One of the greatest impediments to adequate voice production is the unnecessary use of muscles not directly required to assist in producing the sound. These muscles may be contracted and tensed to inhibit their effectiveness or may be deployed with an energy greater than is necessary to
achieve the desired result.
As a preliminary to all work concerned with the voice, it is important, to begin with, simple limbering and relaxing exercises, in which the posture is adjusted and an appropriate elimination of unnecessary muscular effort is achieved.
There are various interpretations of the word 'relaxation' and it is important to make some definition of the term as it is applied to the production of voice - indeed of any physical activity. Relaxation, in this sense, is not that profound mental and physical state often associated with meditation, or near-sleep. It is simply the awareness and adjustment of the physical attitude of the body to ensure a correctly aligned posture with minimal involvement of those parts of the anatomy not directly involved in the task.
For example, screwing up the hands into tight fists while speaking is a typical signal of unnecessary tension. Since the activity of all muscles is related, the tendency is for this tension to communicate itself to the arms, the shoulders and the neck. As a result, the efficiency of breathing is impaired and the quality of the tone of the voice is liable to reflect this tension. Similarly to stick the chin forward, so that the underside of the jaw is showing, it will produce a stretching and tension in the throat as well as stiffness of the jaw, which interferes with the speaker's ability both to articulate individual sounds and to produce voice adequately.
This is not to suggest that the problem of tension is exclusively physical. The muscular signs may well be attributable to states of anxiety. By the very nature of the act of communicating verbally with other people, there is likely to be an inherent attitude of apprehension, even extending as far as deep fear. It is neither the province of this book nor that of the teacher, to account for and deal with the complicated emotional states which are attendant on speech situations, beyond making some fundamental suggestions for coping with the familiar and common problems of anxiety which most people experience at some time or another. The suggestions offered below are an attempt to help the speaker in rationalizing his or her anxiety, followed by some suggestions to analyze what form the tension takes physically.
These are useful exercises to do at the beginning of voice practice. Remember that concentration is important - try not to let the attention wander. Note clearly and carefully the physical sensations of tension and release as they occur.
1. Lie on the floor and stretch out, trying to make yourself as long as possible. Release this position until you are lying on your back, with the hands palms up at the side of you. Repeat this several times, feeling the contrast between the sense of tautness in the body and its easy slow release into a relaxed and comfortable position.
2. Lying on the back, check each part of the body consciously, ensuring that there is no unnecessary effort anywhere. Try to be methodical, thinking of each part from the toes upwards, through the legs, the spine, the stomach, the torso, shoulders, arms, hands and finally the neck, head, and face. If in doubt, deliberately tighten and tense that part of you and then release it.
3. In a standing position, raise the arms above the head and stretch towards the ceiling. Hold this tight position for a moment or two and then allow the body to break at the waist, releasing the effort in the upper part of the body. The arms should flop down with the hands almost touching the floor and the head hanging freely between the arms. Gradually and very slowly bring yourself into a standing position, letting the head and shoulders hang down until you are almost erect. The sensation should be of the spine gradually uncurling from the base. The hands should hang easily and freely by your sides as you stand erect. This standing position should be achieved with the minimum
of effort.
4. To check for tension around the arms and shoulders, imagine you are pushing against a wall about one foot in front of you, at shoulder height. Gradually release the effort and allow the arms to fall heavily by your sides.
5. Standing with the feet slightly apart, release the neck, so that your head falls heavily on to your chest. Raise it slowly until the head feels well balanced on the shoulders. Note the sensation as the head is raised with the minimum of effort. Repeat this exercise several times, imagining that the head gets heavier as it falls and lighter as it rises.
6. Let the head fall to the back and then to the sides as described in exercise 5. In each case there should be no sensation of placing the head, but that it achieves the position on its own volition.
7. Stretch the arms out to the sides, extending them as far as possible. Hold this wide, stretched position for a moment or two and then release the arms, allowing them to fall heavily by your sides. Repeat this five times.
