Content:
If you want to learn to speak beautifully, then to establish your voice and correct speech technique you need muscular freedom of phonation pathways and a sense of resonance, which should be developed.
Three rules for voice production
1. You need to start breathing correctly (diaphragmatic), free the larynx from the clamps and use the resonators
3. You can access the larynx only through breathing and resonators
Therefore, our main task is to develop correct speech breathing by influencing the larynx with the help of resonators. At the same time, we completely avoid direct influence on it. This happens when we speak as if “on a yawn.”
Feeling of freedom when speaking
Let's figure out how sounds appear in our speech. First, pressurized air passes through the vocal cords. As a result, they fluctuate. The important thing is that it is not these vibrations, but their response to resonators (different parts of the body), that determine the strength and timbre of the voice. Some of the powerful resonators are the facial part and trachea. Breathing, resonators and vocal cords are three parts of a single system. Speech technique and production depend on them.
The following types of resonators are distinguished:
1. Upper (or head)
The upper resonator is a cavity located in the front part of the head, above the palatine vault.
2. Lower (or chest)
The lower resonator covers the trachea and large bronchi.
3. Central
Includes the larynx.
By feeling the vibrations in the head resonator and chest area, you can enrich your voice timbre with overtones that will cause vibrations in the upper and lower resonators. However, you can achieve brightness, sonority, flight and quality of your voice only when its original timbre is correctly formed, to which the upper resonator responds. To do this, it is necessary to perform special exercises for voice training: they promote the free pronunciation of sounds in speech with sensations of the vibrations of these sounds in the head resonator.
Thus, to produce a voice, a speaker or speaker should learn to relax the muscles of the entire body. To begin, lie down on a sofa or bed and relax all your muscles one by one. Start with your legs - relieve tension from them. Next, follow the hands. Relax your face and neck. Finally, check your back and abdominal muscles. You should lie in this position for 4-5 minutes. Then stand up, keeping your whole body free. It is necessary to ensure that no muscle group is tense.
Human resonators
A set of exercises to relax the muscles of the phonation pathways
1. "Moan"
To perform this exercise, sit on a chair while keeping your back straight. Imagine that you have a sore throat and begin to moan quietly so that the pain goes away. But don’t grunt – this way your ligaments will be under tension, the sounds will be short, and your voice will turn out dull. Relax the muscles of your face, neck, arms and legs. Release your shoulders and leave your neck free so that your head is tilted down or to the side.
Next, start moving your head up, down, left, right. These movements should be done slowly, checking the freedom of the muscles. Continue to moan, but do not suppress your voice. Free moan, on the “middle note” of the voice. Pay attention to the mouth - it should be closed, and the lips should be only slightly closed - as when pronouncing the sound " m" Having achieved accuracy and correct technique for performing the exercise, feel the free flow of sounds. It will be much easier to make moans, and sounds will come out of the larynx freely.
Moaning and maintaining the same body position, smoothly and slowly lower your lower jaw, making the sound “Mmmmaaa”. And immediately close your mouth:
Mma-mma-mma-mma-mma
Sound " A“should be pronounced softly, the muscles of the lips and lower jaw are free. Accompany it with an even exhalation that does not weaken the moment your mouth opens. Do this exercise at least 3 times. The most important thing is to achieve muscle freedom and feel the work of only the breathing apparatus.
So, while continuing to moan, say in your voice the phrase “Mom, honey for us” as one word. When you open your mouth, immediately return it gently to its original position. Since the phrase is pronounced on a groan, the consonant sounds “ m" And " n» double:
Mumm-medunn-mumm
When performing the “moan” exercise in the future, accompany it with training in pronouncing sonorant consonants. Because they will give your voice a sonority, enhancing the work of the resonator in the nasal cavity.
Sonorant sounds are the consonants that are most sonorous. This "m", "n", "l", "r". Moan together, monotonously and quietly. Do not strain your throat or ligaments. The mouth opens freely when sounding vowels, but not too wide. Pay attention to sonorant consonants "m", "n", "l", "r".
Also, when moaning, train combinations of sonorant consonants with vowel sounds:
Mm – mA – mm – mO – mm – mU – mm – mI – mm – mY – mm – mE – mm…
Mm – mnA – mm – mnO – mm – mnU – mm – mnI – mm – mnY – mm – mnE – mm…
Mm – mnAli – mm – mnOli – mm – mnUli – mm – mnIli – mm – mnIli – mm – mnEli – mm…
Mm – RlArm – mm – RlOrm – mm – RlUrm – mm – RlIrm – mm – RlYrm – mm – RlErm – mm…
Now, having achieved freedom of sound, gradually raise and then lower your voice on each line. But no more than two or three tones from the average usual note. Keep your phonation pathways free.
To begin, say in a moaning, semi-chanting voice:
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm
Then three times in the same motion while moaning. And on the fourth we call mom in a voice:
Mmmmmmmmmm!
