3 Simple Exercises to Build A Weak Voice
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- Опубліковано 17 тра 2024
- A weak voice that can’t be heard in noisy places, or that “fades” in quality and strength across a day can be frustrating!
There is a long list of potential explanations. A common one is weak, atrophied, flaccid vocal cord-and other vocal tract-muscles. When this is the cause for a weak voice determined by medical evaluation, voice building is the first place to start. In this video, Dr. Bastian provides background information about muscle building in general, and why vocal muscles can weaken in some people.
He then suggests a simple voice building strategy consisting of three exercises, taking no more than 60 seconds to complete. For many people, this DIY regimen can be sufficient by itself. If not, it can prepare you for further work with a speech pathologist or laryngologist. For those who want to skip straight to the three voice building tasks, begin viewing at 5:28
If you would like to have an educational / informational call with Dr. Robert Bastian please contact us at laryngopedia@bastianvoice.com.
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Educational Website: laryngopedia.com/
Clinic Website: www.bastianvoice.com/
Twitter: / bastianvoicedoc
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Why arent all doctors like this? He explains everything so well and clearly 😭😭😭
You are so kind. Thank you…
First video I've seen... I know what I'm bingeing on today 👍.
@Laryngopedia I completely agree with the first commenter. It's like listening to a speech therapist and physiotherapist all rolled into one.
Definitely subscribed, and may be bingeing on your content today.
Thank you from 🇬🇧 UK
I don't have a, my doctor. I have musical chairs doctors. Never see the same doctor second time. It's very frustrating and Ive stop going there even I'm sick I just wait to get better itself.
Because the other doctors want you to Keep coming back. More money for them.
I'm a introvert and don't really like to talk much. My voice is extremely weak, in fact when i was with my friends in a loud bar, i had no voice when we left and my throat was hurting in the morning.
I just had my first session of theese exercises and i can feel my throat muscles calling me names for doind that.
I hope i am consistent enought and come back here one month from now and tell the results.
Did it help?
@@lolasubs._.66 Yes it did. My voice is stronger now. People can hear what I say without me putting so much effort.
I really recommend the exercises.
@@lacerdafelipe thanks
@@lacerdafelipe really ? Thanks for the comment
@@lacerdafelipe new update?
I was very confused by that title ngl
😭😭😭
😂 same here
@@BhuwanPariyar-bj6fui thought it was a pussy 😂
SAME😂😂😂
The thumbnail got me
As a professional singer, I use the siren as an emergency warm up when there's almost no time to warm up properly. But when I do the siren I also loosely close the lips and add a brrrrrrrr to the siren. This vastly increases the effectiveness of the warm up as it is effectively switching the power on and off many times per second. It gets my voice ready to sing and helps smooth over the break between middle and head voice. I highly recommend it. Most singers know about this warm up. It's always good to warm up the voice before singing, so perhaps it's an idea to start with the siren, then go on to the deep voice, and finally the yell.
I don't agree about gripping the steering wheel. I think it is better to be relaxed, but you might correct me on this since your exercises are designed to be demanding. But for singing it's a bad habit to build tension into the use of the voice. You should be pushing air from the belly not the upper chest and relaxation (keep those shoulders down!) is important for that.
I work as an actor now and use my voice very loudly in places. My natural voice is very quiet and quite high, but I use a booming voice in my acting, so I'm definitely going to try these exercises. I also have a slight problem with the cordite smoke on stage during my loudest scene, it feels as if I might lose my voice when I scream in the smoke, and if you have any advice, that would be helpful.
Here for fun you can hear me doing 4 different James Bond voices
ua-cam.com/users/shortsX7fj_XIXoW0?si=T3c4P7dcHpDGNf_i
Good ideas here. Thank you. Keep in mind this video is designed to also work for the voice-unaware person - the person with little “rapport” with his or her own voice who might have no access to a voice teacher or speech pathologist. For lots of non-performers, this approach might be enough. Performers will want to work on support, resonance, vowel shaping, etc.
Lmao nice
@@Laryngopediathank you sir for your video! I have a question if you permit: are you planning to make a video on the work of larynx and support of opera singers? I am an opera singer myself and this topic interests all singers - from beginners till advanced performers.
