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These are the ones I tried. I strongly encourage you to learn IPA before you get into a class though. It'll help you SOOO much.

Here's the IPA VOWEL CHART with AUDIO

1. this ones good but a bit too much content (350pages). You really have to study it carefully. It has a good amount of exercises and tons of information on what most academies teach for singing. There's really no secret though because most of the stuff in here are really just the fundamentals. It's a bit heavy on imagery.... so if you're a visual learner, this is the one for you! It has great exercises for releasing your voice, removing tension, how to breathe and use your breath, and how to do vowel modifications.
   
   
2. I love this one. If you get the book, it has a beefy sound library of 417 sound examples (for both m and f), how to do those sounds at different intensities plus how to do vocal effects (after you polish your voice). It's not perfect like everything else. It really doesn't talk about EMOTIONS and expressing yourself like actors do. But sucks if you live in America like me where most people don't know what it is so you can't really clear things up and discuss with other people learning it...and most vocal teachers don't really like it (THEY HATE IT) because they don't like how it can go against their teachings and by the terms it uses. IF YOU'RE BETTER at learning through HEARING things, then THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU. It has made me identify and imagine HOW every single person uses their voice whenever I hear a recording. However, I still get a bit confused if it's a studio recording because those recordings can make someones voice sound more powerful than it really is... One thing is it THROWS OUT ALL terms from other singing methods out the window. That can be good in a way because it removes all the confusion that people label certain sounds with (e.g. for a particular sound 3 teachers hear-- teacher 1 says this sound is FALSETTO, teacher 2 says it's MIXED VOICE, and teacher 3 says it's HEAD VOICE. They all are talking about the same thing but defining it differently!!!). It completely avoids talking about vocal fachs all together (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) because it's unnecessary for the modern times as proven with SCIENCE. They study peoples voices by using ENT and put a small video camera inside people to see what actually goes on when someone sings.
   
   
3. Seth Riggs - Speech Level Singing. Very simple but if you want to sing with a beefy powerful "full of body" sound... then this isn't the one for you. It's basically almost falsetto-ey like. Here's some videos of people taught SLS: Guy doing his whole range, Korean guy practicing the exercises made for this program, A certified instructor singing YOU RAISE ME UP. It's a bit false advertising that they use Michael Jackson and other singers for their testimonials. Yes, they went to Seth Riggs to help their voice out... BUT they were already SINGERS before they went to him. Michael Jackson is a master of EVERY kind of sound there is.. from this soft and gentle sound, falsetto, head voice, mixed, screaming, whatever there was! But this IS against of singing with versatility I believe. Anything outside of this "speech" level is considered harmful for them PLUS they don't believe in the term "falsetto" and just call it "head voice". It's pretty easy to tell who comes from SETH RIGGS method. If they want to sing something powerful and loud, they'll get pretty scared of doing so because they've been told NO NO NO don't DO THAT, it'll hurt you!
   
   
4. New York Vocal Coach YouTube Channel - Justin Stoney. Start from his first episode to his latest so you know what terms he refers to. It's basically similar to SPEECH LEVEL SINGING except a bit more versatile because he talks about belting, twang and using more "oomf" type of singing. It's basically CLASSICAL "musical theater" singing and pop most of the time.
   
   
5. Ken Tamplin. He has a weird shaped lizard tongue that he claims uses the maximum openness for singing and bases his techniques off of BEL CANTO School... I'm unsure about that but he has a really STRONG voice and all of his students seem to have that same sound as his too. This is one of his students. It's very versatile and focuses on singing in styles. Very different from Speech level singing. A bit business-like though... Be cautious. I tried his purchased program -- it's basically just modifications from open vowels. You'd be better off knowing how to modify from IPA (with the #1 source I linked above)
   
   
6. Rock the stage NYC - Kevin Richards. I find his videos and his own vocal program -- vocal fire and his breathing program really great. I haven't really tried everything he supplied to me yet when I got it on sale... they were a bit difficult to do. But he really talks about the difference between all these vocal methods. He is similar to Ken Tamplin but also is against Ken Tamplin at the same time for some of the stuff he teaches. He really tried so hard to find his voice and the way he teaches is straight to the point. Full on exercises that seem to help VERY well but his voice is okay. He is very active at replying too. He knows basically about everything SLS, Bel Canto Classical Method, and Complete Vocal Technique (he told me that on twitter). But I think he really doesn't like how CVT is because of how confusing it may be to some people. He really believes what he knows is THE BEST there is... so it may work for you or may not work for you.
   
