Online Voice Coaching

Summer can be hard on your voice and your body with the heat and humidity.  You can sound parched and look wilted on camera.  If you want to sound great and look polished, try these ten tips.  I’ve provided links to some of my other blog posts if you want to read more, but here’s a list for a quick reminder:

1.  Keep your vocal tract moist by drinking half your body weight in ounces of decaffeinated, nonalcoholic fluid a day (for more on fluid intake check out this post).

2.  If you have allergies or get a summer cold, limit throat clearing and coughing.  Did you read this post on the dangers of coughing?

3.  Be careful not to yell in noisy environments such as outdoor sporting events or clubs.  Yelling can permanently harm your voice.

4.  Keep up an exercise program, but if you’re exercising outside and it’s hot, do it early in the morning or late in the evening.  Why exercise?  It helps develop good breathing, but it does much more.  Check this out.

5.  Get at least seven hours of sleep each night for good vocal energy.  That’s the minimum that doctors recommend.  Go for more when you can.  And remember that computers and tablets emit blue light that mimics sunlight and can keep you awake.  Dim them down at least an hour before bedtime.

6.  Ramp up your protein intake for better overall energy and great vocal energy.  This blog post explains why and how.

7.  Use a pitch that is comfortable and does not cause vocal fatigue.  If you get hoarse after a day of voicing, you may be using an unnatural pitch. (Check out this blog post to learn more about pitch.)  See a physician if hoarseness, pain, or odd sensations in the throat last for more than two weeks.  Take hoarseness seriously.

8.  Practice abdominal-diaphragmatic breathing to decrease tension in the laryngeal area. (Check my video or my book, BROADCAST VOICE HANDBOOK, if you’re unclear on what this type of breathing is like.)

9.  Use SPF 30 or higher sun cream every day and reapply it every few hours!  And if you’re outside much of the day, you can actually make your clothes sun proof with Rit Sun Guard.  It’s a washing powder that stays in through 20 washes and blocks more than 96% of harmful rays.  Doesn’t change the look or feel of your clothes.  I use it, and it’s great!

10.  And the most important tip of all:  Don’t smoke or expose yourself to the smoke of others.  Watch this video if you’re a smoker.  It might help you quit!

Want more tips like these?  Ck out Broadcaster’s Survival Guide.  It’s only $4.99 and loaded with voice and lifestyle tips!

Summer is supposed to be the most carefree time of year, but what if stress and worry spoil that? No one can do their best on-air work when they are feeling the pressures of the world. Here are some ways to find your happy place this summer.

First, identify your demons. You can’t clear the worries from your mind if you don’t know what’s got you stressed.

One way to do this is to write down what’s bothering you. It may sound simplistic, but writing it allows you to clearly identify what’s going on. Once you’ve identified your worries, you can set them aside more easily. This keeps your brain from multitasking like worrying and trying to do your on-air work at the same time.

Writing can also help you at the start of the day. A recent study at Michigan State University showed that students who wrote about their feelings for 8 minutes before a computer test scored higher than those who didn’t write. If you want to start the day laser focused, get those worries on paper early in the day.

But your writing doesn’t have to be as long as 8 minutes to be helpful, and it doesn’t have to be a tell-all journal. It can be as simple as jotting down a memo on your phone or on a napkin at Starbucks. No one is going to see this but you so make some notes and destroy them right after if you like. Just putting your feelings out there is enough.

And, of course, we all know that exercise helps drive away stress. One recent study showed that just 60 minutes a week of any kind of exercise has a significant effect on reducing depression. This large, 11-year study of 33,000 people was reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry. It showed that the intensity of the exercise or how you break up the 60 minutes does not matter. You can take a 10-minute break to climb stairs or go for a short walk, for example. Do this 6 times in a week, and you’ve got your exercise in for the week.

If you’re not making time to exercise, you’re missing out on a real stress-buster. To read more on the benefits of exercise, check out this previous post of mine.

So this summer try writing down your feelings and getting at least 60 minutes of exercise a week so you can kick back and enjoy the summer ahead while doing your best work.