There are no changes in the speech apparatus – we feel freedom in the throat area. Only on “mam” did the diaphragm tremble slightly to support the sound.
Try to ensure that at the moment the voice sounds, the nature of your breathing also changes. This is necessary for proper voice support.
Say the already familiar phrase on a groan:
Mmmmedunnam
Here every word is sharp and abrupt:
Mam! honey! us!
Make sure that there is no excessive activity during speech pronunciation, to maintain freedom and lightness, as with moaning.
Practice combinations:
MMA! MMO! mmu! MMI! mmY! mme!
mnAli! many! mUli! I thought! thought! mnEli!
RlArm! RlOrm! RlUrm! RlIrm! RlYrm! RlErm!
2. Pronouncing vowels
After practicing combinations of sonorant consonants with vowels, you should begin to pronounce each vowel separately from the consonant. Here it is necessary to take into account that it is the vowels that create the melody of the voice that are the basis of sonority.
First, let's look at the concept of sound attack. It means the beginning of the sound of the speaking person's voice. Sound attack is the moment when the vocal cords stop at a certain sound note when they are closed with the force of an air stream. There are aspirated, hard and soft attack of sound.
An aspirated attack is when part of the air that does not take part in voice formation comes out before the ligaments close and then joins the voice as a sipota sound.
A hard attack is when the vocal folds close tightly before exhalation begins and only under strong pressure do the air streams open back up. It's like a burst of air passing through tightly closed lips. Often this occurs when the ligaments overlap, that is, when they overlap each other. When they are firmly closed and there is a sharp push of the air stream, the voice will sound harsh, callous, and it will lose intonation mobility.
A soft attack occurs when the vocal cords are closed and the breath is sent at the same time. The already well-known “moaning” exercise with its variations helps to achieve it. The speaker should strive for a soft attack, which is natural for the formation of the voice. In this case, the closure of the vocal folds coincides with the beginning of exhalation, and they come together so that free vibration is ensured. With a soft attack, your voice will have the best timbre: it will be born smoothly and without shocks. You should learn to recognize and feel what kind of attack the voice is born from. And until the attack of the sound is mastered, until you feel with your muscles the soft beginning of the sound and the sensation of reflecting the attack, you cannot go further in.
3. "Lullaby"
Imagine rocking a baby to sleep and softly humming the phrase of a lullaby:
M – m – m – m – m – m – m...
And hum this melody on all vowels, achieving a soft attack of the sound:
A - a - a - a - a - a - a ...
Oh - oh - oh - oh - oh - oh - oh...
Oooh – ooh – ooh – ooh – ooh – ooh...
E-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh...
You should remember the state of muscle freedom in the pharynx and the feeling as if you are “pumping” vowel sounds with your diaphragm.
By opening your mouth wide, you thereby facilitate better removal of sound energy outward. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve freedom of the muscles of the lower jaw and avoid a position where the teeth are clenched. By unclenching them in time, you will make your voice “flying”, getting rid of constriction.
It is worth noting that there is no one-size-fits-all mouth solution. It all depends on the speech apparatus and the nature of each person’s voice. The degree of mouth opening is determined by both the most distinct and clear pronunciation of sounds and the highest quality vocal sound.
4. “I want honey and milk”
This exercise helps to relax the lower jaw and relieve stiffness of the speech apparatus.
Imagine that you are “sick” again. Contact your mother on a groan:
Oh, I'm sick. Ay - ah - ah! Give me milk and honey, mom!
Open your mouth well, but don’t overdo it: everything should be natural. Lower your jaw gently down, not to the side. Pronounce the text in a drawn-out voice. Look for light vocal sounds at different pitches:
Ahyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyay
5. "Dictation"
Like the previous one, this exercise will teach you to relax your jaw and relieve stiffness. Here we also use text with frequent repetition of the vowel sound “ A».
Dictate clearly, without rushing:
On an atom, on an atom, on an atom
The attacking longboat is sailing towards the attack.
He's an atom, he's an atom, he's an atom
Made him work for us.
For the first time - according to the words, “they had time to write it down.” Deliver punctuation using precise intonation and semantic patterns. The second time, dictate phrases, which you pronounce together, without pauses. When pronouncing the vowel sound “a” behind the freedom of the lower jaw.
When dictating, a calm message of sound relieves constriction in the throat and removes low voice. Do not send your voice too far forward - this in turn will strain the vocal apparatus. On the contrary, develop a feeling of what you are saying by sending the sound closer, “to yourself.” How can this be achieved? Set a goal to attract the attention of listeners. Before starting your speech, mentally say: “Attention, I’m starting!” And your voice will sound inviting, calm, and your speech will attract the attention of the audience.
The feeling of freedom of the larynx ensures the correct vocal sound. A lower, calmer position of the larynx is trained with exercises on: “ A», « O», « at».
6. "Echo"
Say "Aww" three times. The first time – call, the second “ay” sounds like a distant echo, and the third time – respond to the echo. Watch the sound of your voice and what happens to the muscles of your lips and cheeks.
