This book is very helpful and has good information. I am glad I purchased it and was pleased with the dealer's service.

While I presume that most voice teachers will not find a great deal of new material here, this book is an excellent resource for quick reference. The information is factual and clear, without a great deal of opinion. The book divides vocal faults into various categories, faults related to: Posture; Breathing and Support; Phonation; Registration; Classification; Resonation; Articulation; Speaking Voice; Coordination. Although the focus on faults may appear to be a negative approach, the book is intended for teachers, not students. Highly recommended (for teachers) - this is a book my bookcase wouldn't be without.

Being a teacher, we are supposed to come up with positive ways to address things to our students. This book "Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults" deals all about the bad stuff to look for in a vocal choir. It seems as though it could be written a little more positively. Being forced to read stuff with a negative mindframe is not my cup of tea!

I've read several books on Voice Pedagogy and this is clearly the best one. James McKinney, the author, is a former student of William Vennard, a great voice teacher and voice pedagogue.

McKinney treats his book in a somewhat similar way that the MD might treat a patient (though, naturally, there are many differences between the M.D. and the voice teacher). I especially like McKinney's concept that the observation begins as soon as the student walks in the door. How do they stand? Talk? Act?

McKinney's chapters cover all the right areas of vocal production all in the right order: posture, breathing and support, phonation, registration, voice classification, resonation, articulation, the speaking voice, and coordination.

What I really like about the book is that McKinney dispenses with all the mumbo-jumbo of some voice books and gets right to the point. During each chapter, he notes the various problems associated with each chapter heading (problems relating to vowels which are too dark) and gives several concrete options for fixing the selected problem. If there are things McKinney doesn't know about (such as the exact cause of vibrato), he states the latest theories and scientific evidence, gives his personal opinion from his experience, and states that he doesn't really know. He does all this as well in a very clear fashion.

There are two things I don't like about this book, and I must say that they're not extremely significant. First, McKinney uses phonetic symbols instead of IPA symbols. Also, he doesn't have a conclusion. The book stops abruptly at the end.

But these aren't "dealbreakers." If I had to recommend voice pedagogy books, this would be one of the first, along with books by Clifton Ware, Oren Brown, and Richard Miller (good but more technical).

I found once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. What wonderful information and wisdom for vocalists and/or their teachers. This should be a must read for anyone involved in singing.