How to Practice at Home
Sentences
Find a comfortable place to sit or stand. Take a few deep breaths, using your
abdominal muscles. It might help to try finding your resonant voice by using the
“inverted megaphone” before you begin. When you’re ready, read the sentences.
You should have an easy feeling in your throat. Use forward focus – try to pay
attention to vibrations in the front of the face around the nose or behind the teeth.
Every now and then, repeat a sentence while gently pinching your nose. It
shouldn’t sound any different. If you repeat a sentence with your nose pinched and
it does sound different, try again, focusing on letting the sound move through your
mouth. To help focus on oral airflow; you can blow a gentle but steady stream of
air through a straw into a small amount of water. Focus on the feeling in your
throat, focus on your breathing, and focus on keeping the air stream and bubbles
constant.
Paragraphs
Find a comfortable place to sit or stand. Take a few deep breaths, using your
abdominal muscles. You might try finding your resonance by using the “inverted
megaphone” before you begin. When you’re ready, read the paragraphs.
Remember to separate your words and pause at commas and periods.
It make some time before this sounds and feels natural but practice will help you
find a rate which lends itself to a more authoritative speaking style. For more
practice, find some male speakers you enjoy listening to on Youtube and listen to
their speaking style. Many presidents and talk show hosts have an authoritative
speaking style. Listen to their pacing. Hear how every word is slightly separated
and they pause between phrases. Do not try to change the natural pitch of your
voice. You are only changing the rate of speech.