Thank you for your question. Two additional areas of interest on laryngopedia or youtube: One is my video about swelling tests, designed to help singers avoid injury to the vocal cord surface (e.g. nodules). Here's the link: laryngopedia.com/swelling-checks-to-detect-vocal-cord-injury/ Be sure to watch the video on that page. The second is for people struggling with upper voice due to lowered muscular ceiling. Especially mid-to-late career women. Here's that link, and again, be sure to watch the video. laryngopedia.com/ceiling-effect/
I love how that makes it more effective but also much more silly.
That thumbnail is wild….
🤣🤣
As above so below the upper part of body reflects the bottom
Clicked for the thumbnail, stayed for the "plot"
Sirenneeeeee... uuuuuUUUUUuuuu
I thought it's woman private part 😂
For about 23 years now, I've had a fascination of the human voice. I love our vocal cords, and I'm all about taking care of them. It's an amazing instrument. You taught me so much in this video.
Doctor I had a problem of loosing my voice by the evening. I saw your this video and tried your technique for a month. It worked. My voice is better and I am able to speak loudly whole day without get hoarsely voice or loosing voice. I continue to follow your technique to maintain strong voice. May God bless you. Thank you very much.
What a doctor, super professional, a real true example of a doctor
I don’t even have a weak voice. This video was just really well made and I decided to enjoy it. Thank you and may everyone’s voice here become stronger and more confident each day. 🙏
Thanks so much!
Yes Madelyn Jimenez cabrera vargas yes passworts 6sep1973 Dystuina
Just completed Two Weeks TOTAL VOICE REST my ENT recommendation. I am a teacher and a singer. And recently diagnosed with VOCAL CORD NODULE BILATERAL. Thank God there are expert like you Doc🙏
i had got same i am a teacher too.. tried a lot of medication n voice rest but had to undergo surgery for vocal nodule removal …its been 5 days post surgery m still healing
z
more than 2 months into this surgery and i must tell you though a little bit uncomfortable this surgery is a blessing
so is it bad?
@@paulosevkexactly
I’m an opera singer/Voice coach and I just want to say that I totally agree with every task he recommends! 😊
Lmao u r a singer and he is a doctor . U really think agreement of you is necessary ?
@@Darrro-vl1hb And you are none of these. No one needed your comment.
@@ExMeroMotu9 there is no need to be one of em to think logicslly, isn't it?
@@Darrro-vl1hb who hurt you?
@@ExMeroMotu9 😂 answer my question before asking me further buddy. Btw rational thinking seems to be challenging you. Keep going
When I was in the choir, we would do all the three exercises over time, the sirene, singing over a long distance, and sometimes trying a little anger in the voice to make it sound less hollow.
Excellent!
Thank you for not only showing the exercises clearly but also for making them easy to fit into any schedule. I'm definitely doing these!
We all really hope they help! Go for it!
Excellent! I am a Cantor and have been doing scales but I want a bit more power and reserve...this is JUST what I need. Much appreciation and thanks.
You're welcome, and hope it helps you!
@@Laryngopedia Actually I practiced as you suggested..and just a few hours later it was Yom Kippur. Last night when I sang, I do not kid you when I say my voice felt its best in 30 years!!!! I felt confident and was able to feel so comfortable without worrying of cracking and faltering. Today when I sang for HOURS! just towards the end when I was wiped out, did I falter but even then I was able to still feel in control. Your coaching is a GOD SEND! I am not overstating or exaggerating! I believe I will finally achieve the kind of vocal quality I could not have even dreamed of, because until you feel it, you do know it is available. TY from the deepest part of my heart. I am forever grateful! Years ago I studied voice with 2 teachers but I never understood about the muscles..your tutelage radically upgraded my understanding of the vocal area. Again many thanks!
9:45 I was lying face down with my mouth on the pillow wondering, "How am I going to do this? I live in a dense city. Half my neighbourhood is going to hear me!" Then he tells me how! This video must be the god's blessing. He is so clear and his advices are sound! Just 👌🏿
I'm a "still singing around the house " 65yoa and, used to sing like Sandi Patty in my younger days. Now singing again in a choir, I miss my voice and being older, I recognize the need to exercise my "girls', and breathing technique. So much to re-learn again! Just doing this with this doctor while he's teaching, I see an improvement, my goodness! Doing this daily will get me to almost back to those high C's and power ramps. Thank you and GBU!
Imagine hearing your neighbor out of his bathroom window going oooOoOoOoOooOOH for 20 seconds
Thank you. Very clear and informative. I will give these a try!
