Speaking with melody

I was doing an internship at a broadcasting company in 2011 and worked as a reporter on the radio, where my speaking voice were torn apart and coached. I mean at that time I'd done theatre, so it wasn't all that bad, but for the radio, safe to say that it was high-tuned. Any form of sitting around and not moving was where it got tight. Or so I heard.

Thankfully, I didn't read the news live, but there were interviews that required a lot of moving.

At that time, unmoving tasks affected my voice, until I got used to how to handle it sitting or walking, a month or so later.

So now it's 2025, and I'm writing this. Sharing this in the hopes that you too could focus on it.

"My day by the lake." -rehearsal/diction

A lot of things are happening what you might not even notice.

Say the same sentence with a false; adding nasality and/or a squeaking sound, which you might not recognise yourself, but trust me other people do. I do. They sound like a clock moving backwards to me. Say it fast, then slow like a poem. Now focus on every word. Use diction, speak clearly, intentionally.

The absolute first step to fix speaking errors: listen to others or people on Youtube.

Make e v e r y word count, slow it down.

You're not a politician giving a monotone speech, or unless you are, but still have hills and valleys, ups and downs, in your talk and not just a basic flat scenery train ride, right?

You don't want to sound like a squeaking door or speak like you're underwater, do you? I bet no one does. I surely don't. They are straining on my ear as well as your neighbour's.

As Roger Love wisely states, there are three levels to go on a staircase: upstairs (happy/excited etc. Ascending scale), downstairs (sad/melancholic. Descending scale) and staying on a single step (maybe 6 or 7 out of 10/lazy/boring. Monotone).

To practice the appropriate breathing for speaking, knowing the different placement of sound helps, but you have to first walk before you can talk, am I right.

✨️Lay on your back and as you breathe in and out. If it helps place one hand on the diaphragm and one on your stomach, and see how they expand breathing in, and they should lower and tighten breathing out. That is the feeling you're striving for when speaking! See how the voice doesn't come from your throat or chest or anywhere else, but from down low.

Now try to continue breathing sitting up, as you did laying down. Then try standing, or walking. Just remember the support from low. Now speak something, only breathing out. That is support!✨️

To take it further, to the next level, you might begin to notice how certain foods or drinks affect your voice. It's usually personal, although the specific foods are universal.

What doesn't work for me are any kinds of dairy products: cheese and yoghurt to name a few. What does work are any warm, steamy beverages, and the vegan things, plus protein. If I know that I don't need to practice today, then I'll have my feta-salad with latte:)

X Johanna

(c)

Roger Love https://theperfectvoice.com/