As editor of the Danish version of The Power of the Voice, I must say that it was a pleasure to work with both manuscript and author. Lisbeth Hultmann is extremely professional both in speech and writing - and if you are interested in both singing and psychology The Power of the Voice is an obvious choice. You will be better equipped in the art of reading other people - and it is even enjoyable. The Power of the Voice is a simple, visionary, wise and entertaining book that opens a whole new understanding of how the character of a person is reflected in the different voice types. ~ Anja Desirée Lykkeberg,, Editor

The sound of your voice is primarily created by your own inner resonance, so your voice will mirror your personality and show how you feel about yourself and life in general. For that reason it is very important to listen to what lies behind the words when you talk to other people, to focus for a moment on the different qualities of the voice instead of what is actually being said. At first that may feel awkward, as we live in a very “verbal” society, where words mean a great deal. We are not used to paying conscious attention on the musical instrument of the language: The Voice. The irony is, though, that the quality of a voice constitutes a major part of our intuitive impression of a person. If you focus on your own voice, you will learn a great deal about yourself. What is the quality of your voice really like? Does it resonate or does it sound dull? Is it hollow, hoarse or sharp? Does it bubble with vitality or is it lifeless? Does it sound positive or pessimistic? All this can be very hard to determine, but Lisbeth Hultmann’s excellent and sensitive book, The Power of the Voice, offers a great introduction and lots of help. The book was first published in 1996, and has been republished 3 times since in Denmark. Lisbeth Hultmann’s qualifications are impressive, indeed: She is a professional opera singer, a qualified dance- and gym instructor and a certified Gestalt therapist. All this adds up to a profound insight into the correlation between body and voice, muscle tension, movement and psychology. All of which she now uses in her voice coaching, often in order to generate/create a process of personal self-realization. The book opens up with an introduction to the physiology of the voice, “the raw materials of the voice”, together with Lisbeth Hultmann’s thoughts on the correlation between voice, personality and behavior, leading up to the introduction of 20 different voice types. For instance: The Wolf with its fast, aggressive voice. The Echo a voice chameleon who changes its voice according to the situation at hand. The Waterfall with its continuous and uneven Speech, as if the voice keeps being cut off. The Control Freak whose massive tension at the root of the Tongue compresses the voice and makes it sound tense. The Trombone with the overpowering loud voice, which deafens everything and everybody maybe even itself. Other types of voices are: The Optimist, The Pessimist, The Starter, The Cocktail Voice, The Killjoy, The Seducer, The Hawker and many others. In a way, the voice types are gentle caricatures, and Lisbeth Hultmann also stresses, that most of us contain several voice types. All the same, it isn’t hard to categorize the people you know as well as public figures and yourself! It really makes a lot of sense. Every type of voice is illustrated with a photo of the supporting body language together with an explanation of what originally created this voice. This is followed by suggestions on how you yourself can change the quality of your voice by working with the exercises in the book. These are illustrated/described in depth through case stories from Lisbeth Hultmann’s own extensive practice as a therapist. “The Power of the Voice” will appeal to a wide circle of people/is a self-help book for everybody and not only to/for professional people in related professions. Lots of praise to Lisbeth Hultmann for the sensitivity with which she has written this book: It reflects a lot of respect and compassion, no matter what type of voice you have. There is an explanation to the sound of your voice, no matter how it may sound. Life in general and your personality makes an imprint … even on your voice … ~ Peter Thybo, Managing Physiotherapist, PD. The Frisenborgpark Health Center, Ikast www.peterthybo.dk

"The Power of the Voice" by Lisbeth Hultmann has been invaluable in the development of my own voice. Through daily training of basic exercises and studies of the various voice types, I have become very aware of which voice types I mostly use and the corresponding sides of my personality they reflect. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about which signals they send out with their voice - or just want a practical guide to getting started with voice training on a psychological level. ~ Helle Mørch, , Singer and Vocal coach Denmark

Lisbeth Hultmann's book 'The Power of the Voice' is definitely the best Danish book about the voice and how to use it in all kinds of situations. The book provides a thorough introduction including voice types, expression and voice as a means of communication, voice and our consciousness and the signals we send. The book is written in a popular and educational language, and when you want to acquire a basic knowledge of your voice and its power Lisbeth Hulmann’s book is indispensable. ~ Henning Lund, Frydenlund Publishing A/S

Intriguing and very interesting. includes valuable information and guidance and help. Easy to read and well organized. ~ Anita Burns, The Messenger: http://www.themessenger.info/content/book-a-media-reviews/self-development-and-living-well/item/2050-the-power-of-the-voice