Have an appointment two weeks out with a speech pathologist after seeing a great voice doctor. My left vocal chord is weak. This video gave me a way to use self-help to start work on my voice prior to my speech pathologist appointment. Can't thank this doctor enough for posting this video.
Thank you for your kind comment!
My people you are a breath of fresh air. I love you so much
What a kind doctor
What a wonderful video! Thank you so much, Doc!
You are so welcome!
What an incredibly helpful instructions. A sincere and noble thanks.
Thank you for your kind comment and all the best!
Thank you. After a long illness I have found my singing voice very weak. I will do these exercises and I’m looking forward to getting my voice back.
Really hope it helps!
I am a voice trainer in India and this is so informative.. Thankyou for this information.🙏🎤
My ENT has referred me to this gentleman. He is brilliant.
AWESOME INFO. THANKS. GOD BLESS. 😇
Thank you, very helpful
Thank you! I so hope this helps me. I was just diagnosed with Vocal Cord Dysfunction due to shortness of breath after seeing multiple drs. It's thought GERD was the trigger. The breathing technique found on UA-cam, I think may be helping my breathing but maybe this will help my very weak voice until my appointment with Speech Therapist in 3 weeks.
A video that I never thought I needed the Algorithm is smart 😳
thanks for the info !
It’s also extremely important to keep yourself well hydrated. Sometimes it’s all that is needed to have a stronger vocal capacity. Along with the exercises of course.
Yall wild fo that thumbnail
Thats literally just how your vocal cords look like, you just have a dirty mind
Love the in-depth video.
Thank you so much, I found this to be very informative and helpful.
You are welcome, and all the best...
Wonderful! Thanks Doc! 🙏❤️
You are so welcome!
The thumbnail bruh💀
Firstly, Dr. Bastian, those are some really cool specs. Secondly, you're doing the Lord's work. THANK YOU!
The thumbnail tho-💀
This video is exactly what I needed and is really well done and clear.
So glad! Hope it helps you!
Very great vocal exercises. Thanks sir
EXCELLENT! GREAT! woowwWW ! Did you see your exercises in my writing, Dr. Bastian?👏👏👏
So helpful, love how the Dr cleared the fear of losing voice with 1 min exercise. ! Thanks for sharing the expertise and applicable effective exercise.
Thank you so much for your comments.
I did NOT think those were vocal chords 😳😮💨🤣
😂😂😂🍑
You always think about something else 😂😂
What is that funny about 😢
Very Interesting I have started this excercise immediately after the video... Hoping for the best...Thanks Doctor for such a good explanation....
It has been 2 weeks.
How is the going?
Any positive change to your voice?
Hi Dr Bastian
I found your video today and I hope that you may help and guide me in my case and I really appreciate your video.
I am 45 years old and doctor by profession. I developed Idiopathic right vocal cord palsy 2 months ago. Because of my job requirements I preferred to go for injection medialization 2 weeks ago.
Now I feel pricking sensation/ severe dryness of my throat after speaking for 15 minutes, this sensation lasts for whole day then and causes me discomfort.
I have 2 questions in mind Sir.
Should I practice voice excercise at this stage or I should wait for some time?
( My voice quality is improved from 5/10 to 8/10 but when I become a bit loud then I develop diplophonia.) and I want to build my voice pitch and strength.
My second question is, if I should start my clinical practice with almost 3 hours clinic/ day or I should wait further?
I will be obliged, if you answer my questions as unfortunately I am unable to approach my treating ENT surgeon and I feel that you can guide me well with your expertise .
Best regards
Thank you sir.
This tips deepened my voice ❤...thanks a lot sir 👍
Thanks doc.
Good explanations on these. 👍
Excelent data, thank you for sharing us !!!
Great, thank you Doctor.
I’m going to try this. My neighbour’s gonna think I went mad. 😂
@@user-ex7vr1ey2f Let us know how it went 😂
Thank you !
Thanks a whole lot.
Excellent information. Clearly explained. Thank you
Concise & clear. Thanks
Outstanding video! Thank youuu🙏 🙏🙏
Thanks a lot, sir!
@aaronwalderslade said
As a professional singer, I use the siren as an emergency warm up when there's almost no time to warm up properly. But when I do the siren I also loosely close the lips and add a brrrrrrrr to the siren. This vastly increases the effectiveness of the warm up as it is effectively switching the power on and off many times per second. It gets my voice ready to sing and helps smooth over the break between middle and head voice. I highly recommend it. Most singers know about this warm up. It's always good to warm up the voice before singing, so perhaps it's an idea to start with the siren, then go on to the deep voice, and finally the yell.
