Print this chapterPrint this chapter

VOCAL SKILLS AND HOW TO IMPROVE

6. IF YOUR VOICE GETS TIRED EASILY

If you aren’t breathing feely and deeply enough.  If you don’t support your voice with your breath your voice will tire.

 

Any unnecessary tension in your throat or jaw will also tire your voice.

 

Exercise

 

  • Massage the joint of the jaws in front of your earlobes with your fingertips.  You may feel this release into your throat.
  • Massage your face, hairline and back of the neck.
  • Relax your jaw and let your top teeth separate from the bottom teeth.

 

 Exercise

  • Breathe in and make a long, slow, sustained S.
  • When you run out of breath, allow the muscles that you have contracted as your breath goes out to release so you can breathe in again.
  • Repeat the slow S.
  • Release, breath in and repeat the slow S

 

Exercise

 

  • Repeat the exercise using a Z.
  • You will probably feel the vibrations of the Z right down into your abdomen.  Enjoy this feeling.  It means you are supporting your voice.
  • Breathe in and make a long, slow sustained Z.
  • Release, breathe in and repeat the slow Z.
  • Release, breathe in and repeat the slow Z,
  • That’s three breaths for each sound.

Exercise: Speaking from your abdomen and supporting words

 

  • Breath in down to your abdomen.
  • Count to 10 out loud, but not too loudly.
  • Release and breathe in again.
  • Count to 11.
  • Release and breathe in again.
  • Count to 12.

 Exercise: Resonance through the whole range of your voice

Still humming, slide down slowly and smoothly through your voice from the highest note to the lowest. 

  • As you slide, gradually, think the sound forward and away from you in the distance.
  • Repeat several times.
  • Allow a few slides, try speaking something – you could just count to 10.

 Exercise: Exploring the range

This exercise is to open up your voice using the whole range, from high to low.

 

  • Breathe in, then release your voice on a long slow Ha, sliding from the very top of your range down to the bottom.
  • Don’t push up the high note at the beginning. 
  • Repeat as many times as you like, but always choose to breathe into your lower ribs, diaphragm and abdomen first.
  • Send your voice away from you into the distance.  Look at a spot across the room and focus the energy of your voice to that point. 
  • Choose to keep your throat and mouth open all the way to the end of the sound.