Singulair has long been the recommended allergy med of choice for singers since it doesn't dry the vocal cords, unlike many other allergy meds. But recent findings make me much more cautious about recommending it: it now has a 'black box' warning that it can cause depression, sleep issues, and suicide. If allergies are getting in the way of your singing I'd explore alternative remedies first.

     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.

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.

         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

We have a lot of singing methods available at a reduced price: the workout guidebooks have slightly bent covers, the CDs have scratched or cracked jewel cases. The CDs and inside pages of the books are pristine. Check them out here.

This is from my blog a few years back, just posting it here now after talking to a student who needed some encouragement. How I Con Myself Into Warming Up

I've had so much fun lately wearing my teaching hat to work with singers everywhere--my newest student is in Kuwait! Then I put on my artist hat to do interviews to promote my new album 13 Women, songs inspired by women from US history. It was released 3/5/21 in honor of Women's History Month.

A talented young singer who studies with me sent me three questions for a homework assignment. Here are my answers.

I've learned a few new vocal healing methods since The Vocal Recovery Warmup was released, so I just updated the ebook. The 2019 updated ebook will download automatically if you purchase the method. If you purchased the warmup via this site sometime in the past contact me and I'll send you the updated ebook for free.

It's touted as a sometimes miraculous method for helping singers. I've never been to one and I wasn't experiencing vocal problems, but I wanted to find out what happens at a session and if it made a difference in my singing. Here's my report.

Congratulations to my student Ava Preston for winning in two categories in Downbeat Magazine's 2018 Student Music Awards:  Vocal Jazz Soloist (Junior High School) and Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist (Junior High School). She got a nice write-up in the magazine, too. That's a pretty great achievement when you're only thirteen! Ava is an extraordinary singer, remember her name. 

Expertise.com has once again named me as one of the twelve best vocal coaches in Nashville. Thank you for the recognition, Expertise.com!