Good comment. Thanks for contributing your ideas!
Glad to find this video. My father in law (81 years old) has been experiencing weak voice since 4 years ago, not long after he got covid. Then I remember that it's all about muscles, so I searched youtube for speaking exercise. I will guide him to do the 3 exercises. Thank you so much ❤
You are so welcome!
thank you! i will try this
This is brilliant
Thank you so much for the information. I subscribed out of gratitude..
You are welcome
Hell yeah I’ve been trying to get a weak voice for so long
Very logical explanation. Another video said it could also be due to learned patterns of inhibitions
Awesome thank you!❤
Hello, doctor! Thank you for this video. Once we've plateaud, how many times a day would you advise we continue to do this to not lose progress?
As SOON as i began to listen to this I started to hum. I've heard again and again it's a good practice and now here's another reason!
Greetings from Indonesia, doctor!
First of all I would like to thank you for this great video.
I'm a teacher and now I also have the paralysis vocal cord (the left side). This happen because of I have hypertyroid.
Hopefully my voice will be back soon. Probably I will get an injection or surgery (I haven't meet again my ENT doctor).
Once again, I really really really enjoyed your video !!!
Is this technique recommended for singers or does this train musical vocalization in the opposite direction needed for singers?
Thank you doctor
Thanks for the information. Can I start this exercise even if I currently have a sore throat? Is it equally beneficial to practice these exercises if I have allergies or reflux?
I had surgery for Reinke’s odema on both sides a month and a half ago and was told I would have my voice back for a new teaching job that starts in a month.
I am still hoarse and speak in only one not.
I have four weeks before I start work and have to sing songs to children.
Is there still time for healing?
Should I be doing exercises (no therapist within hours from where I live) or should I be resting my voice?
My throat always hurts a bit, probably from acid reflux so am watching my food and taking medication but nothing is changing.
Help. Don’t want to lose my job. Any advice would be a godsend.
Excellent
This is basically the components of the Phonation Resistance Training Exercise program (PhoRTE). It’s an excellent program. I use it often with my patients who have vocal fold atrophy.
Great doctor. Well regarded in Chicagoland
This was an awesome Video. I don't necessarily ~need~ to strengthen my voice, but I do want to enhance the power of it for singing and future goals that will benefit by having a wider range of vocal volume.
This channel/this doctor have made some really solid educational content! And he didnt Waver from his seriousness for a second about the lesson, that was really cool to watch, and I am grateful for awesome and caring doctors who use logic and now leveraging UA-cam / SM for educating the masses.
We are truly blessed to have interconnectivity at this level, especially if we can hone in the great parts and improve the downsides. Thanks!
My GERD damaged my larynx and vocal cords so I am intrigued by this.
you're right,this way is for emphasize voice power , but if you want you have beautiful voice you have exercise A sound like a in call , A or O make your vocie feels beautiful
Thank you. Diane from Cape Town
I just came across your channel and am looking forward to watching your videos. I have had vocal chord problems for years. I had thyroid cancer in the mid 1990’s with a full thyroidectomy. Since then I have struggled even more with my voice. I tend to cough when I talk for any length of time or if I try to speak loudly. Several years ago I developed a cough for months and saw a laryngologist. I was sx with atrophied vocal chords and sent to speech therapy. She discovered I was breathing incorrectly. Her therapy helped me quite a bit. It’s been awhile though and now I am in rural SC with no laryngologist or speech therapist in site. I could use a refresher on breathing techniques and I am sure others would benefit as well.
Please share that breathing techniques
Amazing!!
THANK YOU I can never be hard in loud places and people ask me to speak up but I literally can’t because it will hurt after a full sentence of shouting. Even at work repeatedly saying directions would tire my voice out sooo much after the 60th person or 100th I could barely say directions or thank you have a nice day.
So sorry to hear this. Of course, a diagnosis is needed first; and perhaps a speech pathologist if this simple voice building strategy unhelpful or not possible.
@@LaryngopediaThis has been helpful!!! So helpful!!! This is helping me mix belt again. I’m an introverted person who doesn’t speak loud ever so this makes sense.
6:14 Exercises
I feel you!