   
7. The best method was basically downloading a PIANO/TUNER app -- on iOS get TUNED XD. Check out of you're on the correct pitch. Sing along with your favorite songs, repeat every line till you get it right... that's basically the best way to learn how to sing without a teacher. This one works best if you're already a musician though... Some people just absolutely NEED assistance and can't do anything on their own when it comes to singing.
   
   I have tried other sources but I found these to help me the most to be honest.

It certainly depends on the genre, but yes, most of the runs and riffs you'll hear will either be scales or arpeggiations.

I think there are basically two related skills that you'll have to think about when working on runs and riffs.

One is, what we call in the classical world, "coloratura" or "agility". Basically, it's your ability to sing really fast and move from one note to the next quickly. Like just about everything else in the singing world, this is highly dependent on your breath and how you use it.

I'm currently super in love with Mathilde Marchesi's book on Bel Canto technique, and one of the really great ways she introduces flexibility is by starting really small, with at first two or three note scales, then adding onto the scale as you become more comfortable. The important part is not to start too fast, but to learn how to smoothly move between each note. When you can do that at a moderate tempo, you can keep increasing the tempo, and add more notes, and eventually you can sing very long fast scales without losing that smooth transition from note to note. (So as a side note, if this is something you're really interested in, I'd totally recommend that book - the paperback is not expensive, and it's a great resource).

And then, the second issue is knowing scales. This is related, but it's less about technically executing them and more about aurally distinguishing between various scales.

Like with flexibility exercises, I would recommend starting slow and small. For example, you can practice accurately singing the various alterations of a five-tone scale: major (1 2 3 4 5), minor (1 2 b3 4 5), phrygian (1 b2 b3 4 5), and lydian (1 2 3 #4 5). (You can also do things like augmented and diminished/locrian scales, but those are harder and relatively less useful outside of contemporary music.) Then you can branch up to full octaves, and then get into octave+ scales.

Here, the issue is accuracy, so sing slowly enough that you're clearly hitting each note in the scale without sliding around or "fudging" the note. When you can do that, you can start speeding up and adding more notes.

Anyway, the only other thing to worry about is actually analyzing which scales are used in your chosen genre. This varies substantially so of course you'll want to focus on the types of scales that are used in the music you want to sing. Ultimately, I think you'll find that listening to a really good run/riff type singer is probably the best way to figure out what it is you want to accomplish.

I'm not a singer, per se, but I've been playing guitar for a while and I have a small home-recording set-up, and I use microphones to record my instruments.

A question: how are you planning on recording yourself? Using a stand-alone device, like a this Zoom H2, or are you going to be using a computer with an audio interface? An example would be something like this PreSonus interface in conjunction with a microphone. I'd recommend a large cardioid condenser microphone, as they generally sound the best with vocals.

If you're using a computer to record and want to use something free and relatively easy to use, I recommend trying Audacity; or if you want something much more robust, Reaper. It has a free and unlimited trial, or at least it was when I used it a few years ago, so it's kind of like donation-ware. It is extremely powerful, though much more complex.

If you're going to be recording with a stand-alone device, then you'll probably want to use one of these, or something similar, on your computer for editing and whatnot.

The nice thing about using a computer to record is that it's pretty simple to sync up your backing track to your recording track. Or rather, you simply don't have to do anything other than have one track recording at the same time you're playing the other in the same program. Pretty easy to do. You will need some headphones in order to prevent your microphone from picking up your backing track while you're recording, unless you're using a dynamic microphone (these are not nearly as sensitive as condenser mics).

With a stand-alone recorder it will be more difficult because you'll have to move your vocal track until it lines up just right with your backing track. Not hard to do, but it is something you'll have to fiddle with a little to get just right.

You're going to hate this answer, but -

You won't be starting off with opera songs/arias with classical training, especially not Puccini.

While Puccini and other large-voiced operas are considered "beginner" operas, as in - operas that will get someone into the genre and like listening to it, they're far from operas that you will start your training with by actually learning.

Most classical singers don't even really touch an opera aria for the first 2-4 years of training, as they're incredibly taxing on the body and require much more advanced technique than someone just starting out will have. Even then, your first real operatic aria will probably be something from the Classical or Baroque eras, as those don't encourage pushing and oversinging like Romantic era arias can.

