reposting my questions here as well

[sjmarky]

I saw it and it looked like it might useful so I passed it on. I barely looked at the site, which may have been a mistake.

[lurcherlover]

I am wary of visiting sites that claim to "assess" (or something of the sort) my ability to be something. If they are honest (and true), what if they tell me that I can't be what I'd like to be? That's a bummer! (see the "what if I suck" thread too). And if they are there to encourage me to try it anyway, regardless of my individual capabilities, then what's the point? They are dishonest with respect to my potential listeners (whom I shall subject to torture of hearing my voice/manner) and simply delay the inevitable...

A music teacher, trying to get people to join the choir, said, in response to "but I have no voice!", "you speak, so you have a voice" (presumably the rest is training). Is that the same thing?

Good points. "The rest is training" - not quite the same thing as many people get the training but they still don't have the talent to really make it.

I agree that most of the things that the sites come up with are of little help and may as well be ignored. But few people have a really bad voice, it's more they have no idea how to use it. Just like so many actors we hear on TV and in films, on a regular basis! Learning how to project and articulate the voice is important, and I do not think this is given in training at the drama schools these days ... (I can't do these things very well anymore myself due to things out of my control, but I haven't quite given up recording books just yet, but it may not be long).