Roger Burnley is a vocal coach from Hollywood, California. He has an impressive resume that boasts helping amateurs and Grammy award winners alike. The DVD is designed to teach voice lessons in the comfort of the pupil’s own home. It is a little over an hour long and is accompanied by a CD to aid with the vocal exercises.

The DVD takes place in Burnley’s own studio. Burnley’s primary focus in the DVD is to teach the user how to identify certain flaws within their own technique and offer exercises and tricks to help build proper singing habits. One thing I found interesting in the DVD is that Burnley used his own students when making the DVD. They aren’t exceptional, just average people looking to improve their vocal skills. It gave the whole video a very down to earth feel. Some instructional videos use professionals as the participants. Professionals make extremely difficult things look easy and ultimately can be a bit frustrating for the viewer. Burnley’s use of his own students created a an environment that showed not only proper technique but things that one might want to stay away from doing. Roger emphasized a lot of physical things that can be done while practicing to sing that will keep the sound focused in its proper place.

It is a practical DVD that has a lot of upside to it. Not everyone who would like to sing has time or money to seek out a voice teacher. Roger brings the lessons to them and offers a few basic methods and things to think about when singing that can really improve anyone’s voice. The lessons will improve awareness of sound placement when singing and also the control of the muscles around the vocal chords that restrict good singing. I have taken voice lessons and found myself learning new things about proper singing and ways to improve my sound. The only thing downside to this DVD and voice lessons in general for that matter is you get out what you put in. Do not expect to pop this DVD in, maybe take a few notes and your voice instantly improve. Singing well requires time and practice but Burnley offers a good medium to improve your voice.

Reviewed by: Ben Black

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