Which is a huge downer, because IMO Romantic era = Best era.

THIS DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOTHING FOR YOU TO SING.

You'll start off with things called art songs/lieder. Classical songs that aren't from a fully staged show. These are individual (sometimes grouped) songs that were made to be performed in a recital setting, and are (generally, but not always) less taxing and complicated for the voice to handle.

There's a strong chance you'll start off with something from this book, as that's become standard beginner repertoire. You may also start off with some classical arrangements of folk tunes. It's really hard to say.

I don't like saying "Get a teacher and they'll let you know," but with classical singing, that's really what it is. Classical singing is the most nit-picky of all the genres, so picking repertoire that suits your voice best is vital - and the only way to do that is to have listened to you in person and then picked out rep for you to sing.

Google "English art songs" and "German lieder" to get some rep ideas that aren't from that Italian book as to what you may like to sing best so you can bounce some ideas off of your teacher. Teachers love that (well, good ones do anyway).

The Schirmer 24 Italian Songs and Arias book is standard for Italian stuff but, like the title suggests, it only covers the 17th and 18th centuries.

As a (light) coloratura Soprano you will undoubtedly be working on Rossini and Donizetti roles sooner or later so if you can get some arias from roles like Rosina (from Il barbiere di Siviglia) or Norina (from Don Pasquale) that would be great. However, some of those arias are fiendishly difficult so I'd definitely consult your voice teacher first.

I would shy away from picking obscure pieces with the idea that it will impress judges; Renée Fleming mentioned in her autobiography that she, early in her career, made this mistake and she risked the judges not being able to bring any standard to her performance of a song if it was something they've never seen (they may even ask you to perform another!). On the other hand, you are right to think that choosing the overdone pieces is a bad thing, sometimes. Some songs are done a lot just because they are great for showcasing multiple strong areas of the voice in one piece, some are great for younger voices, some are just standard staples that the judges know cold (and can therefore judge you better on), and some are standard staples you are expected to know for the repertoire (a lot of Schubert is in this category). But also remember an audition is partly to show that you are a good musician, but also equally to show off your technical skill. So if you are applying as a coloratura soprano and only choose slower songs in 12/8 or only pick dramatic songs, you're not really showing how you are coloratura, are you?

Hope that helps.

While I am not a primary vocalist, I happen to have a few excellent resources at my disposal: a textbook from a vocal pedagogy class I took a while back and a book on the list of recommended books for that class. The first is Barbara M. Doscher's The Functional Unity of the Singing Voice. I would highly recommend it for its very in-depth look at MANY aspects of singing, and how technically minded it is. It brings up various points of view on mechanisms from vocalists, and prior pedagogues, and compares them with more recent scientific study and great detail on anatomy used in singing. The second is James C. McKinney;s The Diaganosis & Correction of Vocal Faults.

I'm mainly going to talk about head voice and falsetto as it relates to men, though some of the anatomical information present will apply to women as well. Please pick up a copy of one or both of these books if you want to study this topic further, maybe ask your vocal instructor to assist you in learning a bit more about what they both contain.

>The male head voice is a blending of heavy and light mechanisms to attain a voix mixte, but it has a very different color and projection from that of the female middle voice.

^(Doscher 183)

Earlier in the text, Ms. Doscher talks about heavy and light mechanisms based on laryngeal function, which according to her source (Vennard, William. Singing: The Mechanism and the Technic, 4th ed. New York: Carl Fischer, 1967.), can overlap by about an octave in usage.
Heavy mechanisms:

• utilize thickened vocal cords
  
• have a wide amplitude (large range of possible volumes or dynamics)
  
• exhibit firm glottal closure
  
• are rich in partials (SEE THIS for information on partials)
  
• utilize an active vocalis.
  
  In contrast, Light mechanisms:
  
  
• utilize thinned vocal cords
  
• have a narrower amplitude
  
• utilize brief and/or incomplete glottal closure
  
• have fewer partials
  
• utilizes an active crico-thyroid
  
  ^(Doscher 174)
  
  >[still referring to male head voice] The intensity or amplitude of vibration and the multitude of overtones in the sound wave are regulated by a firm glottal closure, the longer length of time the glottis is closed, and the high air pressure used. In laryngeal appearance, this blended head voice resembles the chest register more than it does the falsetto.
  
