Customer Reviews

Roger Love's Vocal Power: Speaking with Authority, Clarity and Conviction (Your Coach in a Box)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This Audio book is very similar to his regular book called "Set Your Voice Free". Although this book seems more geared towards speakers while the other seems more geared towards singers.

A lot of information about developing your voice (breathing, overcoming undesirable vocal traits, finding your middle voice) was also in his regular book called "Set Your Voice Free". There are a lot of passages that are copied word-for-word. A lot of the vocal exercises are identical. I found that information very helpful.

Some information, that is not in "Set Your Voice Free", deals more with pyschological mumbo jumbo about developing a postive mindset. Like overcoming your fears by telling yourself "they want to hear me. They love me". Or overcoming your nervousness by simply being prepared. I don't know whether this information is useful or not.

So if you get one book, you could probably just skip the other.

Yes, a lot of his material is either culled from his other works or from any of your basic Dale Carnegie 'how to win friends and influence people' self-help genre. But let's face it: that last genre hasn't come out with an original concept in about 10 years, so maybe we shouldn't blame a voice-coach for not offering any terrific new insights?

I bought this because every semester when I start teaching, I go from talking almost not at all to talking 5-7 hours a day, and my throat was *raw* and I had no voice left. It was, then, a desperation purchase. I figured if it could help at *all*, it would be worth the money in future semesters without the ouchie. While his other stuff mostly concentrated on singers and their interests, this is totally focussed on public speaking, which was spiffy. I've a decent singing voice but it had no crossover to the endurance or quality of my speaking voice, until now.

Honestly, he makes some good points, and though he seems to pad and is perhaps a little puffy in the ego department, he knows his stuff. Since I started using it (yeah, I got irked by the lack of utility of CD 1 but I pressed on ahead), I've been more aware of how I breathe when I speak (which is different from pranayama, as another reviewer tries to relate it to), and that there *is* a way to take the brassiness out of my voice. FINALLY!! So if you endure, and be patient with him in the first CD, I promise you, it'll pay off. My voice doesn't hurt at the end of the day any more, and I'm paying more attention in how I say things (melodically, etc). I don't have much use for his 'fear of public speaking'--I've never had that. But just because it's not something *I* find useful, that doesn't mean that someone else would find that part of the program useful.

Bottom line, I feel like I got my money's worth: my voice doesn't hurt any more, I can get rid of some of the less attractive qualities when I speak, and I feel generally better about how I present myself when I talk. Maybe it's not the best thing since sliced bread, but that's good enough for me.

I never realized how much impact the sound of my voice has on how I communicate, how I come across to others, and how I feel about myself. VOCAL POWER convinced me that the quality of my voice makes a huge difference, and then taught me what I can do about it. I never really thought I could do much to change my voice, but it turns out there's a lot I can do, without too much effort. Best of all, it works!

Roger Love is the vocal coach to several big starts and bestselling speaker/authors, and as he explains how all of us can tap into our natural charisma you can hear why he works with such high-powered, successful clients. He is totally engaging and inspiring, demonstrating all sorts of things on CD that you could never get across so effectively in a book. And he's not afraid to sound a little goofy when it helps him make an important point.

Now that I've listened to all seven CDs and done the exercises, my speaking voice has a clarity and resonance I never thought I could have. Most important, I've learned that I feel more confident when I sound more confident. As a result, even though it focuses only on the voice, VOCAL POWER is one of the most inspiring, empowering self-help or programs I've ever heard.

Roger Love demonstrates magnificent vocal coaching skills and how-to techniques in this "must have" resource for anybody who speaks publicly (including teachers, sales professionals, speakers, broadcasters, voiceover pros, managers and others).

Anybody who's good enough to be Tony Robbins' voice coach is certainly worth learning from, was my thinking when I first decided to get this program. And Roger overdelivers with a great variety of techniques (and inspiration and insights to learn from) in this "vocal coaching masterpiece".

