What Every Voice Teacher Should Know About Training CCM

You wouldn’t train swimmers without water—but that’s exactly what’s happening in voice studios when we teach contemporary singers without the tools they actually use. Microphones, amplification, and stylistic nuance aren’t optional—they’re central to how these singers perform.

Today’s episode of The Voice Science Podcast was written by Timothy Wilds and is presented by Drew Williams-Orozco. Let’s get into it.

The speed of technological advancement in the year 2025 is difficult to fathom. Take your Smartphone for example. Just 25 years ago, in the age of Y2K, (Google that if you’re under 30…), the hot new device was a mobile phone. The arrival of Smartphones in the late 2000s, with “key advancements,” according to Google AI, like “the integration of camera, GPS, high-speed data modems, touchscreens, app stores, and biometric authentication,” transformed the device into what we have today. In the past twenty-five years, a portable mobile phone has become a “powerful, multifaceted device.” 

Whereas portable phone technology has sped quickly from one innovation to another, not all industries are as good at keeping up, or even getting up to speed. I’m speaking specifically about voice training in the 21st century–an industry that seems determined to hold on to an approach as out-of-date as the original Motorola flip phone. In this episode of The Voice Science Podcast, we’ll think about why this is so and help the voice trainer or the singer seeking voice training understand the issues and how to move forward.

The inspiration for this episode, like so many, rises out of issues voice trainers deal with on a daily basis. Today’s topic is one I’ve watched grow over my teaching career. Early on, the repertoire I used with students was art songs and arias, sacred songs, and Golden Age musical theatre. For this repertoire, if you had a basic classical approach to the voice, a live, acoustic space, and a piano, you were good to go. Why? Because that’s how it was imagined.

These days, those classic repertoire choices have nearly vanished, replaced with styles under the heading contemporary commercial music, aka CCM, meaning anything non-classical: country, pop, soul, blues, jazz, folk, gospel, rock, and modern musical theatre. What had worked a thousand times before with “Caro Mio Ben,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” didn’t work anymore.

So, what’s a voice trainer to do? In order to work effectively with CCM singers, today’s voice trainers must expand our approach to voice training and provide our students access to the resources considered essential for CCM vocals.

Before we talk specifics in regards to the training approach and the resources needed, let’s define CCM. According to an excellent Wikipedia article on CCM, “All the styles constituted in CCM are … subjected to electronic amplification. Therefore, vocal production in CCM is considered in tandem with amplification. For instance, the sound engineer, soundboards, monitors, speakers and microphones affect the information received by the singer, and consequently their action. This implies that the perception and auditory function of the singer must be directly assessed relatively to the production of voices.”

The quote provides insight for anyone not familiar with styles of singing underneath the CCM umbrella. The presence of electronic amplification is not there to make up for something the singer lacks. It makes possible a layering effect on the overall sonic texture. You might compare it to the work an orchestrator does by taking a given melody and its harmonic support and re-envisioning it with colors and textures beyond what was originally conceived. I also want to emphasize the phrase in the quote: (The presence of electronic amplification) “affect the information received by the singer, and consequently their action,” which speaks to a dialogic relationship between the electronic equipment and person controlling it and the singer. These observations reveal how significantly training for and the performance of CCM varies from a traditional classical approach to singing.

At VoSci, we’re building tools for singers and teachers who want training that reflects the real-world demands of singing today. VoSci Academy launches this summer with our first guided courses—focused, practical, and grounded in voice science. Head to voicescience.org to get notified when we go live.

Perhaps the most obvious contrast is traditional voice training’s focus on projection of the voice since performances were done in a live, acoustic setting. Singers were trained to use twang and ring to project the voice. (If twang and ring are new concepts for you, listen to VoSci podcast #4 on Ring & Twang, for an introduction.) Knowing how to use ring and twang remains useful because any singer can find themselves having to perform without a microphone and they need to know how to project the voice under such conditions. Training singers with the ability to adapt to the situation at hand is the responsibility of a voice trainer.

Self-projection of the voice is a lesser concern to the CCM singer because amplification is guaranteed electronically. Although microphones are ubiquitous, less common is understanding and practice of basic microphone techniques, like proximity effect, breath noise control, plosives, EQ awareness, to name a few. There is a plethora of training videos online that instructs on how to use a microphone properly and to achieve expressive effects, such as whisper-singing and breathier tone colors. Here again, we are reminded that the presence of electronic amplification is not just about loudness–it makes possible effects that would not reach the listener in a live, acoustic setting.

