For the singers here(Nora,SusieP,Jeremey,Michael,Bryan ... )

[*Laura]

Sorry if I left any of you out.

I was looking for a gift on Amazon and stumbled on these 2 books that I find really interesting for all of you working with your voices.

Don't know which one is better,but I guess they both have valuable info and advices.

Well,maybe this one,Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing might be a bit interesting as it has the input of an impressive list of renown singers ,from James LaBrie to Geoff Tate.

The other one is the Rock'n'Roll Singer's Survival Manual and IMO it's a more detailed insight on how should a singer take care,improve and preserve the voice.

Details are inside the books.

[Michael Leigh]

Sorry if I left any of you out.

I was looking for a gift on Amazon and stumbled on these 2 books that I find really interesting for all of you working with your voices.

Don't know which one is better,but I guess they both have valuable info and advices.

Well,maybe this one,Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing might be a bit interesting as it has the input of an impressive list of renown singers ,from James LaBrie to Geoff Tate.

The other one is the Rock'n'Roll Singer's Survival Manual and IMO it's a more detailed insight on how should a singer take care,improve and preserve the voice.

Details are inside the books.

Hey Laura,
Don't know about the Pro Secrets book, but I do have the Survival Guide book AND VHS tape.
Mark Baxter is really great. He has coached a lot of people including Steven Tyler and Augeri.
He coached Augeri when he first joined Journey,helping him get back in shape after his long hiatus from singing.There is some good info in there, and talks about how to sing when sick,diet,proper breathing,etc.
Good Book. Well worth checking out!
If you are interested in learning more about vocal technique,I would encourage EVERYONE to check out my vocal coach-Tony Harnell!!
Tony does teach out of NYC, but is really good about answering questions on his forum at www.tonyharnell.com.
Tony is a great teacher, and I have learned some invaluable things from him.
Tony teaching is geared more to technique and approach vs theory,etc.
Drop him a line!!

[larryfromnextdoor]

besides them books,, this is jim gillette from nitro!!! he walks around breaking glasses with his voice...
http://www.getsigned.com/Merchant2/merc ... e=VOPWRDVD



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH5gmbugmxM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOEBL7ypINo
long way from home

[*Laura]

Sorry if I left any of you out.

I was looking for a gift on Amazon and stumbled on these 2 books that I find really interesting for all of you working with your voices.

Don't know which one is better,but I guess they both have valuable info and advices.

Well,maybe this one,Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing might be a bit interesting as it has the input of an impressive list of renown singers ,from James LaBrie to Geoff Tate.

The other one is the Rock'n'Roll Singer's Survival Manual and IMO it's a more detailed insight on how should a singer take care,improve and preserve the voice.

Details are inside the books.

Hey Laura,
Don't know about the Pro Secrets book, but I do have the Survival Guide book AND VHS tape.

Mark Baxter is really great. He has coached a lot of people including Steven Tyler and Augeri.
He coached Augeri when he first joined Journey,helping him get back in shape after his long hiatus from singing.There is some good info in there, and talks about how to sing when sick,diet,proper breathing,etc.
Good Book. Well worth checking out!
If you are interested in learning more about vocal technique,I would encourage EVERYONE to check out my vocal coach-Tony Harnell!!
Tony does teach out of NYC, but is really good about answering questions on his forum at www.tonyharnell.com.
Tony is a great teacher, and I have learned some invaluable things from him.
Tony teaching is geared more to technique and approach vs theory,etc.
Drop him a line!!

Michael,you work with Harnell??Wow,I had no idea!
I sure understand why you think so highly of him,he is one of the best out there!I know his site and been visiting his forum...

Actually,I gave up the idea of singing as in professionally singing a long time ago.Now I do that just for fun and eat all the dairy I want.

The book is an idea for someone else.I'll take your advice and order the Survival Manual,I also thought it's more informative.
Thanks!

[brywool]

Sorry if I left any of you out.

I was looking for a gift on Amazon and stumbled on these 2 books that I find really interesting for all of you working with your voices.

Don't know which one is better,but I guess they both have valuable info and advices.

Well,maybe this one,Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing might be a bit interesting as it has the input of an impressive list of renown singers ,from James LaBrie to Geoff Tate.

The other one is the Rock'n'Roll Singer's Survival Manual and IMO it's a more detailed insight on how should a singer take care,improve and preserve the voice.

Details are inside the books.

R&R survival manual is great. It's a Mark Baxter book. Mark's worked with Augeri, Tyler, Reznik and ME before. He's really cool and it's a great book. I would also recommend Raise Your Voice by Jaime Venderra. The other one (pro secrets) I don't have, I think that's more of an interview book with some singers, some of them who sing incorrectly.
Also, stay away from Mark's "Sing like an Idol" CD. It's not for the serious singer. Jaime's book is really comprehensive. He's the guy that did the interview with Augeri. Not a great interview as far as talking about Jaime is concerned (you could tell Jaime was excited to be talking to Steve) but his book has some of the BEST stuff in it and I've read a TON of voice books. It's really good. He also offers a download version (or used to) on his web site.

[ohsosoto]

Sorry if I left any of you out.

I was looking for a gift on Amazon and stumbled on these 2 books that I find really interesting for all of you working with your voices.

Don't know which one is better,but I guess they both have valuable info and advices.

Well,maybe this one,Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing might be a bit interesting as it has the input of an impressive list of renown singers ,from James LaBrie to Geoff Tate.