When the voice sounds on the echo, the cheeks and lips should be relaxed, the sound resonates in the back of the head. When you respond to an echo, the corners of your lips and cheeks become tense, causing the sound to resonate closer, in your elongated lips. Perform this exercise, paying attention to the tension and relaxation of the muscles of your lips and cheeks.
Various exercises with the sound “u” will help you remove the pretentiousness of the sound of vowels. When " A"flies out of the stomach, " O" - hums as if in a barrel, " And" - squeezes out of a constricted throat, " e" - from the glottis, and " s», « at», « yu“They end up in places from which you can’t get them out.
7. "Buzz"
uuuuuu...
Now, having connected all six vowels in one line, hum with your voice:
uuAuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…
Try to keep your lips in the " at" This will help you achieve a uniform quality in the other vowels.
Wow! Whoa! Oui! Ouch! Wow!…
Sounds “a”, “o”, “i”, “s”, “e” as if they were held on the lips.
If " A"You sound far away, a vowel will help bring it closer" O" Since when pronouncing this sound, the lips take the shape of an oval and retain the sound in the lips. To practice a soft attack, read when pronouncing vowel sounds “ A" And " O»:
Not on the path
And “o” rolled around,
And groaned.
"Oh" - gasp,
"o" - groan,
not along the path, but around it!
Why don’t HR invite applicants for an interview after the first phone conversation? Sometimes people are rejected because they speak slowly, slurred, or uncertainly. Or, for example, public speaking. Even the most interesting lecture is not attractive if it is delivered by a gasping speaker. Listeners are distracted, paying attention to his imperfect “r”, constant woofing, breathing problems - the information fades into the background.
In order for you to sound at full capacity and be at your best in any situation where you need to speak and win over your voice, we turned for recommendations to Svetlana Vasilenko, an expert consultant on speech technique and rhetoric, author and presenter of talk-projects of the Kiev 98 radio FM".
Svetlana has been working in voice for 20 years and is sure that speaking beautifully and clearly is not a gift, but just a skill, as well as the skill of presenting correct information. This is how she developed her own method of teaching speech techniques, based on personal experience and the techniques that she tested in the process of drawing up her own program.
Why We Sound Wrong: Three Key Reasons
Incorrect position of the vocal apparatus. Almost 90% of people need to work with speech. Adults often do not pay attention to the pronunciation of some of their sounds. Imperfect sounding occurs due to physical nuances - the tongue is not positioned as it should, the lips are not relaxed at the right moment, etc.
Laziness. One of the common reasons for incorrect sounding is simple laziness. We are too lazy to open our mouths, so we don’t use our jaws – they are motionless when we speak, only our lips move. Figuratively speaking, sounds come out with the help of air, and their quality depends on how wide we open our mouth
How sound is born
Sound is produced when air passes between the vocal cords. When we produce voiced sounds and vowels, the glottis formed by the cords closes, and with dull sounds it diverges. Frequent speaking, i.e. Constant tension of the vocal cords leads to the fact that the initially thin cords thicken, become less flexible, and the voice “overgrows” with hoarseness, loses pitch and flight.
Have you noticed how teachers lose their voice after only 45 minutes of lecture and switch to a hoarse whisper? Typically, teachers speak at three times the normal rate, which means they are using connectives to their maximum capacity. A large load on these muscles leads to the appearance of knots or, as singers say, calluses, which can cause the voice to disappear. These nodes can only be removed surgically, but it is not a fact that you will sound as good as before the operation.
Therefore, professional lecturers, trainers, consultants, teachers, in order to preserve the voice and cords longer, learn to speak using a chest resonator, “excluding” the cords from the process as much as possible. Roughly speaking, they speak “with their chest”, not with their throat.
Ten exercises to improve your speaking technique
1. Love yourself
Often those who have problems with articulation are confident that they love themselves. But in fact, for a person who loves himself, the sound is born deep inside, and the person wants to be heard. So he speaks louder and clearer. To create a feeling of self-love, praise yourself in the morning in front of the mirror for 5 minutes, constantly thank yourself for being such a great person, take time for yourself during the day.
2. Open your mouth
When pronouncing words, physically open your mouth wider, work your jaw. If a person is worried, nervous, afraid of being uncomfortable, then he does not open his mouth while speaking, moving only his lips. Therefore, his speech is quiet, barely intelligible, as if under his breath. It is unlikely that an employer, colleague, listener, etc. will appreciate this.
3. Yawn and stretch
In the morning, instead of jumping up and shouting “I’m late! / I overslept!” stretch and have a good yawn. Most of the problems in speech technique are also due to the fact that all the muscles are tight: they become numb in the morning after sleep, and then in the office we sit, slouched and without warming up.
By stretching, you release all the muscles in your neck, which allow you to better hear sounds. By yawning, we “wake up” the jaw joints, relax the lips and the windpipe with its small movable tongue. It is he who influences the way we speak - by “releasing” sounds through the mouth or through the nose. Many speak nasally precisely because they direct air and sound through the nose, without training this part of the articulatory apparatus through yawning and relaxation.
