Can You Sing a High " C " Without Straining? [Import] [Paperback]

Thomas Appell (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 122 pages
• Publisher: Partners Publishing Group; Pap/Com edition (December 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963233920
• ISBN-13: 978-0963233929
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,795,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's great!, November 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Can You Sing a High " C " Without Straining? (Paperback)

Lawrence W. Cooke, M.D.

I would like to submit my review of the book and 3-audio CD package, Can You Sing a High 'C'-Without Straining? As a physician and a singer, I was intrigued by the basic concept of the book...that anyone can learn how to sing very high notes in full voice, without having to go into falsetto, and without straining. I was always taught, and was under the assumption that people were born with a given range, and that trying to increase that range is impossible. To my knowledge, no one has ever hypothesized or proven that singing high notes is a coordinative act that can be learned....until now. By the time I was finished reading the third chapter, I knew that Appell had found the answer.

He explains why singers can extend their range by first presenting in easy-to-understand terms how high notes are physically produced, using a simple analogy of how the vocal cords change pitch by changing their vibrating length, in very much the same way that a guitarist changes pitch by fretting down the fretboard of a guitar. Appell further proves his point with some absolutely astounding vocal examples on the 3 audio CDs that come with the book...like male and female singers singing 2 octaves above middle C in full voice without going into falsetto, and clearly without straining.

The first CD is titled Vocal Examples and contains over an hour's length of male and female singers demonstrating the right and wrong ways to approach their vocal technique. The second CD is titled Vocal Exercises, and is meant for personal practice with piano accompaniment only. It contains just enough direction to get your practicing on the right track. The third CD, titled "The Secrets to Successful Speaking," explains how to protect your speaking voice from hoarseness. From my viewpoint as a physician, I found the speech techniques developed by Appell to be extremely effective and probably the best antidote for avoiding vocal nodules I've seen anywhere.

I found the book to be very well-written and the three audio CDs beautifully produced. Like any vocal training system, the exercises should be approached with sensibility. As Appell points out on the Vocal Exercise CD, if a singer finds themself singing higher than is comfortable for their current level of expertise on a particular exercise, he cautions them to stop singing and come back in again when the range of the exercise gets back to a level that is comfortable. Anyone who might be tempted to overwork their vocal cords doing these exercises would be doing so by not following Appell's direction. Speaking as a physician, I found the CDs to present a safe and effective vocal workout.

How well do Appell's training methods work? After training with the exercises that come on the audio CDs, I personally extended my full voice (not falsetto) range by 12 half steps. Need I say more?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not all that..., August 20, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Can You Sing a High " C " Without Straining? (Paperback)

This book describes some interesting techniques for improving the range of your voice, but it is unfortunately written in a lofty, over-my-head style that left me confused and unsure how to improve my range.

If you're not currently with a voice instructor, I suggest finding one before buying this book. If you can't read music, or you're just a casual singer, skip it. It's not really worth your time.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must for anybody thinks he 's born with a limited range, November 9, 1999

By 

Christos Heidinger, M.D. ([e-mail]) (Vienna, Austria) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Can You Sing a High " C " Without Straining? (Paperback)

I wonder about people writing reviews without actually reading the book. Thomas doesn't tell you that you are going to be the best singer in the world after reading it. It was the only book I kept out of ten that I got through amazon because it made sense to me. I'm used to books with a kind of scientific approach, which means saying something, not so easy to understand, with a few meaningful words. This book tells you that you are able to sing the high C, and what you have to do for it, and how it works. It also tells you that you have to take vocal lessons since a book is no replacement for a good teacher. Like the guy from Japan, I flew all the way from Vienna, Austria to sunny California and worked with Thomas for 3 weeks 2 hours a day. I did improve 10 notes so far and I did hit the tenor C once. So all he ever said is that you can do it and I did it. He himself knows that it takes much more to become a Michael Bolton, even after practicing for more then ten years. Thomas and his book are encouraging anybody who feels stuck and frustrated with his singing like I was. It's frustrating that there are so few teachers out there showing you how it works in such an easy to understand way. So please, anybody who found the secret tell it to everybody who needs it. Dont worry, Thomas won't run out of buisness and by the way California is worth while the trip.