The other one is the Rock'n'Roll Singer's Survival Manual and IMO it's a more detailed insight on how should a singer take care,improve and preserve the voice.

Details are inside the books.

does this include a how-to in regards to a SING ALONG with or JUST MOUTH THE WORDS? if so, i'm sure it has sold at least one copy.

[SusieP]

Hi Shania,

I too have the Mark Baxter book. I have found it very helpful.

I sing three/four nights a week for my living so any advice on how to keep a voice healthy is always welcome. In fact I haven't read it for a while, so maybe I should revisit the book. Thanks for reminding me about it.

A lot of stuff is common sense, i.e. vocal rest when not performing, drink plenty of water all through the day of a performance, get plenty of sleep, eat healthy, avoid smoking & alcohol and dairy etc., do a vocal warm up [and warm down if you need it.]
And the most important is sing comfortably within your range!

Mark Baxter's book covers more or less everything a singer needs to know. Not quite enough on cold and flu remedies for my liking, however. I would have preferred much more info on that - but its still a great book.

The toughest thing for a singer to cope with IMO is colds, sore throats/laryngitis and flu. Mark's solution is "don't catch a cold" - but no matter how careful you are, sometimes those evil little bugs will get you. Oh yes they will.
And many books dealing with remedies do not concentrate on people who need their vocal chords for their job. They advocate the use of lozenges with menthol in them and stuff like this - which I guess are okay if you don't need to sing, but menthol and any regular lozenges are a nightmare for a singer. They strip the throat of its necessary mucus as well as the excess caused by the cold - which defeats the object really. Your chords have to be kept wet and warm. Lozenges and menthol achieve the opposite. Except for blackcurrant ones or Propolis ones. They have no menthol and are soothing without stripping the throat dry.
Over time I have built up my own list of remedies which help soothe the throat and kill the cold before it really takes hold.

It's tough keeping that voice healthy!

[Jeremey]

Excellent info, Shania, thanks for the head's up.

I've never checked out any books or tapes or anything like that, though I studied classical voice for several years. Over time I've found what works best for the maintenance of my voice, similar to a lot of what Susie mentions above. I've been extremely lucky that I've never had to cancel shows due to voice issues, though there have been some close calls and last minute trips to the doc in the box before hitting the road.

[SusieP]

Yo Jeremy,
I've heard your voice etc on the stuff you've posted and you're a natural.

Some singers are.
It comes easy to them because their 'instrument' and technique is just 'there.' You don't need books to tell you how to sing and breathe - you just can.

[Jeremey]

Yo Jeremy,
I've heard your voice etc on the stuff you've posted and you're a natural.

Some singers are.
It comes easy to them because their 'instrument' and technique is just 'there.' You don't need books to tell you how to sing and breathe - you just can.

Thanks, Susie - though I truly need all the help I can get! You should have heard what the ENT had to say about the fact that I'm singing at all (other medical factors, etc)!

[SusieP]

Yo Jeremy,
I've heard your voice etc on the stuff you've posted and you're a natural.

Some singers are.
It comes easy to them because their 'instrument' and technique is just 'there.' You don't need books to tell you how to sing and breathe - you just can.

Thanks, Susie - though I truly need all the help I can get! You should have heard what the ENT had to say about the fact that I'm singing at all (other medical factors, etc)!

Really?
Nothing scary I hope? Hope you are okay, mate.


With breathing and stuff it is my belief [and I practice what I preach] that if you actually feel the emotion of the words you are singing, and you 'act' the song - the breathing comes naturally. As long as it's in your key.

[Jeremey]

Really?
Nothing scary I hope? Hope you are okay, mate.

No, nothing like that - Just a combination of chronic allergies, asthma, a repaired cleft palate, and a variety of "lifestyle" issues that aren't condusive to being a professional singer. I actually always thought that having been born with a cleft palate (which was repaired at a very early age) gave me more resonance and sound as a singer, but I learned from the docs that it would generally have the opposite effect. I'm grateful to be able to do what I do!

[conversationpc]

I actually always thought that having been born with a cleft palate (which was repaired at a very early age) gave me more resonance and sound as a singer, but I learned from the docs that it would generally have the opposite effect.

Freddie Mercury thought the same thing about his huge overbite. He refused to get corrective surgery because he feared it would ruin his voice. Of course, that makes no sense considering he was a smoker and drinker.

[Jeremey]

Freddie Mercury thought the same thing about his huge overbite. He refused to get corrective surgery because he feared it would ruin his voice. Of course, that makes no sense considering he was a smoker and drinker.

I think Streisand feels the same way about her huge honker. Wacko Jacko used opposite logic to explain his grotesque maxilofacial experiments. To some extent, people get superstitious about what brings them success and/or ability. My CP was never really an issue because it was repaired at such an early age, but that thought process always led me to believe there was something different about my physiology that affected my ability. Right now, my superstition is drinking several shots of Crown Royal before a show, which flies in the face of normal voice theory!

[SusieP]

Whatever works for you.

I'm a great believer in mind over matter too - You think therefore you are.

Just keep doing what you are doing, and keep enjoying what you do.
It's a great way to make a living.


Regarding the Streisand nose etc, in the Mark Baxter book, I remember there is a questions and answers section somewhere, and someone asks him why some people can just sing well naturally, and Mark says, in the same way that many tall people are good at basketball. Nature built 'em right.
It's the same with noses and mouths and vocal chords etc.