In voice pedagogy, vocal control is a fundamental concept referring to the conscious, balanced, and functional management of the physiological, acoustic, and perceptual components involved in the voice production process. While traditionally conveyed through metaphorical approaches, this skill has acquired a measurable and systematically teachable structure with advances in contemporary voice science. In this context, the ways in which Estill Voice Training (EVT), Speech Level Singing (SLS), and Complete Vocal Technique (CVT) -widely used in contemporary literature-approach vocal control constitute an important area of inquiry. The aim of this research is to comparatively examine these three approaches within the context of vocal control. The research aims to present a holistic theoretical framework to voice educators by exploring how these approaches conceptualize vocal control, the levels of anatomical awareness they are based on, and how they structure it within pedagogical processes.Designed as a qualitative research study, document analysis was used as the primary data collection method. The data set consists of foundational methodological books, pedagogical materials, and peer-reviewed articles retrieved from international databases (Scopus, Web of Science, etc.) related to EVT, SLS, and CVT. The obtained data were analyzed using thematic content analysis combining deductive and inductive strategies. In the analysis process, data were categorized under the themes of anatomical awareness level, vocal control mechanisms, pedagogical tools, and fields of application, and evaluated through a comparative matrix.The research findings indicate that the examined approaches structure vocal control within different pedagogical priorities. Estill Voice Training demands a high level of anatomical awareness and an analytical process based on vocal control on the independent and conscious management of laryngeal structures (isolated muscle control). In contrast, Speech Level Singing centers on speech-based natural coordination and relaxation, structuring anatomical control as an indirect and perceptual process; it aims to reduce tension during register transitions. Complete Vocal Technique, on the other hand, offers a rule-based structure with high technical clarity that systematizes vocal control through four defined vocal modes (neutral, curbing, overdrive, edge) and technical parameters.The study concludes that vocal control is not a uniform skill; it is shaped by different pedagogical logics: anatomical-analytical in EVT, perceptual-coordinational in SLS, and systemic-technical in CVT. It was concluded that these approaches are not mutually exclusive, but are complementary models that meet different learning needs (anatomical precision, sustainability, or technical power). It is recommended that voice educators adopt a flexible and holistic teaching strategy that combines the strengths of these approaches according to the student’s cognitive state and musical goals, rather than adhering to a single method.
Gürel et al. (Mon,) studied this question.