Conquer the world with the sound of your speech: voice exercises

Do you often ask the question: why did they choose another applicant for a vacancy for which you were ideally suited? Or, why does one lecturer succeed during a lecture, while the audience simply does not perceive the other speaker? The information "savvy" of the material is important for those who listen and perceive the information, but this is not the only indicator that affects the interest of the audience. Moreover,  for a successful performance, speech production, the ability to manage information with the help of one’s own voice, is of great importance. Radio presenter Svetlana Vasilenko shares the secrets of how to conquer the audience with her voice, what exercises to do for voice and speech production.

Svetlana Vasilenko – host of many projects on the radio, compiled an author's program for teaching speech technology. According to an expert in the field of rhetoric, in order to clearly express your thoughts and sound beautiful, you need to develop the ability to control your voice.

Causes of incorrect voice sounding

You can learn how to engage with the sound of your voice in order to be successful in public speaking. But there are difficulties in this process. On the way to learning the correct presentation of information and the correct sound of the voice, there are three reasons that prevent success.

Three reasons why your voice doesn't sound right:

1. Laziness is to blame. Not only for the voice, but for all the skills that require training, laziness can end any effort. We are afraid to open our mouth completely, we are too lazy to take in a full chest of air. Thus, the work of the speech apparatus is carried out only by half, the deep muscles do not work. If you do not move your jaws, do not take in a full chest of air and do not open your mouth completely – the sound will be blurry and fuzzy. A full and voluminous sound is created under the condition of the work of all muscles, the correct positioning of the lips and jaw, tongue, vocal cords.
2. Incorrect position of the vocal apparatus. Every second person should pay attention to the defects of his speech. Even at school, the teacher explains how to properly tighten or relax the lips, place the tongue in the mouth, how wide or narrow it is necessary to close the jaw – all this is not in vain, because the correct pronunciation of sounds and the quality of speech in general depend on it. Learn the correct pronunciation and practice these skills every day so that they eventually develop into skills.
3. Using only the vocal cords to produce speech. If you speak for a long time, the vocal cords quickly begin to get tired, a voluminous and sonorous voice turns into hoarseness and a whisper. To prevent this from happening, and the voice always pleases with its sound, clarity and fullness, it is necessary to use not only the vocal cords in building pronunciation, but also chest resonators (trachea and bronchi).

Voice exercises: 10 tips from radio host Svetlana Vasilenko

1. Love yourself, your looks and your voice

The quality and sound of the voice depends on the sense of perception of oneself and one's appearance. How much a person loves himself, how strong and deep his voice is. Clear speech comes from within, when it is necessary to convey to others your thoughts, ideas, beliefs, being one hundred percent sure of them. The more self-love, the brighter and more expressive the voice. Conclusion: love all your qualities, eradicate those that are dissatisfied, praise yourself every day in the morning for 5 minutes, this will give self-confidence and strength to your voice. In addition, praise yourself for the results you have achieved, encourage and make time for your inner needs every day.

2. Open your mouth wider

If you speak only with your lips during speech, the sounds will be distorted, the speech will seem nervous, quiet, uncertain. When speaking, try to open your mouth as wide as possible, using your jaws, so that the sounds are full and deep.

3. Stretch and yawn enough

In the morning, let all the muscles wake up, for this, just stretch and yawn, kneading the vocal apparatus. Let instead of haste, in the morning there will be new useful habits: morning exercises, yawning, sipping and slow awakening. After sleep, all the muscles are clamped, and in order to move them, you need to yawn and stretch.

Read also: 6 reasons to do morning exercises

4. Watch your posture – stooping changes the appearance and distorts the voice even worse

The number one enemy of a pleasant and loud voice is slouching. An important role in creating a full-fledged sound is played by the muscular septa and diaphragm, which are clamped in case of incorrect posture and prevent their movement.