4. Keep your back straight
The diaphragm, a muscular partition that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity, plays a huge role in the appearance of sound (conventionally, its border can be drawn along the lower edge of the ribs). By slouching and straining, we squeeze the diaphragm, preventing its natural movement.
A good speaker has a “pumped up” diaphragm, i.e. very mobile, so she can quickly change her position. With a straight back, our abdominal muscles are not tightened, which means we can take in as much air for speaking as necessary.
Check whether you are sitting correctly - bring your shoulder blades together, lower them to the level when your back becomes straight. At first there will be slight discomfort from being unaccustomed to it, the main thing is that you can calmly stand or sit in this position. By the way, standing up straight makes you look more confident.
5. Place your chin perpendicular to your neck
One girl defined her voice in everyday life as “the creaking of an ungreased door,” but at meetings with friends after a glass of wine, everyone admired her amazing chest voice. And to the question “What’s wrong with my voice?” a very simple answer was found - she raised her chin high, straining the muscles of her neck near her throat, and the sound could not come out normally. And in a relaxed state, her chin fell into place, air appeared - and her voice sounded as it should. If the chin is lowered lower than 90 degrees, then the back muscles of the neck are pulled and the sound does not receive enough air to appear.
6. « Wake up"resonators
While doing your morning chores, hum - sing your favorite song, a random melody with your mouth closed, try to read a couple of paragraphs from a book with your mouth closed, or, easiest of all, say the sound “mmmmm”.
7. Always drink in small sips
Gastroenterologists advise drinking warm water with lemon in order to wake up the body. The same water helps awaken the speech organs. In the morning, drinking a glass of water in small sips, you train your small tongue. As it rises, it “works” to its full potential, and your nasal tone disappears by itself.
8. Do a vibration massage
As we have already said, sounds are not created by the vocal cords alone. Our voice becomes special, receiving a beautiful vibration thanks to internal resonators. Basic vibration massage techniques are performed on the frontal sinuses (these are the voids in the center of the forehead, at the point where the eyebrows meet), the maxillary sinuses, the upper and lower lips, as well as the upper chest. The exercises below will reveal to you the subtleties of this massage at the indicated points.
Frontal sinuses. When massaging a point on the frontal sinuses, pronounce the sound “m” and send it upward. Imagine that the sound goes somewhere upward, above the top of your head, becoming thinner. In the place where the palate ends and the tongue begins, vibration appears. Nothing physically vibrates, but the very sensation of vibration will be there. Massage helps the resonators wake up - and the body as a whole gets used to the correct sound of all sounds.
Maxillary sinuses. When massaging the maxillary sinuses, “lower” the sound “m” completely into the nose. Close one nostril and pronounce the sound “m”, while lowering the tone, releasing through the open nostril. If you perform the exercise correctly, the wing of the open nostril vibrates a little. Monitor the execution - it is important that the vibration remains in the nose area and does not go to the teeth or tongue. This will not happen right away, but this task can be easily completed by those who are used to speaking through their noses.
By releasing sounds alternately through different nostrils, you can massage the points at the wings of the nose. You are probably familiar with the effect of this massage. Often, when we need to speak with a stuffy nose, we intuitively rub three points near the maxillary sinuses, reducing swelling, clearing the airways, and accordingly we sound more clearly, especially when pronouncing sonorant sounds, including “m” and “n”.
Upper lip. Vibration massage is aimed at teaching the upper lip to resonate - it must relax for the correct pronunciation of all sounds. To do this, pronounce the sound “v”, trying to feel how the middle of the upper lip works. The correct sound “v” is born precisely at this point: the air, leaving the mouth, hits the middle of the lip at an angle of 45 degrees and vibrates a little. By doing this exercise, you will feel how the area itches. Add massage to the point above the upper lip.
Lower lip. For the lower lip, use the same principle as for the upper lip, only using the “z” sound. The sound “z” is born in the same way as “v”, only the air is directed to the middle of the lower lip. The massage is done on the point below the middle of the lower lip. Due to the tightness of the middle of the lower lip, problems may arise with the pronunciation of “sh”, “sch”, “zh”. If it seems to you that your lips are not involved in the appearance of “v” and “z”, start massaging the indicated points and physically feel the vibration.
Chest resonator. To vibrate the chest resonator, pronounce the sound “zh” and, as you exhale, send it as far down the chest as possible. This way you lower your voice as much as possible. In this case, the vocal cords do not take part in the production of sound, since they are completely relaxed, although physically you can feel their slight vibrations.
Check to see if it's done correctly - place your hand on your chest, below your neck. And it is in this place that you feel the vibration, but not in the neck, where the ligaments are. The voice becomes lower.
