ALL ABOUT VOICE

Vocal Rest


Just as it's important to exercise, it's also important to rest.  We use our voices constantly, and those who use their voices in a professional setting are even more prone to overuse and tire the voice.  Be kind to your voice - don't scream, try to talk over background noise, or speak to large groups without a microphone.  When you don't have to talk, don't. Once you become mindful of your voice, you'll begin to honor silence as a great way to care for your voice.

Remember to treat your voice with respect and care, and you'll have a rich, strong, healthy and youthful sounding voice for your entire life!
 
Learning to sing is easy with a few simple skills!

Vocal Exercise


Your vocal cords are muscles that need to be exercised throughout your life.  Doing simple  singing exercises to warm up the voice in the morning is a perfect way to start the day.  Vocal exercises strengthen the voice; get rid of phlegm; and conscious breathing oxygenates the blood!  My best advice for folks who are noticing an 'aging' of their voice is to sing everyday!  A great time to vocalize is in your car going to work.  You'll arrive with a voice that's ready to take on the challenges of the day.  Just like your body, simple vocalizing will strengthen and tone the voice, maintaining a supple and youthful tone.
 
Get vocal exercises with my Book on singing 'From Shower To Stage...7 Easy Steps for Singing Like A Pro!'

Pitch

 Speaking and singing are natural and should reflect your authentic persona.  What I mean by this is that you should be using your natural voice, not a voice that has been habitually altered through years of manipulation.  So many times clients will come to me with very soft, airy voices, or voices that sound thin and squeaky. Many women have a hard time letting go of their 'little girl' voices and must be taught to release their naturally pitched voices.  Your natural voice is always in a comfortable range, free of pinching and straining.  Speaking with a relaxed throat and natural pitch gives the voice a warm, silky, youthful tone.

Learning to sing is easy with a few simple skills!

Conscious Breathing


The basis for proper speaking and singing is conscious breathing. This means becoming aware of relaxing the belly, breathing low and slow, allowing the diaphragm to lower while the lungs fill with air.  Think of filling up like a balloon: on the inhale the abdominal area 'fills' up; on the exhale the abdominal area 'deflates' or goes slightly flat.  Most people breath very high in the chest and keep their bellies tight, which doesn't allow you to take in a full, deep breath.  You can also imagine your ribs as a bellows expanding as you inhale and going back to the normal position as you exhale. Breathing is  natural and is essential for supporting the voice so that the throat is not forcing the volume.  A youthful voice is a well-supported voice!

 Learning  to sing is easy to do with just a few simple skills. 

Mindfulness

In general, the first step to change is awareness. You've  got to become mindful of how you're using, or abusing our voice.  As you  speak, start listening to yourself!  Do you talk loudly in order to be heard over talking or over background noise?  In your job, do you attempt to push your voice for maximum volume?  Do you use your voice constantly without occasional rest?  Begin now to monitor your volume, pitch, and breath control and be willing to learn new ways of using your voice to maintain vocal health.
 
Learning  to sing is easy to do with just a few simple skills.

Most vocal challenges are directly related to an inability to correctly support the voice while singing or speaking.

It's crucial that you are using 'active breathing' so that you can let go of 'holding' or tensions that are keeping you from releasing your voice with a relaxed, open sound.

Here’s a good exercise from my book From Shower To Stage…7 Easy Steps for Singing Like A Pro! I call the ‘Resting Pose Exercise’:  lay on the floor, placing a book in the diaphragm area (in the center, just above and between the bottom of the ribcage).  As you breathe in, 'fill up' with air so that the book rises.  As you exhale, the book will lower as the diaphragm area flattens.  Keep doing this exercise until this type of breathing becomes natural and habitual, and you can breathe this way standing up.  As you sing or speak, 'fill up' with air and try to keep 'filled up' even as you're using your voice, although, naturally, with the exhalation of air, your diaphragm area will flatten somewhat.

Remember, your breath is your engine; never your throat.  If you want power and volume, simply fill up with more air and use the 'cushion of air' as your vocal support mechanism.

And P.S. - breathe with a soft belly!