  ^(Doscher 184-185)
  
  And on the topic of falsetto:
  
  >According to Hirano, the major breathing and phonatory characteristics of the falsetto are:
  
  > * relaxed vocalis muscle
  
• stretched crico-thyroids
  
• incomplete closure along the total length of the vocal ligaments
  
• great increase of air flow
  
• great decrease of air pressure
  
  >Although falsetto behavior formerly was thought to be solely the result of the damping of the vocal folds (as in a violin string), some authorities now think extreme longitudinal tension of the folds creates the effect of damping. [...] Because of all these factors, the glottal closure time is short and often incomplete, the amplitude of the folds is narrow, and there are very few upper partials in the sound wave. There is greater breath flow than in either the male chest or full head registers.
  
  ^(Doscher 185-186)
  
  Now on to Mckinney on Falsetto, contrasting against the "modal voice," which he calls the normal register for speaking and singing. This puts falsetto in a much shorter and easier to digest way (or if you'd rather: TL;DR)
  >The falsetto register lies above the modal voice register and overlaps it. The characteristic sound of falsetto is inherently breathy and flute-like, with few overtones present. This is due to the type of vibratory pattern set up by the vocal cords. As has been previously stated, the frequency of vibration is determined by the length, tension, and mass of the vocal cords. As pitch rises in the modal register, the cords are lengthened by the action of the cricothyroid muscles, tension is increased by the resistance which the vocalis muscles (the internal thyroarytenoids) offer to the pull of the cricothyroids, and mass is decreased as the edges of the vocal cords become thinner. The key factor is that the whole vocal cord is involved in the vibratory pattern of the modal register; this is not the case in falsetto.
  
  ^(McKinney 99)
  
  So that's what's different between Male head voice and falsetto.
  
  
  EDITS: a ton of formatting issues. It's readable now.

Couple things... first, add POWER to your lower register. You got very muffled and flat when you dropped down, a good example is around 0:40. Watch a few videos on budgeting your breath to help sustain you when you drop down.

You have a few pitch issues, especially around 0:30 "everybody look to your right" the everybody was off. There were a few more like that as well. A good exercise for this is arpeggios.... learn them, sing them, love them :) They will help an aspiring singer a ton.

Finally, if you're serious, and since you're putting yourself out here for critique I assume you are, go ahead an invest in a good microphone and an interface so you can record yourself better. You can do it on the cheap with something like an AT2020 and a small Focusrite for around $200'ish. It will really make a difference.

You have some uniqueness to your voice, which is what everyone looks for, and you're already taking steps to improve and learn which means you accept criticism which is crucial if you're going to do anything in music... so good for you and keep working at it!

I'm only going to speak to vocal practice because this is a solved problem for guitars.

At the end of the day, your singing is not as loud or obtrusive as you think. Plus, walls are thin, but they still block a noticeable amount sound, and sound reduction is cumulative. This works to your advantage because you really only need some sound dampening, not major treatment. A sound booth could be useful, but should not be a requirement.

Meaning, don't let a big solution get in the way of a productive, if sub-optimal, setup.

I practice in an uninsulated outbuilding with picture windows for two of the walls that is closer to my neighbors than my own house, plus a voice that carries even when I'm not singing metal belts. This is a problem I have had to deal with. There are a couple of options I have tried with great success.

Vocal Reflection Shield. People here have argued with me that this is for reflections but not sound reduction. Well, what is sound, fuckwits? It's waves. And it travels by reflection. Block reflections, you block the movement of sound. Science. No, it doesn't block all sound. But you don't need to block all sound, you just need to reduce it. This works really well, but is might be inconvenient because it takes up space you need to mount it on a stand:

https://www.amazon.com/Marantz-Professional-Sound-Shield-Compact/dp/B01GDB7296/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537474265&sr=8-1&keywords=vocal+reflection+shield

BeltBox: This is the newest tool in my arsenal. I originally bought it for practicing away from home -- hotels, at other peoples' houses, etc, but it's really easy for when my shield is not on the stand and I want to get a few minutes practice in. People here have argued that a pillow works just as well. Fine. Could be right. Again, you don't need to block all sound. So save a few bucks and strap a pillow to your face and see how much of your attention goes to your singing vs holding a fucking pillow to your face. Plus: breathing.

https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-Dampener-Singers-Performers-Portable/dp/B01FRK4MLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537474253&sr=8-1&keywords=beltbox

These are not perfect solutions by any stretch. If you truly need full sound treatment, a booth is going to be your best bet. But if you're looking for something to help you feel a little less self-conscious and disruptive when you sing, they're a pretty cheap solution.