9. Always train your chest resonator
Place your hand on your chest and as you exhale, say “chug-chug-chug” as if you were a little train. Ideally, you should hear a sound hitting your palm from inside your chest with each “chug.” It’s difficult to speak “with your chest” right away, but over time it will become the norm.
10. Open the windpipe (trachea)
Open your mouth and make the sound “a” as you exhale. At the same time, try to relax your throat as much as possible. In addition, by doing this you warm up your jaws and lips - an additional beneficial effect.
A person under stress shrinks all over and sounds have difficulty making their way out through his throat. Try to strain your throat, you will immediately understand what we are talking about. Therefore, every time you need to relax your throat before a public speaking, presentation, interview, take a couple of minutes for this exercise.
Articulation gymnastics
To speak clearly and quickly, to confidently argue, you need to quickly and clearly work the muscles of your lips, jaw and tongue. The exercises below will be useful to you to develop the muscles of the speech apparatus. In addition, this simple gymnastics will solve the problem of most sounds once and for all.
Each muscle group is worked separately, but always in combination. Even if you feel like you can't do an exercise, just do it - you need to train muscles that you haven't used before. Perform each exercise 3-5 times. Also, when working one specific muscle group, relax the remaining muscles as much as possible.
Lips
"Duck." Pull your lips together as if you were saying the letter “y,” and then stretch your lips, exposing your upper and lower teeth as much as possible. You can enhance the effect by making circular movements with your “ducky” lips in different directions.
"Mask". Open your mouth wide and pull your lips inside your mouth as much as possible. This is a good massage for the lips and jaw. Finish the exercise with a big smile. “Mask” is good if you don’t have time for full articulation gymnastics.
"Jar of jam." Remember how you lick the jam from your lips with your tongue. Extend your tongue and, straining your muscles, slowly move it across your lips. Here the muscles of the tongue and lips are simultaneously activated. You can enhance the effect by running your tongue behind your lips.
"Rabbit". Without using your hands, lift your upper lip up, i.e. pull it towards your nose. Try not to wrinkle your forehead and relax your face.
Language
"Horse". Click your tongue like you did when you were a child. This is especially good for those who have trouble with "r" and "l" sounds. When done correctly, you should experience a vibration between the roof of your mouth and the middle of your tongue. This exercise trains the middle part of the tongue to work.
"Artist". The exercise is especially suitable for correcting the sounds “r” and “l” in those with a short sublingual frenulum. Imagine that your tongue is a brush, with which you draw a straight line from the teeth across the entire upper palate to the movable tongue, pressing the tongue tightly against the “canvas”.
"Sword". For working out cheeks and lips from the inside. Tighten your tongue like a mini-skewer and lick the inside of your lips - slowly running your tongue along the upper and lower jaw. The tension “turns on” the tip and base of the tongue.
"Boat". Helps correct the pronunciation of the “ch” sound. The lateral muscles of the tongue rise and the tongue protrudes from the mouth. There is no need to pronounce the sound - this way you make the “lazy” muscles of the tongue, which have not previously participated in speaking, jump. It has been noticed that 90% of people who cannot say “ch” do not know how to make a boat.
Jaws
"Nutcracker". Open your mouth as wide as possible. Do it very slowly. Then slowly close your mouth.
"Shifts". Move your jaw forward without straining your lips. Then separately to the right and separately to the left. Aerobatics is to make a retractable circular movement of the jaw clockwise and counterclockwise. To begin with, try to make a movement along the square, gradually turning it into a small oval.
To minimize all injuries, because... your jaw is not used to stress, perform all exercises with your mouth open or slightly open.
When there is no time
If you need to work on articulation when you don’t have time, in the morning before an important meeting, then do the following exercises.
1. Write all the consonants of the alphabet in a row and choose any word starting with the letter “b” (or a word that is difficult to pronounce for you). For example, "barrel". Then say this word, changing the first letter: “barrel, barrel, barrel...”.
And if you want to additionally say goodbye to nasality, then close your nostrils with your fingers, inhale through your mouth, and opening your mouth as much as possible, say the same thing. This way all the air will come out exclusively through the mouth.
Go through the alphabet back and forth. You will immediately sound different and better - you will wake up your speech apparatus, and almost all sounds will sound correctly.
2. Substitute all the consonants in turn for the vowels “i”, “e”, “a”, “o”, “u”, “s”. Run through the alphabet and you'll sound much more convincing in your morning meeting.
Breathing technique
The ability to breathe correctly is the most important thing in speech technique and oratory. Breathing is practiced in parallel with the production of sounds and pumping of the muscles of the lips, tongue and jaw.
How to breathe correctly
You need to inhale only through your nose, exhale only through your mouth. It is ideal if sounds are born along with the exhalation.
As you inhale, completely relax your abdominal muscles and diaphragm. Remember how children breathe while sticking out their bellies? Do the same without tension - and a relaxed stomach will become a container for the air that is so necessary in the speaking process. In such a stomach, the muscles of the diaphragm easily bend and let in air.
