The Neuroscience of Singing: What the Singer's Brain Needs

A fascinating deep dive into what really happens inside the singer’s brain, this Ep.256 explores the surprising intersection of neuroscience, pedagogy, and creativity. Joined by renowned voice expert Heidi Moss Erickson, the conversation unpacks how singing is both incredibly complex and beautifully instinctive revealing why play, imagination, and even a bit of “crazy” can unlock better vocal performance. This episode challenges singers and teachers alike to embrace a more brain-friendly, joyful approach to vocal training. WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST? 4:19 Is singing really that complex? 7:58 Nature Vs. Nuture 10:19 Brain data for singing 12:03 The order of things: The Holy Grail P1 23:10 Integral parts to the brain’s prediction for singing 29:42 Neurodiversity inclusivity 34:02 The role of intention 39:12 The order of things: The Holy Grail P2 46:26 The brain and learning expectations 54:29 Who needs to understand ‘singing in the brain?’ RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS The work of Richard Miller Erich Jarvis: https://www.jarvislab.net/transgenic-... Heidi’s Singing in the Brain Series:    / @heidimosserickson   The work of Ingo Titze Voce Vista: https://www.vocevista.com/en Singing With Your Whole Self by Samuel H Nelson & Elizabeth L Blades Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.63 Developing a Singer’s Self Awareness And Clarifying Intention Edward Chang UCSF: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/edward.chang Journal of Singing: https://www.nats.org/cgi/page.cgi/abo... ABOUT THE GUEST Heidi Moss Erickson is an acclaimed soprano, educator, and scientist known for her performances on major national and international stages, as well as with leading regional opera companies. She is a passionate advocate for new music, premiering works by renowned contemporary composers and collaborating directly with artists like Jake Heggie and Tarik O’Regan. Alongside her performance career, she has earned top honours in prestigious vocal competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. With a unique academic background spanning voice, biology, and neuroscience, her research has contributed to significant scientific publications. Following a rare nerve injury, she developed a pioneering approach to vocal pedagogy rooted in neuroscience, now applied across multiple musical genres. She teaches, lectures internationally, and contributes widely through publications, courses, and her “Singing in the Brain” series. Committed to accessibility, she also founded a non-profit providing voice lessons to underserved communities and continues to bridge science and singing through her ongoing research and writing. SEE FULL BIO HERE: https://www.basttraining.com/blog/ep-... Website: http://www.heidimosserickson.com ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 🎁 FREE RESOURCE: Grab your free guide — 'How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence.' Learn how to understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice and know exactly what to do next in lessons. 👉 https://singingteacher.basttraining.c... FUTURE PODCAST SUGGESTIONS Do you have a burning question on the voice or being a singing teacher? Maybe you have a topic you want us to explore or a guest you’d like to hear from? Let us know by completing the Podcast Suggestion Form: https://forms.gle/naUum9N3unzNMPLN8 ABOUT BAST TRAINING BAST Training is here to help singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher. Whether you are just getting started, have some knowledge gaps you want to fill or if you wish to gain a singing teacher qualification, we're here for you. https://www.basttraining.com QUALIFICATION https://basttraining.s3.eu-west-1.ama... BOOK A FREE CALL http://basttraining.com/bookacall CONNECT Updates: http://bit.ly/BASTUpdates Email: info@basttraining.com Free Group:   / beasingingteacher   PODCAST Click here: https://linktr.ee/basttraining ___________________________________________________________________________________________ "The course demystified the process of teaching and gave me a clear idea of what I needed to know and what I should expect. I found the introduction to vocal anatomy so useful and appreciated being encouraged to teach as we learn." Jamila Ford, USA