1. Monitor your daily voice habits to keep vocal stress at a minimum.
--Never yell or scream, especially in noisy places. Even trying to speak loudly over noise can cause hoarseness. If you must raise your voice try to project using your lower body support muscles, without any pressure in the throat.

-- Try to speak in your "optimal pitch" several times a day, first when alone, and then when speaking to others. This speaking pitch usually differs from your usual or habitual pitch and is found this way:

Agree to something sincerely with an "um-hmm!" with your mouth closed. You might use a slight inflection (slightly higher than normal pitch). When you make this "agreeing" sound see if you can feel a gentle vibration in your nose and mouth area. Now say something in a pitch close to this, again looking for that sensation in the nose and mouth area (the "mask"). You'll know it's correct if your throat feels free and relaxed in this pitch and your voice sounds more resonant. When practising at home:

Say this: "um-hummm, Right!" "um-hmmm-- of course!" "um-hmmm-one" "um-hummm-two" and so on.

2. Relax your shoulders. With head held back comfortably (avoid this exercise if your have neck problems) let your jaw relax and drop open, your mouth open. Feel your tongue completely relax. Pretend you are sleeping on a couch with your mouth open (see illustration below). Now pick your head back up and keep your mouth in this relaxed and open position for a few seconds, noting how relaxed it feels. In singing or speaking the jaw should always open back and down in this relaxed way, never force it down with your jaw muscles as this causes tension in the jaw and tongue. Instead when you open your jaw, think of releasing it.

4. In front of a mirror relax and let your tongue stick out. Now on a sustained "ah" slide up and down in pitch a few notes like a siren sound. Do not do this in a very loud voice. At first your tongue may tighten on the way up. Try to practice until you can see and feel it relaxing. Next wag the tongue (still outside of your mouth) gently side to side while sliding up and down in pitch. Never force these exercises.

5. In front of a mirror say "ee-ah" several times with an open and relaxed jaw. Do this so that you only see your tongue move up and down inside of your mouth while the jaw does nothing. Speak or sing this exercise in low, medium and high pitch levels. You can start this by holding the jaw a bit with one hand.

6. Practice swallowing (constrictor muscles) and yawning to feel the difference. The swallowing muscles are the ones which close the throat. We need to relax these constrictors for singing. Good vocalizing occurs by using the released and relaxed yawning position with a relaxed tongue.

8. Try holding your nose and breathing in through your mouth. You should feel cool air slide over the back of your tongue if your throat is open. If your breath feels shallow it means that the root of your tongue is most likely blocking the air. Relax and try again.

Note:   These exercises are offered to you as a service. We cannot guarantee that they will help you, although we hope that they do. The content of VocalFocus is provided for general information, reference and entertainment purposes only, and is not meant to replace voice lessons. It is impossible to teach or learn voice improvement without interaction between the teacher and student. No guarantee or warranty, either express or implied, is given with regard to the accuracy of any information provided by, or linked to, this web site and VocalFocus shall not be liable for any damages or liability, of any nature whatsoever, arising from the information or exercises provided.

© 2004 Ronni Lederman, VocalFocus.com