As you exhale, pull in your stomach, thus arching the diaphragm in the other direction and thereby releasing the air. Otherwise, you take in air, tense up, quickly say what you need to say, and only then exhale - which is completely wrong.
Always remember: inhale on a relaxed stomach, exhale while tightening your stomach.
Working on inhalation and exhalation
There are a huge number of breathing techniques, and they are all based on working the diaphragm. And their common key point is that after doing any inhalation exercise, you must also do an exhalation exercise.
When starting to practice breathing techniques, always take water with you to prevent hyperventilation. If you don’t feel completely comfortable, or feel dizzy, just drink water and breathe calmly.
Inhale. Imagine that there are three bags of coffee in front of you. You were allowed to smell them all and choose one. You need to understand what kind of coffee you like best and be completely satisfied with its aroma. Take one forced exhale, and then inhale sharply three times so that your chest tightens. The stomach is relaxed, remember! Then, tightening your stomach, exhale calmly.
Exhalation. First, prepare for the execution - to get rid of excess air on the previous inhalation, i.e. hyperventilation, you need to exhale forcefully. With sharp movements, like a pump, exhale the air along with the sound “f”, sharply drawing in your stomach with each movement.
Now you can do the exercise: take a deep breath through your nose and, as you exhale, divided into three, tightening your stomach, sharply blow out three candles on an imaginary cake. Each candle with a separate portion of air. The trick is to leave a little more air in your lungs so that you can take a gentle breath instead of gasping for air. Some people can divide one exhalation into 12 parts.
General relaxation. If you are nervous, take a deep breath, taking in small portions of air for 4 counts, and smoothly, in one movement, release the air. Then inhale deeply in one movement, then, breaking the exhalation into 4 counts, push the air out in small bursts.
1) Don’t rush to do everything quickly so as not to harm yourself.
2) Look at yourself in the mirror while doing the exercises. Monitor the correct execution until it becomes automatic. The brain always draws its own algorithms for performing a particular task, so you can do it incorrectly without knowing it.
4) Don't be afraid to articulate. Vowel sounds not only begin to sound louder, but also gain strength if you open your mouth wide.
5) Regularly pronounce patters for different sounds. Or, for example, collect your favorite tongue twisters into one multi-tonguer and learn it. Pronounce it slowly - this way you will improve your speech apparatus, learn to pronounce words clearly.
6) Don’t strive to get results in one day. The muscles need to be trained, and this will take at least 21 days.
Speak so I can see you! (Socrates)
Indeed, speech is our calling card. As soon as you speak, the interlocutor immediately draws conclusions about character, mood, place of birth, social origin, education and culture... It is the qualitative characteristics of speech, that is, the way we speak, that are primarily perceived as our image. Therefore, it is so important to make a dull, weak, pinched voice beautiful, rich and expressive, to remove nasal or hoarseness, sluggish articulation, diction defects, and spoken deviations. To do this, take a diction course in “Republic X” and you will be able to freely reveal your individuality and achieve your goals in speech communication.
Duration
The duration of the practical public speaking course is 10 lessons/20 hours/2 lessons per week for 2 hours (7 lessons/21 hours/2 lessons per week for 3 hours).
What is included in the course program
6 out of 10 lessons of the course are trainings on speech techniques:
gymnastics to overcome vocal tensions and clamps,
strengthening the respiratory muscles,
voice production,
expanding the vocal range,
diction correction,
getting rid of talking
articulation,
speech intonation,
breathing exercises by Strelnikova,
breathing training by Terzopoulos,
practice of speaking with tongue twisters, poetic and prose texts, sight reading of complex texts;
speech duels.
4 classes are devoted to the development of memory and vocabulary of the speaker, non-verbal techniques and the ability to captivate the audience with your speech.
There are no more than 15 people in a group.
The cost of participation in trainings is indicated in the section
How are the trainings conducted?
Correct speech and diction courses are intensive training. Listeners do breathing-vocal gymnastics, lying on mats, sitting, standing; practice pure pronunciation at articulation and diction trainings, reading poetry, tongue twisters, and complex texts; do homework and speak in public; analyze the results from video recordings and receive personal recommendations. Classes are intensive, in a comfortable and fun environment.
This course will help:
1. Development of natural voice and speech.
2. Mobilize your voice before speaking.
3. Relieve the fear of going out to the audience.
4. The ability to speak clearly and expressively.
5. Articulate speech in order to always be heard and understood.
[Detailed course program]
Our team
- Victor Vladimirovich Markhasev- author of a method for developing stage speech (trained in the USA), more than 4 thousand students, more than 25 years of coaching experience working with businessmen and politicians. Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, actor, director. Students of Viktor Vladimirovich Markhasev - Vladimir Mashkov, Irina Apeksimova, Sergey Garmash, Evgeny Mironov and others.
