A short while ago I read a great article on voice exercises that Dr Morton Cooper uses for strangled voice therapy. The exercises can assist you to find the sound of your real voice through pitch and range. I have tried the exercises and will be using them before I give a presentation on a regular basis.
http://www.voice-doctor.com/voiceexercise.htm
Have fun and try them out!
On my last blog we looked at how to protect your voice when it comes to speaking in public. Today I thought I would create a list of things to avoid when it comes to your voice and speaking.
Follow these simple suggestions and you are well on your way to protecting your voice.
If you are speaking on a regular basis, taking care of your voice will be a high priority. Today I thought I would share a couple of tips to help protect your voice.
1. Drink plenty of water – this will rehydrate your vocal chords
2. Warm up your voice before speaking – this can be done by humming or singing
3. Pause regularly during your speech
4. Breathe from the diaphragm
5. Maintain your posture
6. If speaking to a large group, use a microphone
7. Don’t clear your throat, instead take a sip of water or swallow
8. Rest your voice as much as possible.
These tips will help you to protect your voice, remember you don’t want an aching, scratchy throat when you have to make a presentation.
Have you ever listened to someone give a speech and there was very little deviation in their voice? They used the same monotone voice from start to finish.
An audience will notice your voice first before they think about what you are saying.
So how can we help put more variety into our voices – Easy, read out aloud!
Reading out aloud lets you listen to your own voice. You can hear your pronunciation of words and you can feel the emotion in the words that you speak. Your voice is your most powerful tool, this is how you connect with your audience.
It is said that how we look accounts for 55% of our message, what we say for 7% and how we sound for 38%
As a speaker you need to grab the attention of your audience with your voice. A good speaking voice should be natural, expressive, easily heard and convey a sense of warmth.
Reading out aloud is a great way to practice your vocal variety.
So what should you read to help gain this vital skill? Children’s fairytales, poetry, newspapers or books.
If you don’t feel comfortable reading out aloud, you could sing along to the radio or your ipod as this will also help with your voice.
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