- Paperback: 213 pages
- Publisher: Singular Publishing Group Inc.; 2nd Revised edition edition (1 July 1994)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1565939409
- ISBN-13: 978-1565939400
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 14.7 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,146,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Product Description
Review
"[A] unique and welcome addition to the literature.... A highly recommended reference for all involved with this business of singing."
Product Description
Practical reference manual and accompanying audiotape deal with the vocal problems encountered daily in the teaching studio and choral rehearsal Accompanying audiotape contains 14 voice samples cross-referenced to text Male and female voice samples help to identify basic characteristic sounds associated with each fault
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a very useful resource for singing teachers, whether they have experience or are just beginning to teach. Unlike most other singing "manuals" this book looks at common vocal faults and provides useful techniques for tackling them. Due to its very structured and organised layout, it is very easy to make quick references, when faced with a particular vocal problem, such as breathiness, pitching, changes of register, etc..
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
20 reviews
68 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Laying out the right way to teach voice
10 Feb 2005
Format:Paperback
I've read several books on Voice Pedagogy and this is clearly the best one. James McKinney, the author, is a former student of William Vennard, a great voice teacher and voice pedagogue.
McKinney treats his book in a somewhat similar way that the MD might treat a patient (though, naturally, there are many differences between the M.D. and the voice teacher). I especially like McKinney's concept that the observation begins as soon as the student walks in the door. How do they stand? Talk? Act?
McKinney's chapters cover all the right areas of vocal production all in the right order: posture, breathing and support, phonation, registration, voice classification, resonation, articulation, the speaking voice, and coordination.
What I really like about the book is that McKinney dispenses with all the mumbo-jumbo of some voice books and gets right to the point. During each chapter, he notes the various problems associated with each chapter heading (problems relating to vowels which are too dark) and gives several concrete options for fixing the selected problem. If there are things McKinney doesn't know about (such as the exact cause of vibrato), he states the latest theories and scientific evidence, gives his personal opinion from his experience, and states that he doesn't really know. He does all this as well in a very clear fashion.
There are two things I don't like about this book, and I must say that they're not extremely significant. First, McKinney uses phonetic symbols instead of IPA symbols. Also, he doesn't have a conclusion. The book stops abruptly at the end.
But these aren't "dealbreakers." If I had to recommend voice pedagogy books, this would be one of the first, along with books by Clifton Ware, Oren Brown, and Richard Miller (good but more technical).
McKinney treats his book in a somewhat similar way that the MD might treat a patient (though, naturally, there are many differences between the M.D. and the voice teacher). I especially like McKinney's concept that the observation begins as soon as the student walks in the door. How do they stand? Talk? Act?
McKinney's chapters cover all the right areas of vocal production all in the right order: posture, breathing and support, phonation, registration, voice classification, resonation, articulation, the speaking voice, and coordination.
What I really like about the book is that McKinney dispenses with all the mumbo-jumbo of some voice books and gets right to the point. During each chapter, he notes the various problems associated with each chapter heading (problems relating to vowels which are too dark) and gives several concrete options for fixing the selected problem. If there are things McKinney doesn't know about (such as the exact cause of vibrato), he states the latest theories and scientific evidence, gives his personal opinion from his experience, and states that he doesn't really know. He does all this as well in a very clear fashion.
There are two things I don't like about this book, and I must say that they're not extremely significant. First, McKinney uses phonetic symbols instead of IPA symbols. Also, he doesn't have a conclusion. The book stops abruptly at the end.
But these aren't "dealbreakers." If I had to recommend voice pedagogy books, this would be one of the first, along with books by Clifton Ware, Oren Brown, and Richard Miller (good but more technical).
59 of 61 people found the following review helpful
A Primary Foundational and Clear Resource
13 April 2002
Format:Paperback
McKinney is the direct descendant--vocally speaking--of the great pedagogue, William Vennard. His technical bent and his ability to communicate in easy-to-understand language has made him indispensable to an increasing number of voice teachers, choral conductors and singers. His systematic approach to the subject, as illustrated in the table of contents, makes the book a resource to keep handy (The Nature of Sound, Posture, Breathing and Support, Phonation, Registration, Voice Classification, Resonation, Articulation, The Speaking Voice, and Coordination).
I use this as the foundation for teaching vocal pedagogy to college music-voice majors. If you are looking for a fundamental and thorough knowledge of singing; or, want to learn how to spot and correct vocal faults, this is the resource to have. Other highly-recommended sources often come with a lot of "jargon" and terms in Italian and German and French that one needs dictionaries to translate. Wading through such material may be productive for a music researcher, but difficult for someone who's primary language is English who is also looking for ready answers. In my estimation, James C. McKinney's work is a jewel in the growing library of vocal-pedagogy resources. I would even go so far as to say that if there were a "bible" for vocal pedagogy - this should be it. Time will continue to prove its worth.
I use this as the foundation for teaching vocal pedagogy to college music-voice majors. If you are looking for a fundamental and thorough knowledge of singing; or, want to learn how to spot and correct vocal faults, this is the resource to have. Other highly-recommended sources often come with a lot of "jargon" and terms in Italian and German and French that one needs dictionaries to translate. Wading through such material may be productive for a music researcher, but difficult for someone who's primary language is English who is also looking for ready answers. In my estimation, James C. McKinney's work is a jewel in the growing library of vocal-pedagogy resources. I would even go so far as to say that if there were a "bible" for vocal pedagogy - this should be it. Time will continue to prove its worth.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
A Good Reference for the Vocal Studio Bookcase
1 Nov 2005
Format:Paperback
While I presume that most voice teachers will not find a great deal of new material here, this book is an excellent resource for quick reference. The information is factual and clear, without a great deal of opinion. The book divides vocal faults into various categories, faults related to: Posture; Breathing and Support; Phonation; Registration; Classification; Resonation; Articulation; Speaking Voice; Coordination. Although the focus on faults may appear to be a negative approach, the book is intended for teachers, not students. Highly recommended (for teachers) - this is a book my bookcase wouldn't be without.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
