Let your voice be heard #1

Margaret Thatcher started her political career with a dreadfully nasal voice. But with some training she began to command her audience with a deep resonant voice.  Anyone can enhance the quality of their voice, and in the next few blogs we will share some pointers.

1.     Breath

Breath is the initiator of the voice - the fuel that powers the sound. If your breath is not full and sustained you may have difficulty sustaining the volume of your sentences to the very end or your voice may tend to waver as you speak at length.

If you want a good voice it makes sense to work on your breathing techniques. Where do you feel your breath is coming from? Your tummy or your upper chest? It should be from the diaphragm. The air that you exhale causes the vocal folds to vibrate, which produces your voice.

            One exercise to ensure proper breathing is to get down on the floor in a child's pose.         Focus on the breath in your belly and back. Feel your ribs and belly expand as you fill            your lungs with air. Notice also the pause between inhalation and exhalation. Allow          that pause as it will calm you. When you are ready, exhale with an "ahhhhhh" for at   least 15 seconds. Exhale slowly through your mouth as if you are blowing out a candle. Think of your diaphragm as a balloon inflating and deflating. If your upper           chest and shoulders are moving up and down, you are not breathing from your          diaphragm.