Seth Riggs and Speech Level Singing:

About Speech Level Singing:

Speech Level Singing (SLS) was the name of the voice training method and organization created by legendary Los Angeles-based voice teacher Seth Riggs.

The SLS organization no longer exists as a formal entity, but the many teachers trained by Seth continue to coach elite clients and serve as vocal consultants for Broadway Shows, pop international tours, Disney, and more.

About Seth Riggs:

Seth originally trained and performed on Broadway and in opera, in and around New York. His teachers included those with a direct educational lineage tracing back to Bel Canto teachers in Italy, during the classical era.

Bel Canto’s connection to the Speech Level Singing Method.

Bel Canto is a now mostly-lost* form of voice training that existed in the late 1700s by which singers could learn to sing with a strong, clean tone, with ease, and at any volume, over an unusually large pitch range—i.e. with incredible expression and technique. It was an era where many tenors could easily sing multiple high Cs during a performance, thanks to the prevalence of Bel Canto technique, as evidenced by the vocal requirements of the operas that Mozart and Puccini wrote during this period.

This ability to sing in this way is still valuable, not just for opera, but for modern pop and theatre singing as well.

Seth built on what his Bel Canto-based teachers taught him and became known in the New York arts community for his ability to help his castmates with their voices.

*re ‘mostly lost’: The story of how Bel Canto technique was lost is a tragic and fascinating one—it was only preserved into modern times via a small number of teachers. Ask me about the story, sometime, if you want to know more.

New York to Los Angeles and Star Clients

Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles to work as a vocal coach in the recording and movie musical industries—his first client was Ann Margaret. He gradually built up a roster of star clients, including Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Madonna, Josh Groban, Kelly Clarkson… but the names are just the headline—The important part is that Seth became so trusted by singers, record producers, and voice doctors because of his ability to get results.

Seth also taught some of his clients how to teach, and his teaching was eventually codified into the Speech Level Singing method. Teachers who joined the SLS organization and meet their training and testing reqirements could become certified SLS Teachers—I was in the organization for six years and became a high-level teacher.

Seth has just very recently turned 90, and is a national treasure in the singing world. As someone who studied the method for years, it’s nearly impossible to turn on the radio or listen to a cast album without hearing telltale traces of Speech Level Singing technique in the performances.

It was my great honour to study with Seth between 2011-2013.