Book review
The Contemporary Singer
by Anne Peckham · 2010 (2nd ed.) · ~220 pages
Paperback + audio exercises (CD or digital)
A structured method book tied to Berklee-style contemporary singing. Peckham organizes technique into elements—breath, tone, articulation, health—with notated exercises and companion audio for many drills.
Editorial verdict
One of the best “method book + audio” packages for contemporary singers who can read basic notation. Buy if you will actually do the exercises in order; otherwise start with our free tutorials and add this book when you want sequenced homework.
Structure and difficulty curve
Peckham divides technique into elements (breath, tone, articulation, etc.) with short explanations and notated patterns. Early exercises stay in a narrow range; later ones introduce wider intervals and syncopation—similar to how we stage tutorials from range test to pitch calibration.
The second edition adds health and practice-planning notes that hold up well in 2026. The CD (or digital download) is essential: without it, half the value disappears.
Where SingMeter fills the gaps
The book tells you *what* pitch to sing; it does not show whether you landed on it. After each audio exercise, we recommend 60–90 seconds on the pitch detector logging cents deviation. Singers who did this for two weeks reported faster progress than audio alone.
When exercises jump registers, run the vocal range test first so you know which transposition of the pattern fits your voice that day—Peckham assumes a healthy middle voice, not a tired post-work voice.
Comparison with Set Your Voice Free
Love’s book is narrative and motivational; Peckham’s is a workbook. If you want stories and performance psychology, read Love. If you want numbered exercises and measurable weekly goals, choose Peckham.
Key takeaways by section
- Breath element: Aligns with diaphragmatic support drills—use our breath tutorial as pre-work.
- Tone & resonance: Vowel balancing exercises; verify with pitch detector, not guesswork.
- Articulation: Helps pop/rock diction; watch for tension when consonants get heavy.
- Health chapter: Warm-up length guidance—pair with 15-minute daily warm-up tutorial.
Why we recommend it
The exercise audio gives you an external reference when you do not have a teacher. It pairs well with objective feedback: you hear the target on the recording, then check yourself on SingMeter.
Honest limits
Requires reading music for some drills. Audio tempos can feel fast for beginners—use the tone generator to slow intervals. Not a repertoire book: you still need songs from elsewhere.
Best for
College-age or self-taught singers learning contemporary technique with guided exercises
Not ideal for
Complete beginners who have never warmed up, or singers who refuse to read notation
Read this book if…
You want a method book with sequenced exercises, not just tips.
4-week practice plan with SingMeter
- Week 1: Breath element + daily warm-up habitOpen tool →
- Week 2: Tone exercises with pitch check after each trackOpen tool →
- Week 3: Ear training element + interval matchingOpen tool →
- Week 4: Full element review; log range changeOpen tool →
Pair with SingMeter
Books explain ideas; tools give feedback. A simple weekly loop:
- Before CD exercises: warm up — 15-minute metronome routine.
- Match pitch on exercises — After each CD line, hold and check cents.
- Reference tones — If CD tempo is too fast, slow with Tone Generator.
Pros
- • Clear exercise progression
- • Contemporary focus
- • Audio examples included
- • Health and practice planning
Cons
- • Requires notation literacy
- • Less song-repertoire guidance
- • Fast audio for some beginners
Alternatives
- Set Your Voice Free — More narrative, less notation.
- Ear training tutorial — If CD intervals are hard to match.
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