The highlights of Donald Miller's "Resonance in Singing: Voice Building through Acoustic Feedback" range from his philosophical treatise on why voice teachers can and should adopt technology into their practice to his explanation of how to utilize two specific technologies (VoceVista and the electroglottograph) to promote healthy and advance acquisition of vocal acoustics. As a reader, I felt as if I were sitting at the foot of a benevolent and wise father, garnering patience and focus along the way. If you're going to use the EGG, it's a good place to start. If you've never considered vocal acoustics before, however, you might want to give Ken Bozeman's book a read first.
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Miller is without question one of today's leading experts on vocal acoustics, and there is much to be learned from his texts. This book expects the reader to have a functional vocabulary in order to access its gems, however, and as such, will prove a challenge to the beginning voice science user. He is clear that the focus of this text is on classical singing instruction, though, I am eager for vocologists to give up this mantel and begin to address the voice as a whole. Miller even demonstrates his ability to do so at the end of the book when he analyzes Babbs and Ethel Merman. He also gives the clearest explanation of the head/chest metaphor complex that I've read. It still has trouble as a whole, but Miller's organizational scheme gives it more credibility than most, because of his understanding of acoustics. Further, I haven't read another book that as accurately describes second formant tuning, and the impact of closed quotient on the singing voice. This book is a must read for aspiring vocologists. Even if you don't agree with it all, Miller provides solid footing and countless inspiration.
~David |
