 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Testimonials:
Singer Los Angeles I want to thank Seth for helping me build a strong "connection" into the gospel sound and rangers (No strain and no pain, honey.) We're "moving" with a new vocal, mental and physical health. Thank you for all those warm-ups for my Unforgettable album.
Actress, Singer New York City Eight shows a week with a Broadway show, or fourteen shows a week in Las Vegas or Atlantic City-you have to be secure vocally to survive. Seth has helped me establish a solid foundation of vocal technique, so I can meet any vocal challenge squarely and with confidence. Singers are always being directed musically by someone. It's great to have a knowledgeable vocal point of view to protect your performance and your vocal health.
Singer Los Angeles
Singer Twenty-year-old singer Josh Groban, discovered by Seth Riggs and introduced to world-renowned producer/writer/arranger David Foster, Josh's journey to his label home, the Foster/Warner Bros. joint venture - 143 Records - his story reads like that of show business legend. Josh received a two years vocal scholarship from Seth Riggs.
Actor, Singer (male lead in The Scarlet Pimpernel) New York City My work with Seth enabled me to reach a new level of performance. He helped me to meld three disparate voices into one fluid instrument with greater range, one that I can count on eight times a week, even in the most demanding situations.
Actress, Singer Los Angeles When I played the lead role in Miss Saigon ("Kim"), I only had to sing up to E 1 1/2 octaves above middle C. Now that I am studying with Seth Riggs, I can go much higher and with a lot of confidence. Expanding my range helps me sing R&B. Seth helped me gain a lot of self-confidence n my singing-now I am brave. Confidence through proper vocal technique is the most important thing a teacher can teach a student.
Actress, Singer, Lecturer New York, Los Angeles After 35 years or so, singing night after night, the "wear and tear" on your voice can become extreme. Balancing the "bridge area" from the lower pitches (chest) to your "head voice" is critical. "Pulling up" the bottom pitches or "belting" can cause a "wobble" so severe that your singing career can be shortened drastically. This technique of "balancing" the break areas, so that there is no "audible change" as you "pass through" from "bottom to top" is invaluable. It is your first line of defense against vocal deterioration.
Actor, Singer New York When I first came to Hollywood, I came into contact with Seth. I had studied in New York City with a principal tenor at the Metropolitan Opera. I had trouble with my "top." Constantly taping the exercises and applying the "bridging balance" freed my voice to a point where I could sing both baritone and tenor ranges through high C. This technique has become an intimate, personal confident knowledge of how to keep myself in a decent, healthy vocal condition during those rigorous Broadway schedules.
Actress, Singer New York City For 2 1/2 years I had the great opportunity to play the lead role in Evita at the Alvin Theater on Broadway. Evita is one of the most demanding vocal roles in modern musical theater. There is no spoken dialogue but there are 2 1/2 hours of hard singing, including a high "belted middle, " which rides high into the "black gospel" sound. It is exciting, but you could annihilate your voice unless you know what you're doing. Seth Riggs gave me the technique and personal ability to guide myself vocally and guard against vocal abuse and fatigue
Actress, Singer Hawaii I've been a "belter" all of my life. I didn't even think I had a head voice. When Seth connected my middle voice, I was able to drop the wear of 20 years of hard singing.
Composer, Pianist New York City As a composer, you usually have an idea of how you'd like your music sung. I like the singer to communicate the text with as beautiful a vocal sound as possible. However, if vocal problems get in the way, the effectiveness can be destroyed on many levels. I've always enjoyed Seth Riggs' singers, because they sing evenly in many keys with power and control. Thus, I have the freedom to find the best "presence" for the test, the voice and the chart.
Composer, Pianist New York City Some years ago we needed a voice coach to assist Shirley MacLaine to get her vocal chops in shape for the film Sweet Charity. Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon recommended Seth Riggs for the project. When I arrived in Los Angeles to set the vocal keys for Shirley, I decided that she was able to use whichever key suited the action of the character in the scene. That meant she could sing in several different keys. I always appreciated the quality work that Shirley and Seth put into properly prepare her voice for the role of Charity.
Producer, Arranger Los Angeles When the "tracks" are hot, sweetening and balance still to consider, and release dates pending, there is precious little time to accommodate an artist's vocal indisposition. It has been my experience that myriad problems such as vocal fatigue, lack of control and diminishing vocal quality can be overcome or eliminated by a solid, practical vocal technique. Seth Riggs has an uncanny ability to prepare vocalists so that there is little time lost to the usual vocal problems. His assistance during the Michael Jackson 1988 World Tour kept Michael tuned up like a Ferrari.
Producer, Singer Los Angeles A couple of years ago, Stevie Wonder put me on a counsel phone hook-up with Seth and we arranged to start some voice study. Soon I became involved in Seth's technique. I bought the book and also sat in on lessons with a junior "Star Search" winner who got a contract with CBS Records (whom I was producing). Seth's vocal approach makes the high notes solid and easy, with no need to resort to falsetto (unless for some special effect). This approach is a valuable addition to making your styling easy, always available and extending the life of your voice.
