An Actor Prepares: How to treat your voice before taking the stage Gretchen McGinty, MA, CCC-SLP

Why should actors care about their voice? Acting puts a high demand on the vocal instrument. Actors are at a higher risk for vocal fatigue, strain and voice disorder as a result

The Actor’s Instrument=Voice What do actors need vocally to have a good performance? Proper breath support  in order to project and be heard Pleasant vocal quality  to properly convey character and make audiences listen Good vocal stamina  to last a two hour or longer performance/ 8 shows a week!

How does it all work? Your vocal folds sit over your trachea and are set into vibration by air rushing through them To produce a ‘healthy voice’ you need -good breath support -good resonance -relaxed upper body (head and neck tension can ‘strangle’ the voice and cause problems)

Good Vocal Hygiene Water, water, everywhere! Tip: aim for half your body weight in ounces. (140 lbs= 70oz water/day) Avoid alcohol and caffiene Forget the old school actors-Quit smoking! Avoid throat clearing, coughing & whispering Get your zzzzzzz’s Don’t speak excessively on performance days-rest the voice

The Actor’s Warm up Stretching Breath work Articulation Voice & Resonance

Stretch Face Jaw Neck Shoulders Ribs

BREATHING 101 Breathe from the diaphragm (aka Belly breaths) Proper breath support =Vocal control +Projection

Articulation Warm up front, middle and back sounds Front: /b/ and /p/ Middle: /t/ and /d/ Back: /k/ and /g/ Repeat 3-4x each: And far Beyond at the edge of the day, the Bong of the Bell of the Buoy in the Bay Peppercorn pudding and pelican pie The tip of the tongue, the teeth and the lips Don’t you dirty dog! Kinky cookie Giggle gaggle

Voice & Resonance Find your natural pitch: ‘mm-hmm’, ‘meme..one’ Practice projection using proper breath support. Point and say “One”. Point in a new direction “One, two”, etc. Warm up resonance: hum with hands on chest, then hum into “1,2,3,4,5”, hum with hands in front of face (like a sounding board) then count, hum with hands on top of head then count.

Challenges for the Actor The dreaded CORSET—inhale fully expanding ribs and hold breath. Do not let them cinch you in too tight! Yelling!—the “push” should come from your belly, not your throat! (diaphragmatic breathing) Vocal fatigue—your voice will tire the more you perform. Take voice naps (silence) when you can The raked stage—Be aware of maintaining correct posture (no leaning forward). You must stretch before and after.

Questions????

Stemple J., Glaze L., and Klaben, B. Clinical Voice Pathology: Theory and Management. 3rd ed. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group; Miller,S. Be Heard The First time: The woman’s Guide to Powerful Speaking. Herndon, VA: Capital Books, Inc.; Rodenberg, Patsy. The Need for Words. New York, NY: Routledge, Inc References