In an experienced speaker, the diaphragm is "hardened", it is mobile and flexible. The speaker can draw air into the lungs in such an amount as is necessary for speaking. Pay attention to successful speakers: their flat back, open mouth, and chest movement. They gasp, do not stoop, and strictly follow the rules of sound production, including deep chest resonators.

Even posture helps to create correct and loud, inspiring and full sounds that best affect the attention of the audience. Correct posture: the shoulder blades are brought together and lowered down, the neck and head are even, the chest is open. This position should be maintained constantly, not only in the process of speaking, but also while walking, while sitting or lying on the couch.

5. The chin should be perpendicular to the neck

When the chin does not interfere with the formation of sound, it is better for the speaker to captivate listeners not only with his information, but also with the sound of his voice. Practice keeping your chin perpendicular to your neck so you don't cut off the airflow to create the sound. For training, take a mirror in your hands. Watch your image and place your chin so that your voice sounds without obstruction and fix this position. After that, start speaking and try to hold your chin correctly throughout the monologue.

6. Use resonators

A few exercises to train the chest resonators:

• pronounce the sound "mmmm" lowering it below the nose and throat to the chest, opening the chest;
• in the morning, instead of the radio, "turn on" your melody and hum your favorite song with drawling sounds with your mouth closed;
• read a few pages from a book with your mouth closed during the day so you can understand what it is about.

7. Drink only in small sips

Doctors recommend drinking water with lemon or just warm water in the morning on an empty stomach to start the digestion process. In addition, taking a glass of water in the morning helps to wake up all the organs of the speech apparatus. It is necessary to drink water in small sips to train a small tongue. Such morning tongue training is necessary to get rid of the nasality.

8. Make time for vibration massage

Vibrations are created with the help of the maxillary sinuses and work with them. The frontal and maxillary sinuses are massaged, the lips and upper chest are also amenable to training.

• Frontal sinuses: find points on both sides of the bridge of the nose between the eyebrows and place your fingers – massage these points and at the same time repeat the sound "mmmm" so that it rises up. When you get used to it a little, then a vibration will begin between the sky and the tongue during the pronunciation of the sound. Of course, nothing will physically vibrate, but the sound itself will become vibratory.
• When massaging the maxillary sinuses, say the sound "mmmm" into your nose (nasally). The maxillary sinuses are located on both sides of the wings of the nose. If you pronounce the sound correctly, then the wings of the nose will begin to vibrate. The vibration should stay in the nose, not the tongue or teeth.
• The upper lip relaxes while pronouncing the sound "v", to feel the vibration in the middle of the upper lip, start massaging with your index finger. When the air stream exits the mouth at an angle of 45 degrees, it hits just in the middle of the upper lip. At this point, a slight vibration is felt. The middle of the lip may itch a little during the pronunciation of the sound "v" – this is a sign that you are doing everything right.
• The lower lip is of great importance for the correct pronunciation of the sounds "z", "sh", "u", "zh". Place your index finger in the middle of your lower lip and massage while making a "h" sound. Constant massaging of the upper and lower lips will allow you to establish the process of feeling the vibration and pronunciation of most of the sounds, the completeness of which depends on the strength of the air flow and proper resonance.
• The chest resonator is trained during inhalation and exhalation. The pronunciation of the sound "g" is accompanied by the maximum lowering of the chest. This is done to lower the voice. The important thing is that vocal cords do not take part in creating sound, but only chest resonators. How to check: Place your palm on your chest below your neck and feel the vibration.

Read also: How to treat sinusitis at home

9. Perform chest resonator exercise

Say "choo-choo-choo" and place your palm on your chest. During each pronunciation of the syllable "chuh" the palm on the chest feels this sound – this is how the chest resonator works.

10. Open your windpipe

Inhale deeply and open your mouth as wide as you can, while exhaling say "aaaaa". Relax your throat. Feel how all the muscles in the throat relax when only the trachea "works".

Please note that not all exercises may work the first time. Do not give up and train every day and with a new entry, voice exercises will get better and better.