I humbly suggest 2 things if you are serious:

1. Get/borrow a recorder with a headphone jack, I recommend one with condenser mics like the zoom h4n http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62 ... ideally you can both record yourself to listen later, and also hear yourself sing in realtime. But even just recording yourself on a laptop and listening after the fact, will give you a clear picture of how you sound. You cant evaluate your own sound while you sing. Practice your song and notice which parts work/dont, where you need improvement.
   
   
2. Get a couple voice lessons. Even 2-3 lessons will put you on the right track. Be sure to practice and do the excercises they give you. Bring the song you want to sing, to your voice teacher. BONUS: Bring the recorder to your class and record the whole thing, for guidance later.
   
   If you truly are tonedeaf, you will have a problem. But otherwise, these should help you improve a lot.

Good on you for turning your embarassment into motivation! That's a tough step to make, and it will be very rewarding to work on your singing.

As for transitioning from one note to another, just practice scales. The bigger the jump between notes, the more challenging it will be; there is a whole lot that goes into blending the registers so I won't get into that. So just start with scales in the easy part of your range, and try and make the transitions smooth as though you're just singing one sustained note (that is, the breath stays constant between notes-- you don't need to "stop the air" between notes). And as a matter of fact, when I say start with scales, don't let ambition push you to doing scales that cover too large of a range or are in a difficult part of your range. Start with just 2 or 3 note patterns, like "do-re-do" (but all one one vowel, such as "ah"), or "do-re-mi-re-do" and so forth. The old-school singing schools started very slow with this kind of stuff-- like this book for example:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486223159/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687542&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1423438736&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1EVP16YWAGXYX5QPGN1C

There are pages and pages of simple 1, 2, and 3 note figures before you start getting to the point of singing bigger scales. Singing a full octave scale with even tone and easy production is surprisingly hard for a true beginner. The "grand scale" of 2 octaves (maybe with a turnaround at the top making it 2 octaves plus a whole tone) is certainly "advanced." Adding consanants and vowel changes is another added layer of difficulty. I'm just mentioning these things because I came to singing a complete beginner, and thought it was silly that it should be so hard. On guitar, violin, or piano, which I had played for years, there is really very little difficulty or adjustment required in moving around from low to high notes. The voice is really clunky, and by nature not very smooth from bottom to top. It takes a lot of time to get a consistent tone throughout one's range. Just bringing this up to say-- take pleasure in small victories, and don't get discouraged! ;)

As for vibrato, it's a nice milestone to strive for, but it's not really recommended that you try to create it consciously. It will come naturally as your technique gets better. Strangely enough it is just one of those things that emerges on it's own once you've found a nice and relaxed and resonant mode of singing. It can be created artificially in various ways but this is usually considered to not sound very good, and some of which could be downright unhealthy for your voice.

I’ve been really working on enhancing everything about my singing and happened across “The Voice Book”.

I’m only a couple chapters in but they give pics and exercises for posture and supporting your voice. Just a couple minor changes to my stance and I can immediately see/feel/hear the difference in my voice.

Below is the link for it on Amazon. Hope it helps!

The Voice Book: Caring For, Protecting, and Improving Your Voice https://www.amazon.com/dp/1556528299/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xEGoDbJ4RPZ2V

Easiest thing to do would be to get a cheap USB mic if you're not willing to invest in a proper microphone and USB interface.

The Blue Yeti and Blue Snowball are both fine USB mics, although be forewarned that they are not "studio quality."

If you are willing to get a proper microphone, I'd suggest getting either a Shure SM58 or SM7B, and a cheap but reliable interface would be a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

Next, you will want to get either Audacity or a DAW to record and monitor your vocals with. If you have a Mac, I would suggest starting out with GarageBand if you're really strapped for cash, or purchasing Logic Pro X if you can drop a few hundred dollars. Alternatively, you can go all-out and get Pro Tools if you want to be industry standard. I believe Pro Tools is also compatible with Windows.

