SOVT Straw Exercise Video Link: [ Ссылка ]
2 Books:
Empath's Survival Guide by Judith Orloff, MD
The Art of Empathy by Karla McLaren
Is your speaking voice dragging your singing voice down?
If your voice gets tired when singing one reason maybe your speaking voice. How you use your voice all day can either support or undermine your singing.
Some of you are showing up to practice time with a voice that is already tired. And it’s no wonder….
Some of our speaking habits are being magnified as many of us are now working from home… talking on zoom or on the phone all day long … or some of you are talking through masks all day long. This may be causing vocal fatigue.
Here are seven ideas for you to explore that may support both your singing and speaking voice…
1. Warm-up your speaking voice – as you would -- before you start to sing. Do this each day…whether it’s in the shower, car or while making breakfast give your voice a chance to get in a good feeling place before your talking begins. I always warm-up BEFORE I start teaching.
2. Get in alignment… make sure your sitting and standing arrangement supports your body, breath and voice. Grounded feet, moving from the hips, happy spine and neck… no collapsing in the body or turtling of the neck or tightening in the shoulders.
3. Keep the breath calm and relaxed and low in your body. Nasal breathe when you can… Remember a low, slow and nurturing breath keeps us out of fight or flight and is easier on our nervous system
4. Feel your voice moving in a legato fashion… legato is music terminology and means move your voice in a smooth flowing manner, without breaks between notes. Try that on for your speech pattern as well… smooth, fluid and no harsh breaks between words.
It is easy for us to overuse the consonants especially with online meetings… our desire to communicate well, be heard through our computer mic or get a point across may cause us to push a bit. Talking through a mask can make it hard to be understood… all of this can cause us to drive the sound, to get off the breath a bit, muscling our way through and the voice gets tired. Think legato… smooth and fluid speaking.
5. Don’t yell or whisper… because of the disconnected nature of online communication or mask speaking, you may be yelling… or if you are using a headset you may be whispering… both extremes do not bring balance to the voice.
6. Take the pressure off… you may be speaking lower pitch than you need to… I have had to help many, many clients over the years that for whatever the reason they were pressing down on their larynx and speaking lower than they needed. Add to that vocal fry at the end of their sentences, poor alignment and held breath and you have a very tired voice. Check-in every now and then and see if raising the pitch of your voice just a touch may bring more ease to your voice throughout the day.
7. The SOVT straw exercise may help remedy fatigue as well. Have a straw handy and use it between meetings, sessions or lessons. Video link: [ Ссылка ]
I want to leave you with this thought… many singers have a high empathy IQ… you are feeling all the feeling during this time. I have clients who are teachers, health care workers, customer service employees… by nature they are giving people with huge hearts… and it is challenging to not take on the struggles and cares of others… this can of course drain you, your voice and your ability to sing the music that lifts your soul.
Here are a couple of books that really helped me to understand my empathic nature, showing me how to have an open heart and sustain vulnerability but also how to create healthy expectations, boundaries and support a balance in both giving to receiving.
Empath's Survival Guide by Judith Orloff, MD
The Art of Empathy by Karla McLaren
Add some of these ideas into your daily routine and support your voice when not singing.
We are all adjusting, pivoting and shifting during this time and it not always easy. But we can do it.
As Roy Hart once said... “The voice is the muscle of the soul.” Care for yourself, set up your day to support you and your voice, stay connected even if it’s a thin tether to those things that fill your soul and help your voice to thrive.
Sending you big hugs!
Until next time, rejoice in your voice...
Tricia
WEBSITE: www.tricialeines.com
FACEBOOK: [ Ссылка ]
INSTAGRAM: [ Ссылка ]
