Your Voice Is Better Than You Think
Posted: Monday, June 22, 2009
by Diane Neuman
http://breathingdeepexercises.com
You have two voices. The first of the two is the natural relaxed one that Mother Nature gave you at birth. The second and more familiar voice is an encumbered and distorted version of the first. For the sake of discussion let's refer to these as your "true" voice and your "cluttered" voice.
Your natural sound (your true voice) is the sum total of the shape and size of your vocal cords, sinus cavities, throat, nose, teeth and tongue as well as your breathing capacity. Since your physiology is unique, so then is your true voice.
Why do I use the cluttered voice if the true voice is better?
There are so many possible explanations. You had lots of siblings and had to strain to be heard? You unconsciously copied the voice of a parent? Your voice has to push against a noisy environment? You are used to speaking with people who don't hear as well as they used to? You feel frustrated getting your point across? A habit (even a bad one) can seem hardwired after awhile.
If I've always spoken this way, then why should I change now?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS TEND TO STICK. In the first few seconds after an introduction or a speech or a conversation, your tone and pitch have a stronger impact on those around you than do your actual words. As sophisticated as we are, we still react FIRST with our primitive survival instincts. Reaction to tone is part of that ancient package, along with response to body English and the distance between people.
If you sound like Minnie Mouse on speed, if you have a tight cutting edge to your voice, if you sound so blah that you suck the energy out of the room, your words of wisdom will never quite hit the mark.
What is the clutter that distorts my true voice?
THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOICE QUALITY IS STRESS. Each exhalation slips out between the tiny folds of your vocal cords that are strung across the top of your windpipe. The manipulation of these little bands is one of the most delicate and sophisticated aspects of the human body. In a sense, your voice is the "canary in the coal mine" and tells lots about your deepest feelings at any given moment (sometimes more than you would like).
As the day progresses (or starts to unravel) the tension always mounts in your shoulders, neck, jaws, tongue, face and upper chest. You become an instrument out of tune.
THE SECOND TYPICAL PROBLEM IS SHALLOW BREATHING. You are unable to make a peep without the steady stream of breath as it flows outward causing your vocal cords to vibrate. If you don't believe this, try speaking while you inhale! Careless, shallow, erratic breathing results in careless, shallow, erratic sound.
How do I find my true voice?
Easy. Say aloud a couple times (mouth closed) "uh-huh" as if you are agreeing with someone. Then say something out loud at that same pitch. Shocking difference isn't it? More than one professional soprano has discovered after many years that she is actually a contralto.
How can I "re-tune my instrument" quickly and easily?
1. Relax your tongue as if it were sleeping on the floor of your mouth.
2. Loosen your jaw hinges allowing your front teeth to separate slightly but keeping your lips closed.
3. Relax the drawstring muscles that circle your mouth and keep the underside of your chin level with the floor.
4. Breathe out the stale used-up air by gently drawing your bellybutton in toward your spine.
5. When you inhale keep your abdominal wall relaxed and imagine that you are filling a small delicate balloon behind your bellybutton. Keep your upper chest quiet and your spine erect. For several breath cycles concentrate completely on the flow of air.
For effective phone communication: Keep the underside of your chin parallel to the floor, smile as you speak and never rush.
You are good to go. Give my regards to Springsteen.
This Article has been viewed 246 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Diane, this is great! I want it to work. I told a friend a couple of weeks ago I wanted to know my true voice as I was not sure. I sound much like my oldest sister who was my second mom as an infant/child. I believe I've copied her. It has stressed me out when I thought about it. I can carry a tune but it could be a cluttered tune! Yikes! I will practice these exercises. Thank for for this information!Dear Avis,Naturally I'm pleased when my writing improves quality-of-life even a tiny bit for my readers. That is my goal. I find that remembering to apply what you have learned in your daily life is the most difficult part of the lesson. You might try experimenting with your "real voice" in a particular situation. Pick a tough one like speaking with a difficult person at work. Establish good breathing and relaxed speech muscles ahead of time and then hang onto that technique no matter how difficult the conversation. When you have a spare minute you might enjoy checking into the Archives section of my blog (left column). Try Breathing: Training Wheels as well as Maximize your voice. Blog address is included in my Resource Box. And remember to SLOW DOWN. Take your time. Good luck.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.