Vocal Production Your voice onstage

Voice, Emotions, & Body Your voice reflects the emotions and feelings of your body. You can tell if someone is sick by their voice. What happens to the voice when someone cries? Think of how you speak when you are angry vs. happy. People who are shy speak very quietly. Some have a commanding voice of self- confidence.

How sound is produced Look at the picture of the vocal tract on pg. 65 in The Stage and School

Vocal Practice Exercising the voice is as important as exercising the body. Your throat should be open and relaxed. Your tongue and lips flexible. Your lower jaw should be relaxed. You should always practice deep, central breathing. Poor vocal habits can be eliminated in a very short time by regular exercise.

Relaxation Exercises Relaxation: stretches, inhale/exhale “I can talk as if I were going to yawn. Hear me talk as if I were going to yawn.” Say ooo-oh—o---ah---aaaa---ah-o-oh-oooo in one breath only moving your lips to change the sound. Say Me-mo-me-mo-me-mo-me-mo Trill the r in frill

Breath Control Exercises Place hands on either side of rib cage Exhale/Inhale count slowly to 20 in one breath Say “Hear the tolling of the bells—iron bells.” “Hong Kong” “Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll.”

Terms Word Project Quality Pitch Meaning To speak loud enough for the people at the back of the room to hear you. The way your voice sounds. Nasal vs. rich and dark. High sound or low sound

SPEAK SLOWLY & CLEARLY Actor The actor speaks Sound travels slowly The actor breathes Audience The audience hears You MUST allow time for the sound to reach your audiences’ ears. This break allows the audience time to register what was said.

Practice Obtain a short poem. Practice speaking slowly and clearly. Project your voice. Change the vocal quality in parts of the poem Decide if a high or low pitch will add interest to part of the poem.