The Rock-N-Roll Singer's Survival Manual

This was the first vocal book I ever read and after reading many more this is still my favorite. It covers a wide range of topics, all of which are important for all singers. The chapters about diet can help you to make choices about foods that will better your voice. The chapters with exercises on breathing, if actually worked on each day until you get it down, will get your breathing up to standard for singing. The chapters with vocal exercises cover several problem areas. Each exercise has an explanation on why you are actually doing the exercise which is rare, and gives some tips to do it correctly. The books also covers how your overthinking and different emotions can affect the voice for the good or bad. It's important to read those so you realize that some of your problems (or even all of them) are psychological. Once you get past that you can start reversing the negative thoughts about your singing and you will quickly improve like I did. I suggest everyone gives this book a read. Even if you don't do any of the exercises you will still learn a lot that will help better your voice forever.

I have read close to 100 books on the subject of the voice, covering topics such as; vocal instruction, vocal anatomy, voice psychology, breath technique etc. I have read books on singing that have dated as far back as the 1890's. The Rock-N-Roll Singer's Survival Manual was the very 1st book that I actually ever sat down and read on the subject of voice, realting to rock vocals, and to this day, remains one of my favorites. Author Mark Baxter presents an easy to understand guide to the art of rock singing. He has taught many professional singers such as; Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and Steve Augeri of Journey. Following is the story about how I discovered this wonderful book: In the beginning of my vocal career, I sought out the expertise of an older woman who had taught voice for over 30 years. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't rock vocals she was teaching, so that experience didn't make it past 2 weeks. I'll never forget her face when I let out one of my metal screams. She said, " Oh dear, young man, you are going to ruin your voice"! So, I bid her farewell. Lucky for me, I stumbled across the path of The Rock-n-Roll Singer's Survival Manual when I went to visit a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in a couple of years. He let me borrow it for the night. I stayed up all night reading it. I knew very little about vocal anatomy and correct vocal technique. Mark's book covered these subjects fairly well. Not only did Mark explain how to use the voice, but he also explained the principles of why the voice works the way it does. Before I read The Rock-N-Roll Singer's Survival Manual, I knew about the falsetto and diaphragmatic breathing, but never really understood the purpose of falsetto and diaphragmatic breathing. I was so excited by what I had learned, that the next day, I ran down to the local music store to see if they had it in stock. I bought my very own copy and re-read it by the weekend. Mark Baxter, the author, has put together an excellent, easy to understand, vocal instruction manual, specifically geared towards the rock vocalist. This 231-page book is full of illustrations, lessons, and vocal tips which are guaranteed to enhance the vocal knowledge of any aspiring singer, from beginner to pro. The book covers topics such as, vocal health, breathing technique, vocal technique, and the mental side of singing. The book also contains an "Animated Breather", which is an animated illustration that comes to life when you flip the pages of the book, illustrating proper breathing. Mark also presents a series of exercises to help you reach your voice potential. Whether you are a beginner, or a professional, I suggest adding a copy of The Rock-N-Roll Singer's Survival Manual to your bookshelf! Mark Baxter has also produced a companion video to the book entitled The Singer's Toolbox. If you are serious about singing, I'd suggest purchasing both.

Mark Baxter through this and his other published material has not only changed my singing, but also my life. The problem with people who want to sing better is that they are IMPATIENT... impatience will only make the wrong group of muscles stronger. His approach is simple... in order to learn to sing better you need to vocalize, not sing. You need to vocalize around the sounds that feel loose and free and then challenge yourself a little more... if you crack, DON'T PUSH more air and make yourself hurt... as opposed to control, that is lack of control and nothing else. Mark's approcah isn't classical, and it really isn't about "special" exercises that turn you into a great singer in minutes... they're all about simplicity. Let your voice crack when you vocalize, adjust the air pressure, you might be pushing the air or using too little of it. Find the BALANCE between the amount of air coming from your lungs (and being regulated by your diagphragm) and the amount of resistance your vocal cords are putting up. It's really that simple! We singers make it harder either because we are insecure or underdeveloped. PATIENCE and HARD WORK is what achieving control over the voice takes! It's not about how loud you can blast, it's about how much dynamic control you have over your voice. Do not raise your larynx, you are using muscles that you do NOT need to be using. The idea, ESPECIALLY in rock music is to use THE LEAST amount of muscles it takes! If you're using your neck to control a pitch you're unnecesarily sacrificing your ability to RELEASE your voice. If you don't trust your voice (which you develop through training) it is unlikely that others would. Even if you're pushing it harder than you should, which will limit your abilities more than you could ever imagine. BUY THIS BOOK! I also recommend the Singer's Toolbox. They're both dated and the book has grammar and spelling issues, but the information and insights are INVALUABLE! Also do a search on his 15 minute warm-up routine... I live by it!

I read this book 2 years ago and thought it was great. Now I'm just reading it again, and I realise how much more than just "great" that book is. It is a necessity!!! Just get it, NOW!It's not just another book full of scale exercises. This one goes much deeper into yourself, with that overall concept that a singer is both a musician and its instrument, all in one. And it really helps understanding the instrument better: how your body is going to react to what your mental state is, what you eat, what drugs you do...Then it also explains how to get rid of all the muscle activity that comes with singing that you DON'T need. So it kinda goes from the principles that everything is already inside you, you just add to many tensions to it making it difficult. Mark is really good at helping you isolate and focus on the simple muscles you'll need to sing, and develop those while getting rid of everything else you do that prevents your voice from going out unaltered......Another thing I love with that book is that instead of finding yourself practicing hundreds of various scales exercises, but instead you'll know precisely why you're doing a particular exercise, and what it's developing in your body. That makes the whole exercise much more valuable!!!Get it, read it, and practice. And in two years, read it again. You'll understand how necessary reading material it is for any rock singer.

Buy this book! It is the only resource I am aware of that addresses the unique issues faced by rock or pop singers. Baxter has a nice gift for getting his points across clearly. It gives you exercises, techniques, and more, without being "technical". Even deals with such issues as singers who smoke, or just have to sing in smoke-filled rooms. You will enhance your vocal ability and longevity after reading this book, as well as be inspired to reach for the next high note in your singing career.