In addition, he's got a very interesting voice, so he's easy to listen to; no dry monotonous academic training here - in addition to the superb exercises he does out loud for you w/piano, his vocal style and range is exceptional, and interesting to listen to - which makes learning that much better and more effective.

I've had voice coaches, been a public speaker for 20 years, and this is certainly something I wish I'd had earlier in my career - and it's helping me to this very day. Roger is inspirational, he's helpful, and his techniques *work* with stunning results. I'd easily have paid $200 for the content in these cds, it's a remarkable value from one of the world's very top vocal coaches. Superb job - thanks Roger!

Highly recommended.

-Ken

p.s. other public speaking resources I recommend are Lily Waters and Brian Tracy; they've got superb books/cds/videos on the topic of public speaking as well; one thing I really appreciate about Roger's course is that it also gives you vocal exercises to strengthen your voice, eliminate problems with your delivery, and expand your vocal range. A++

I heartily recommend this product. It gives lots of helpful information and advice. It offers valuable practice excercises. And it ends up with a daily warm-up practice disc that will help you keep your newly acquired skills on track. One caveat: you have to keep practicing and exercising. If you stick with it for two weeks, you will find yourself pleased, and perhaps even amazed, with the results.

I never made it beyond CD #1 because that was so uninteresting that I wasn't going to subject myself to further rambling. The "coach" does LOTS of name dropping & just giving examples. During the whole of CD #1, he gave about 2 mins. of actual work for you to try. The rest was just listening to him speak about...him. I would save my money and go to your local voice coach. I think you will be much better off. If one is not listed in your phone book, try your local high school music teachers (they give private lessons after school to make extra money). You can also try a local community college or church music director. Go for live help, not CD. Besides, an actual person can help you with specific areas where a CD just keeps repeating itself. I hope this helped...

The narrator sounds annoying, like a little nephew trying to get the family's attention and impress them. Specifically, he sounds like a try-hard, like he is trying a little too hard for attention. I was expecting a better voice narrating this, an easy, comfortable voice. Roger Love should have hired someone with a pleasant and compelling voice to narrate this book.

My 5 gripes with this audiobook, in ascending order of importance:

1. He says, "Whether or not" when he ought to just leave it at "whether."
2. Like Anthony Robbins, who he says he coached, he says "BOLTH," when there is no 'L' in "both." Speaking of Anthony Robbins, say what you like about Robbins, I think he's great, but he is great in SPITE of his voice, not because of it. Of all the traits to emulate in Tony Robbins, the last thing on the list is his voice. On the other hand, a coach who teaches the same stuff Robbins teaches, Paul Mckenna, has an outstanding voice.

3. Too often, the narrator, an expert on voice, ends his clauses with a rising pitch, as if he's not sure anyone is listening (like a gum-chewing girl in high school when telling a never-ending story with only commas and no periods).

4. Roger Love's sense of humor is very strained, like Anthony Robbins'. "If your voice is sore from, say, screaming at your pet alligator, then...."

5. Still not convinced? Try repeating this affirmation from Roger Love's "Your Perfect Voice":

...."MY VOICE IS RUINING MY LIFE. I'm not going to let that happen anymore." This was one of three affirmations on CD 3, Forget the Fillers. This is the WORST WORST WORST affirmation I've ever heard. The last thing I want to repeat to myself in a loud, self-assured voice, is, "MY VOICE IS RUINING MY LIFE."

I really liked this set of CD's. It gives you practical hands on advice and helps you understand what it takes to improve your speaking and singing voice. I recently took a course on voice development and I have to say the imformation in this set was superior. The first CD is a little too much PR but once past that it is invaluable. If you are just starting out then this is an inexpensive way to gain really good info....buy it!!

I have been doing the daily exercises for slightly more then a month and they help tremendously! All the information Roger Love gives you in all of the CDs is all you need to understand how Vocal Power really works. The only thing thats missing is personal coaching, but thats only if you want further advancement or feel like you need it.

Recommend it to anyone who wants to develop charisma, clarity, and confidence in their voice.

Excellent resource for anyone that needs their voice to work for them, not against them! We are all in public speaking when it comes down to it.