I was told my vocal chords do barely move by an ENT doctor years ago after experiencing frequent episodes of aphonia and constant hoarseness. Sometimes when I start a sentence the first word comes out mute (just air, no sound). It’s being like this all my life, even as a child but no one ever suggested doing something about it. I will start with these, thank you so much!
Hope it helps, but the first need is a precise diagnosis by detailed history, vocal capability (vocal phenomenology) assessment, and a detailed examination.
This video was unintentionally funny, especially with the vocal tasks, lol. Thank you!
Very interesting video. It is nice to see that a doctor takes their time and presents people with such a passionate description of a few excercises for vocal training. As a speech and language pathologist, specialized in vocal therapy, I wanna bring up my takes, hints and maybe a helpful thought for someone with similar issues.
* Firstly, I want to outline how positive it is to me that lived, embodied intentionality is part of those vocal excercises. Those sceneries and images might be weird but vocality is a very fundamental, primal part of us. Voice is a movement we can hear, a movement that changes, an embodied accoustic relatedness. When we relate to something or someone, our body tone, breathing and as well our voice follow our intention in slight changes of their tone and organization. A clear embodiment of an emotion or intention can therefore really support vocal function.
* Secondly, a protocol that is so short and based on repetition but also on engagement, is more easy to transfer into daily life and doesn't make it a simple excercise where body and mind are disconnected (and therefore we can expect little transferance effect) but is rooted in actual social events and demands a situative attentedness and energy. Voice is a social phenomena. We use it to carry words, yes, but underlying, in its oscillations, we find patterns of habits, life style, biography, emotions, self relation and situative context. When clients master a certain vocal function in our settings, the biggest problems occur when it comes to transferring it into daily life as that requires attention and an deliberate act of adjustment. By binding vocal excercises in imagined or real social contexts, we learn to apply it in those situations where we actually need it (not in isolated excercises once or twice for a few seconds when we think about it to make our therapists happy).
* Thirdly, not only is emotional and intentional engagement requested, but also physical activity. I will focus on the gripping of the steering wheel - the despictions of popping veins and eye balls goes in a vocal habit direction that I deem not ideal. Any movement of the arms that relies on shoulder stability and is accompanied with a lift of the arms on the level of the shoulders, activates the vocal folds neurologically and mechanically a bit more. That also transfers to movements where we pull something closer to us (if it is not too heavy). The stabilization of the shoulder girdle requires a stable punctum fixum (the rib cage) which requires under pressure in the thoraic cage. For that, the vocal folds need to close (for literature: V. Negus, J. Pressman, in the 50s). These interrelations are born out of our primate past (you know, gripping onto branches or the chest of our mothers, swinging from branch to branch or climbing). Pull ups are a wonderful way to engage these systematic interrelations. I had a client, years of drug abuse and a voice that was pressed (ventribular folds) and nearly without sound. In the first setting, I asked him to lift his arms inhaling and putting his hands around a pull up bar and give voice on a few vowels. His old voice was instantly back. That was ofc a miracle anecdote but in his case, these interrelations kicked really fast and whenever he did his excercises and tried to transfer better patterns, his voice got better.
Depending on how we are capable, are used to or functionally are required to stabilize our bodies, we either engage more strongly with high pressure in the thorax (and abdomen) or a low pressure in the thoraic cage - the first one will close the upper airways (ventribular folds and other constricting muscles, the vocal folds aid), the second one relies on open air ways and closed vocal folds. As someone with chronic pain, I can tell you about the voices of those as their stomachs are often clenched, their breathing limited and their movements stiff and imbalanced.
A note about aggression: aggression very much relates to our vocal fold muscle (m. vocalis) yet can easily lead to a constricted throat (high pressure). There is aggression that centres destruction and damage - of our selves and others. And there is aggression that demands space, time, attention. Assertiveness and clear intentionality and focus support vocal closure and volume. Volume, by the way, is not just a product of more massy vocal folds but also a good relation between them oscillating and the space above being an effective resonator (aka "open", unfolded). There have been visualizations of how our upper airways form when we people were asked to embody emotions and give voice and aggression was among those that constricted the throat (to no surprise the sensation of love, also an image from older singing techniques, had the most open throat in the examples). So, differentiation in the field of what aggression is and means, could be necessary, depending on the person infront of me and what their take is on that. Since a "weak" voice can be associated with a hindrance of the expression of aggression, excercises like this - no matter how "healthy" for the voice they might be in the moment - can be a great way to get something back or develop something on a somatic level that also helps to transfer a more massy voice into daily life without the down sides.
