Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
Speak more slowly, have more impact
August 5, 2008Are you aware of how quickly you speak and do you rush your words when anxious? The speed of your speech can make such a difference to how we are perceived and how persuasive we are in negotiating, presenting and just even being heard amidst the babble of a noisy meeting.
In my former career in retail marketing, I used to make a great many presentations; some would be to small groups and others to as many as a hundred. In putting ideas or proposals forward we want to come over persuasively and not to weaken the argument by our delivery. There are many aspects of presenting that will help us present successfully, including varying our pitch of voice so it's not monotonous, moving our body so we don't get stuck, engaging with our audience, the occasional smile and being articulate. However speed of speech can have such an impact on our audience that it must be one of the most important aspects of public speaking that it is worthy of special training and even experimenting in private.
I have worked with many people in business as well as broadcasting and theatre who have wanted to improve their speaking voice. Alexander Technique can help enormously with the tone, resonance of our voice and avoiding strain in difficult and demanding situations. After all, F.M. Alexander was an 19th century actor who had vocal problems and it was these difficulties that caused him to look for a cure after vocal specialists and doctors failed. The years he gave to experimenting, researching and the resultant discoveries about natural poise, balance and co-ordination brought about the Alexander Technique we know today.
Thinking about the benefits of speaking slowly brings to mind a particular client whose job was threatened by his difficulties in public speaking and his ability to persuade an argument.
Peter is a top-ranking European fund manager and partner in one of Europe's largest fund management companies and is personally responsible for managing over one billion US dollars in funds.
Peter had been criticised in an appraisal for generally speaking too quickly, giving unsatisfactory face-to-face interaction, and seeming unwilling to engage in debate. He told me that he felt particularly ineffective during international conference calls where his over rapid presentation, possibly caused by nerves, often resulted in silence rather than the expected questions and debate. This undermined his confidence still further and weakened his business persuasiveness.
Peter came to see if the Alexander Technique could help him. It was important from the outset that we should firstly work on improving his overall postural condition. Peter learnt how to inhibit his tensional habits and encourage a loosening, lengthening and widening of his stature that in turn improved his breathing so when it came to introducing some voice work into the sessions, changing his manner of speech became easy. The emphasis was entirely on making less effort rather than more and ensuring that he maintained his upright poise throughout. Release in his chest brought about a reassuring resonance and gravitas.
I encouraged Peter to speak more slowly throughout the whole session, and particularly when we talked about some aspects of his work that he found stressful. He says himself that this has helped give him confidence and integrate his new manner of speaking into his normal life.
After just four sessions including the voice work, Peter got positive feed back from several sources on his new clarity of delivery. Within a few weeks the new manner of speaking was coming more naturally. Conference calls and face-to-face meetings were no longer as daunting and he had grown in stature and professional demeanour. During his next appraisal six months later he was complimented on how he had changed his voice and abilities in presentation and not only saved his job but received a salary increase.
Speak more slowly, have more impact.
A Voice like Honey - 7
July 20, 2007
Once you you can achieve a good resonating sound in your voice, all you have to do is articulate it. This is achieved by a combination of the shape of your mouth, the use of the tongue, your lips and teeth. Many people do not use their mouths fully and so what they’re saying can come out as a mumble. When the speaker isn’t being heard well and is asked to speak up, they can make the mistake of just trying to speak louder. What may actually be required is more resonance to the voice in all the high and low harmonics (see previous blog post), as well as better articulation.
Simon Cowell - good articulation
If you listen to a French person speaking, you will notice that there is a very wide range of sounds coming from their mouth. And if you look at them as they speak it is likely that you will see a full movement of the lips, tongue and a constantly changing shape of their whole mouth. Speaking French demands this. Next time you’re watching TV look out for the UK newscaster Trevor McDonald and listen to his beautifully articulated and clear voice and notice the generous movement of his mouth. When the words are shaped well in this way, and there is a good range of resonating harmonics, then the speaker can talk quite quietly and the sound will be easily heard some distance away. This technique is used by stage actors so that they can whisper on stage and the audience at the back of the stalls will still be able to hear what they’re saying.
Fiona Bruce, TV presenter - Clear resonant voice
Exercise – Articulation
When you are speaking normally, endeavour to articulate your words so that they have consonants at both the beginning of the word and also at the end! It’s very easy for us to drop the ‘t’ and other consonants so that our words are just a series of vowels. By enhancing your consonants, your voice will be clearer and more easily heard from a distance without raising your voice. As I've mentioned several times in this series of blog posts, use as little effort as you can when speaking and allow your neck to be free and your lips and tongue to be relaxed. It will all work beautifully well without making a huge effort.
