Susan Anders

     I just finished reading James Nestor's fascinating book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art: highly recommended! All singers will benefit from this book. Among many other recommendations, Nestor extols the benefits of nasal breathing, which has also been recommended by numerous cultures around the world for centuries. This is trickier for singers since mouth breathing is faster and often we don't have a lot of time in-between phrases for a nasal breath. But if you read the book I bet you'll be sold on breathing through your nose more often. 
     In the past I've often told singers to breathe through the nose when not singing, and also when warming up if one is having placement issues, has allergies or 'gunkiness' going on, or is singing flat. In the past I said breathe through the mouth when singing the rest of the time since it's faster. I've modified my thinking now: all the time now when warming up I breathe through my nose as much as possible, and when singing [if there's enough time in-between phrases or sections] I take a nose breath in there as well. 
     As singers we've learned to breathe deeply into the diaphragm and we've learned to slow the exhalation as we sing with good breath support. So we're ahead of the rest of the world on these healthy breathing practices. Check out the book and his site and you'll learn some new methods that could change your singing life for the better.

Congrats to my student Scott Ramminger on his most recent release! Scott sounds a bit like an early bluesy Tom Waits, and his blues/old-style R&B songs feature some very smart and thoughtful lyrics. Check out LIVE AT 3RD & LINDSLEY, NASHVILLE.

I'm teaching online singing lessons from my new home in Bend now, but Expertise.com has just listed me as one of the best vocal coaches in Nashville for 2022--since I taught in Nashville for almost twenty years and still work with many singers there I guess that makes it legit.

Big congrats to my student Will: he just started this fall at college, worked with me right before his audition for their production of the musical Working--and he aced it, he got several callbacks, and just got cast in a lead role. Nice way to hit the ground running at a new school!

So sorry, but due to coronavirus shipping restrictions we cannot ship outside of the US. I hope international singers can used download versions of our methods instead.

         Just in time for the holidays--check out the lower prices on physical and download versions of Harmony Singing by Ear and The Just Songs Vocal Warmup for Kids, and the physical versions of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 of the No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout.

       After almost twenty years of living and teaching in Nashville, TN, I've moved back west to my new home in Bend, OR. I'm teaching loads of singers online via Zoom and Skype, and Zanna Discs kept going throughout the move: we just updated the Android version of the Sing Harmonies App. My new mailing address is:

Susan Anders/Zanna Discs
PO Box 2371 
Bend, OR 97703

My student Eric Lambert has just released his new album "Beating the Odds"-- I defy you to listen to the title track and not smile and tap your toes. Check it out!

My student Alan Goins has just released his first album "BY THE MOON"--he wrote, sang, and played guitar on all of the songs and Tom Manche produced the rest. It's full of heartfelt vocals and beautiful melodies. Congratulations, Alan!

My former student Caroline Watkins just signed a publishing deal with SMACK Songs. I knew when we were working together that she'd do well: she had loads of talent, drive, and a really great attitude that I knew would carry her to great things. Congrats, Caroline!