A note about "strain": In vocal therapy, at least I do not wanna challenge a muscular system like the vocal folds that is put under so much pressure during daily life which can lead to a weak voice. The vocal folds are about as long as a thumb's nail is wide. They already endure lots of pressure during the day, not just during speaking. Knowing about their many functions and interrelations with the body in postural control, for movement as well as shelter, aiding more stress by pressure, might damage them and lead to organic changes (like nodules). Adding more strain is not gonna fix a functional dilemma that usually and in most cases comes from that. Instead, reorganizing patterns, so they can actually work more autonomously and effectively as their functions are not undermined, might do the trick.
In short, a good physical condition and certain movements (direction, quality) help to activate our vocal folds and their closure reflex. Out of this closure reflex (that developed out of their shelter reflex), our vocal function developed. The so called "inhalare la voce", inhaling the voice, as image of Belcanto singing, very much relates to that. As people usually tend to use non-suficient patterns to be louder - usually an icrease of air pressure and more closure of the throat which also happens when they over articulate - combining such tasks with movements that support primary activation of the vocal folds and deactivation of the constrictors of the upper airway to close the vestibular folds, are suggested (the ENT and phoniatrist Eberhard Kruse published about his videolaryngoscopic findings about those interrelations in the 90s).
part 2: That might all sound very complicated, but I can break down some key components that are important (at least to me) in every speech therapy setting:
*LET COMFORT BE YOUR GUIDE, NOT AESTHETICS. That doesn't mean an excercise cannot be cause of discomfort sometimes (I say this with lots of caution - a laysperson might think "no pain, no gain" - absolutely not what I am saying. Some people might not feel comfortable with an excercise or a sound at first and sometimes need a little push to try and see if they learn from that. Sometimes, I trigger the opposite of what I think is good and closer to their pattern to have them realize what exactly is not beneficial there.). I am talking about looking for states and sensations of unfolding, openness, letting go, balanced tone in the airways and body. A voice that is comfortable. If a pitch or volume cannot be produced comfortably, what is the purpose? Quality is more important thant quantity. A lot of people proudly present their amazing ranges here on youtube, while shrieking or pressing on their notes. That is not a goal of vocal work in my opinion. If your voice is accompanied by strain or pain, finding a NEW pattern that is strange or might sound strange is easier to accept, when it feels comfortable. That also means that a narrow framework of good and bad (good technique, good breathing, good posture) can be more hindering than useful. It dissociates us from our body and yokes our body trough the will of the mind.
* AIM FOR FUN, BE PLAYFUL: Simple as that. We learn better and more profoundly when we enjoy what we do. If we are curious and open, we can engage with our body, be witnesses and identify with the new vocal patterns we hear and feel and access them over time. That means you can integrate vocal excercises with things you like. If you are someone who likes to walk, do it rhythmically and maybe hum. If you like to move trough your flat or dance, opening and fluent movements can be accompanied by voice. Dancing generally has many benefits, except from mobilizing the hips. If you "just" get to get daily chores done, keep in mind that these interrelations of breath, posture and airways are there even when we don't use voice. A work out routine, climbing, swimming, (nordic) walking, dancing all rely on these interrelations and as a side effect can strengthen your voice. You also get social contexts to use your voice in. A spacious forest when hiking to experience the resonance and volume of your voice, for example. If you wanna practice your new sound, try a short conversation with a stranger when you buy something or ask for directions; use calls to people you don't know; use the possibility to record voice messages (no one sees how you stand or breathe or how attentive you are of your posture...)...
* TRY TO MAKE THINGS RHYTHMIC. No matter if you inhale little or a lot, have a clear, rhythmic transition from inhalation to voicing and vice versa. Rhythm has many, many beneficial aspects and surprising effects on us. For example: If you inhale before speaking, try to find the moment to switch from that into talking. Some of the excercises I suggest rely on the coordination of movement, inhalation and voice. Finding a pattern (5 seconds in, these vowels and these notes, relaxation of a few seconds to feel the difference and stay with that... 5 seconds inhalation... and so on) that works during vocal workout helps to work with voice as rhythmic movement. Rhythm and focus support vocal closure (and more sufficient opening and inhalation). Rhythm is also how we have dialogues: Speaking is very much like ping-pong-ing from one side to the other. The readiness in our body tone to acct fast and flexible, we can also find in rhythmic work. Rhythm also works very well in case you wanna do vocal excercises more like a workout routine in sets and with repetitions.