A clear, resonating voice that is well articulated and not rushed can be a very useful tool in any business situation, presentation and negotiation. A voice that has lots of clear consonants can be gentle, sexy and soft in sound, but will also be extremely clear. These qualities can only be achieved if you have good natural poise, and avoid tensing your throat, stiffening generally and shortening your stature.
Work on the tips in this little series of posts, and you can develop a voice like honey.
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
A Voice like Honey - 6
Following on from the Humming exercise in my previous post to help improve our resonance, you will find benefit by performing the following exercise and vocalising the Ahh with your mouth open. The key will be to remain free of tension and upright all the time and minimise the effort you make.
Exercise – Vocalised Ahh
Let’s firstly do the previous Humming Exercise a few times. Don't rush and listen to the quality of sound you make. Try to create a gentle hum that is not husky, or tight. Endeavour to make less effort than usual, do not purse your lips but allow them to be lightly touching, let your cheeks be so free they can quiver with the vibration from your hum.
Now you're going to do the same hum again, but halfway through your hum, allow your mouth to open so that it becomes a vocalised ‘Ahh’. Follow these steps to help you make the most of the exercise.
1. Bring yourself up to your full stature and free your neck, shoulders and back. Remain upright and endeavour to be relaxed.
2. Free your neck by allowing your nose to drop slightly.
3. Allow your head to ‘teeter’ on top of your spine.
4. Place the tip of your relaxed tongue behind your lower teeth.
5. Now perform the hum at a comfortable pitch but allow your mouth to open after 1 second. Don’t stretch your mouth or use any effort. Just ‘Allow’ your jaw to drop….and smile!
6. Make a round open shape inside of your mouth and leave your throat open.
7. Listen to the sound you make. Encourage the same resonance and ‘bite’ that we had whilst doing the hum.
8. Endeavour to avoid huskiness or any tightness. Look for richness, clarity and pureness of sound. Open your throat when doing this.
9. Try slightly higher notes and then lower notes without straining.
Use the 'Little and often' approach to this exercise. Do it for 2-5 minutes only, then leave it for a while. The 'Little and often' approach will help you make quicker progress.
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
A Voice like Honey - 5
July 19, 2007
Following on my little series of posts about improving our speaking voice, you may be interested in a little exercise that can help free up your voice so it has more resonance.
When we're under pressure to present something at a meeting, or at a job interview, or making a speech we can often experience tension creeping into our neck and voice. In the previous post I referred to a blog I wrote about how to free your neck from tension and if you haven't read this, you may find it helpful.....at least I hope you might!
With regards to freeing up our own voice, it's helpful if we can endeavour to make as little effort as possible, while also allowing the loudness to be sufficient to carry. Effort does not equal loudness; the volume is made by the way we make the sound, not by force. Indeed it's often the case, when we make less effort, the sound will be more pure, with more harmonics within the sound that will help it carry great distances.....without strain.
This is an exercise of humming through closed lips but will be developed in to a more open sound later. As always it will be helpful to ensure that your poise is as upright and free as possible to allow your vocal mechanism to function well.
Bring yourself up to your full stature, free your neck, shoulders and back. Remain upright and endeavour to be relaxed.
1. Free your neck by allowing your nose to drop slightly.
2. Allow your head to ‘teeter’ on top of your spine.
3. Let your tongue lie relaxed on the floor of your mouth with the tip of it just behind your lower teeth.
Now we will hum.
4. Choose a note that is in your mid range to hum through closed lips.
5. Do not purse your lips. Just allow them to touch each other lightly.
6. Listen to your sound and detect whether it is husky, breathy, or tight sounding.
7. Try and relax your lips and cheeks so they can freely vibrate. You may even sense them quiver.
8. Work on your sound and experiment with using the minimum of air, so that it doesn’t come out excessively through your nose and at the same volume. The sound should be clear, free, pure, resonant, with ‘bite’.
9. Choose a slightly lower note and sense the resonant vibrations in your chest.
10. Choose a higher note and sense the vibrations higher in your head.
Ensure that you do not force the sound, and stop before you run out of breath. Make your hums last 3-4 seconds long. Don’t over reach too high or low. Use your comfortable vocal range and always use less effort rather than more. Don't worry about loudness. Just see if you can make a lovely pure sound that's not forced, that's not husky but with a little more resonance than usual. Do this exercise for just 2-5 minutes then have another go another time. Little and often is far better than doing one long stint then getting tired.
