The Voice Book: Caring For, Protecting, and Improving Your Voice

Dedication......Page 4
Contents......Page 6
Acknowledgments......Page 14
Introduction......Page 18
1 Getting Started......Page 24
Using the Audio CD......Page 27
One Last Note......Page 28
2 Opening the Channel: Alignment......Page 30
Free Your Neck and the Rest Will Follow......Page 31
Alignment as Habit......Page 33
Rest Position......Page 34
Wall Exercise......Page 37
Shoulder Blade Squeeze......Page 38
Stretching the Head and Neck......Page 39
Frequently Asked Questions about Alignment......Page 40
3 Summoning the Power: Breath......Page 42
Building a Case for Low Breathing......Page 44
Fff Exercise......Page 46
Lower Rib Side Breathing......Page 47
Back Expansion Breathing......Page 48
Breathing with Speech......Page 49
Pant from the Abdomen......Page 50
Pulse Sounds......Page 51
Frequently Asked Questions about Breathing......Page 52
4 Bringing Sound to Life: The Vocal Cords......Page 58
Your Larynx and You......Page 59
True or False Vocal Folds?......Page 64
The Ceiling of the Larynx......Page 65
Finding Your Larynx......Page 66
Understanding the Ups and Downs of Your Larynx......Page 67
Frequently Asked Questions about Vocal Cords......Page 68
5 Tweaking the Filter Settings: Vocal Resonance......Page 70
The Vocal Tract......Page 71
Ground Floor......Page 73
Next Stop, the Tongue......Page 74
Rounding the Bend: The Nasality Muscle......Page 75
Last Stop: The Lips......Page 76
How Not to Have a Resonant Voice......Page 77
Using the Vocal Tract to Change Vocal Loudness......Page 78
Finding Your Resonant, Strong Voice......Page 79
1. Anchoring......Page 80
2. Arcing......Page 81
3. Increasing Forward Vibrations......Page 82
4. Finding Forward Vowels......Page 83
6. Forward Focus: One Syllable I......Page 84
8. Forward Focus: Two Syllables......Page 85
9. Forward Focus: Three and Four Syllables......Page 86
10. Forward Focus: Phrases......Page 87
12. Forward Focus: Conversation I......Page 88
13. Forward Focus: Conversation II......Page 89
Tongue Tension......Page 90
Intention......Page 91
Frequently Asked Questions about Resonance......Page 92
Easy Onset and Linking......Page 96
Onset Options......Page 98
Practicing Both Techniques......Page 99
Emphasis......Page 100
Loudness......Page 103
Pauses......Page 104
Frequently Asked Questions about Easy Onset, Linking, and Emphasis......Page 105
7 Speech Training: The Lips, the Teeth, the Tip of the Tongue......Page 108
Under Pressure......Page 109
The More the Merrier......Page 110
Tongue-Tip–Gum-Ridge Sounds......Page 111
Consonant Clusters......Page 112
Mouth Calisthenics......Page 113
Open Wide......Page 114
Engaging the Speech Muscles......Page 115
“Speak the Speech, I Pray You . . .”......Page 116
Frequently Asked Questions about Articulation......Page 117
Figurative and Literal Voice......Page 120
Voice as Energy......Page 123
Journal Topics......Page 124
9 Preparing the Playing Field: Warm-Up and Cool-Down......Page 126
The Warm-Up......Page 127
Neck Stretches......Page 128
Jaw Massage......Page 129
Tongue Exercises......Page 131
Alignment......Page 132
Fff Exercise......Page 133
Hum and Chew......Page 134
Lip Trills......Page 135
1-to-20 Counting......Page 136
Forward Focus Progression......Page 137
The Cool-Down......Page 139
Frequently Asked Questions about Warm-Up and Cool-Down......Page 140
10 Safeguarding the Valuables: Preventing Vocal Injury......Page 144
How Vocal Folds Get Damaged......Page 145
The Wetter the Better......Page 147
Smoke and Other Drying Agents......Page 150
Reflux......Page 151
Postnasal Drip......Page 153
Beauty Rest......Page 154
Don’t Slam the Cords!......Page 155
Amp It Up......Page 156
Use It So You Don’t Lose It......Page 157
Danger Signs......Page 158
Managing Laryngitis......Page 160
Seeking Help......Page 161
Frequently Asked Questions about Preventing Vocal Injury......Page 162
Speaking to Groups......Page 166
Small (1 to 10)......Page 167
Medium (10 to 40)......Page 170
Large (40+)......Page 171
Adjusting for Room Acoustics......Page 172
People and Objects in the Room......Page 173
Echo, Echo, Echo......Page 174
Making the Most of Your Microphone......Page 175
Managing Stage Fright......Page 176
Pacing for Marathon Talking Days......Page 177
Using the Telephone......Page 178
Using Voice Recognition Software......Page 180
Speaking, Cheering, and Shouting Outdoors......Page 181
Speaking Over Background Noise: Classrooms, Cars, and Bars......Page 182
Enhancing Your Vocal Image......Page 183
Confidence......Page 184
Charisma......Page 186
Power......Page 187
Approachability......Page 188
Trustworthiness......Page 189
12 Behind the Scenes: Additional Technical Information......Page 190
Breathing Basics......Page 191
Breathing and Alignment......Page 193
More Interesting Facts about Vocal Cord Vibration......Page 194
The Larynx and Alignment......Page 197
Resonant Frequency......Page 199
Formants......Page 200
Acoustics and Alignment......Page 201
Asthma......Page 202
Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement......Page 204
Acid Reflux......Page 205
Anxiety......Page 206
Working with Hoarse Students......Page 208
Instrumentation for Voice Analysis......Page 211
Laryngeal Videostroboscopy......Page 212
Acoustic Analysis......Page 214
Aerodynamic Analysis......Page 215
The Voice Evaluation......Page 216
Appendix: Organizations and Web Sites......Page 218
Glossary......Page 222
References......Page 234
Index......Page 240