VOICE PROJECTION 2012

My mistake!• Some of you might

have trouble speaking loudly or clearly enough for your presentation.

• Yelling at someone to speak louder does not solve the problem.

The Three Key Components of a Powerful Sound

1. PERSONALITY2. PASSION3. STRONG VOCALS

• The first two are obtained by being yourself and being clear about your aim.

• The third one comes with study and practice.

1. PERSONALITY• Remember, your personality is

“you”. It cannot be changed. • If you want to give a strong

voice for your presentation, you will need to celebrate your real self – do not try to “be someone else”.

- “I can’t try to say it in somebody else’s voice. I have to say it in my voice.”

2. PASSION• “The power of intention” – the more

you want them to believe you, the better you say it.

• Your intention is what you want this presentation to make people think.

• When your personality, information, and intention align, this is passion.

• Passionate speakers sound more genuine and interesting to the audience.

3. POWER• Of course, this is the ability to

make a loud and resonant sound, as well as control your breathing.

• Resonance and air are important for speaking. There is a basis in biology – you need more air to make more resonance.

• Stand up straight, take a deep breath and use more air to carry your sound further.

Breathing 101

1. Sit forward in a chair and relax your stomach.2. Slowly breathe in through your nose – imagine

you are a jar being filled with water.3. Fill up your stomach, your ribs, up to your chin.4. Hold for ten seconds.5. Exhale slowly – do not stop pushing out your

ribs and keep your back up straight.

How does this help?

• If you did it correctly, your stomach would have gone in, while your chest stayed up and out.

• You were using your abdominal muscles to breathe. Exercise them enough, and they grow, like all muscles.

• It also makes you aware of your breathing, makes you stand up straight looking confident, and helps you calm down.

It’s very helpful

More Advice on Breathing

Problem• Speaking too fast• Speaking too slow• Voice too high and thin• Voice too squeezed• Pausing too much• Never pausing• Voice too quiet• Shouting loudly

Solution• Stop and take a breath.• Practice deep breathing.• Breathe from stomach.• Speak with more breath.• Breathe more deeply.• Speak from stomach.• Speak and breathe out.• Stop and take a breath.

Low to High – literally!• How do we speak? We push air through our

body, of course!• We have a chest voice (low), and a face voice

(high).• Try to speak only in your chest, and only in your

face – those are your chest and face voices.• However, you can also resonate in your mask –

the front of your face, mouth and nose. A strong mask resonance will always make a good presentation voice, even with bad lungs and air.

Some sound exercises

Howl Roar Sound-off

…so which do you prefer?

(mask) (face) (chest)

Remember the Three

PERSONALITY…

PASSION…

…AND POWER!