Remember, stop after 2-5 minutes. Use the 'little and often' approach and you'll make far quicker progress.
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
A Voice like Honey - 4
Jazz singer, Todd Gordon
'Todd's voice is like honey oozing down the side of the jar.' .... Ajay Close
A new client in the Alexander Technique has asked me to help her with her speaking voice. She wants to have more gravitas, clarity and strength when speaking in meetings. Great, I thought. This can be such fun and very rewarding.
Next to our posture, there is no greater way of making a good impression. Admittedly clothes and grooming say a lot too, but if we're all hunched or stooped, it doesn't matter what clothes we wear as they'll never look like they did in the shop display. And it's not the clothes we particularly notice about someone anyway, as according to research, 80% of their first impression of you is made by how you've walked in an stood! Then when you open your mouth they get an even bigger impression.
A good speaking voice can be hugely persuasive, help you be charismatic, win deals, bring you the new executive job and make people drool at your feet as your sexy syllables drop from your lips like flower petals from a blooming rose. A good voice can be mesmeric, but it rarely exists by accident. It's affected by our upbringing, people around us of influence, our sense of confidence and also by training. F.M. Alexander was an actor who developed vocal problems in late the 19th century and when voice specialists and doctors failed to help him, he decided to find out for himself what the problem was; he eventually evolved the technique we know today, having improved not only his whole poise, but his voice too. Now in the 21st century, actors and singers around the world use the Alexander Technique to help them get the most from their voice.
Our voice is inextricably linked up to our posture and how we 'hold ourselves'. By getting rid of postural tensions, we can have a dramatic effect on our breathing and the sound of our voice. A short course in the Alexander Technique can make such a difference by freeing us up, and helping us achieve our full height and stature, all without any perceived effort. Everything in our body functions better when we regain the natural poise we had as young children.
However, there are many things we can also do that will contribute to the quality of our voice. If you're interested this, you might like to notice how other people speak; listen to their huskiness or resonance, their modulation of pitch, their expression, accent, diction, their tensions or relaxed freedom when speaking. I have written about voice in a previous post 'A voice like honey' ,referring to Barry White and a number of other names we may know who have wonderful voices. Would you like to evolve a lovely speaking voice? Would you like to make people stop and listen to your every word? It doesn't take a lot of effort. Indeed the process of speaking may take less effort than you're currently accustomed to and can be a lot of fun.
Over the next few blog posts I'm going to give a few tips and little exercises we can experiment with. If you give just a little time to this, then also notice how you're speaking in general conversation, on the phone and in meetings, you will find that you can make subtle differences that can help you improve your speaking voice. After all, you're in control of your voice as it's 'you' and your whole physique that produces it. Experiment, do the little exercises and 'play' with the way you sound. While doing so, try to free your neck free from unnecessary tension and allow yourself to stand at your full height and stature. Try making less effort than usual.
You can have a voice like honey if you choose.
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
Get into - Positive Self Care
June 22, 2006When I've been talking recently to business people and journalists about National Siesta Day and the benefits to our productivity and well being of having a short nap after lunch, the response has often been " Fat chance there is of that! If only...!" The attitude has been that they just don't have the opportunity and 'can't'.... or won't.
The culture in most of northern Europe, and particularly in the UK is that napping is for wimps, a waste of precious time, lost money and productivity and there is barely enough chance to eat a sandwich at the desk, never mind stopping to 'siesta'. "Pooh-ah!!" The culture does not allow for such luxuries. What we don't even want to consider is how much better we function when we are well rested. It's ironic that we protect the very culture that encourages ill health. Why are we so defensive? We probably don't want to stand out as 'peculiar' or odd. "It's just not done!"
But who is it that makes the culture? We may say it existed before we came along and it's so embedded that it can't and won't change. OK. Who is it that continues the culture? The bosses? Maybe, but only in part. It is We who continue the culture, collectively and individually. The heard instinct is to do what everyone else does. We feel the need to fit in, be seen as a 'serious' worker and 'company' person. I've experienced it myself as a senior executive in retail management, for fifteen years until I changed my career towards health during the mid 80's. It hasn't changed much, although technology now gives us more ways to multi-task with, mobile phones (they didn't exist when I was an executive!) texting, emailing and now every-one's clutching a Blackberry.
