Customer Reviews

How to Sing

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I played piano when I was a kid, and have been playing guitar recreationally for several years. I'd never worked on my singing technique, but lately I've wanted to do so.

"How To Sing" was perfect to help me get started. It covers breathing, attack, resonance, articulation, agility and other topics with straightforward, easy-to-follow exercises. In particular, it is very accurate and helpful in describing the physical sensations that you should be feeling while singing and how to tell when you're on the right track.

Also especially useful is the motivational tone of the writing; putting in 20 minutes a day for a fortnight will do wonders for technique, says the author. I was slightly skeptical but I tried - and it does. A bit of sight-reading ability will help with the exercises; there's a chapter on reading music too.

I started with music [guitar and singing] when I turned fifty. Took me ten years for my ear and mind just to tune the guitar. Graham Hewitt's book is a wonderful guide to one interested in going it alone with developing a voice, whatever ability or gift. It took me a while to "recognise" the vocal tones that I was making. But with the guidence provided you can focus. I'd highly recomend it. My many thanks to it's author, Graham Hewitt

The basic information in the book is well written and correct. One does get a good introduction to singing. However, I tend to agree with the reviewer who says, "Beware." Having sung opera professionally for 30 years, and taught for 20, I find that so many books are out there about how to sing. Having studied the principles of singing all my life, I have to say, it seems there are no agreeing theories on most of it. Some teachers are very technical, others very imagery oriented without much actual understanding of the body. This book sort of draws the two together. The technigue is there, and we are given very practicle ways of figuring out what our bodies are doing, and images are used to get the idea of what one feels like. But like all books on singing, they cover only a scratch on the surface of what singing is, and how the body coordinates while actually singing. I worry about people who read a book, try the principles contained in it for a week, then talk about how they have really improved and they are on the road to perfect singing. So they now manage their breath better, that is a good thing, but doesn't mean you have learned to sing at all. I have worked with so many students, and tried to realine their voices, after they have used some book, or CD, to learn to sing. Sure, they were able to approximate the tone quality, but they used all the wrong muscles to do so. Even though they had good low breathing, I found that so many concentrated on the "Big amount of air" or on huge expansion (all because of books like this that imply you need a huge amount of breath to sing, when in fact you need no more than the phrase you are singing requires, and what most never mention is that if you have too much air in the lungs you actually cannot control it and appear to "run out of breath" quicker than you normally would just speaking), and they have never figured out how you use the air. It is easy for them to do the exercises and some even can expel the air taking longer than 2 and a half minutes to do it, but all that breath control disappears as soon as they have to sing.

The book is great to give you an introduction to what singing is all about, and what sorts of things you ought to be learning and developing, but that is as far as it goes. If looked at from this perspective, I would rate the book as I did, as it is clear, and well written, easily understood, and well, approachable. However, like I would say with all books on singing, once you have read them, and think you understand them, seek out a good teacher (and they can be as hard to find as anything, believe me; there are many completely unqualified people out there teaching voice, and NEVER confuse a vocal coach with a teacher, coaches know nothing of voice production, they only understand musical styles and I have seen more good voices ruined by vocal coaches than people teaching themselves). Then using their ears and eyes, learn what works, how to coordinate your body so it works perfectly, and then pay attention to what you feel like as you produce the sound (you will never hear yourself correctly, and in order to produce a sound that you do hear in your ears that sounds super good, full, resonant, you have done everything that produces a sound the audience hears as dull, muffled, and sometimes almost flat). Then in time you will be able to watch yourself and govern your own singing voice. A book in only an introduction and nothing more, and can only be judged from that stand point.

The title "How to Sing" indicates a book aimed at someone just beginning to explore the subject. But this book assumes that the reader already has some knowledge of singing, and - more importantly - how to read music. With the exception of the 1st chapter on breath control, the book is fairly difficult for the first timer.

I must also expressed how badly written is this little book. Perhaps Mr. Hewitt is a non native english speaker, which would explain some of his twisted syntax, but in any case the prose is difficult at times and distracting often. I found myself snickering at his metaphors and malapropisms. This reduced the author's credibility in my eyes, even though I was willing to give hime the benefit of the doubt in my desire to learn. His high handed style of writing brings to mind the caricature of the high strung, demanding vocal coach in Citizen Kane. After three chapters of this, I was tired of being "written down to" and skipped ahead to the chapter on reading music.

Not to belabor the point, but the chapter on reading music is almost indecipherable. The concepts are presented too quickly and glossed over. Although I read (and re-read) this chapter, I could not tell you very much about reading music except that one chapter in a badly written book is not enough instruction to learn this "other language."

I certainly don't know what the other reviewers saw in this book. Perhaps those who already had a grounding in music could over look the lack of detail and the harsh manner of the author, but I couls not. Take a moment to consider other vocal training books before you buy this one. There must be something better out there.

If you need an intro to singing and want to learn "how to sing" in a concise manner, via learning all the basic principles which underlie using your voice to sing effectively, then I highly suggest this book. Just reading the first chapter alone is worth the price.

For those who really want to have an idea about how they should sing in a right and safe way, "how to sing " is an excellent choice. I'm telling you this, but remember you need a professional teacher to help you to understand what the author is telling you. I have both, Spanish and english version, and I should say the spanish version is better, I really don't know if Graham Hewitt's first language is Spanish, but ofcourse, if the english version is not clear as the sapnish version is not his fault, the person who did the translation didn't do a good job. As a teacher and as a professional singer I would reccomend this book as a good guide. But, keep in mind, you will need a teacher to help you to understand the concepts, and to supervise your progress, people who don't have previous experience, or people who don't have any idea about vocal technique could hurt their voices. Good Luck Guys!!!!!!

Hewitt gives a good overview of the basic skills that build a good voice. He includes a variety of starter exercises. The writing is clear, consise and easy to read. This is not a comprehensive book. It does not swamp you with every important vocal subject in detail. It limits itself to what a beginnner needs. If you aspire to a great voice you will need other books and most important good teachers. However "How to sing" will give you a good start on that journey.

It frightens me to find people turning to self help books to learn to sing. I have devoted over twenty years of my life to learning aboout and teaching the art of singing. Books can be helpful guides, but there is no substitute for a trained teacher of singing. Do not rely on books alone. Every voice, like every person, is different, and there are no pat answers for any vocal difficulties. Only the ears, expertise, knowledge, and heart of a trained singer will help you to truly find the voice within you.