Estill References

This list of titles comprises books that reference the Estill Voice Model, Jo Estill and Estill Voice Training. Please let us know if you come across other references.

Listed in reverse chronology.

Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio

By Tom Roland (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009). This is a portrait of one of Nashville’s most prominent country groups – Diamond Rio. In Chapter 12 there is an account of when the band met Diane Sheets – top vocal coach and Certified Course Instructor for Estill International. The lead singer, Marty Roe, had some vocal problems and Diane’s Estill-bred coaching methods guided him to recovery. Band member Gene Johnson talks about Estill Voice Training and says ‘It’s all based on your muscles and how you use them to effect what you want. It’s really steps away from the old vocal coaching techniques. It actually contradicts a lot of what they used to do.’

› Buy Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio at voicesource.co.uk.

Voice Work: Art and Science in Changing Voices

By Christina Shewell (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009). Many references to Jo Estill and Estill Voice Training. Include thoughts on breathing, false vocal fold retraction and controlling the structures of the vocal tract to create different sounds.

› Buy Voice Work: Art and Science in Changing Voices at voicesource.co.uk.

Training the Actor’s Voice: An Expert’s Approach

By Nigel Rideout (Milton Keynes: Voicesource Publishing, 2009).There are no direct references to Estill Voice Training but the author provides exercises for twang quality and larynx lowering and there are numerous descriptions of traditional voice training exercises described in a physiological and acoustically aware context.

› Buy Training the Actor’s Voice: An Expert’s Approach at voicesource.co.uk.

Exercises for Voice Therapy

By Alison Behrman and John Haskell (San Diego: Plural Publishing, 2008). Mary McDonald Klimek, Vice President of Estill International, LLC writes two sections in this helpful book for all voice trainers. In Chapter 4, ‘Using a Semioccluded Vocal Tract’, Mary writes on ‘Balancing Breath and Tone Through Advanced Trill/Flutter Tasks. This is excellent support material for working on power, breath and resting expiratory level (REL). In Chapter 8, ‘Teaching Loud Voice Production’, Mary writes on ‘Using Twang’ and directly references Jo Estill’s twang quality and AES control.

› Buy Exercises for Voice Therapy at voicesource.co.uk.

Singing in Musical Theatre: The Training of Singers and Actors

By Joan Melton (New York: Allworth Press, 2007). Many references made throughout the text to Jo Estill and her work by experts in the field of musical theatre. Joan Lader says that Jo Estill is ‘responsible for opening my eyes and mind to the many possibilities that the human instrument is capable of’. Other references are made by Mary Hammond and Gillyanne Kayes.

› Buy Singing in Musical Theatre: The Training of Singers and Actors at voicesource.co.uk.

Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice

By Janice L Chapman (San Diego: Plural Publishing, 2006). A very fine review of how to use the Estill voice Model in the training of the classical singer. Jo Estill is mentioned several times in the text, as are references to Estill ‘Voicecraft’.

› Buy Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice at voicesource.co.uk.

Popular Singing: A Practical Guide to Jazz, Blues, Rock, Country and Gospel

By Donna Soto-Morettini (London: A & C Black, 2006). Contains references to Estill Voice Training.

› Buy Popular Singing: A Practical Guide to Jazz, Blues, Rock, Country and Gospel at voicesource.co.uk.

Changing Voices: An Approach to Adolescent Voice Training

By Deirdre Trundle (Milton Keynes: Voicesource Publishing, 2005). The Estill Voice Model used in the training of adolescent voices. Jo Estill is acknowleged in this book and falsetto quality is discussed and further references are made to false vocal fold constriction and retraction (deconstriction), sirening, twang, velum control (soft palate) and anchoring.

› Buy Changing Voices: An Approach to Adolescent Voice Training at voicesource.co.uk.

Figures in a Flash

By Mary McDonald Klimek (Pittsburg: Estill International, 2005). Separate flash cards with information on each Compulsory Figure and Voice Quality.

› Buy Figures in a Flash at voicesource.co.uk.

Geography of the Voice: Anatomy of an Adam’s Apple

By Kerrie B Obert and Steven R Chicurel (Pittsburg: Estill International, 2005). An anatomy and physiology text dedicated to Jo Estill with many references to Estill Voice Training.

› Buy Geography of the Voice: Anatomy of an Adam’s Apple at voicesource.co.uk.