And if you haven’t gotten the fifth edition of BROADCAST VOICE HANDBOOK, it makes great summer reading!

Click here to order and download it today!

A journalism student asked me recently what my favorite vocal exercise was. That got me thinking about what exercises I would do just before voicing something. I came up with my Go-To Vocal Exercises that would be indispensible for me if I were on the air every day.

These exercises focus on releasing tension in the upper body and oral cavity. I’ve also included one to increase my heart rate slightly to wake up my brain so I’ll be sharp and ready to voice. Want to give them a try?

Let’s get started!

First, repeat the simple phrase, “You see Oz,” exaggerating the vowels. Purse your lips tightly for “You.” Do a big smile for “see.” And open your mouth widely for “Oz.” Repeat this phrase 5 or 6 times.

Now repeat the phrase, “Fat lazy cat,” 10 times exaggerating the explosion of air in the“t” sounds.

Next, make big circles with your elbows out to your sides. Exaggerate these by making them really big. Do these about 5 times in each direction. (As always with this and the following physical exercises, do them only within your comfort zone.  Don’t do them if they cause any pain.)

Once you’ve done those, raise your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold for a couple of seconds, and then let them completely relax. Do this 3 times.

Now reach up over your head with both arms and pretend you’re picking apples just out of reach. Again do this 6 times.

And finally, march in place like a marching bandleader. Bring your knees up and pump your arms. Do this until you are slightly out of breath.

These Go-To Vocal Exercises take less than 2 minutes to complete, but they have a big payoff. You will have less tension in your neck and upper body. You will be able to articulate more easily, and your brain will be sharper. Not bad for 2 minutes of your time!

There are lots more vocal exercises in the fifth edition of BROADCAST VOICE HANDBOOK. You can download it instantly when you purchase it on my site.

The jaw is often overlooked when people think of voice improvement, but it’s a very important component.  You want to keep your jaw happy because it plays an essential part in articulation.  Good articulation is vital for successful broadcasters and voiceover artists.

Let me first give a caveat to what I’m writing: I’m writing mainly about American English.  The involvement of the jaw varies somewhat in every language, even with British English.  This is especially true with articulation.  There tends to be less openness of the jaw, for example, in British English speech.

For American English it’s important to have an open jaw, especially for the vowel sound in words like, “at” and “came.”

Unfortunately, the jaw is one of the first speech mechanisms that is negatively affected by stress in the body.  We tend to clench our teeth when we’re tense or angry.  Patsy Rodenburg, a prominent acting coach, says, “…the clenched jaw becomes for the voice what folded arms are for the body: a ‘keep out’ barrier.” This clenching can result in altered articulation of open-jaw vowels.

Clenching or grinding your teeth can also lead to a condition referred to as TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder). We have two TM joints, one in front of each ear.  They are connected to muscles that open and close the jaw. If you feel pain or tenderness in the area in front of your ears, hear a clicking noise when you open your mouth widely, or you have difficulty opening your mouth widely, you could be one of the 12% of Americans who suffer from TMD annually.  This can have a very negative effect on your voice. If you feel you have TMD, you should have it examined by a doctor who understands musculoskeletal disorders, according to the NIH.

So how do we keep our jaw healthy?  Simple, daily exercises can help.  One is to try to improve the openness of your mouth daily by watching yourself in a mirror as you open your mouth.  Aim for an opening that allows you to insert your middle and index fingers on top of each other with the edges touchng.  Gently try for a slightly wider opening each day. Never exceed what is comfortable to you.

Another good daily exercise is to do gentle, circular motions with your lower jaw.  This will loosen the TM muscles before you begin voicing.  When you finish, let the jaw go into the neutral position you should strive for, which leaves the tongue touching the roof of the mouth, the teeth parted, and the lips closed.  Now you’ve got a happy jaw!

Watch for my post next month, where you can read more about problems a tight jaw can cause.  We’ll look speicifically at resonance and projection issues.

If you’re a voiceover artist or a broadcaster, you’re probably wondering why a voice specialist would tell you to be silent. After all, you make your living by talking! But in the coming year you might do better work if you observe silence at two important times.

