Customer Reviews

How to Train Singers/Book and Tape

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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I have been teaching voice for over twenty years, and this is the first text I have found that has given clear, specific exercises for every imaginable techinical difficulty. Although many vocal "methods" have tried to offer something similar, they often leave out explanations. Books on the physiology of the voice are not necessarily helpful in practical singing. This book not only offers a variety of skill building vocalises, but explains their purpose, identifies potential difficulties, and explains expected outcomes. The book offers common sense answers to many vocal questions, an extensive section on posture, breathing and movement, and musically appealing examples. I highly recommend this text for singers who are working on specific technical problems, and I believe it is a resource that would benefit singers and teachers alike.

I have read a lot of books on singing, and some have a lot to be desired. This book has really shed some light on the techniques of singing. Being a singer myself, it is sometimes hard to explain certain technical jargon, but she does it perfectly. There are plenty of illustrations in this book to reinforce the teachings. The subjects range from breathing, diction,protecting the voice from damage, performing, exercises, how to correct problems in singing, posture etc. It is a very common sense approach, easy to read and leaves out unnecessary techical jargon. It is a great book to have on your shelf for reference for years to come.

Even though I've been teaching this technique for a number of years and had the opportunity to study the method under Lynne Henderson, I still use this book almost daily in my teaching and as a general resource.

I hear the guy who complained about the cover and that part is very much true. However, when this book was published, it was very difficult to find a publisher for vocal technique books. When one was finally found - one who would allott an appropriate amount of money to the authour, even - this was what was available. I, personally, think the book is worth it's weight in gold. If you prefer, you can tear it apart and put it into a loose-leaf, but the information in this book is superior and shouldn't be glossed over by some complaint about the cover.

Contained in the book is a general discussion, of voice care, rehearsal advise - including choral rehearsal techniques - and many, many excercises for developing the voice and solving most of the more common vocal problems. It is written clearly and has a glossary in the back (my favourite part).

This technique is "natural" in that it doesn't use methods like shoving spoons into people's mouths and manipulating the voice into something it is not naturally. It takes the quality of the student's voice and enhances it while not neglecting the individual assets of each person's voice which differentiate it (and make it unique) from all others.

This is the only published work on this very effective, safe, and established vocal method.

It has easy to understand methods. Includes broad and specific techincal base. Provides approaches for all levels, from beginning to professional. It explains voice problems, causes, and how to avoid and correct the problems if possible. The example vocalises are extremely understandable and easy to apply. The index is thorough. The book maintains your interest and motivating. A must book for voice instructors.

This book is a wonderful help to any voice teacher or serious voice student. I strongly recommend it. The book can serve as a complete guide to voice training, especially for beginners.

Henderson begins with tips of caring for the voice correctly in speaking and singing. There is also a chapter which introduces the parts of the body used in singing and how they function. The main thrust of her training manual, however, is in posture, breathing, and resonance, the three most important areas of singing.

Henderson's manual here is quite instructional and practical, often with pictures of both right and wrong methods. Some pictures can be very helpful, as many singers are unaware of what it looks like when someone is singing with their mask in the proper shape.

In her section on developing correct resonance and tone, Henderson provides a slew of short vocal exercises, perhaps even too many in my opinion. The latter sections incorporate the previous chapters' information into singing a vocal song, performance techniques, choral techniques, and cases of vocal abuse.

In addition to the metal spiral-bound soft-cover book, there is also a short cassette tape which records the exercises. This may be helpful, but I found the book descriptions of the exercises to be sufficient.

Other great books on singing are by Clifton Ware, Oren Brown, Richard Miller, Richard Alderson, and James McKinney. Henderson's book can be a valuable resource to any voice teacher.

this is a great book for everybody to own this book really teaches in the right way how to sing without straining your throat and Larra Browning does a good job holding the attention on how to do the exercises as well as how to perform and how to do other things that you need to do when you get ready to sing. This book I would highly recommend to everyone whether you are a singer a Choral Director or a voice teacher you can really learn from this book on how to sing and also how to warm up your choir. So as a future Choir Director and Voice teacher this is a great book on singing as well as how to also take care of your voice.

Although the content of the book is as good as described in the reviews, I was disappointed to discover that it is NOT hard cover. It is spiral bound with a very thin paperboard cover, then comes in a paperboard "storage box" the consistency of a cereal box. It may survive a year with me before the cover is bent and torn and the pages start falling out. For the price, my expectations were higher.