Voice Workshop

Paddy Turner

Education Developer

Student Experience Team

p.turner@shu.ac.uk

Aims of this workshop

• To learn the principles of breath control and voice production

• To learn some basic exercises to improve vocal production

• To learn some presentation skills to pass on to students

Health warnings

1. I am not a trained voice coach

2. I am a trained actor having spent 3 yrs at the Central School of Speech & Drama

3. Nothing we do today is dangerous

4. All stretches and bends should be undertaken gently and smoothly

5. If you start to feel dizzy – sit down for a moment

6. It is normal to yawn!

Quick exercise!

• Find a partner and face each other

• When I say 'go' - count to 20 in one breath, loudly, as fast as you can

• Observe your partner as you both count together

• Feedback your observations to each other

The components of making speech sounds:

• Body – physical posture, movement, muscular power and resonators

• Breath – powers the voice; ribcage, diaphragm and supporting muscles

• Larynx – air passes through the larynx on the way out of the body. Contains the vocal chords

• Mouth – lips, tongue, jaw, hard and soft palate. Articulates and shapes sounds

Actors voice training

1. Release tensions – throat restrictions; shoulder/neck tension; spinal placement

2. Learn how to breathe fully – extending/opening the ribcage, filling the lungs, using the diaphragm

3. Learn breath control – finding and using the muscles in the back, ribs and stomach

4. Supporting and placing sounds – practicing using the muscles when making sound and finding the key resonators (chest, neck, face, nose, head)

5. Practising articulation – working and training the lips, tongue, jaw, soft palate

Releasing tension – relaxation

• Keep feet slightly apart under hips and avoid locking the knees

• Head and neck – gentle rolls and stretches

• Shoulders – lift & drop; circles

• Rib stretches

• Bend and straighten – head on top of spine

Breathing exercises• Hand on ribcage and lower stomach

• Breathe out fully and let the air come in

• Feel with your hands what happens

• Do this a few times

• Now do it but this time, fill the lungs

• In to 5, out to 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

• You can swing your arms wide as you breathe in to help extend the rib cage

Voice exercises

• In to 5, out with ‘zzz’, then 'mmm'

• mmm-or; mmm-ah; -ay; -ee; -oo

• concentrate on feeling the voice resonate on the face and lips before releasing to the vowel

• play with the sound by using the full range of your voice - explore the 5 resonators

Articulation

• warm up the face - massage all over it

• face small closed - face wide open

• chewing sticky toffee

• vibrate lips

• tongue pushed against bottom teeth - hold

• relaxed tongue between teeth

• tongue exercises

Articulation exercises

Voiced Un-voiced

Plosives b; d; g p; t; k

Fricatives v; th; z f; th; s; sh; h

Affricates dj ch

Nasals m; n; ng

Frictionless(Liquids, semivowels)

r; l; y; w

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper, a peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper, where’s the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?

The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep’s sick.

She sells sea shells on the sea shore. The sea shells that she sells are sea shells I’m sure

Round and round the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran

A bloke’s back brake block broke

Peggy Babcock, Peggy Babcock, Peggy Babcock, ……

She stood on the balcony, inexplicably mimicking him hiccuping, and amicably welcoming him in.

Presentation skills

• communication of information, knowledge and ideas through live interaction

• Essay writing - written word - uses legibility; grammar; clarity; structure; register

• Presentation voice (nb sign language) - uses articulation; volume; tone; body language; expression; register

Presentation skills• also……confidence: taking/owning the

space

• engaging the audience

• filling the sentence to the end

• understanding of habits - vocal and physical observation

• record yourself and learn to observe objectively

Coping with adrenalin

• induces nerves, tension, shortness of breath, shaky voice, dry mouth, trembling hands and knees

• heightens awareness, speed of thought, energy-levels, vocal power

• how to get the right balance

Coping with adrenalin

• avoid caffeine which heightens negative effects

• sip water

• use physical energy excesses - e.g. go for a brisk walk, quick run on the spot, shake out arms/hands, shoulder/neck loosening

• breathing exercises

• vocal warm up

Useful resources

• Berry, C. (1973) 'Voice and the Actor' Wiley Publishing Inc., New York

• Rodenburg, P. (1997) 'The Actor Speaks' Methuen Drama, London