Voice-Tradition and Technology: A State of the Art Studio (1999). By Garyth Nair. Singular Publishing Group, Inc., 401 West A. St., Suite 325, San Diego, CA 92101-7904. $54.95. Reviewed by Deborah Fischer Adamczyk, North Allegheny School District, Wexford, PA.

The author of this text, Garyth Nair, is an associate professor of music, not a clinical researcher or physician. This book is designed to assist singers and teachers of singing in applying spectrographic technology in everyday practice. A CD-ROM accompanies the book, containing a copy of a spectrogram program along with a demonstration copy of VoceVista, a program that allows detailed power spectrum, waveform, and EGG analysis. These programs are designed to provide the reader with the opportunity to analyze the computer-generated examples provided within the book as a means of understanding the role that spectrograms can play in voice training.

The primary purpose of the book is to encourage voice practitioners to become familiar with new scientific knowledge and to use real-time, computer-aided feedback within the voice studio. Initial chapters of the book provide an overview of the physics of sound production and singing versus speech techniques. Subsequent chapters provide detailed information about specific use of the spectrogram in coaching singers in various phonemic and non-phonemic issues. The book also contains Singers APA table, a glossary, suggested readings, and basic analysis of various computerized speech-feedback systems, all of which are useful resources.

In general, this book will not be of great use to practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs), unless much of the practice is devoted to working with clients using the treatment to improve voice quality for singing. However, it may be helpful to practitioners to develop an understanding of spectrograms and the role they can play in analysis of various vocal functions. The author provides exercises that manipulate the spectrogram to provide visual feedback for specific sounds and voice qualities that may be useful in treatment. It would have been helpful if the author has provided this same information using other computerized feedback systems that he mentions briefly in an appendix of the book.

The chapters in the book that discuss the nature and physics of sound may be useful as a practical source to share with adult clients to explain the function of the vocal mechanism and how various components impact various aspects of sound production.

The book seems to serve its purpose of getting voice coaches and vocalist interested in the use of spectrogram analysis but may not provide a great deal of new information to SLPs who have already been using this kind of technology in working with clients with voice issues.