Set Your Voice Free (Hardcover)

by Roger Love (Author), Laura Schlessinger (Foreword), Donna Frazier (Contributor) "YOUR VOICE is an intimate part of you..." (more)
Key Phrases: progress tape, chest voice, high larynx, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"I had never realized how much our ability to speak comfortably and correctly matters to our psyches and our effectiveness in communication." -- Dr. Laura Schlessinger, from the Foreword

"I study with Roger and you should too." -- Joe Elliott, lead singer, Def Leppard

"If you want to sing like the stars, Roger Love is the way." -- Robert Lamm, singer/songwriter, Chicago

"Over the years, I have worked with more vocal coaches-and tried more vocal techniques-than I care to remember. It wasn't until I met Roger Love that I gained 100 percent certainty that my voice would perform the way I expect and need it to. With Roger Love's new book, you too have the opportunity to learn from a truly amazing vocal master." -- Anthony Robbins, author, Awaken the Giant Within and Unlimited Power

Product Description
Roger Love, vocal coach of the Beach Boys, Chicago, and Hanson, among others, and voice coach to celebrities such as Martin Landau, and Tony Robbins, reveals the secrets to getting the speaking or singing voice you want in this book and CD package. With an innovative technique and enjoyable exercises that have worked wonders with his professional clients, Roger Love demonstrates how to carry a tune, expand vocal range, and speak with ease, confidence, and effectiveness.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (October 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316441791
• ISBN-13: 978-0316441797
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #328,048 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars NO book is as good as this one pretends to be., August 13, 2006

By	Stevo (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Set Your Voice Free: How To Get The Singing Or Speaking Voice You Want (Paperback)

I'm one of those guys that only sings in the shower or his car, so this was my first foray into singing for real. The thought of removing vocal defects and bringing forth my "true" voice was simply awe-inspiring, and for several months I was serious about practicing the material every day.

I mastered the breathing exercises, and can "slow leak" (make a hissing sound for as long as possible) for roughly 45 seconds without difficulty. I can match his pitch on all but the highest parts of the exercises, and I have a fuller chest voice now. I don't claim to have "finished" the material, by any means, but there has been some progress.

So I'm thinking that if I'm able to hit the higher notes (I loves me some Coldplay), then everything's good. Right? As far as this book teaches, if you can follow the piano, then it's all you'll ever need to do, and that's patently false. It doesn't emphasize the nuances of supporting your singing with proper breathing, only says that it should be effortless. When I take a moment to hear myself singing, I notice the range is wider, but the sound (whether it be my tone, sustain, or something else) is still unpleasant, and this book has no remedy for that.

Roger goes into great detail about the types of vocal defects, like the brassy, gravelly, airy, or nasal voices, and delves into how they're created and fixed... but I don't have any of those. He talks about how to add more color to your speaking voice, so that you don't sound so monotonous... but I don't need help there.

Essentially, he covers more bases than most voice books, but for people who just want to know how to sing pleasantly, his techniques are lacking. Out of 30 tracks on the CD, I probably listened to three, which were the exercises themselves. The rest of it (including a primer on rhythm that involves clapping on beats one and two) was less than useful, and felt like filler.

Roger also spends an ample amount of time using anecdotes that involve famous people to convince you that he's going to change your life (not just your voice!). By all the testimonials from quoted singers and actors, you'd think that this was the most popular guy in the vocal training business. Quite frankly, I could have done without most of the self-touting.

As others have mentioned, his "understanding" of anatomy is also flawed. So if you skip those parts, and you skip the self-touting, and you skip the "fixing defects," and you skip the motivational speaker stuff, then you wind up with a text that provides a few breathing and vocal exercises, and little else.

In short, if you really want to learn to sing (and not all that other stuff) from a book/CD, then this package doesn't fully deliver because it wastes too much content on irrelevant topics.

78 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make yourself heard, July 12, 2003

By	FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

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!

55 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help For Spasmodic Dysphonia, December 3, 1999

By	Raymond Housteau (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

About a year ago, after a severe cold, I started experiencing problems with my voice. I am a stockbroker who gives many investment seminars, and use my voice continually to make a living. Needless to say I was panicked.

I was diagnosed with a condition called Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD) and was told there was no cure. The only treatment is to have injections of Botox (a poison) into my vocal cords several times a year.

There is a school of thought that believes that SD is a mechanical problem and that it is indeed curable. I have had some relief with techniques that improve the way I speak. I purchased "Set Your Voice Free" in the hopes that I would find a little more information that would help me regain more of my voice.

To my astonishment, in only two weeks of practicing his techniques I realized very significant improvement. At times I was actually speaking better than I ever have before SD.

I strongly believe that, aside from improving almost anybody's singing or speaking voice, this book could also be a powerful tool for those who may need to rehabilitate a troubled voice.

The book is easy to read, yet very informative. I was impressed with the information relating to the mechanics of voice. When you understand how things work, you have a better idea of where your problems may be.

The accompanying disc is in my car constantly and I try to do the exercises daily.

If you are looking for a way to quickly improve your vocal capabilities, order this book!