The first time when using silence is important is when your voice feels fatigued. If this is the case, use any time you’re not in front of the mic to rest your voice. Don’t force yourself to make sound when your vocal folds clearly don’t want to.  To learn more about vocal rest, ck out this blog post of mine.

And remember to use vocal rest in the coming year if you are hoarse or coughing a lot. Silence (vocal rest) is what’s called for in these instances.  Let your damaged vocal tissue rest so it will heal faster. There are lots of colds and flu going around right now that are leaving people coughing and hoarse so I tell clients who are sick to talk only if you’re getting paid to do so!  Let your voice rest at all other times.

Vocal rest is important at another time.  Let silence be your friend by spending time each day in silence for relaxation. This has been proven to make you more productive at your job.

Sitting in silence without talking or using any electronic equipment isn’t easy. A recent study at the University of Virginia found that 67% of men tested and 25% of women hated the idea of being silent for just 15 minutes. They said they would actually prefer a mild electric shock to having to sit alone in silence.

This dislike for silence is not a new thing. Blaise Pascal, a French philosopher in the seventeenth century, said, “All human evil comes from this: our inability to sit still in a chair for half an hour.”

So consider mastering the art of sitting in silence a few minutes each day in 2018. You don’t have to chant, “Om,” or become a mystic, just slow down and tune out once a day.  Click here to read helpful blog post on how to relax.

I encourage you to try letting silence work for you in the coming year. You may find that you are more productive and less likely to have vocal problems.

If you’d like to learn more ways to have healthy voice, read the blog post below.  And if you want a stress-free body, check out my book, BROADCASTER’S SURVIVAL GUIDE.  It’s available for instant download and costs only $4.95!

There’s no time quite like the holidays for getting sick with a cold, and it can not only make your holiday miserable but also wreck your voice for on-air work.

Why are the holidays a threat? For a start, we’re going into enclosed spaces with crowds of people. Next, we might be on an airplane, which is the perfect breeding ground for viruses. And finally, we’re stressed and exhausted. Can you think of a more vulnerable time? I can’t, but fortunately, there are ways to cut down on the risk.

First, let’s look at the crowds of people we encounter whether shopping or on a plane.

The hustle and bustle of shopping and going to social functions puts us among lots of people.  The trick to avoiding those cold germs in these situations is to keep your hands clean either with sanitizers or good old soap and water.  And between cleanings, don’t touch your face at all.  One way I become more aware of this is to keep my gloves on when shopping.  With gloves on I’m less likely to touch my face.  Cold viruses are mostly spread by our hands conveying germs to our nose, mouth, or eyes, so take steps when you’re out around lots of people.

And on airplanes, I go all the way by using a sanitizing wipe on surfaces around me as soon as I’m seated. That includes the arm rests, seat belt buckles, and tray tables. People around might stare, but putting up with that is better than getting sick. And despite what the flight attendant announces, I also avoid touching anything in the pocket in front of me.

Don’t give those bugs a way to get into your body, and you’ll have a good chance of avoiding a cold.

And how do you save your voice if you do get a respiratory infection? Coughing is the most problematic for your voice. Check out this former post of mine that gives you good information on dealing with the cough that comes with a cold.

There are three basics to treating a cold that always help: Drink lots of fluid, get as much sleep as you can, and eat healthy meals.  For more on treating a cold, look at this post of mine that has more general information and tips to use if you get a cold.

And remember to get a flu shot. The flu can knock you out of work for a couple of weeks, and you don’t want that. Also, don’t take antibiotics for a cold. They are worthless on viruses. If you have a sinus infection, which can be a bacterial, they could be appropriate.

And for more tips on keeping your voice healthy, check out the fifth edition of BROADCAST VOICE HANDBOOK, which you can download instantly!  Have a wonderful holiday season!

Last month’s blog post (see below) began the process of exploring what you can do to help cope with the stressful times we’re living in right now. This process is based on the mnemonic of RELIEF.

The first three letters of RELIEF are explained in last month’s post. Today we’re going to look at the remainder of the process.