More than ever before there is the pressure to work harder, longer, and to achieve more and faster. In the 80's my colleagues were burning out by the age of 40 and ending up on the commercial scrap heap, each grasping in desperation at their self appointed role of 'business consultant'. Now it's happening to even younger people. Burnt out by 30 or just hanging on at 35.
If we are going to work so damned hard and expect so much, we have got to take care of ourselves ...ultra-hard.
What I'm about to say, may come as a surprise to some, if we've forgotten who we really are. We are all Human. Yes. I'm sorry to break this news if it's new to you. But it's true. This means that you and I and everyone has 'human' levels of basic needs to keep us functioning. We may do without sleep for a day or two as we work 15-18 hour days, but do that for a week and you'll be not worth the shoes you stand in. Do it for a year and you can take the same and more off your life expectancy. Of course there will be times when we do need to work so hard and that is why we must ensure we are functioning at our best to cope. Otherwise we burn out.
Positive Self Care is about ensuring we function at our best. As we're human, we need sleep, adequate amounts of water, nutritious food, exercise, good breathing and good posture. If we go without them for any length of time, we suffer. You cannot perform at your best when your operating system is undermined. You could take the attitude that you'll fix it when it's broke. But it's far better to avoid that by regular maintenance. Keep the machines well oiled...and I don't mean with booze.
What I see are many apparently intelligent people, doing demanding and very responsible jobs, giving no thought to the 'machinery' that does the job. They have a very irresponsible and unintelligent attitude towards themselves and their health. So burnout is on the cards.
Thankfully there is now a growing attitude with certain individuals where they realise that in order to do the big job, earn high millions in salary, they need to look after themselves well. They are into PSC. Gradually we're cottoning on to the fact that It's cool and intelligent to give high maintenance to ourselves so we can work at peak performance....continuously. The requirements need not cost us any more money that we currently spend.
So what does this involve?
We need the essentials that provide health and well-being. As we are made up of 80% water, and in hot weather we can lose a 1/2 litre an hour, it's sensible to drink lots of fresh water. Drink 2-3 litres a day in summer and half that in winter.
We all have to eat, and indeed we tend to over do this at times, for comfort, stress relief and to satisfy our wildly excited taste buds. Eat nutritious food. So less sugar and carbohydrates, less refined foods, less coffee, and eat more salads, fruit, vegetables and a little organic protein. There's plenty of advice on eating healthily in the press these days. The answer is to JFDI!
Get your rest. 'Early to bed, early to rise' has lots to offer. If you're naturally a 'late' person, then ensure you get adequate hours of slumber. During the day around twelve hours after your deepest night time sleep, you may well get a drop in energy. Take a nap of around 10-15 minutes after you've eaten lunch. Siesta.
Take breaks. Yes, stop work, go out for some air and a change of scene. Even just ten minutes helps to refresh you. On the train, rather than getting your laptop out or paperwork, read the paper or a magazine....or let your mind wander and relax. Try doing Semi-supine for ten minutes. You'll feel refreshed, straightened and relaxed afterwards.
Look after your posture. How you hold yourself affects the whole working of your body. If you work predominantly with your mind, don't forget that your brain needs good blood circulation and oxygen. If you're prone to slouching, stooping, stiffness or collapse, try to free your neck, relax your shoulders and think tall. This will help you be more free and upright. Have some Alexander Technique lessons if you can.
Do regular exercise. Whatever takes your fancy from swimming, jogging, distance running, ball games, Yoga, golf, tennis or even just plain walking. Try and balance your mental activities with regular exercise that will stimulate your breathing and blood circulation. Do something you enjoy, so it is not a task. Happiness in activity helps health as much as the task itself.
Remember to breathe. During times of stress we often hold our breath and this can become a habit. If you notice that you've been holding your breath, start again by breathing out. Try this little exercise to stimulate normal, healthy breathing.
Get a hobby . Something that is mind absorbing and possibly physical too. Something creative that stretches you but can offer real rewards. I play the violin and do photography. There are thousands of activities to choose from. The benefit is that the complete change in activity that's really absorbing and enjoyable for you, helps your health, relaxation and frame of mind so you come back to your work refreshed.
Positive Self Care or PSC, is a growing cultural attitude among people in the know and taking an intelligent approach to helping themselves cope. It makes life far more fun. Get into PSC and help yourself. Your quality of life, happiness and enjoyment at work and at leisure will improve....enormously.
