In the middle of his concert at the famous Forum in Los Angeles, superstar Stevie Wonder stopped the show to acknowledge, in front of thousands of fans, a man who has had much to do with the success and longevity of his vocal career. He wasn’t referring to his manager or record producer. He was referring to Seth Riggs – his voice teacher.Seth Riggs is considered by many to be the best and most successful voice teacher in the United States. He is certainly the busiest. No other teacher, past or present, has ever matched his phenomenal track record. His students are a veritable “Who’s Who” of singers, actors, dancers, and entertainers throughout the world.

Seth Riggs’s vocal technique and the methods he uses to teach the technique were forged and tempered by the fierce demands placed on the world’s top performers, who must often perform several shows a night – night after night! A great deal of money is always at stake, so his clients’ voices must be able to function easily, without strain. It is no wonder that whenever singers come to Los Angeles from other parts of the world, producers, directors and fellow performers send them to see this master vocal technician.

He lectures and conducts Master Classes on vocal technique at colleges and universities all around the world. He also has assisted some of the country’s foremost doctors who specialize in organic and functional disorders of the voice in vocal therapy (the elimination of vocal nodules, polyps, and various conditions of fibrosis).

He draws over 1,000 new voice students per year without advertising. Of these, 40 percent are opera, and 60 percent a mixture of musical theatre and pop students. He teaches from his private studio, which converts to a 75-seat recital hall with a 20-foot stage.

Mr. Riggs has also created SLSI, an organization dedicated certifying SLS teachers all over the world.

QUOTES ABOUT SETH

Stevie Wonder Producer, Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles I first met Seth after corrective surgery. My bad vocal habits had caught up with me, and I was forced to find a more correct way to sing. That was 23 years ago. Today, I still experiment with many different vocal styles and qualities, and the musclar freedom to do that is the result of my work with Seth. I slip occassionally, but Seth is always there to rebalance my voice. He has been my only voice teacher.

	Josh Groban Singer Twenty-year-old singer Josh Groban, discovered by Seth Riggs and introduced to world-renowned producer/writer/arranger David Foster, Josh’s journey to his label home, the Foster/Warner Bros. joint venture – 143 Records – his story reads like that of show business legend. Josh recieved a two years vocal scholarship from Seth Riggs. .
	Bernadette Peters Actress, Singer New York City Eight shows a week with a Broadway show, or fourteen shows a week in Las Vegas or Atlantic City – you have to be secure vocally to survive. Seth has helped me establish a solid foundation of vocal technique, so I can meet any vocal challenge squarely and with confidence. Singers are always being directed musically by someone. It’s great to have a knowledgeable vocal point of view to protect your performance and your vocal health.
	Natalie Cole Singer Los Angeles I want to thank Seth for helping me build a strong “connection” into the gospel sound and ranges. (No strain and no pain, honey.) We’re “moving” with a new vocal, mental and physical health. Thank you for all those warm-ups for my Unforgettable, Take a Look, and Holly and the Ivy albums.
	Quincy Jones Producer, Arranger Los Angeles When the “tracks” are hot, sweetening and balance still to consider, and release dates pending, there is precious little time to accommodate an artist’s vocal indisposition. It has been my experience that myriad problems such as vocal fatigue, lack of control, and diminishing vocal quality can be overcome or eliminated by a solid, knowing, practical vocal technique. Seth Riggs has an uncanny ability to prepare vocalists so that there is little time lost to the usual vocal problems .
	Michael Jackson Producer, Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles A great many voice teachers, in their effort to teach a workable vocal technique, take away a singer’s style and the individuality that established his career in the first place. A great teacher is able to direct a singer toward a healthier, more extensive use of his voice without losing that special quality that sets him apart. Seth Riggs is such a teacher. His assistance on my albums ET, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory and his traveling with me on the 1988 World Tour, continues to confirm my confidence in this approach.
	Jennifer Lopez Actress, Singer, Dancer New York, Los Angeles I first met Seth during the “In Living Color” series. Right away, the “balancing” of the “bridges” or “breaks” in the vocal range began. This technique holds you together vocally during extended recording schedules, and/or the tours to promote the album.
	Luther Vandross Producer, Singer Los Angeles A couple of years ago, Stevie Wonder put me on a counsel phone hook-up with Seth and we arranged to start some voice study. Soon I became involved in Seth’s technique. I bought the book and also sat in on lessons with a junior “Star Search” winner who got a contract with CBS Records (whom I was producing). Seth’s vocal approach makes the high notes solid and easy, with no need to resort to falsetto (unless for some special effect). This approach is a valuable addition to making your styling easy, always available and extending the life of your voice.
	Al Jarreau Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles Singing jazz means a great many syncopated rhythms and a wide range of pitches. Over the years I’d picked up some bad vocal habits which began to cause vocal strain and fatigue. In other words, I’d begun to “trash” my voice. By helping me take pressure off my chest range and getting into my head coordination, Seth Riggs contributed a relaxation and, ultimately, a better longevity for my career.
	Madonna Actress, Composer, Singer, Dancer Los Angeles Like all young singers, I want to get my voice together with as much strength, quality and control as I can. It seems to me that there is always some new style, new sound or new direction in popular music. I’d like to be ready for whatever happens. Working with Seth is building a vocal coordination which prepares me to meet all these challenges.
	Janet Jackson Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles I began to study with Seth when I was 14 years old. We vocalized 3 octaves and evened all the “breaks.” Today, some years later, we still vocalize and sustain nearly 3 octaves of vocal range and continue to strengthen the bridges.