Roger Love - Set Your Voice Free: How to Get the Singing or Speaking Voice You Want

W ELCOME TO the new, expanded edition of Set Your Voice Free.

The world has changed massively since this book first appeared in 1999, and shifts in technology, the music industry, and our understanding of the true power of the voice have opened amazing new possibilities for people who know how to control the way they sound.

Today, any of us can potentially reach millions of people almost instantly, and start the process of getting our audience to trust us, believe us, like us, and connect with us. Based on what people hear as soon as we begin to sing or speak, they decide whether they want to listen to our music, hand us money, be moved by our message, or fall in love with us and what we have to offer.

Your new SoundCloud track, your Kickstarter campaign, your TED Talk, your audition, your big breakall that opportunity hinges on the power of your voice. Scientists tell us that we have one second to make the vocal impression that determines the way were received, and in the time since this book first appeared, Ive developed new techniques to help you ensure that your voice carries the precise sounds that will make people want to stay with you, rather than immediately tuning you out.

By using the classic exercises and the new material in this book, youll be able to showcase the best of yourselfyour talents, your passion, your originality, your authenticity. The techniques at the heart of the book are the ones Ive been refining for decades in my work with artists such as John Mayer and Gwen Stefani, as well as with actors such as Reese Witherspoon and Jeff Bridges, who didnt consider themselves to be singers before they worked with me, and these techniques will give your voice the power and resonance youve always wanted.

If all you do is focus on these techniques, youll be way ahead of almost every other singer or speaker competing for the attention of your audience. But I hope youll take advantage of the additional exercises and advice youll find in this edition to go beyond simply sounding good. Id like to plant the seed of the idea that you can use your voice to become a master influencer. The most profound discovery Ive made in the past fifteen years is this: If you know how to control the pitch, pace, tone, volume, and melody of your voicethe elements that form the core of this bookyou can consciously use them to guide the emotions of your listeners and magnify the impact of every communication you have.

The link between music and emotion has always been clear to usa song can make us weep or rage or dance for joybut we rarely carry the power of music into the way we speak. By marrying music and speech, I can help you become a much better singer and speaker at the same time. Ill show you how the best communicators use the intimate, musical power of sound to control peoples perceptions of them and move their listeners to action. Thats what real influence is, and Ill give you the tools to develop it.

Its odd to think about, but when this book originally appeared, there was no American Idol or Americas Got Talent or The Voice. Idol debuted in 2002, AGT in 2006, and The Voice didnt sing out in America until 2011. When the book came out, not even 50 percent of Americans were using the Internet regularly. iPhones werent even a glimmer in someones imagination. That time looks almost like the Dark Ages.

But I was busy on the front lines of the transformation of the music industry into a place where reality singing competitions, music-centered programs like Glee, audio streaming, and live performance became the new kingmakers. So in new chapters of this edition geared to singers, Ill share what I learned.

Ill give you a firsthand look at what it takes to live through the whirlwind of a show like Glee, or an Eminem or Gwen Stefani tour, managing the demands of performing on insane schedules and keeping your voice in top shape. When its time to hit the stage, where the profits are made in todays music industry, you need to be able to count on your voice. You cant just hide in the studio and order takeout. Ill show you how the hardest-working people I know do what they need to do, put shows together, and make sure their voices keep working for them.

Ill show you how stars such as Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, who werent singers before they worked with me, prepare for singing roles with techniques that will help you get ready for any demanding new role thats at the outer limits of your comfort zone.

Ill tell you exactly what youll need to do to stand out in an audition or a reality competition, and keep impressing the judges and audiences who are your gateway to opportunity.

Ill also show you how to master the art of being truly originalby writing your own material, even if you cant or arent musical. If you want control of your career, especially today, thats the step youve got to take, and Ill guide you through getting started, and making the most of your unique vision.

Because of the work I do with voice and emotion, Ive become known as an influence expert and vocal strategist, and students pay thousands of dollars a day to learn what I know. Ill introduce you to the basics of what I teach them and show you the next steps you can take to turn your voice into the vehicle that connects you in an intimate, powerful, and persuasive way with your listeners.