Of course, to train a singer in microphone technique will require having some necessary equipment. The minimum would be a mic, for example, a Shure SM58; a small PA system (amplifier and speakers); audio interface. Prices vary dramatically for these products depending on the brand but it is possible to purchase mid-grade versions of the list above for around $500.

But before you give up, there are steps you can take that will largely only cost you some time and leg-work. Until you can invest in equipment for your studio, find a place with a system, perhaps a church, school, or civic organization, yes, maybe even a karaoke club or a garage band. Odds are the system sits unused most days of the week. Investigate renting the space and the system for a few hours, either monthly or quarterly, for a training group class. You might even pay a bit more to have the person who runs the system assist. This interim approach is perfect for anyone not familiar or comfortable with the world of mics and sound systems.

Perhaps all this information about microphone technique and equipment is overwhelming. There’s so much to learn not to mention the outlay of cash. You might be thinking, “I train CCM singers now without a mic and we get by.” Respectfully, I would ask you to think again. If you gave swimming lessons, could you teach without water in the pool? Isn’t an essential element missing?

The argument I am making for getting up-to-date when training CCM singers may seem like a fringe concern. Allow me a real life illustration. I recently worked with a CCM singer at a local music school who was the singer in the house band. I would see her each week in a private lesson in a room the size of a closet and we would proceed to build her skills, particularly her belting technique, given she was charged to sing songs made famous by the likes of Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga. The music school did not provide use of a microphone in her lessons so we could not work on her microphone technique. Sadly, she reported that sometimes she did not have a microphone for house band rehearsals as well. The band consisted of an electric guitar, electric bass, keyboard, and drums and took place in a room far too small for the combined sound. She didn’t have a fighting chance! I cannot help but feel that her training did not properly prepare her for what she was expected to deliver. This is but one example of a broader issue I am arguing needs to be addressed for the sake of many CCM singers.

All that to say, voice training for singers devoted to CCM requires voice trainers to step up and meet the moment. We have already addressed the need for using the equipment required for CCM and training on their use. Equally important is recognizing that CCM singing requires a different training approach. First and foremost, take steps to educate yourself on the vocal approach demanded of these styles. After years of assuming the traditional classical voice approach will suffice for all vocal styles–which it won’t–there is a growing number of schools, colleges and universities offering degrees in contemporary commercial and popular music. Shenandoah Conservatory even offers a master’s degree in CCM vocal pedagogy. Finally, the tide is turning and voice training is beginning to show CCM singing the respect it deserves.

So far in this episode we have identified that voice training must work harder to meet the needs of CCM singers and we have set goals for achieving this. Nevertheless, getting there will take time. What do we do in the meantime?

Let’s assume your student remains devoted to a CCM style and song. You will need to help them understand that no electronic amplification is available. Therefore, they will need to wrap their brain around the difference between the sound of the recording (fully engineered) and the sound they will make (live, acoustic). Can they “hear” the difference? Are they comfortable with it? Are they able to re-imagine the song in such a way that will be satisfying to both the singer and the listener? Approaching it this way can fuel a lot of positive creativity. Under such an “unplugged” situation, steering clear of sounding like the original artist and re-envisioning the song can be the best choice.

This is where song choice is critical. Knowing you won’t have a full arsenal of electronic bells and whistles at hand, pick a song that used less fire-power in the original. If it was good enough for the recording artist, perhaps the student can be persuaded as well.

Just to be clear: the absence of electronic amplification is not meant to be an argument for avoiding contemporary commercial music. Just be clear-headed about how these songs were conceived, what world they were intended to live in, and then, until the added dimension of electronic amplification becomes available, create successful work-arounds so that the songs are sung and enjoyed.

But work-arounds and unplugged versions of CCM should not be deemed adequate. Now that you have a better understanding of what singing CCM needs to be fully realized, set goals and take the appropriate steps. Otherwise, the CCM experience for the student will be incomplete.

Thanks for listening to The Voice Science Podcast. If you’re ready to train for the real demands of modern singing, VoSci Academy is coming this summer. Head to voicescience.org to get notified.

Until next time—train smart, sing smart.