The I in RELIEF stands for IDENTIFY YOUR FEELINGS. This may sound like an odd step to take, but it is often the one that is the difference between coping well or not coping. And you can’t perform well at work if you’re feelings are left unexplored. Anger, for instance, can come out at the wrong time and to the wrong person if you suppress it.

One of the best ways to identify your feelings is to write for a few minutes daily about how you feel. This can be in a journal or on your phone or computer. No one else needs to see this so you can feel free to really express yourself. You might want to use this as a starting point to talk to friends or family about your feelings. Be sure you select someone who you think is a safe person to talk to about how you’re feeling so that you get supportive feedback.

The E in RELIEF is about Eating Well. The advice I give clients for eating in times of stress is the same as eating every day. Here are the guidelines:

        Eat four or five small meals a day.

        Do not exceed four hours without eating.

Aim for two-thirds carbohydrates and one-third protein every time you eat. Make sure each time you eat you get at least  ten grams of protein.

To distinguish protein from carbohydrates remember this: Carbs grow out of ground and protein walks on the ground or swims in the water (the exception are nuts, seeds, and beans, which are all great sources of protein.)

Drink at least half your body weight in water or decaffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids each day.

Finally, the F in RELIEF stands for FOCUS ON FUN. This is the easy one. Don’t let yourself get caught up in working longer than you have to because you feel guilty if you don’t. During a crisis time, it’s good to step away and think of pleasant things for some of each day. Otherwise, you may not be able to think objectively. You may also open yourself up to getting sick or having an accident because you’re overtired.  Find ways to have fun every day, even just for five minutes. Take a walk in nature, go for a swim, play with your kids or pet. Find ways to remember that crisis is not all that’s in your life.

I hope these ideas will help you find RELIEF in the coming months and years.

We’re living through a very stressful period right now. Whether you’re a broadcaster reporting on it or a voiceover person trying to ignore it so you can work effectively, the constant stress of politics, weather emergencies, and global disasters seems to be pressing down on all of us.

After 9/11 I wrote a book entitled, Broadcasting Through Crisis.  (It’s no longer available for sale, but Broadcasters Survival Guide offers tips.)

In my next two blog posts, I will focus on some ideas I presented after 9/11 to help you cope with the present difficult period. These tips take very little time, but they make a difference in your day.

This is based on the mnemonic, RELIEF. In this post I will concentrate on the first three letters REL. You’ll get the IEF next month.

The R in the work relief stands for RELAX. That seems an obvious thing when you’re stressed, but it can be very hard to accomplish. Here are some easy techniques to use:

To lower blood pressure and create a sense of calm, spend a few seconds concentrating on feeling your breath passing in and out of your nose as you breathe. It might help to close your eyes.

Go outside for a few minutes and look at nature. This can be for 5 minutes or 30. Combine a walk with this and get extra benefit.

Stop checking your newsfeed first thing in the morning. Instead grab a cup of coffee or tea and listen to some soft music, look out your windows at the new day, or play with your dog or cat if you have one.  As little as a 5-minute break can reduce stress for hours.

The first E in RELIEF stands for Exercise. The studies on the benefits of exercise for stress relief and mental sharpness increase every day. There is no disputing its effectiveness. Just 20 minutes of exercise has lasting benefits all day long. And it doesn’t have to be a killer workout. Simple walking is enough to get the stress relief benefits.

Doing your exercise first thing in the morning will help you with stress all day long, or you can break it into 10-minute short cycles.

Do things like walk around your building either inside or out, go up and down stairs, run in place, or use some exercise equipment or a bike.

The L in RELIEF stands for Let Yourself Sleep. Lack of sleep hurts our bodies and our minds.

Here are some suggestions for good sleep:

Cut back on caffeine at least 4 hours before sleep.

Stop your screen time an hour before bed or at least dim the screen down to reduce the blue light.  It has been proven to negatively affect sleep.

Stop any eating and drinking alcohol at least two hours before bed. Keep the same bedtime and rising time straight through the weekend so your body clock will not be upset.

Try a few of these things during October and see if you feel a difference in your stress level. Check back for my next post to complete the idea of RELIEF from stress.