- Irina Anatolyevna Avtushenko– one of the most effective trainers in speech technique, candidate of art history, author of textbooks “Stage Speech and Emotional Hearing”, “Development of Emotional Hearing in Stage Speech Lessons”, “Workbook on Orthoepy”. Conducts regular training in stage speech for theater actors in Russia and abroad; classes on working on text, speech techniques with politicians, businessmen and TV and radio presenters.
- Kirill Ivanchenko- graduate of the Theater Institute named after. B. Shchukina, actor, trained in stage speech with Viktor Markhasev.
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Surely you want to be listened to with an enthusiastic look and an open mouth? Or maybe your field of activity is unthinkable without public speaking, in which voice training and precise pronunciation are so important? But due to the lack of certain skills and knowledge, you don’t even try to improve yourself? Next, we will tell you how, with the help of simple voice training exercises, you can hone your speaking technique, which will help you achieve success both in the professional sphere and in your personal life.
Speech technique is a science in the field of speech production, articulation, diction, intonation, facial expressions and other elements. People of certain professions need to study this science throughout their lives. Their task is to make their speech technique correct, beautiful and understandable.
A significant indicator that characterizes the quality of a person’s speech technique is diction (this is how clearly he pronounces sounds). This element of speech is comparable to handwriting. A message written in crooked, illegible handwriting will be incomprehensible and uninteresting to the addressee, just as a crumpled, inarticulate speech is unlikely to interest the listener or will raise a lot of counter questions. Next, we will tell you how to improve your voice and improve your pronunciation with the help of regularly performed exercises.
One of the methods was used by the main character from the film “Carnival”; she honed her speech by repeating the tongue twister about the cuckoo, stuffing her mouth with walnuts. In addition, there are a number of breathing exercises, which we will talk about a little later.
Voice
A pleasant voice is one of the main indicators of correct speech. The voice can also be trained and can be mastered. Each person is capable of learning to control the power of his voice, raising or lowering it depending on the situation, sufficiently restraining emotions, being calm and speaking measuredly. An important factor is a healthy throat and you need to quit smoking.
Timbre
The next indicator is voice timbre. In this case, the main thing is not to overdo it, since an excessively low or high voice is perceived as false. To practice voice timbre, the most important point is breathing and you need to work with the diaphragm.
Intonation
Watch the intonation and correct pronunciation; it is important to correctly place emphasis in words and make logical pauses. This gives you the opportunity to take a breath, properly structure your further speech, and also attract the attention of your listeners.
So, before you start doing the exercises, you need to create a working environment. Sit comfortably in front of a mirror in a spare room, remove unnecessary objects and ensure the necessary acoustics. Complete all tasks for about 5–10 minutes, proceed to the next one after you have mastered the previous task. Record a video in order to correct errors in the future.
Lessons to improve speech
Breath
To complete this task, you need to remember to breathe through your nose, this is important!
Practicing breathing:
- Place your feet shoulder width apart;
- Place your palms on your waist and slowly exhale so that you feel the air counteracting your lips (at the same time you need to repeat the quatrain).
- Do the exercise while walking, accelerating into an easy run, imitating cutting grass, chopping trees and sweeping the floor. When performed accurately, the exhalation should be smooth and not stray.
- Keep your back straight, lean forward and take a deep breath.
- When straightening to the original position, exhale and slowly say “gi-mm-mm-mm.” synchronously combining with light running.
- Return to the straight stance position. Taking a deep breath, bend straight and clasp your hands behind your head. In the same position, exhale and straighten up, saying “Gn-n-n...”, combining with light running; Next, you need to complete a task to improve nasal breathing.
- With your mouth covered, take a small breath in through your nose, widening your nostrils, and while exhaling, lightly hit them with your fingertips. Based on the previous example, as we exhale, we slowly pronounce the letters “M” and “N” and lightly hit the nostrils in turn with the edges of our fingers.
Preparing the muscles of the palate
- Say the consonants “K” and “G” three times without stopping. Next, say the vowels “A”, “O”, “E” also three times, but when yawning.
- Inhale the air through your mouth, as if rinsing it. Open your mouth and say: “AMMMMM...AMMMMM”, “A” should be barely audible, “M” should be sonorous, and then do it three times.
Exercise for lips and tongue
- To practice the upper lip, say: “GL”, “VL”, “VN”, “TN”, for the lower lip - “KS”, “GZ”, “VZ”, “BZ”.
- Relax your tongue and repeat the shovel shape, placing it on your lower lip, pronounce: “I”, “E”, five times.
- With your tongue, take the shape of a curved hook and run the tip of your tongue across the sky, synchronously pronouncing “O”, “U”.
- Extend the letter "M" with your mouth covered and your tongue moving towards your lips, cheeks and roof of the mouth.
Exercises to help open and strengthen the voice of the main speech
- Speak a random tongue twister using exclusively consonant letters; the vowels will therefore be dull and long.
- After this, say the same tongue twister, only in a perfect voice. By diligently listening to yourself, you will feel the epicenter of your own speech voice, establish in what state the articulatory apparatus sounds free and genuine. Repeat the exercise with head tilts, alternately back/forward, right/left.