For monitoring, I would suggest getting some studio monitor headphones, like the Sony MDR 7506, which will provide a pretty accurate sound for you. Alternatively, you can use any old headphones.

You won't want to be hearing yourself on studio monitors, because you will experience feedback. When you are recording vocals, monitor them on headphones.

Hope this helps.

P.S.: After a year of singing, you should be more than ready for an open-mic night, or even a full band.

You can try just using your hand to redirect the sound waves from your mouth towards your ear, or you can try just closing one ear with a finger or hand. Sometimes you see people do it when they are doing licks or runs for pitch precision.

In terms of equipment, yes this is why musicians in studios wear headphones while singing. They can hear the background music and monitor their vocals as they are being recorded.

Equipment:

Audio-Technica AT2020USB PLUS Cardioid Condenser USB Microphone

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5ZX9FM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22NJSL3TGXXEH&coliid=I2ZQ8TLHXXM7FL

Rode NT-USB USB Condenser Microphone

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQPGRRE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22NJSL3TGXXEH&coliid=I2XMC8MD4Q3FO8

One of those USB microphones with built in headphone monitors should work for you. The Rode has better sound quality and comes with a pop filter. The Audio Technica is cheaper, comes with no pop filter, and is slightly bassy sounding. You will probably want a microphone stand and a decent pair of headphones as well.

Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1457017838&sr=1-1&keywords=Audio+Technica+m40x

These headphones are really nice and neutral sounding. Close-eared for good recording. The more expensive m50x actually are less neutral and will give a little bit of bass coloring to music.

Edit: If you start doing regular covers this will work well for that as well. You can download the audio files from youtube karaoke videos and then play them using Audacity as you record and monitor your vocals. Audacity is a free recording program that lets you also edit all your tracks. If you play instruments these microphones will do fine with those as well, but you'll have to be careful about placement and room reflections/modes/background noise etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Snowball-Ice-Plug-n-Play-USB-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone-w-Stand-White/282845121850?epid=195240398&hash=item41dae20d3a:g:Ky0AAOSwYDZagPLp

I would eat ramen for a few days and get something like this.

you can pickup a used snowball for <= $40 (New they are $49 https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1518444543&sr=1-5&keywords=blue+yeti)

If you get a little more see if you can pickup a used yeti for around $60

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-Professional-USB-Condenser-Microphone-Blackout-Edition/302634409948?epid=219540289&hash=item46766a9fdc:g:AjQAAOSw-31afySQ

some people don't like USB mics but they are more than adequate for home projects and situations like these.

Most people don't realize I record with a blue yeti because I treat the area and don't have to treat the recording for background noise or echo.

The other options you listed may technically record sound, but it's not really an option for anything other than listening to yourself... and even then it won't give you a great idea of the real sound.

Good luck!

All great comments guys, thanks for tips and sharing your personal techniques. Just wanted to update and say while I'm still not 100% about making them deal with my singing, I know eventually "I got to do what I got to do", as the old saying goes. As long as it's in reasonable hours I don't see why someone developing a skill/practicing (what I hope can be considered) music should be a problem.

Also, I found this real handy tool called the 'Beltbox'. You can do warmups and practice singing into it, rather than a shoe or pillow :)

https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-24601/dp/B01FRK4MLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466447695&sr=8-1&keywords=beltbox

I'm pretty new to this, but Set Your Voice Free has been a great help in stopping me straining when reaching higher notes :)

I recommend a Focusrite Scarlett as the audio interface based on my own experience. I am not a pro or anything.. I just record guitar/singing for my own amusement. I personally use a Scarlett 6i6, Sony MDR7510 studio headphones, and a Shure SM57 mic (which admittedly, is not ideal for recording vocals), though I ordered a Rode NT1 condenser mic just yesterday and am excited, since it should be great.
Foscusrite has a starter bundle that you could get (http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1452070488&sr=1-1&keywords=focusrite), though I personally would not get the bundle since the mic and headphones are not the greatest.

The Scarlet 2i2 interface, some good "budget" studio monitor headphones (sony makes several for around $100), and a good "budget" condenser mic (Rode NT1 or NT1A... ~$225-$275) is what I would buy. You're looking at $400 at least. I know that sounds like a lot of cash, but if she is even remotely serious, go ahead and do it and don't buy the cheap shit, cause you'll just end up buying better stuff later anyway. After you have all that you may want to look at Reaper as the DAW instead of Audacity. It's only $60 and does a LOT... VST plugins, etc... a 60 day trial is free.

