Owning the Room Archives

Fifty blog posts on voice, speech, accents, and presence

by Kate DeVore
Filed Under: Accent Modification, Being Heard, Breath Support, Dialects for Stage, Myth Busters, Owning the Room, Powerful Speaking, Professional Speaking, Singing, Stage Fright, Vocal health, Vocal Injury, Voice for Stage, Voice Therapy, Voiceover

I just learned that I have made 50 posts on this page over the past few years. These posts cover everything from “diaphragmatic” breathing to allergies to vocal health/injuries to projection to learning accents to hoarseness to owning a room. In case you missed any, here’s a complete list:

Why James Earl Jones’s voice was so great (and did you know he used to stutter?)

by Kate DeVore
Filed Under: Myth Busters, Owning the Room, Powerful Speaking, Professional Speaking, Voice for Stage

The legacy of James Earl Jones as an actor is tremendous, and he was universally beloved as a genuine mensch in real life. From Fences on Broadway to Roots on TV, from the iconic voices of Darth Vader and Mufasa on film to to the respected voice of CNN, one universal truth shone brightly:

That voice.

But what was it about that voice that made it s great? The answer might surprise you.

It’s not just about that deep resonance.

Don’t bore your audience — spice it up to be an engaging speaker!

by Kate DeVore
Filed Under: Being Heard, Owning the Room, Powerful Speaking, Professional Speaking, Voice for Stage, Voiceover

They say variety is the spice of life and as usual, “they” know what they are talking about. When it comes to giving talks or lectures, vocal variety is an essential secret ingredient for a compelling presentation.

Be heard at (holiday) gatherings

by Kate DeVore
Filed Under: Being Heard, Owning the Room, Powerful Speaking, Vocal health

Several people have asked me lately how to avoid hoarseness or voice loss at family gatherings, so I thought I’d share some tips for those who are prone to vocal fatigue or strain in festive situations.

3 tips for projecting your voice

by Kate DeVore
Filed Under: Being Heard, Breath Support, Myth Busters, Owning the Room, Powerful Speaking, Professional Speaking, Vocal health, Vocal Injury, Voice for Stage, Voice Therapy

Being heard over background noise, or in a large or outdoor place, requires specific techniques. Surprisingly, loudness is only one component of projection. A well-placed voice can be heard better than you might think, with a couple extra tweaks.

You are working too hard: The Zen of great voice

by Kate DeVore
Filed Under: Being Heard, Myth Busters, Owning the Room, Powerful Speaking, Professional Speaking, Vocal health, Vocal Injury, Voice for Stage, Voice Therapy, Voiceover

It’s an old saw: Less is more. As with many clichés this one can sometimes be true, especially when it comes to how we use our voice.

Did you know it takes about 100 muscles to utter a phrase of speech? Given that many of these muscles are tiny and impossible to isolate, it’s shockingly easy to be using them with more tension than is necessary.