- Read the tongue twister using the indicated technique, but putting your tongue on your lips, lowering it and thereby replacing the pronunciation of vowels.
- Inhale thoroughly and slow down your breathing (you can squeeze your nose with your palms) and read some text out loud. Exhale and inhale through your nose again in those passages of text where this is required by grammar and semantic pauses.
After completing all the work, read the text again, in a relaxed voice, and listening to the sound, understanding the difference in pronunciation before and after completing the tasks.
Exercises to improve diction
These exercises for developing diction are performed only after practicing the tasks described above, which are aimed at eliminating common errors in pronunciation caused by the underdevelopment of the speech apparatus. If you have questions about completing tasks, you can find a video on YouTube and watch it clearly.
Exercises for a weakened lower jaw
- Say “PIE”, “BAY”, “MAY” while holding your chin in a constant state with your palm, your head should lean back. With the sound “Y” it takes on its initial state. Next, do this step in your usual position, comparing whether the feeling of muscle independence has arisen.
- Repeat the exercise, but with your head turned left/right, try to reach your chin to your shoulders. At the sound “Y”, return your head to its original position.
Pliable sky
- Bow your head back and rinse your larynx with air, pronouncing the sound “M” at length, but do not stick out your lower jaw. Try to yawn with your mouth closed.
- Inhale air through your nose and draw in your cheeks, in addition, keep your jaw down and your lips compressed; as you exhale, extend the letter “M”.
Exercises to strengthen your tongue and mouth
Be sure to repeat each of the listed activities three times in a row.
- pronounce “BYA”, placing your tongue on your lower lip;
- pronounce “AS”, actively working your tongue forward/backward;
- pronounce “TKR”, “KTR”, “DRT”, “RKT” in a row, repeat three times;
- in order to correct the activity of the lips, say “MB”, “TV”, “BM”;
- Curl your lips and make the sound “M-M-M-M”, then smile.
Exercises to correct the lack of sound in the speaking oral cavity
- with a straight and direct state of the body, on a leisurely exhalation, say: “SSSSSSSS...”, “SHSHSHHHHHHH...”, “ZHZHZHZH...”, “RRRRRRRR”, “RRRRRRR...”;
- in the same position, with a tense, constant exhalation, say: “F!” F! F! F! F! F! F! ", which is transmitted into the unchanged sound "FFFFFFFF...";
- Cover your nose and mouth with your palm, in this position try to pronounce the sound “M”, then remove your palm and read some text with the maximum number of “M”, “N”.
Exercises to develop undeveloped sound in the chest
- Take a comfortable body position, place your palm on your chest to feel the pulsation, and close your mouth with the other to examine your own breathing. Try to make different vowels: a gentle exhalation - a sound ("UUUUUU") - a gentle inhalation. If you do everything correctly, you will feel a desire to yawn and lightness in the throat area.
- The next step is similar, the only thing at the moment of groaning is to try to stretch it out and pronounce the emphasis with a light blow of the diaphragm deep into it, then gently exhale.
Any subsequent task increases the number of stresses by one and, in the same way, you need to bring up to five stresses one after another.
Fighting heavy breathing during a fast-paced conversation
- It is necessary to assume an inclined state and begin to look for an imaginary object, while at the same time reciting a random poem loudly, but watch your breathing evenly.
- Jumping rope with synchronized pronunciation of quatrains so that the jumps correspond to the syllables of the words. If the task, at first glance, seems difficult, speech and breathing will be confused, it is recommended to reduce the speed and step by step increase them, bringing them to the maximum.
Developing range and raising your voice
- Choose some poetic text consisting of eight or more lines, and begin to pronounce it in such a way that the weakest level of your range falls at the beginning of the line and with each line it gradually increases, reaching its maximum at the final one.
- After you have practiced this exercise, start with the highest and end with the low range of your own voice.
- Based on the results of successful performance, increase the number of lines of the poetic story.
This also quite effective technique is called “voice chanting.” Choose and sing any verse you like, first using exclusively vowels, and then only consonants.
Another way (we already talked about it at the very beginning) is to repeat tongue twisters by filling your mouth with walnuts, reciting the text and singing songs using a wine cork, holding it between your teeth. The first time you should pronounce it slowly, gradually speeding up, watch carefully so as not to swallow endings and sounds.
Speech must sound correct and loud, you need to work on it. For this purpose, select your favorite quatrains and read them alternately, one line loudly, the next quietly, then vice versa.
Don’t forget about the intonation of your voice, read the texts with changing feelings, sad, happy, angry, passionate, reproachful, surprised. The more often you do this exercise and the more emotions you work out, the richer your speaking technique will become.
Increasingly, in professional activities, much attention is paid to speech technique; it becomes a kind of tool of labor. Therefore, it is imperative to develop and improve diction, voice production and business and daily communication skills. This way you can create a positive image, because people around you instinctively fall under the influence of a person who knows how to express his speech beautifully and clearly.