* ALLOW YOURSELF TO BREATHE AND MOVE AND TO STAY FLEXIBLE: That not only relates to those who speak until they gasp for air or hold their breath as not to interrupt or while they are listening (a protective manner btw). Breathing itself is already a wonderful vocal excercise. If we use our breathing to access a higher lung volume and activity of the inhalatory muscles, our vocal tract can open up, unfold, elongate (beneficial as a resonator) and our larynx can descend while the vocal folds open more strongly and close more differentiated. That is the technical side. Maybe, in perception and getting to know your self and needs, you find out what your body needs, which movement it would like right now. And then accompany that with sound. It can be a relaxing yawn, a sigh, a hum. It can also be a more spacious sound, a louder sound, a focused sound, maybe on some prolonged vowels or a few phrases (especially those you use daily). However you do it: voice is movement itself. It relates to posture and movement. Beneficial qualities in these aspects transfer beneficially to voice.
* STAY AWAKE, OPEN AND ATTENTIVE. Others might call it being responsive, waiting for the echo. Not only are vocal activities working more sufficiently in their feedback loops when we lean into perceiving them and allowing things to happen without disturbance; but also is the state we are in, when we are curious and open to the world and our experience beneficial to voice (and ourselves). It is the mind of a child that sees things in wonder and awe. Transferring that as dialogic openness will tone our body in a state of readiness and with increased inhalatory volume and more sufficient vocal activity...
and part 3:
A BIT MORE MECHANICALLY:
* CAN YOU DO YOUR INHALATIONS SOUNDLESS? Related to rhythm, actually. One easy thing to look out for is a noiseless inhalation. If you inhale and there is friction it is based on constriction of the upper airways and insufficient opening of the vocal folds. This also equals imbalanced body tone and a reduction of possibility for the inhalation muscles to really work sufficiently and economically. The opening of the vocal olds already determines the quality of their closure for giving voice. If they cannot open sufficiently, they will not close sufficiently - unless we force them (with muscles of the upper airways, definetly the tongue and pharyngeal constrictors). There are some advantages to mouth inhalation over nose inhalation in vocal work (the normal and sufficient way to inhale is a quiet nose inhalation). If you feel comfortable about trying a mouth inhalation, do so. The less resistance in your mouth and upper airways is, the less friction and dryness will occur. A nasal inhalation can have beneficial effects when you imagine smelling a nice smell that goes all up your nose.
* ALLOW YOUR JAW TO LET GO AND EASE (OR: SAYING HELLO TO A RESTING BITCH FACE). A lot of people have the habit to continously smile during talking. A genuine, open laughter has many positive aspects on the voice. However, a lot of my clients - especially with female socialization - show a habitual appeasing smile. The spreading of the lips is associated with a higher tone in the jaw clencher and pharyngeal wall. It doesn't allow your larynx to descend but keeps it a bit more upward. The tensions it causes can limit the ability of your vocal folds to open and close sufficiently, making the voice high, flat, less massy, more soft and sometimes airy. A relaxed lower jaw does allow your larynx to descend - especially during a bigger inhalation. A big, vital inhalation can even apply a slight pull on the lower jaw. If the jaw can open passively (and without the tongue "helping" by tensing the floor of the mouth or pulling back), we have the chance to get a beneficially shaped upper airway ("vocal tract") for a more resonant, loud and deep sound.
E: A great, easy excercise is to breathe trough the mouth - have your lower jaw relaxed and round your lips. Inhale a large quanitity of air. Do it WITHOUT ANY SOUND, do it SLOWLY (a few seconds) and see if you can find an expansion of your rib cage and elongated spine that feels EFFORTLESS. When you exhale, see if you can exhale with the same openness (meaning there is no sound of friction). Doing that just 3-5 times can help to open up the vocal tract and activate your vocal folds.
A physically errect body that is balanced and vital is btw "inhaled". Inhalation is part of postural errection. The rib cage will have a natural tendency of openness which already neurologically informs the vocal folds and leads to better closure with less air pressure. Working on your physical errection so it is effortless and fluid - having an effortless and fluid inhalation that can go big and spatious means also that your upper airways relax and your larynx can descend (trough relaxation and the pull of the trachea). Put simply, stretching your body, elongating the spine, balancing your self out, finding a proper tone supports breath and vocal function.