Persuasive power of voice
June 15, 2006
One of my clients came in yesterday with such a great story of successfully using what we'd been working on, I asked her permission to share it with you.
Over a period of time we had been refining her natural upright poise, reducing tensions and stress. We have also worked on her voice as she'd been told that her presence and presentations in business meetings were not sufficiently persuasive.
This lady has been travelling over the last three days in three countries and had twelve meetings in several cities. These meetings were with top level management and influencing major financial decisions. She wasn't the only woman there but from what she said, it sounded as though she was.
Inevitably in meetings, no matter at what level, there is a tendency for people to talk over others, to chip in, interrupt, challenge, ignore and generally each person has a perspective they want to get across. Sadly it is still the case that women are not given equal respect in such situations and are frequently interrupted. My client told me that these meetings were no different and when the women spoke they were all interrupted as most of the men were too.
But my client had a different experience. Now it must be remembered that for this lady, her speaking voice had certainly not been her strength. She had been long criticised for weak performance during presentations. But this was not the case now.
When she spoke they all shut up. She came to these meetings in a state of calm neutrality. She was centred and balanced. When my client spoke, she did so from a position of calm strength. She spoke slowly and without rushing. She let her words linger and have weight. She let her self pause and give 'space' to her message. She spoke with resonance, with inflection of tone and pitch to vary and interest her listeners. She spoke with clarity and good articulation. She did not speak loudly but she had gravitas.
They all listened. Not once in all her interactions in twelve meetings was she interrupted. Not once did she feel that she had lost her audience. In fact she felt that she had them completely... every time.
Her powerful, calm, well paced presentation carried gravitas that none of the others in the meeting had. She had 'voice' as she called it; almost as though it was her tool. And she used it. She felt that she had status that was higher than her actual level. If she keeps this up she'll get an even higher company position to match her growing personal stature.
I wanted to share this with you.
A good voice makes you sexy, makes others listen and earns money.
Speaking slowly
May 9, 2006
If ever there was a way of getting people to listen to us in a meeting it is to speak more quietly and slowly. This is often the opposite of how we may speak in such situations where there's a little nervous and anxious about getting our point across. We may feel we need to speak loudly to get their attention. We can also rush our words, as a consequence of anxieties about being judged or what we are saying isn't important enough and the next bit will be better.
When you speak more slowly and quietly it gives the impression of what you have to say is important. (Whether it is or not doesn't matter!) Experiment with talking slowly when on the phone and in meetings. Put pauses between your comments. These will add weight to your message. Of course our speech shouldn't be a long inaudible drawl. Fluctuations in pitch for emphasis and varying speeds will help, but at all costs avoid rushing or mumbling.
Speaking quietly, slowly and deliberately will encourage people to listen to you more than if you raise your voice and rush your delivery. You will also allow yourself the chance to form your words more fully and add resonance. By doing so you can add power and gravitas to how you come over.
Often it's not what you say but how you say it that counts. The quality of your voice and delivery makes deals, wins arguments, gets salary increases and may even get people falling in love with you.
More posts on Voice.
Longer notes
March 20, 2006One of my clients mentioned this morning that he had experienced a surprising benefit from our sessions. Not only had his posture improved, but while singing at church on Sunday he noticed that he was able to sustain longer notes without taking extra breaths. I was glad to hear this as it's a sign that the overall changes to his co-ordination with our sessions was filtering through to the way he 'used himself' when singing....and other activities too.
Posture is not something 'itself' but affects everything we do. By reducing habits of tension and refining our balance, we can function so much more effectively and efficiently. A good voice is indicative of this. His comment today was music to my ears.
A Voice Like Honey -3
March 3, 2006
Stephen Fry - Voted in the Radio Times survey to have a beautiful voice.
Changing the sound of our voice is something can all do if we choose. It just takes a little thought and practice. And as the sound of a voice can have such a dramatic effect on how we are perceived, it's worthwhile making the most of ourselves. Apparently around 40% of the population rely on their voice for their work...that's quite a lot of us!
Our vocal mechanism is something that we use just as much as our legs to walk or our hands to write. It is a part of our body and it needs to be used appropriately for it to perform at its best and will not do so if we misuse it. If we don't have a good voice, it is because we don't make it well. And if we change the way that we do it, we will enjoy a change in the way it sounds.
Fiona Bruce, a smouldering and seductive voice.
