Set Your Voice Free

Rating:
Summary: innovative
Review: Love has gotten mixed reviews from readers/competetors on this board. I am an aspiring singer and in the last 2 years have read over a dozen books on the subject of singing technique. I am taken by Love's passion for his work which one can feel thru his text and as well as in his voice on the CD. The vocal excercises can feel akward but can get results on condition that you stick with them. I have followed him on his CDs to and back from work for a month and am begening to notice improved control of my middle register. For technical help on middle register Love's instruction is as good as any.

Criticism has been raised about Love's unorthodox concepts on production of vibrato and other vocal faetures. I agree with it. If one is buying a book for the purpose of understanding anatomy and physiology one should look elsewhere. But if improvement in vocal technique is the object Love's work has a lot to offer to the right reader. Of course a truely ambitious singer in the making should never solely rely on a book or CD. Nonetheless Love's book can be a great companion to real music lessons from a carefully chosen teacher.

Rating:
Summary: Nice, but more hype than revolution
Review: Mainly, I'm using a couple tracks on this CD as my vocal "pitch pipe". There are mildly helpful hints throughout the book and CD, but I didn't find anything remarkable in his program and his pacing on the CD seems rushed to me--sometimes he barely finishes a scale before he charges into the next one. Since I don't play piano and many books on vocal technique have no musical accompanyment, this is the most valuable part of the package for me. But I wish he would tone down the name-dropping, it's gets old quick.

In case this helps anyone: I'd been having difficulty learning diaphragmatic breathing and I'd hoped this book would assist me, but it didn't provide anything I hadn't read before. As luck would have it, one night I was laying in bed very relaxed, almost asleep, and I suddenly realized I was breathing smoothly and easily from my diaphragm. So many discussions on breathing call diaphragmatic breathing "belly breathing" or "abdominal breathing" but that's misleading you to think your gut should be moving in and out if you're doing it right. It's the area right below your last rib and just above your navel that will rise and fall as the diaphragm fills and empties. I'm sure many, many of you already know this, but for me it was a brand new discovery. When I sat up in bed and tried to continue this breathing it was elusive--I was breathing mostly in my chest again--and so I did the next several weeks of vocal exercises while laying on my back, legs bent at the knees, and, for me, this was the ticket to relaxing whatever it was I needed to relax in order to consistently breath from my diaphragm. Now I can sit or stand and maintain my breathing.

Rating:
Summary: Finally A Voice Production Book We Can Recommend
Review: Robert Love's book is excellent for actors. I like the fact that Love uses singing techniques to teach better voice production and control. The reason I am always leary of recommending any "voice production" book is that I fear the aspiring or even working actors getting hung up on "listening" to their voice. Although we all know a basic knowledge of voice is necessary, it could be deadly to an actors craft if they focus on voice production. However, we are putting a star next to Robert Love's book and recommending it on our web site Home page at Acting On The Web. This is a first! But "Set Your Voice Free" I feel truly deserves this high praise and placement for it will help not hinder actors in their craft. Thanks Robert.

Frank Cavestani
Director


Rating:
Summary: this book is a "Knock-off" of "Singing for the Stars"
Review: Roger Love studied for a time with Seth Riggs where he simply copied the technique Seth perfected and detailed in his book "Singing for the Stars" which is the definitive source for vocal technique. This book is a poor and sometimes misleading source to good vocal health.
Tom McKinney...Houston, Texas

Rating:
Summary: good for strengthening your voice
Review: Seven months ago, I suffered severe voice strain after using voice recognition software for a couple of months (2 months) and then going to an all day job interview. I could not talk for 2 months at all. I went to see an ENT specialist and he told me to just talk, little by Little, talking would improve my vocal strength. 2 months later, I had regained my voice but it was weak and it did not last long for use. I started the exercises in this book, and every time I finished an exercise my voice would be stronger, richer, and my spirits would be up. Even the exercises in this book did not help me recover from my voice strain, but it did help me strengthen my vocal cords once I was out of the acute stage. So I recommend that anyone that uses voice recognition software buy this book and use the exercises in the book two times a day in order to keep their voice healthy. Now I use voice recognition software without fear. And hopefully, I can go to job interviews again.