Some great vocal excercises are
* glides / sirens (OOO is indeed a very beneficial vowel - see that your lips are actually rounded) with lower volume
* single tones on a prolonged vowel or vowel chain (for example for deeper pitch and loudness open vowels are more beneficial) - especially accompanied with movements that open up, expand, are flexible, fluent and rhythmic.
* perhaps: staccati / vocal onsets: that is a short onset and offset of tone. These excercises are often accompanied by a higher pressure - there are ways to avoid that and overdoing it. For example finding a rhythm to do simple short onsets on beat help to focus an appropriate amount of effort. A clear visual focus (pointing, zooming in on an object or person) can help as well. Rhythmic gripping can help or rhythmic pulling (I let my clients pull a thick rope and ask them to switch hands rhythmically every time they go from one vowel to the other while tensing the rope a little bit). Staccati can also be done in a soft inhalation (yes). Staccati equal a short closure and openning - rhythmically done an opportunity to learn how different forms of activity, of activation and letting go, can feel.
* air flow excercises: While a certain inhalatory tendency is beneficial, the paradoxic sensation of unhindered air flow is crucial for vocal function. That relates to air that is not hindered by constriction nor pushed out, but released. Air flow excercises are known as Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Excercises. The actual pressure that the vocal folds need to swing is, when everything works out well, very low. Working with air flow (not just in, but also out), however, is in its released and unhindered way a great way to work on mucosal recovery and integrated function and can also be used to access more mass and volume (lip trills, depending on how they are done, can help here for example - if the focus lies on the streaming of air and not enforcing of lip closure and vibration). The vocal folds have a layer of mucosa that has its own oscillation pattern, depending on the vocal folds themselves, and takes crucial part in the sufficiency of a beneficial vocal function. When air passes trough the nearly closed vocal folds, an underpressure develops between them ("Bernoulli effect") that sucks their edges together. The mucosa partakes in that and can even partake in sucking in parts of the vocal fold muscle into oscillation.
An excercise could look like this: With a quiet, relaxed breath for example trough the softly opened mouth, we can let air stream out between our softly narrowed lips (like we'd blow a soft feather away or form an ffff sound). A slight rounding of them is beneficial. We then can see if after some repetitions of unforced air flow, we can add voice WITHOUT disturbing the sound of friction and the sensation of our lips. This might read as easy - trust me, it is not easy for a lot of people. When they are used to a higher pressure for vocal function, this can be troublesome) however, when that is finally possible, the voice already has learned to start oscillation by vocal folds that get into better contact with each other, not over strain and force.
Lastly: There are many reasons, why a voice might be "weak". Organically, functionally, that determines what exact excercise or approach might be the best. Biographic, social, cultural and personal aspects play their part, too. Depending on that, the goals of a person and needs and their physiology, the list of intervention possibilites is nearly endless.
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Muito obrigado pela excelente explicação,meu amigo. Parabéns!!!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank u for this advice I had a stroke on my right side an it affected my voice I can hardly speak loud an it gets to talking an the voice slows down so I hardly say much I will try this again thank u so much
Doctor your timestamps are useful.
Doctor , thank you very much for your help !!!! I am a singer and i want to learn how to improve my voice while i protect it
I suddenly hurt my vocal cords 20 years ago because of forcing a lot while teaching music to classes of children for many months. Since then I never could use my voice like before although I went to peach therapist for 6 months (intensity hurts and gets the inflammation back even after a few seconds and also endurance has disappeared so I need to shorten conversations and keep quiet 3 or 4 days a week.) But I was hoping building my vocal muscles by speaking in a medium soft way a few minutes at a time. And then a little longer. Little by little. Are you sure working out vocal muscles in an endurance way (so not in a loud and strong way) won't be efficient?
Thank you
The Thumbnail had me stop 💀😂 sorry.
But I loved the video it was great explanation.
Excellent explanation and advice😊
Thank you so much!
Thank you, I will try this after Stroke…..
Thank for your help
You are welcome and all the best.
Thanks doc i learn from ur tips.
My dogs love to do the siren with me! 🐕
Do you have any exercises for Presbyphonia-type symptoms? My age is 60 undergone many health issues. Had a kidney transplant recently. The speaking voice is good, but the singing voice is thinning, with changes in pitch, and Vocal Fatigue. I was a very good singer with a high pitch in the past.
Thank you for the explanation it was awesome
You are welcome. All the best to you.