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.
continue readingThe practice of practice: 3 tips to make the most of your time
We all know the old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!
Whether you are learning voice and speech skills, a new sport, how to play an instrument, meditation, cooking, knitting or anything else physical, the practice of practice is the key to your success.
The way we practice is even more important than how much time we spend. Research about the brain, cognitive science and motor learning in particular, have taught us a few key concepts:
continue readingYou are working too hard: The Zen of great voice
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.
continue readingYou have the tools, so use them!
Y’all. I have had a lot of clients recently who seem to feel at the mercy of their voice. If they wake up hoarse, that’s it they are hoarse for the whole day. If they start to notice their throat is starting to get tired, they leave the event. If they are asked to repeat themselves, they decide they are unintelligible. If they are sick or hoarse for a day, they sink into it for the week.
These people did not understand they have the power to change these things.
continue readingThree tips for a more powerful voice
Not being heard is frustrating. Not being taken seriously is even more frustrating. Sometimes a stronger, more authoritative voice makes all the difference.
continue readingHack your posture to strengthen your voice
Over the years a number of clients have come to me because their voice was tired, strained, scratchy, unreliable, or generally thin-sounding. For some of these people, the only thing we needed to address was their posture.
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