Rating:
Summary: Be free. . . but don't believe everything you read
Review: Snake oil? No, not quite. Ripoff? Nooo. Lack of research? Definitely!

Mr. Love likes to drop names of singing stars to obfuscate his lack of research in physiology (and very little in anatomy). Why he didn't consult with ENT's or speech language pathologists is beyond me. His wild and absolute certainty about "middle voice" and its "zipper" physiology is unforgiveable when experts on the subject of voice like Sataloff, Colton, Casper and, Boone are accessible.

There is so much that is wrong physiologically in his firm representations it would take another book to refute them all. Mr. Love should stay with the mental imagery he professess, such as imagining your exhaled air the color red, etc. When he leaves this domain and tries to explain physiology he runs smack into this thing called science.

Before Mr. Love writes his next book I highly recommend he observe singing vocal cords via stroboscopy first.

Rating:
Summary: Results, Results, Results!
Review: Thanks Roger for helping me to achieve that seemless range. I've been with professional instructors (Opera, Hip-Hop, Rock), and none of these have helped me as much as this book from Roger Love.

The accompanying CD makes all the difference, by hearing the instruction and not just reading it. You will find this book will provide all the necessary tools to make it happen for you, too.

Want some facts? Listen to some of my results on mp3.com (located under artist- Aeron).

Rating:
Summary: Make yourself heard
Review: The book 'Set Your Voice Free', by Roger Love, one of most famous and most in-demand vocal coaches in America, is a real godsend to those who rely on their voice for professional purposes (hmmm, why would a preacher need that?). Co-authored by Donna Frasier, this book explores techniques for preserving, strengthening, and extending the vocal power and range of the reader/practitioner.

There is a forward by Dr. Laura Schlessinger--whether or not you agree with her opinions, you must admit she has vocal presence on the radio. This book will not turn you into Dr. Laura (in any respect!) but it will help you achieve the voice that you are capable of having, but simply did not gain the instruction to unleash.

Why is speaking important? While this many seem a question with an obvious answer, it is usually an unexamined one. The right voice can make a business presentation or sales pitch more dynamic, and make the difference between closing the deal and walking away empty-handed. The right voice can win the man or woman of your dreams over to a first date. Even if you just want to sound better on your answering machine, this is book that will help.

Think you can't carry a tune in a bucket, and that this is because you don't have musical training? Guess again. With simple exercises in this book, you will be singing along in no time with much less self-consciousness and more self-confidence, which in-and-of itself can make a difference in how you sound.

It comes with an instructional CD with vocal exercises to follow. From simple breathing exercises (yes, there is a right way to breathe) to more specific practice routine, you will have material to follow to help you unlock the hidden potential of your voice. The sound you make will be richer, more fully rounded and developed.

Roger Love includes extra helps for those who are primarily interested in singing (such a vibrato, riffs, and even stage presence), and those who are more interested in speaking (such as pacing, varying the tone, volume, even what to do with your hands).

The final chapter takes on aspects of the healing power of the voice. Remember how wonderful you felt when, as a child, your mother would read softly or sing to you, how the sound of her voice alone was a great healing comfort? There is a reason for this, not simply due to the emotional bond with mother. The voice can reach parts of the brain that the language itself cannot reach. Learn to tap into that.

Make a joyous sound! Read this book, and set your voice free!

Rating:
Summary: Incredible Book
Review: This book is really excellent !!I have nothing but good things to say about it.I got amazing results from day 1.As soon as I did the exercises the first time , I realized that something happened and it just kept getting better every day..and now I am actually singing ..I call it a Miracle cause I've always wanted to sing but I just couldn't....but now I can!Thank You Roger Love

Rating:
Summary: Great voice lessons from a "private teacher"
Review: This is a great set. The book and CD are informative, helpful, and very down-to-earth. The CD is very encouraging, and enthusiastic. The excercises are the best method that I've seen to teach me how to breathe and sing in the middle and upper register of my voice properly. After I worked on the excercises for a few weeks, I successfully extended my useable range by several notes. I could sing tenor parts that I could never sing before, and I'm a pretty horrible baritone. Highly recommended.