Freeing the Natural Voice: Imagery and Art in the Practice of Voice and Language

by Kristin Linklater, Andre Slob (Illustrator)

A classic text for theatre and film it has sold 100,000 copies in its first edition.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theatre, Music, Art, Writing, Self Help, Drama

381 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Josh Macphee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This to me is the holy bible of voice. It is liking meditation for art of singing and oration. Alike to meditation it's effects take a long time to propagate and master. However for anyone serious about developing great tone and bringing the emotional and imagination to their delivery, this book is for you. It won't do anything quickly, as with any skill you will have to do the exercises habitually and for a long time before you will really start to notice the effects. She says it will usually take about a year to get through the book if you are religious about it (definitely a lot of re-read value). However the work you put into it, you will get out of it. Once you match your thoughts up to the breath and get that flow between your inner dialogue and your breath and your words, you will be the smoothest mofo out there. You will become better in social situations, you will be the center of attention and people will stop to listen to you. They will be drawn to what you say and the vernacular you use, and they will be like that guy/gal says things so well and so simply. You will be able to get the words to work for you and crystallize your ideas without ever having to think about it. This book is a way of life not just a tool for acting or singing. It is in essence how to say things better, and how to say more with your words than just the word itself. I perhaps exaggerate slightly but it really did help me with my oratory skills. It will not teach musicianship as a singer or how to be more imaginative with your interpretation as an actor, but it will help connect the thoughts and emotions in your head through your delivery in a far easier and precise manner. Downside of course is you may become an over-emotional, egomanical pre-madonna if you confuse the emotional reality you create with your own sense of self, but that is another topic entirely...

[Spike Gomes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book abandoned in a cafeteria years ago and finally got around to reading when it struck me that perhaps I should work on my speaking voice, as my natural voice is a bit nasally and doesn't sound so good on my youtube videos. Honestly, I don't know whether it's worth it to try the program in this book for several reasons.

First off, it's pretty comprehensive. It demands nearly an hours worth of work daily for well over a month in order for it to have real results according to the author. Okay, that's perhaps understandable given that this book is written with actors in mind, who have to do vocal feats like speak in a muted way on stage that somehow is still audible to the audience in the back row.

It also appears to have been written *for* actors. It's comprehensive, yet delivered and ordered in a rather touchy-feely unintellectual and impractical way that's pretty alien to me. Heck, I've read Buddhist meditation manuals that were more down to earth than this! That sort of leads into my main beef with this book. It has all these practices meticulously organized and detailed with diagrams, but you really have no clue other than the most general idea of what the result is supposed to be for yourself. That you enunciate better? That you don't fatigue your vocal cords? That you're able to project? How am I, a layman, supposed to know if I'm really doing it right and it's working while I'm bouncing up and down making weird noises?

In short, this really isn't a DIY book despite it billed as usable in that way. It's an acting voice class textbook, really, with limited utility outside of that setting. From the reviews here, it seems that it's an *excellent* book on voice training for actors. But for a practical guy who wants to sound a little less like Ray Romano and a little more like Paul Harvey when he's speaking in formal settings it's darn near useless.

Two out of five stars

[Nick Kempinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great method to connect your body to your emotions. I was really surprised by the outcome. Excellent for anyone needing to communicate effectively.

I'm told that this (the newest edition) makes the process easier to grasp. So, if you've done this in the past, take the new version for a spin.

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very VERY heady. The information would, I feel, best be absorbed in a voice lesson/acting coaching session where you can be guided through all of the exercises. So many of them are about fluidly connected with the body that it’s nearly impossible to try them while having to break and come back to read step 2, 3, 4...
I ended up having to stop trying to attempt any of the exercises and just read it for content. But by the time I finished, I didn’t WANT to go back and try anything😂
Perhaps if you try things along the way, it’s better and more applicable.
It paints a picture of an extremely intense and long process by maintaining that in order to truly sing or speak healthfully, or act at ALL believably, one must take allllll this time to deconstruct, break down everything we know about sound, placement, singing, etc, and do emotional groundwork stuff before even attempting SOUNDS like “aahh” “la” or “ooooo”.

It may be good info, but it’s a lot, and it was hard for me to get anything out of, even though I’m a performer/singer.

