The 3-Dimensional Voice: A Fun & Easy Method of Voice (The Wilson Voice Series)

Rating:
Summary: The Dawn of effective speaking
Review: As a competitive young actress/singer the treatment of my voice is a crucial issue. The 3-Dimentional Voice is an incredible opportunity not only to understand the vocal chords, but to employ techniques which allow for the most effective use of your voice. I encourage those who have careers which involve speaking to thoroughly read this book. You will develop confidence in a voice you never knew you had!

Rating:
Summary: good, but...
Review: I have to give this book three stars out of five (somehow I felt "conditioned" to give it five) because I feel it puts too much of an emphasis on strengthening the voice (I didn't know it needed to lift weights...would I want it to either?) and making it deeper and lower (way too stereotypical & dated: I know this may sound hard to believe, but I truly DON'T want to sound like James Earl Jones).

For me, personally, I felt like I was afflicted with the "pretty girl syndrome" voice: you sound like Brooke Shields (strained and perfectionistic) at times, but YOU'RE A BOY! My very pretty sister has the same problem (I probably picked up some of this nightmare from her) and I can't stand listening to her talk. I found out that this comes from TENSION and it sounds horrible: this book helped clear that up for me. I also realized my voice is more masculine than I thought which I'm not entirely comfortable with, but I can get pleasantly used to.

Like, I'm pretty playful when it comes to my voice and am effective with it when I imitate or joke around. When I have to be me...I got into this really bad habit during adolescence where I just blew off the whole voice thing and it carried over into my adulthood, especially when I'm supposed to be "serious".

What I would say is that the book is informative and that it gives the basic mechanisms of voice. My problem with it is that I'm going to have to reread and just pick out the parts of the book that are pertinent or relevant to what I want: I basically have to wade through and edit the whole book for myself now which is annoying, but I guess this stuff is work (but it shouldn't be: the author could have made it a little more effortless and pure). Like using the tongue and slackening the jaw and laying off the larynx for that heavy tension, but it's a pretty good primer anyways.

The author is too likable in that you're more willing to give her an A+ (she has this slick ability of getting you in fun mode and also like you get the feeling "if you don't give this book five stars this puppy will die" kind of feel) when it should be lower. It also tends to get a little too cutesy and optimistic at times (I think a "negative" voice can sound interesting at times: who wants to sound positive at a funeral? and is an optimistic, newscaster's voice that hip?).

I'm definitely getting Change your voice, change your life cause I want my already bashfully masculine voice to be real, unaffected, and not lifting weights each and everyday (I found a lot of the exercises annoying and conterproductive to my purposes and intent).

There are a LOT of distracting mispellings (Hypocrites instead of Hippocrates) and misprints that don't affect the content or information of the book, but are still sloppy. I'm just grateful I got the basic, 3d one on voice and not the 3d business voices (how cheesy must that voice sound like?). A good basic book, but BEWARE of sounding cheesy (deep and brawny voiced like that paper towel guy: yeah, that's the male ideal) and not so with it.

Rating:
Summary: All you'll ever need to know about the human voice.
Review: This book has a clear explination on all the parts of the body that are involved in making the voice do exactly what you want and need for it to do. I am a singer and have been studying my voice for years, but did not understsnd the workings of the body in relationship to my own sounds until now. Everyone who uses there voice for speeking or singing should read this book. Although it is informative, it is also fun to read. The author gives the information in a clear and fun way. The exercises are great and easy to do and have helped me to improve.