Comedian, Actress Los Angeles I'd never sung before, my voice is as low as a bass and I'd never tried "higher ranges" I began a film where the script called on my character to sing. I figured they would probably dub my voice. The studio sent me to Seth. Not only did I wind up singing my own songs, but we almost did a song from Leonard Bernstein's Mass. I know now how to get from my deep range into the high with no change in quality. In short, I'm not nervous about singing anymore.
Singer Los Angeles I first began to study singing when I was 11 years old. Besides connecting my "chest" and "head," Seth tricked me into an extremely high area, which, as we continued to work, began to join into the rest of my vocal range. I signed with my first major label at age 11. From that early age, I always vocalized and performed over 3 1/2 octaves. These days, when singers have begun to use stratospheric high notes, I've never had to fear extremely low to extremely high notes. Thank you, Seth.
Composer, Singer Los Angeles When I write a song, I need a vocal range and control that allows me complete freedom to express my feelings. Seth works my voice over three octaves. So far, there have been no vocal limitations for me in my work. With this particular approach to singing, I can adapt my voice to sing God's praises in a Gospel style, sing a romantic ballad or up-tune, even high ranging coloratura (G and A and above high C) for my own backup overlap.
Actress Los Angeles When he believes in your vocal ability, he is relentless in making sure you never back away from your full potential-instilling confidence is the true gift of a great teacher. Because of Seth Riggs, I'm meeting any vocal challenge I've ever wanted to-I'm relaxed and having so much fun.
Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles I have studied with Seth for over a year-and-a-half and I have enjoyed it immensely. My ear, power and vocal production have improved greatly and I believe that Seth's technique is responsible. His method joins the falsetto with the lower voice by strengthening the middle, or bridge, voice. The technique is simple and it works!
Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles Laying down vocal tracks between 12 a.m. one day and 4 a.m. the next can kill your voice. Since beginning vocal study with Seth Riggs, I never lose my ability to sing at nearly any hour. I'm a pianist and when it comes to singing, I've always been extravagant. Now that I've learned about taking high pitches in a connected "head" coordination, I don't have to pull "chest" voice like I have in the past. It's a vocal direction I've needed, because it buys a longer, sustaining health for my voice.
Lyric Tenor Munich I studied with all the big retired Metropolitan star singers and repertoire coaches on the West Coast. After two years of not getting into the semi-finals of the Metropolitan Western Regional auditions, I quit the competition (and further vocal study for a year). Then I came to Seth Riggs to study vocal technique. We had only 3 1/2 half months to prepare for the Metropolitan Opera auditions. Seth said, "Let's not learn any new arias, let's rebalance the old ones." I entered the competition (over 2,000) singers from the 50 states). I won on the West Coast, went to New York City and won the finals there also. I flew to Zurich and won a two- year contract. Next, I signed a three-year contract at the Munich opera where I'm singing major lyric and lyrico spinto roles. Now, I am guesting at many of the finest European opera houses. It is exciting that the West Coast has such a marvelous vocal technique teacher available in the area. It always amuses me that the old opera stars (and most academic never-was-beens) describe how they sang and call it vocal pedagogy. What they fail to understand is that if a young singer doesn't have his teacher's particular vocal facilities, he can't sing like the teacher sang, thus vocal technique sessions become repertoire sessions. Thank you, Seth. I could still be digging ditches and laying cinder block in Santa Barbara.
Soprano Metropolitan Opera Company New York City I wanted to take this moment to thank you for helping my dream become a reality. Through your wonderful technique and teaching I was able to build a firm foundation upon which to grow. Thank you for being there for me when I was experiencing difficulty in certain passages of music. After all, Aida at the Met is no walk in the park. Although I was some 3,000 miles away, you called or I called and we were able to solve what seemed to me to be "enormous problems". Then, on the phone, you reminded me of things you once taught me but I had forgotten. Suddenly those "enormous problems" were no more. You're a gem.
Singer, Composer New York City Not long ago, I had the honor of performing with Luciano Pavarotti at a benefit concert in his home town of Modena, Italy. It was, of course, a most inspiring event and caused me to fall eternally in love with opera. When I returned to the United States, I contacted my great friend and mentor, Seth Riggs, who introduced me to the incredible "bel canto" usage of the voice that I had first heard Pavarotti use in Modena.Expanding my voice and taking it to new operatic levels has meant a lot of diligent study, but the result has been phenomenally rewarding. My fans embrace my performances of the arias I have added to my concerts, and I am currently in the process of recording and entire album of classic tenor arias. Seth's instruction has been invaluable to me-the extended ease and ranges of my voice, and the quality of my opera singing have vastly improved. I am deeply grateful to him and his New York opera associate, William Schuman, for all they continue to do to help take my voice to the next level.
Welcome | Technique | News/Events | Lessons/Classes | Teachers | Contact | FAQ |
Natalie
Cole
Bernadette
Peters
Josh
Groban
Carol
Burnett
Marvin
Hamlisch
Quincy
Jones
Luther
Vandross
Whoopi
Goldberg
Bette
Midler
James
Ingram
Michael
Bolton