8. Raise the shoulders and try to touch the ears. Hold this position, note the tension, and then release them.
9. Push the shoulders forward, as if you were attempting to cause them to touch each other. Hold this
position then let them spring back easily and effortlessly. Repeat this five times.
10. Lift the chest forward and up, until you feel a hollow in the center of the back. Hold it there for a moment and then release the chest.
achieve the desired result.
As a preliminary to all work concerned with the voice, it is important, to begin with, simple limbering and relaxing exercises, in which the posture is adjusted and an appropriate elimination of unnecessary muscular effort is achieved.
There are various interpretations of the word 'relaxation' and it is important to make some definition of the term as it is applied to the production of voice - indeed of any physical activity. Relaxation, in this sense, is not that profound mental and physical state often associated with meditation, or near-sleep. It is simply the awareness and adjustment of the physical attitude of the body to ensure a correctly aligned posture with minimal involvement of those parts of the anatomy not directly involved in the task.
For example, screwing up the hands into tight fists while speaking is a typical signal of unnecessary tension. Since the activity of all muscles is related, the tendency is for this tension to communicate itself to the arms, the shoulders and the neck. As a result, the efficiency of breathing is impaired and the quality of the tone of the voice is liable to reflect this tension. Similarly to stick the chin forward, so that the underside of the jaw is showing, it will produce a stretching and tension in the throat as well as stiffness of the jaw, which interferes with the speaker's ability both to articulate individual sounds and to produce voice adequately.
This is not to suggest that the problem of tension is exclusively physical. The muscular signs may well be attributable to states of anxiety. By the very nature of the act of communicating verbally with other people, there is likely to be an inherent attitude of apprehension, even extending as far as deep fear. It is neither the province of this book nor that of the teacher, to account for and deal with the complicated emotional states which are attendant on speech situations, beyond making some fundamental suggestions for coping with the familiar and common problems of anxiety which most people experience at some time or another. The suggestions offered below are an attempt to help the speaker in rationalizing his or her anxiety, followed by some suggestions to analyze what form the tension takes physically.
These are useful exercises to do at the beginning of voice practice. Remember that concentration is important - try not to let the attention wander. Note clearly and carefully the physical sensations of tension and release as they occur.
1. Lie on the floor and stretch out, trying to make yourself as long as possible. Release this position until you are lying on your back, with the hands palms up at the side of you. Repeat this several times, feeling the contrast between the sense of tautness in the body and its easy slow release into a relaxed and comfortable position.
3. In a standing position, raise the arms above the head and stretch towards the ceiling. Hold this tight position for a moment or two and then allow the body to break at the waist, releasing the effort in the upper part of the body. The arms should flop down with the hands almost touching the floor and the head hanging freely between the arms. Gradually and very slowly bring yourself into a standing position, letting the head and shoulders hang down until you are almost erect. The sensation should be of the spine gradually uncurling from the base. The hands should hang easily and freely by your sides as you stand erect. This standing position should be achieved with the minimum
of effort.
4. To check for tension around the arms and shoulders, imagine you are pushing against a wall about one foot in front of you, at shoulder height. Gradually release the effort and allow the arms to fall heavily by your sides.
5. Standing with the feet slightly apart, release the neck, so that your head falls heavily on to your chest. Raise it slowly until the head feels well balanced on the shoulders. Note the sensation as the head is raised with the minimum of effort. Repeat this exercise several times, imagining that the head gets heavier as it falls and lighter as it rises.
6. Let the head fall to the back and then to the sides as described in exercise 5. In each case there should be no sensation of placing the head, but that it achieves the position on its own volition.
7. Stretch the arms out to the sides, extending them as far as possible. Hold this wide, stretched position for a moment or two and then release the arms, allowing them to fall heavily by your sides. Repeat this five times.
8. Raise the shoulders and try to touch the ears. Hold this position, note the tension, and then release them.
9. Push the shoulders forward, as if you were attempting to cause them to touch each other. Hold this
position then let them spring back easily and effortlessly. Repeat this five times.
10. Lift the chest forward and up, until you feel a hollow in the center of the back. Hold it there for a moment and then release the chest.
No comments:
Post a Comment