power and flair to their sound. I highly recommend Belting for all singers.”

—Gabrielle Goodman, Professor of Voice at Berklee College of Music, Vocalist (Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blige, Michael Bublé), GRAMMY-Winning Songwriter

“I am thrilled to be able to recommend Belting to all of the pop, jazz, and R and B vocalists that I work with. The techniques presented in this superior guide are truly unique, and will most definitely serve singers in preserving their voices for beautiful singing, especially those belters out there whose voices would otherwise have a very short lifespan. Bravo!”

—Eve Nelson, Composer, Producer, and Songwriter (Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, Modern Family, London Symphony Orchestra, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen)

Also by Jeannie Gagné

Your Singing Voice: Contemporary Techniques, Expression, and Spirit