If you care about audio quality and your room sounds good, I'd recommend either the Blue Yeti or the Audio-Technica AT2020. The Blue Yeti has more features, but the AT2020 sounds significantly smoother than the Yeti.

The AT2020 was also designed for more of a "studio-level" purpose than the Yeti, which was designed mainly for on-the-go podcasters and radio personalities. The Yeti will bring out the bass more than the AT2020, which isn't as good for singing (it makes the singing voice sound muddy and unclear).

Do bear in mind that these are condenser microphones, which means they will be quite sensitive to room noise, as they pick up basically everything. But if you're not planning on doing any studio-level work, or if you record in a room that has decent acoustic treatment, these will be great. I use my AT2020 for recording demos when I'm away from home, and I love it to death.

Thanks. I actually have Brett Manning's Singing Success as well as Set Your Voice Free by Roger Love and Singing For The Stars by Seth Riggs (who I believe developed the speech level singing program that the first two admittedly built their programs around). I use a combination of those programs as well as Secrets of Singing by Jeffrey Allen (which I actually consider the most useful of all of those programs).

I'm definitely a believer in warming up and cooling down as well, but I still inevitably push it too much during practice. Just wondering if I should give myself a rest day or not afterwards, though.

Thanks for responding!

The "belt box" works pretty well and was made for practicing quietly without having to sing softly! I have one and I like it.

https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-Dampener-Singers-Performers-Portable/dp/B01FRK4MLA

For musical theatre, I would recommend referencing The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology. There are 4 books for each voice type.

For classical you can reference the G Shirmer Opera Anthology. There is one for each voice type. The 24 Italian Art Songs and Arias is another great resource, especially if you are wanting classical rep for students.

Those resources have a ton of options. Not sure if you were wanting just a few examples.

I bought a belt box and i kinda love it. i can vocalize pretty late into the night and it bothers no one. also helps with not "listening to yourself" and focusing on sensation.

Look for a simple Italian song from the 24 Italian art song and arias book. Almost everybody who goes to college learns about a half dozen songs from this book and they are great to start with.

https://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Medicinals-Organic-Throat-Coat/dp/B0009F3POO?th=1
I've been using this everytime I sing. Good with lemon and honey as well. Never tried ginger though.

Here is the non-mobile link from the comment above
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Is this one any good?

You should pick up a diction book! If you only sing in English, get this one, and if you're a classical singer, get this one. I'm not sure about other languages.

If you're isolating vowels and learning how to properly shape them, do it right and learn what the books say. They can help you think about vowels in different terms that you're used to.

i've never used the product but I remember seeing this on an ad somewhere: https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-Dampener-Singers-Performers-Portable/dp/B01FRK4MLA

mixed reviews but it could be worth a try if you can afford it.

Depending on where you live you could just rent a studio for a little time and then record that way. You could also buy a condenser mic and record at home. I use the blue yet and it works fine:

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https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Blue+Yeti&qid=1558732635&s=gateway&sr=8-3

There are books available that are full of short audition pieces for each vocal part. I bought this one for baritones: The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology - "16-Bar" Audition: Baritone/Bass Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1423490983/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_inqnxb4SBKMFQ

The Amazon page should list all the songs it contains. Lots of ideas for ya!

Can't personally vouch for the effectiveness but you could try this thing. https://www.amazon.com/BELTBOX-Dampener-Singers-Performers-Portable/dp/B01FRK4MLA

I have the [Blue Yeti USB Microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/)

You can also look at the cheaper [Blue Snowball] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OO18NS)

The Blue Yeti has a built in monitor, so you can hear exactly what you are singing in real time.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01FRK4MLA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485621427&sr=8-1&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=beltbox

This could potentially backfire...

Here is the mobile version of your link

Melissa Cross, aka Queen of Scream, is an experienced instructor who has worked with many of the top names in metal and other hardcore styles and she has an instructional DVD that you can order from Amazon here

I've heard good things about The Zen of Screaming series, but haven't tried it out myself. Melissa Cross is seemingly an expert in metal screaming technique. Otherwise, there are plenty of screaming tutorials on Youtube for free. Just remember, breathing technique is extremely important when screaming, and although some discomfort can be expected when starting, pain indicates that you are doing something wrong.