[Goody]

I'm getting tense reading about how tense I am.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

our voices are imprinted with our life histories, with all the poor habits we've developed, with all the ways in which we've learned to inhibit our impulses and natural emotions. a poorly used spine throws off the balance of muscular exertion in your body, which forces a burden on your other muscles such as the diaphram and muscles of the shoulder, neck and throat--the pathways of breathing--which then burden your mouth and tongue and lips, which shape the sounds. and when i say, "small coffee, no milk two sugars, please," or emote sincere feelings of love, my messages can get mixed up. "coffee please" becomes "give me," and "i love you" becomes "give me."

maybe.

this is probably (?) useful for actors and singers. the illustrations are fucking awesome. i love the one of a torso detached from its head. you're supposed to imagine that your head is separate from your body. or something. maybe.

[Cedarlakeinn]

I got this book for a voice & diction class in college. Never actually read it. Now that I am interested in pursuing a career in voice-overs, I will start reading. Stay tuned.

[Rudolfo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book, but very hard to understand. Many exercises for the voice, for those who want to sing.

[Lyric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great for young actors looking to develop their vocal instrument and finding a natural way of breathing.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't technically finished reading this book, as it's full of exercises to progress through over about a year. I just got a bit bored with doing them. I may go back to it some time in the future.
I learnt a lot from the first few chapters, but I'm not sure the whole visualisation thing works for me. You can't really tell someone what to visualise. You have to come up with your own visualisations that work and make sense to you.
I initially bought this book to help me learn to sing, even though it's written for actors. I thought a more expressive speaking voice would probably be useful before I got into singing properly.
Very interesting concepts though, if you have an interest in the voice, and expressing yourself effectively.

[Dan Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizarre illustrations and intricate phonetic exercises fill this how-to guide for actors, singers, and anyone interested in refining their public speaking abilities. Much of the material echoes what I have learned from past voice teachers. It's a good reference and technical guide, although one always feels silly making the sounds and doing the stretching exercises that Linklater describes. Vocal practice is best in a private place, when you can make weird sounds and do Linklater's warmups to your heart's content.

[D.J. Sharry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book until the covers fell off and am still reading it. Kristin Linklater's passion and no nonsense writing vibrates out of every page and every page I turned was a revelation to me. The exercises are unique and work. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Sten Leinasaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written with detailed descriptions and captivating exercises.

Throughout the theater class when doing those exercises, you'll feel the difference.


"To free a voice is to free a person."

[Suzie Sims-Fletcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

she has a good idea - but it is culled in a sophomoric way from many many other sources. It seems a bit insulting...but maybe I am looking for scholarship.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning the art of using the voice

“ This is a deliberately long, slow, contemplative process. Do not hurry. Do not in for a result.”

[Sam Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruhhh shit changed my life fr I will never be the same.
It’s finally free.

[Zoe Hertzberg]

going to give myself this one as finished even tho I only diligently read like maybe 37%. I was really good at reading it and then the semester got too real. used AI for the first time to write my summaries and reflections for this process and the teacher quoted in my final review what the AI concluded that I learned from the class. positive connotation.

I’ve found merits with time from the linklater voice system I just did not like how the teacher taught it and I didn’t write her a review because I didn’t know what to say other than “this system is fine, I just don’t really like you”

[Liquidlasagna]

Books used by the Acting Studio of Chicago

1. Audition - Shurtleff
4. Actions: The Actors Thesaurus - Calderone/Loyd-Williams
5. Freeing The Natural Voice - Linklater
6. The Art Of Acting - Stella Adler
7. The Actor And The Target - Donnellan
8. The Intent To Live: Achieving Your True Potential As An Actor - Moss
9. A Practical Handbook For the Actor - Bruder
10. On The Technique of Acting - Chekhov

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristen’s ability to help the reader visualize their voice and help it become a more healthy instrument is truly inspired. I had to read this as part of a class, but in the end I ended up loving it, it’s a true necessity for any singer, actor, or performer, but still very helpful for the average citizen as well. A definite reread for me.

[Halle Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A staple for actors to read. I would have found it easier if I had a partner to work through it with me or a professor teaching it.

[Reid Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great material, painful experience

[Isabelle Purcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great to read in conjunction with my acting class, I feel like I have a great source for expanding my voice and breathing with my acting.

[Rebecca]

Recommended by Enid - I've been wanting to do some voice exercises, so we'll try this and see how it goes!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just say NO to vocal nodes!

[Levi Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book isn't specifically about preaching. Essentially, it is a book of exercises for "freeing the voice." It deals with muscle tension, breathing exercises, stretches, the mechanisms of the voice, and other useful insights into speaking techniques. It really is a book aimed at the theater, but there are some helpful things for preachers to garner from this text as well.

[Pavel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense book, I plan on following the authors suggestion of daily work with the exercises in this book.