In this video, I will show you how to project your voice when speaking without straining
it with just three simple steps.
The best part is that your body can already do it.
Let me show you how.
Hi!
I am Katarina, speech language pathologist and here on this channel, I share practical
tips about using your voice in a healthy way.
So, if this is a topic that interests you, consider subscribing to this channel and hitting
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Many of my clients find themselves with a hoarse voice or scratchy feeling in their
throat after talking to friends at a loud party or presenting to a group of people at
work.
And maybe you experienced it too.
You go to a noisy restaurant to have fun with your family or a bunch of friends and before
the dinner is over, you feel a sore throat from talking too loud.
Or maybe you have to teach or present to a group of people in a large room without proper
amplification and before you know it, your voice feels strained from having to raise
your voice to be heard at the back of the room.
Common scenarios that many of us have experienced.
There are different ways to “project” your voice and some of these methods put strain
and stress on the vocal folds, making your voice feel tired and your throat sore or scratchy.
When you create high breath pressure, the natural reaction of the vocal folds is to
close tighter, which may also trigger false vocal fold constriction or constriction of
other vocal structures.
When using your voice in this way frequently or over prolonged periods of time, you can
actually get your voice into trouble.
If you are experiencing vocal strain, tension or even pain when speaking, and you are ready
to work towards a free, strong and confident voice, you can apply to our Vocal Freedom
System coaching program.
Check out the links in the description below this video.
And it’s not your fault.
It’s the Lombard reflex, which is an involuntary tendency of speakers to increase their vocal
effort when speaking in loud noise to enhance the audibility of their voice.
Whenever you find yourself in situations where you feel that you are not heard well, such
as loud environments or large spaces, this reflex kicks in and your body reflexively
increases vocal effort at the level of the vocal folds.
You increase the breath pressure under the vocal folds, which makes them work extra hard.
But there is a better way to increase loudness without straining your voice.
And your body already knows how to do it when you are calling someone from a distance or
when you are warning someone about danger.
Healthy calling is a natural human activity that our body knows how to do safely.
In these situations you add vocal power with minimal stress on the vocal folds.
Healthy calling has three very important components.
So, here are three steps to project your voice without straining it:
Step one: Prepare your body
Any sound of high intensity or a loud sound requires high effort in the body to support
the small muscles in the larynx.
You would not expect loud noises to come from relaxed bodies.
Therefore, we need to create a stable and strong framework to project your voice.
So, prepare your whole body into a state of readiness.
Your body is engaged and ready to take on any vocal task.
Just imagine being on the stage and giving a speech to a huge audience.
You have an important message to share.
What does your body have to do?
You feel tall and wide, your postural muscles are working.
Your breast bone is lifted and your chest is open.
Very good.
But this state of readiness is not rigid.
Your body is still flexible and can move fluidly.
Just watch tennis players getting ready to receive a serve.
Their body is engaged but ready to move in any direction.
That is exactly what your body feels like.
Ready but flexible.
If you watch your favourite speaker, presenter or singer on the stage, I bet that their body
is engaged and provides a stable support to their voice when delivering their message
or song.
Step two: take a small and silent breath.
Let’s talk about breath.
Many people think that loud sounds require high lung volumes, which would mean taking
big breaths in.
But this is a myth that turns a healthy call into a vocal behaviour that strains the vocal
folds.
Just think about it.
When you walk on the street and there is a distracted child about to walk onto a road,
you shout “stop” without any preparation, without taking a big breath.
There is no time for big breaths.
It’s a very quick and reflexive behaviour that uses small lung volumes.
High intensity sounds also like to invite constriction at the level of the vocal folds,
as I said before.
In order to counteract this, we are going to open the throat even before we say anything
with a quick and silent inhale.
Use a small but silent breath to create a big space in your throat to prevent constriction.
Try that.
Does your throat feel open?
Do you feel a big space in your throat?
Very good.
Remember, if you are inhaling audibly, your throat is already constricted or not fully
open.
Therefore, I highly recommend that for high intensity vocal tasks use silent breaths.
Or if you have a tendency to feel strained or constricted when speaking, practice silent
inhalation to set up for success.
Step three: Shape the vocal tract
Healthy calling is achieved by shaping the vocal tract in a very specific way to boost
higher frequencies in the sound signal.
This specific shape brings the vocal folds together and maintains them closed for a longer
period of time.
When the vocal folds are closed longer, the sound becomes louder.
But not as a result of more air in the lungs but as a result of changing the vocal tract
shape.
And if this sounds complicated, don’t worry.
We are going to shape the vocal tract with a simple head position: a slight head tilt.
Tilt your head back, just slightly like you are looking up over a crowd of people.
Not like you are looking up to see the stars in the sky.
Easy, right?
So, let’s do all three steps together: prepare your body, take in a small but silent breath,
and then tilt your head.
“Can I get your attention please!
We are about to start our presentation.”
Or: “How have you been?
I haven't seen you for a long time.
You still look the same!”
Or: “Excuse me, I would like to order a special of the day for this table.”
You can practice these three steps on any sentence you want.
How does it feel?
Would you be able to talk like this all day long?
I would.
In the comments below, let me know what you think about this technique.
Is it easy or not so much?
Maybe you noticed that I am not even calling or yelling.
I am using almost the same vocal effort as in my normal speaking.
When you are trying this technique for the first time, I recommend that you don’t yell
or use a loud voice.
If you listen carefully and tune into your voice when using these three steps you will
hear a difference.
And you should definitely feel the difference in your voice and body.
The body engagement, small breath and a different vocal tract shape allow you to project your
voice better without straining your voice.
If you found this video helpful, click the like button and share it with your friends.
Check out my other videos on this topic right here below.
I hope to see you soon.
Bye.