Dear Students,
We often think of vocal health as something that is related primarily to the singing voice – merely a vehicle to sound pretty and to be able to sing what we want. Today, I want to take that concept into a different direction and discuss vocal health for the speaking voice. Yes, believe it or not, we use the same mechanism (the same muscles, ligaments, and cartilages) every day in speaking as we do in singing. Therefore, please share the following information with anyone who uses their voice (known in the professional community as “voice users”!).
A little anatomy to set the scene may be useful: our vocal folds (also called “vocal cords”) consist of muscle, ligament, and tissue roughly the same consistency as the smooth interior of your cheek. When we use our voices (phonate), muscles connected to the vocal folds press them together and, as you exhale, air runs past them, setting them into motion similar to a flag flapping on a windy day. That “flapping” occurs at the same rate per second as the hertz of the pitch produced (i.e. 440 times per second creates a pitch of 440 Hz).
There are two primary differences between singing and speaking:
1) In speaking we move through pitch very freely and intuitively, never staying on any one pitch long enough to be able to register it as such (inflection). In singing, we sustain intentionally chosen pitches for an intentionally set duration to create recognizable melodies.
2) In singing, we regularly fluctuate between phonating with the muscles of the vocal folds engaged (thick fold phonation, or chest voice) and phonating with the muscles of the vocal folds relaxed (thin fold phonation, or head voice, or falsetto). In speaking, we pretty much always speak with those muscles engaged (chest voice).
You may have noticed that your voice tires more quickly from extended speaking than from extended singing. While the increase of vocal fold muscle engagement may be one factor in speaking-induced fatigue, more often the culprit is our speaking technique. Singing inherently requires more intentional technique – more careful regulation of air, tone quality that magnifies resonance, and better practices around rest and hydration. Otherwise, the whole endeavor falls apart. Our speaking voice can compensate for neglect – but only for so long. What if we applied those same principles to speaking?
In no particular order, here are my top tips for maintaining a healthy speaking voice:
1) Make sure your breathing is adequate. Too often we get wrapped up in what we are saying and forget to take a breath – this also can occur when we speak too quickly. Be sure to take the time to stop and inhale in a way that feels like a reset, complete with ribcage expansion and relaxation of the abdominals.
2) Make sure you are supporting your sound from areas of your body besides the neck and throat by practicing good posture (especially aligned head posture) and feeling your abdominal muscles engage (especially when you are trying to project your voice).
3) Make sure the volume you are speaking at is consistent and balanced. One common error in speaking is to start out a sentence very loud (when you have plenty of air) but then gradually drop in volume over the course of the sentence to the point of unintelligibility by the end of it. Another error is to try to outshout a loud room. In a busy area, such as a hallway at school, a sports game, or a restaurant, the instinct is to speak loudly to compensate, tiring the voice more quickly. You can’t compete with a loud room and it is better not to try. If you need to be heard, as in a classroom, consider investing in a microphone or PA system.
4) Be aware of the pitch of your speaking voice. If you hear excessive vocal fry, you are probably speaking too low. Instead, experiment until you find a pitch level that feels like it is naturally louder and easier (usually somewhere in the middle of your speaking range) Additionally, speaking in monotone is unhealthy – it is healthier (and more expressive!) to speak with inflection, allowing your voice to move up and down as you emphasize words.
5) Practice clear diction - crisp consonants and round vowels will help you be understood without the need for extra volume. Clear diction, along with speaking at a comfortable pitch, will allow your voice to be resonant - loud and clear with decreased effort.
6) Limit voice use based on dosing – the amount of voice use you can sustain without becoming fatigued. For example, if you know you are going to be speaking at length during one part of the day, take it easy the rest of the day. Check in with your voice throughout the day, noticing when your voice becomes tired.
7) Practice good vocal hygiene as a baseline – adequate sleep and hydration are necessary for healthy vocal folds, regardless of the kind of use.
Wishing you all the healthiest and happiest speaking voices! Shoot me an email or comment on my blogpost at https://www.drjaneclukeyvoicestudio.com/blog with your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.
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