Many of us are restricting and detrimentally affecting our voice by excessive tension in the throat, neck, shoulders and chest. Tensions here can make our voice sound tight and strained, thin or squeaky, or even husky and breathy. But it's likely that such habits of tension are not restricted to just when we speak, but are with us all of the time. It would be a good idea if we could see if we can release tensions in our neck, shoulders and generally through our body as often as we can. As that way we are undoing some of our habits. That can affect everything we do....including speaking.
It doesn't take a lot of effort to speak...
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
MORE...
A Voice like Honey - 2
March 1, 2006
Barry White - A great speaking voice and singer
It seems to be a general understanding that the voice we have is a part of us and cannot be changed. Indeed many of us may not even consider such a thing unless we're an actor, politician or radio presenter. But just in the same way as a comedian or mimic can make themselves sound like another, we too have the ability to influence the way our voice sounds. But what's wrong with our voice anyway?
Well, nothing is wrong at all. We're fine as we are, but that doesn't mean we may not make changes. Just as we may choose nice clothes to wear for special occasions and we can endeavour to look nice so we are appealing. And our voice is only an extension of this. The way we walk in the door is considered to form 80% of people's first impressions of us. It's that quick. When we open our mouths, we may continue to dazzle, or their perception of us might just drop through the floor. Our voice is such a powerful tool that it can make people love us, make deals and swing public opinion. And it can be sooooo sexy.
Improving our speaking voice doesn't mean that we lose our accent, personality or character. Indeed regional accents are sought by television producers for their presenters as they make them identifiable, likable and familiar. All it means is that we help our best qualities to show through and to produce a pleasingly rich, varied and clear voice, that has good articulation and resonance. But unfortunately our voice can be detrimentally affected by our posture and habits. And just by freeing ourselves from some of these tendencies, our voice can change remarkably and quickly. I've heard men and women's voices change in ten minutes just by letting go of the tensions in their neck, shoulders and chest. And it can sound so good!
I'm going to write a bit about voice and how we can help ourselves, over the next few weeks. The idea came to me as BBC Radio 4 starts a two part series this evening at 9.00pm called A Voice Like Honey. But it's all very well, TV and Radio celebrities demonstrating their beautiful and modulus sounds, and then hearing about what surgery can be conducted to help them overcome problems. What about the rest of us? I enjoy working on voice, because it can be changed so easily with a little care, and by doing so we may just have our friends drooling at our dulcet tones. I'll pick up again on this later....
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
A Voice Like Honey
February 27, 2006
Tom Baker
The quality of our voice in my opinion is a vastly under-rated and under-used aspect of ourselves and I'm pleased to see that this week BBC Radio 4 gives it prominence in a two-part programme. Jan Ravens, actress and vocal chamelion will look at voice and whose voices we most like or dislike, based on 4,500 respondents to a recent Radio Times survey.
Tom Baker, ex-Doctor Who and voice in 'Little Britain' comes out favourite with his fruity and dark mellifluous tones, and Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley is described as soft and beautifully modulated with a bit of 'Posh'. Janet Street-Porter is uncompromising, Fiona Bruce is smouldering and seductive, while Stephen Fry's voice is beautiful and perfect for story-telling, Terry Wogan has depth and warmth and Ray Winstone is sexy with a lovely lived-in quality to it. The programme will show during experiments visual representation of voice patterns and how they vary from one person to another and if we imitate people, the visual display of frequencies gets close to that of the person we're copying.
Joanna Lumley.
But the sound of our voice is such a persuasive and influential tool, it can clinch a deal, sway an argument and have people drooling at our feet. I shall be interested to see if this BBC programme indicates this aspect and how much we can change or improve the quality of our own voice.
Vocal sound is not something that's a particular part of us, but more the product of our physique and how we use our 'vocal mechanism'. We can see various influences on our voice such as accents, language and characteristics we may have picked up from our parents. These are habits just as any other postural habit we may develop. In my work with the Alexander Technique, I help people such as TV or radio presenters and actors to release unwanted tensions and habits, so they can allow their voices to be free, full, resonant and expressive. But these aspects are just as important in business and social situations.
We can change how our voice sounds if we change the way we use our muscles and vocal mechanism that produces the sound. I may write a bit more on this later....
A Voice Like Honey, Part 1/2, BBC Radio 4, Wednesday 1st March, 9.00pm.
The BBC should pay me commission!
To see all the posts in this series 'A Voice Like Honey' click Here.
