Ian Howell starts with a broad exploration of how science and voice teaching intersect, investigating why voice teachers and singers encounter scientific ideas in the manner they do. He dives into current models to consider the intersection of voice acoustics, perception, and the physical means of voice production, revealing gaps in common models used in voice pedagogy and vocology.

The book proposes a groundbreaking framework to hear singing with actionable detail, well-supported by scientific literature. It better aligns what we hear with how we imagine the voice works and offers a way to apply these ideas within a cohesive approach to functional voice teaching, encouraging the application of the functional listening skills explored throughout. Also included are lab assignments and discussion questions.