0745 – Your Vocal, Physical and Emotional Health: an introduction

2023.01.15 – 0745 – Your Vocal, Physical and Emotional Health: an introduction

‘The first thing to be considered is what sort of voice we have and next, how we use it. The natural power of the voice is judged by its quantity and quality. The good qualities of the voice are improved by attention and deteriorated by neglect.’

Quintilian, first century AD, a leading instructor in eloquence at the school of oratory in Rome

Let’s take a look at some changes that can affect your voice almost overnight (which include, ironically, a good night’s sleep!). They are almost ‘quick fix techniques’ to help your voice become more resonant, resilient and relaxed and, along with breathing (the ‘key thing’!) at the very core of getting good vocally, and on which we can build those other ‘reading’ skills.

This Part is divided into three sections, looking at the broad areas of Vocal, Physical, Emotional & Mental health to help you get a better broadcast, podcast and voice-over voice. However, despite this division, it’s important to realise that these three topics are intrinsically interwoven: emotional stress can lead to physical tension which can affect how you sound; taking medication to treat a physical ailment can dry out your vocal cords; a long studio session may not only tire you vocally, but also mentally. Is someone who speaks in a monotone, subconsciously hiding their emotions? Perhaps a ‘mumbler’ lacks the clarity that comes from opening their mouth wider because they’re embarrassed (or have been embarrassed) about their teeth or braces… If you have a vocal injury, could it affect you psychologically and have you wondering, “will it happen again?”, “will I be able to recover?”, “how will I pay the bills?”, and so make you more nervous.

Vocal, physiological and psychological changes all contribute to how we sound.

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