Singing and the Actor

By Gillyanne Kayes (London: A & C Black, 2004). A practical and theoretical look at the Estill Model in reference to musical theatre singing. This book draws heavily from Estill Voice Training and includes key Estill exercises on AES control, anchoring, true vocal fold onsets, vocal fold plane, belting, false vocal fold constriction and retraction, effort, velum control, sirening, falsetto, opera, speech and twang. Highly recommended read.

› Buy Singing and the Actor at voicesource.co.uk.

Film, Broadcast and e-Media Coaching

Edited by Rocco Dal Vera (Cincinnati: Voice and Speech Trainers Association, 2003). In the essay ‘Marni Nixon: More Than You Know’, Marni Nixon recalls her encounters with Jo Estill when she began a study in how to belt. She describes Estill as a ‘wonderful teacher’.

› Buy Film, Broadcast and e-Media Coaching at voicesource.co.uk.

Finding Your Voice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Actors

By Barbara Houseman (London: Nick Hern Books, 2002). References are made to the Estill Voice Model in the training of the professional speaking voice: actors, public speakers and so on. Several references to Jo Estill including exercises on false vocal fold constriction and retraction (deconstriction) and ‘opening the throat’.

› Buy Finding Your Voice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Actors at voicesource.co.uk.

Breathing for Singing and its Vocal Pedagogy

By Elisabeth McNaughton (Swindon: Phoenix Again, 2002). A review of different breathing methods, including a bried section on the Estill Voice Model where Jo Estill is quoted discussing belt and ‘clavicular’ breathing.

› Buy Breathing for Singing and its Vocal Pedagogy at voicesource.co.uk.

Successful Singing Auditions

By Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher (London: A & C Black, 2002). Kayes and Fisher make practical reference to anchoring, sirening and voice qualities through artistic work with songs.

› Buy Successful Singing Auditions at voicesource.co.uk.

The Voice in Violence

Edited by Rocco Dal Vera (Cincinnati: Voice and Speech Trainers Association, 2001). Lise Olson, in her essay ‘Some Personal Discoveries Regarding Vocal Use in Stage Combat’, discusses the notion of effort in the spirit of that originally put forward in the Estill Model, using a perception scale of one to ten. She also directly references Jo Estill’s work when discussing the need to have knowledge of vocal physiology and draws on the Estill Model to explain the concept of anchoring.

› Buy The Voice in Violence at voicesource.co.uk.

Greene and Mathieson’s The Voice and Its Disorders

By Lesley Mathieson (London: Whurr Publishers, 2001). A review if the most common voice problems with references to the Estill Voice Model.

› Buy Greene and Mathieson’s The Voice and Its Disorders at voicesource.co.uk.

Working with Voice Disorders

By Stephanie Martin and Myra Lockhart (Bicester: Speechmark Publishing, 2000). Estill Voice Training is quoted as an example of a technique of therapeutic intervention. No specific details are given.

› Buy Working with Voice Disorders at voicesource.co.uk.

Voice Tradition and Technology: A State-of-the-Art Studio

By Garyth Nair (San Diego: Singular Publishing, 1999). Nair references Jo Estill’s research into voice qualities, specifically the vocal fold vibration patterns of speech and falsetto.

› Buy Voice Tradition and Technology: A State-of-the-Art Studio at voicesource.co.uk.

The Voice Clinic Handbook

By Tom Harris, Sara Harris, John S Rubin and David M Howard (London: Whurr Publishers, 1998). The book provides a excellent overview of how the Estill Voice Model is used voice therapy and rehabilitation. Specific reference are made to Estill Compulsory Figures and further references include AES control, true vocal fold onsets, belting, false vocal fold constriction and retraction (deconstriction), falsetto, velum control, sirening, sob quality and twang quality.

› Buy The Voice Clinic Handbook at voicesource.co.uk.

Discover Your Voice: How to Develop Healthy Voice Habits

By Oren Brown (San Diego: Singular Publishing, 1996). Brown references and discusses several of Jo Estill’s research papers on voice qualities and belting, specifically the contribution of supralaryngeal musculature.

› Buy Discover Your Voice: How to Develop Healthy Voice Habits at voicesource.co.uk.

The Science of the Singing Voice

By Johan Sundberg (Northern Illinois University Press, 1987). Sundberg references Jo Estill’s work as offerring good examples of interactions between voice source and vocal tract changes when singing in different vocal styles.

› Buy The Science of the Singing Voice at voicesource.co.uk.