Singing Lessons Help Your Speaking Voice Training the Whole Voice

Singing Lessons Help Your Speaking Voice Training the Whole Voice Suzy S. I have been a professional actor-singer all my life, it seems.   When I was studying theatre at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County many moons agowe had no voice training as actors.   We were often told I cant hear you or Project! or I cant understand what youre saying.   But that was the extent of our training. Unfortunately, we had to figure out what to do with those criticisms.   I did, however, take singing lessons by a very fine instructor during my university days.   I learned how to use my voice very effectivelyas a singer, and occasionally found myself observing that my speaking voice was receiving some benefit from that singing training, too, but I didnt know quite how. It wasnt until I went to graduate school at the Dallas Theater Center that something revolutionary happened to my voice and my attitude towards my use of itboth as a speaker and a singer.   What I discovered was that the focus and resonance I had learned as a singer was no different that what was needed for an effective speaking voice as well. I discovered that the difference between singing and speaking is one of dynamic rangethe highs and lows, the sustention of notes beyond what would be considered as speaking is more extravagant, but the training should be the same.   The instrument being used is the same, the most intimate instrument that we play, because it is produced solely from within.   If we begin to think of our speaking and singing voices as one and the same, we can apply all the rich, focused vibrations we learn to produce while singing directly to our speaking voice. Breath does not control the tonal quality of the speaking/singing voicethat is produced by working as if were not using any breath at all. Of course, we need a constant supply of breath to create the vibration of the vocal folds, but after that breath stream becomes a sound stream, its up to resonance and wave reflection to take over.   The sound is conducted through the bones of the face and head.   So, when we learn to focus that sound stream onto the hard palate, and upwards into the nasal bone, forehead and craniumwe produce a beautiful unforced resonant qualityespecially when we also create a more generous open cavity in the mouth. So whats to stop us from speaking the way we sing?   Try this experiment:   Create your own little melody in your mid-range for this phrase: This is the way to feel the focus.   Focus your voice (by thinking it there!) onto the hard palate as you do this rather slowly.   Then speak the line while maintaining that feel of the vibration on your hard palate, sailing up into your head (hopefully). Dont you enjoy that placement, that richness of tone?   It can be yours for the askingwhen you have the feel of singing while you speak! So, dont be satisfied with a singing voice that works one wayand a speaking voice that is lodged in the back of your throat, raspy, or of another sort of poor quality.   Lets not leave the speaking voice out of the quality equation. Train the whole voice by remembering to always have a little song in your speech, and a little speech in your song! Guest contributor, Nancy Krebs Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher