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Page 1: How to Develop a Perfect Speaking Voice

How to Develop a Perfect Speaking Voice

We have all heard at least one person in our lives whose voice is so beautiful and rich that we enjoy

listening to them speak, sometimes regardless of what they are actually saying. While developing perfect

vocal intonation and diction can be a lifelong task, a beautiful sounding voice can be obtained in a

relatively short amount of time. All you need is a little guidance and some dedicated practice. So if you

would like to develop a perfect speaking voice, start with Step 1 below.

Part1

Developing Good Speech Habits

1

Speak up. It's important to be heard when you speak, so raise your voice! If you tend to whisper, mumble

or speak with your head down, it is much easier for people to talk over you or ignore you.

However, this doesn't mean you should shout - rather, you should vary the loudness of your speech

depending on the situation. For example, if you're addressing a large group of people it will be necessary

to speak loudly in order to project your voice.

But speaking too loudly in normal, everyday conversation is unnecessary and can give the wrong

impression.

2

Slow down. Speaking too quickly is a bad habit and it can be difficult for people to keep up with you or

even understand what you're saying. This makes it easy for them to tune out and stop listening.

Therefore, it's important to slow down your speech by saying your words more slowly and pausing

between sentences - this helps to add emphasis to what you're saying and gives you a chance to take a

breath!

On the other hand, it's a good idea not to speak too slowly. Speaking too slowly can be monotonous for

your listeners, so they may become impatient and just tune out.

The ideal speaking rate is somewhere between 120 and 160 words per minute. However, if you're giving

a speech, it's a good idea to alter the speed at which you speak - speaking slowly can help to emphasize

a point, while speaking more quickly can give the impression of passion and enthusiasm.[1]

3

Enunciate. Speaking clearly is possibly the most important aspect of developing a good speaking voice.

You need to pay close attention to each and every word you say - pronouncing it fully and correctly.

Make sure to open your mouth, loosen your lips and keep your tongue and teeth in the correct position as

you speak. This may also help eliminate or disguise a lisp, if you have one. It might feel odd at first, but if

you consistently make the effort to pronounce your words correctly, it will soon come naturally to you. [1]

4

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Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing is essential for a full, rich speaking voice. The majority of

people breathe too quickly and shallowly when they speak, which results in a more unnatural, nasal tone.

Your breath should come from your diaphragm, not from your chest. To figure out if you're breathing

correctly, place your fist on your abdomen, just below your last rib - you should feel your stomach expand

and see your shoulders rise and fall as you breathe.

Practice your breathing by inhaling deeply, allowing the air to fill your belly. Breathe in for a count of 5

seconds, then exhale for another 5. Get used to this method of breathing, then try to work it into your

everyday speech.

Remember that sitting or standing up straight, with your chin up and your shoulders back, will help you to

breathe deeper and project your voice more easily. It will also give you an air of confidence as you speak.

Try to breathe at the end of every sentence - if you use the deep breathing method, you should have

enough air to get through the next sentence without having to pause for breath. This will also give your

listeners a chance to absorb what you're saying.2.

5

Vary your pitch. The pitch of your voice can have a real impact on the quality of your speech and the

impact it makes on your listeners. In general, speaking in a shaky or unsteady pitch gives the impression

of nervousness, while an even voice is more calming and persuasive.[2]

Although you shouldn't try to change the natural pitch of your voice (no Darth Vader impressions, please),

you should make an effort to control it. Don't let your nerves get the better of you and aim to achieve a

fuller, smoother pitch.

You can practice controlling your pitch by humming a tune, or simply by reading a piece of text aloud to

yourself. Keep in mind that it's not necessary to maintain a steady pitch at all times - some

words should be voiced in a higher pitch in order to add emphasis.[3]

Part2

Practicing Your Speech

1

Do some vocal exercises. Practicing vocal exercises can be a good way to develop your natural

speaking voice. Practicing while looking in the mirror is the most effective way to achieve this, as are

some of these ways:

Try to loosen your mouth and relax your vocal cords. You can do this by yawning widely, wiggling your

jaw from side to side, humming a tune, and gently massaging your throat muscles with your fingers.

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Increase your breathing capacity  and volume by fully exhaling until all of the air is completely expelled

from your lungs, then take a deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds before exhaling again.

Work on your pitch  by singing the sound "ah", first at your normal pitch, then getting progressively lower.

You can also do this with each of the letters of the alphabet.[1]

Repeat tongue twisters like:

Red leather, yellow leather.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.2.

2

Practice reading aloud. In order to work on pronunciation, pace and volume, it is a good idea to practice

reading aloud.

Pick a passage from a book or magazine, or better yet, find a transcript of a famous speech (such as one

by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and read it aloud to yourself.

Remember to stand up straight, breathe deeply and open your mouth fully when you speak. Stand in front

of a mirror if it helps.

Keep practicing until you are happy with what you hear. Then try to employ the same techniques as part

of your everyday speech.

3

Record yourself. Even though most people don't like listening to the sound of their own voices, it's a

good idea to record yourself speaking.

This can help you to pick up on any faults that you wouldn't normally pick up on, such as

mispronunciations and speed or pitch problems.

Nowadays, most phones will have a recording option that you can use to listen to yourself. You could also

use a video camera (which could be helpful to check your posture, eye contact and mouth movement).3.

4

See a voice coach. If you're really worried about improving your speaking voice - for something like a

debate, speech or presentation - then it might be a good idea to book an appointment with a voice coach.

They can identify your individual speech issues and help you to correct them.

A voice coach is also a good idea if you have a native or very colloquial accent that you're trying to

minimize or eliminate. Getting rid of an accent is a difficult thing to do, so seeing a professional can really

help.

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If seeing a voice coach seems a little extreme, then consider practising in front of a particularly articulate

friend or family member. They may be able to pick up on any issues and give you some helpful pointers.

This will also help you to feel more confident about speaking in front of others.[4]

5

Smile as you speak. People will judge you and the content of your speech more favorably if you use an

open, friendly, encouraging tone (as opposed to an aggressive, sarcastic or bored one).

A good way to make your tone more friendly and warm is to smile while you speak. Not a crazed grin,

mind you, but even a slight upturn of the corners of your mouth can make the sound of your voice more

appealing - even over the phone.

Of course, smiling isn't always appropriate, especially if you're discussing a serious issue. But just

remember that inserting emotion into your voice (whatever emotion it may be) can do wonders. [5]

Community Q&A

How can I smile and speak without looking ridiculous?

o Keep it simple and small. Soft and subtle smiles are the best choice because they look natural even when

you are nervous. You don't need to smile the whole time, especially when you're talking about something

serious.

What should I do if I am not able to speak properly?

o See a voice coach. If you are unable to do that, try watching videos of people talking online and copy how

they speak. Try saying one syllable at a time. Once you've perfected that, put every syllable together and

perfect that. Do this with every word you have trouble pronouncing. Record yourself speaking and see

how it measures up against the speakers you've been copying.

How about speaking softly? Is this considered "perfect"?

o Speaking softly can be ideal for some personalities, suggesting that you're a kind and sweet person. If

this is the style of voice that suits you, then yes, it's perfect too.

Is it bad to drink cold or hot water?

o What do you mean by "bad"? If it's bad for health, yes. Water that is either hot or too cold can cause

injures to your throat. Warm water is fine and room temperature or normal chilled water too. It's about

your preference.

Tips

If possible, perform these exercises in a closed room without carpet so that you can hear yourself better.

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Try different singing exercises, as it is a great way to learn proper breathing and vocal technique.

Make sure you develop good posture, as it is essential to a good voice.

When your vocal cords create sound, you should feel vibration in your chest, back, neck and head. This

vibration will create resonance and give your voice a full, delicious sound. This is what you are trying to

achieve, so spend a lot of time on relaxing these areas.

Your jaw and lips are the most important parts to relax because they form your resonating chamber, like

the sound hole in a guitar. If your mouth is too closed, you must exert more effort to achieve the same

volume. Having your jaw and lips relaxed and free-moving will make your voice sound more natural and

less strained or muffled.

Don't stress if you're still not satisfied with your voice. Some of the most recognizable voices range from

high to low and everything in between.

Vocal Exercises for Better Public Speaking

Does your voice get tired from public speaking? Do you need to boost your vocal energy and endurance?  The Public Speaker has exercises to get your voice into tip-top shape. 

By Lisa B. Marshall, The Public SpeakerOctober 10, 2014Episode #268I want to welcome you to today’s exercise class. Don’t worry, you don’t need a yoga mat or a heart rate monitor. We’re going to work on training our voices. .

Although I have improved my vocal energy and endurance over the years, I still have a long way to go!  This is one of the most difficult areas of public speaking for me personally.

If your vocal muscles are out of shape, you’ll tire more easily. You won’t have the energy you need to provide an engaging experience for your listeners. Today I'm going to share some exercises that will help you get your voice in public speaking shape.

Oh, and you may want to try these is a place where no one can hear you.  You'll sound a bit silly.  

Basic Vocal Warm-Ups

You wouldn’t run a long distance race without warming up your muscles first, right? In the same way, you should warm up your vocal muscles before speaking in public. Here are 4 quick exercises you can do to warm up:

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1. Hum your favorite tune. I use a silly one like "If You're Happy and Your Know It"

2. Run through some scales (do re mi fa so la ti do).

3. Pretend like you’re chewing gum or eating a soft cookie using your upper and lower muscles. Chew slowly and gently to loosen your jaw.

4. Swish your tongue around your mouth. Tension sometimes mounts in the back of your tongue and this exercise will loosen and relax it.

Breathing exercises

Proper breathing is an important part of vocal training. You need to fill your lungs all the way to your abdomen with air. Practice these 4 steps in order:

1. Stand up, shoulders back, and hands on your stomach. Let your stomach muscles relax.

2. Breathe in through your nose and fill up your abdomen first (you should feel and see it expand), then your ribs, and all the way up to your chin.

3. Hold this breath and count to 10.

4. Now exhale slowly. As you exhale, keep your ribs expanded and tighten your abdomen. The lower abdominal muscles should come in first as though you were rolling up a tube of toothpaste. 

While you are breathing, check your shoulders and stomach. Your shoulders should not be going up and your stomach should be going out.

Voice Relaxation Exercises

If your voice is tense, it will sound harsh to your audience. It might even sound like you’re squeezing the words out. A relaxed voice sounds more confident and controlled. Here's how to relax your voice:

1. Stand up and place your hand lightly on your throat muscles and speak in a normal tone. Note the tenseness of the throat muscles and the tightness of your jaw. 

2. Yawn. Open your mouth wide. Finish the yawn with a “hummmm,” prolonging the “mmm” for several seconds. Drop your jaw as far as you can without stress. 

3. Waggle the jaw from side to side and continue humming with the lips closed and jaw loose. 

4. Repeat the yawning and humming. 

Notice your throat muscles have loosened and become relaxed. 

Volume Exercises

Here are 4 exercises to help you increase your volume without straining your vocal cords:

1. Breathe deeply and exhale with a hisssssssing sound.  Repeat 10 times.

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2. Vary the loudness of your voice using the sound “Mmm-mmm.” Start with a soft sound, then middle, then loud. Repeat, starting with the loud sound until the soft. Repeat again soft - loud - soft - loud - soft - loud. Do this for several seconds. 

3. Repeat exercise 2 using a vowel (for example, “ah”): soft - middle - loud;  loud - middle - soft;  soft - loud - soft;  loud - soft - loud. Do this for several seconds

4. Repeat the exercise using a number of your choice.

If you want to keep your voice in good shape for public speaking, repeat these exercises daily. I prefer to do them in my closet so no one can hear, but I've done them at my desk too.  You may even consider doing them in your bathroom in front of the mirror (to be sure you’re not breathing with the shoulders). You can also try them laying down in bed. This will help you isolate your abdominal muscles. Just be careful - your family may mistake you for being sick!

It won’t be long before you starting noticing results from your hard work!

Tip – 10 Ways To Stop Boring Your Listeners (How to use Vocal Variety)By Nat Robinson on February 18, 2010

Here’s the problem and its remedy is vocal variety.You are giving a speech or presentation and, although the content is excellent and matches your audience’s

expectation and needs, nobody is listening.

Vocal variety can cure your bored audience.

Instead you are looking at blank, disinterested faces. Someone is checking their watch, another is doodling, and that person in the front row is struggling to stay awake.

Your voice is turning ears off. To put it bluntly, it is boring.The cure for deaf by monotone, (mono-speed, mono-pitch or any other one way or no way), is vocal variety. You need it if you want to

be actively heard.

Vocal variety is achieved through varying your voice pitch, tone, volume and speaking rate.

It’s the combination of these elements that gives a voice its vocal signature. Lack of variety in any one of them can make you boring to listen to.

To understand pitch think of music. It has high and low notes as do people’s voices. Everyone’s voice has a natural pitch and a women’s voice is generally higher than a man’s. In addition, everyone has a pitch range, the number of notes they habitually use. When that range is very small the effect is monotonous to listen to.

Tone refers to the emotional content carried by our voices. It is not the words themselves but how we say them. To speak expressively is to fill or energise our words appropriately. For example, a person who puts very little energy into their speech no matter what they are talking about is often described as being ‘flat’. By contrast someone who fills their speech to overflowing with energy is described

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as ‘exuberant’, ‘enthusiastic’ or ‘passionate’. If you think of a word as a basket to carry its meaning, you’ll get the idea. Some people put very little in their word baskets. Others stuff them to overflowing.

Volume is how loudly or quietly you speak. If you are either habitually loud or quiet, you need to learn how to consciously turn down or up the volume.

Speaking rate refers to the rate words come out of your mouth: how fast or slow you speak.Your goal as a speaker is to have people listen. To achieve that you need to use the most appropriate expression or vocal delivery, matching both your content and your audience’s needs.

Banish boring monotony with these 10 vocal variety tips.

1. Try this experiment for PitchSay the sentences below in your high, middle and low pitch range. Note what happens to the ‘intensity’ and the way you perceive their emotional content when you alter the pitch. There will be a distinct variation between each.

Her Grandmother died yesterday.I want a new car.This dinner is delicious.People should love their neighbors as themselves.

2. The Tone Ham Sandwich Exercise:Repeat the words ‘Ham Sandwich’ in as many varying ways as you can. For example say it angrily, happily, sadly, lovingly, despairingly, laughingly, importantly, slyly, snidely, shyly… This is a fantastic exercise to share with a partner. Take turn about giving each other the way to say the phrase. Repeat until you run out of variations. NB. Listen for emotional truth or believability!

3. Telephone Book Readings for Improving Tone:Open the telephone book at any page. Select a style* or emotion and read aloud whatever is there. Sustain each feeling state for at least a minute. This gives you time to get into it. Listen to yourself to make sure you are filling those words with the appropriate emotion.

*Style? For fun and variation read your page in the style of a newsreader, a race commentator, a preacher, Marilyn Munroe…

4. Reading Children’s Stories:Take a familiar story and read it aloud. As you do make sure your voice carries the meaning of the words. If a scary voice is asked for, use one. If somebody is bossy, sound bossy. If someone is teasing, put a teasing tone in your voice. If there’s a beat to the words, go with it. Find and emphasize it.

This a great exercise to record. When you listen to yourself, be alert for areas to improve. Record it again with the changes. And remember to try out your new improved reading skills with a child. Their feedback is direct and honest. You’ll soon know whether they enjoy the story or not!

5. Listen to Recordings of Novels,Short Stories, Autobiographies…Many of these are read by highly skilled actors. Apart from enjoying the story, you will learn a great deal about expression. You can find audio tapes or CD’s at your local library or download them from the net. Many are free!

6. For Volume:Use the following exercises to learn to project your voice naturally.The skill involved with getting louder (or softer) is to maintain tone and pitch while altering the sound level. Many people lose them both, particularly when they get louder. Shouting may guarantee you get heard but it doesn’t

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usually mean heard with pleasure. And the other down-side to shouting is straining your voice. Good breath control is one of major keys to upping the volume while maintaining tone and pitch.

Practice Breathing Using your Diaphragm:

Stand in front of a mirror. Make sure your feet are a comfortable shoulder width apart. Pull yourself up straight and let your head sit square on your neck. Place one hand on your stomach. Breathe in. You should feel your stomach rising and then breathe out. This time your stomach falls. Watch your shoulders. If they rise and fall noticeably you are most likely breathing off the top of your lungs. Try until you can see and feel a definite rise and fall of your stomach while staying relaxed.

7. Distancing Technique for Volume ProjectionMaintain the breathing technique outlined above and add voice. While watching yourself in the mirror to check for tension, (tightening of muscles), practice greeting yourself at ever increasing distances from the mirror. The first ‘Hello Susan, Bob’ (insert your name) is right up close. Then take two steps back and repeat. Now step back another two steps and greet yourself again.

(If your room is small, do the exercise outside and imagine the mirror! It remains in the same place all the time.)If you feel any tension in your throat or chest from forcing the sound, stop. Breathe and begin again. It helps to imagine the sound arcing through the air, in a concentrated focused stream to reach its target. The further away you get the more control you need to have over the outflow of air carrying your words.8, When you think you have a neutral ‘Hello Bob’ mastered, add emotional color. Say ‘Hello Bob’ nastily, lovingly, sweetly etc. while remaining relaxed.

9. Laugh Out-loudStand in front of your mirror breathing easily. On your out breath begin a series of ‘Ha-ha-ha-ha’s’ until all your breath is used. Take an ‘in’ breath and start again. Vary your laughter. Make it louder, make it quiet and then build it up again. Repeat until you are laughing loudly and easily without any strain.

10. Read Out-loudMake sure your stance and breathing is good. Pin point a place at the far end of your room to talk to and now read aloud from a book, making sure you maintain your relaxed state while using as much vocal variety as you can.A good way to test you’re working as you should is to do this exercise with a partner. Have them stand at the far end of the room you’re practicing in. Give instructions to give you feedback on clarity, variety and pitch.If you find yourself rising in pitch, check your breathing. When we tense, we strain the throat and when that happens our vocal chords are restricted. The result is we force the pitch up and limit the range or color we can put into our words. If you are straining will feel it in your upper chest and throat. In addition your shoulders will lift and you will run yourself out of breath easily.

To color and control your voice the way you want to, practice and then practice some more. Play. Experiment. Exaggerate, have fun and you will make them listen.

Have you got the power of the pause? Silence in the right place speaks louder than any word can ever do. How is your articulation and pronunciation? Is it clear? Can people understand you? Are you a motor-mouth? If so, can you put the brakes on?

The Multimedia AgencyMay 30, 2014 @ 2:31 pmI appreciate this point: The cure for deaf by monotone, (mono-speed, mono-pitch or any other one way or no way), is vocal variety. You need it if you want to be actively heard.

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Same is true for multimedia pillar content. People are tuning out (not reading your content) because they are bored. The cure…give them a variety of multimedia to break up the text. That will help you to be heard over the usual content noise.

Basic Voice Improvement TechniquesYour voice includes several characteristics, including: tone, volume, pitch, cadence, speed, voice inflection (word emphasis), emotion, and enunciation.

Many of these characteristics can be learned and controlled with practice.

This article has some simple techniques that I teach my students in an Introduction to Public Speaking class at Wilberforce University in the USA.

Many of these methods could be helpful for anyone who needs to warm up their voice.

Tone – Most of us need to work on our tone from time to time. Some people are not aware of the tone of voice they use when speaking. They talk loudly with a tone of irritation, regardless of who they are talking with.

Volume – This is an especially important variation to practise and can quickly influence how you are perceived by the interviewer. Try to work up and down the alphabet raising and lowering your voice. Be aware of how others react to you when you are having a casual conversation. Often their non-verbal signals will let you know that you are talking too soft or loud.

Voice inflection – Here is a simple exercise you can try. Take a sentence and emphasise different parts: WHY are you late for the appointment? Why ARE you late for the appointment? Why are YOU late for the appointment? Why are you LATE for the appointment? Why are you late for the APPOINTMENT?

Enunciate distinctly – Make sure to pronounce the final syllable in every word. Emphasise key concepts with your voice: punch out the important ideas that you want the audience to remember.

Mannerisms – This might include such things as repeating the same phrase over and over again, laughing at your own jokes, using filler words (uhmmm, er), etc. Ask friends if they notice any annoying vocal mannerisms and try to eliminate them.

Speed – Ask friends for feedback about whether you are speaking at an average speaking rate (around 120 words per minute). Be aware of when you speed up or slow down during a normal conversation. This is not necessarily bad as long as you have some control over it.

Contrast – Use your voice to create contrast: high and low, loud and soft, excited and reserved. Be in charge of the emotion that you are projecting.

Emotion – This includes whether you have the ability to communicate how you feel and express the appropriate emotions. As mentioned earlier, some untrained speakers maintain a similar tone that conveys only one emotion (such as irritation). This will tend to give your audience a bad impression.

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Digitally record your voice, and listen objectively – Experiment with different tone, pitch, emphasis, speed, volume and pronunciation. Also listen for common vocal problems such as nasal tone, unnaturally high or low pitch, mumbling, breathlessness. To help overcome these problems, buy a tape of a well-known actor reading selections from literary works.

Next, record yourself reading those same selections and compare your vocal quality. Also listen for sincerity, intensity, volume, inflection, pronunciation, drama. Continually practise your control over what you are projecting. Many people hear their own voice on a recorder and can’t believe that it is them. With enough practice, you get comfortable with the sound of your own voice, even when it does sound slightly different when recorded.

Being able to relax your voice is essential for good speaking. You cannot produce a fine, resonant, pleasing tone when your throat muscles are pinched, tense, or strained. By doing some of these vocal workouts before your talk, you will have more confidence. Combine this with an awareness of your throat muscles and make a genuine effort to relax them.Also, be sure to take care of your voice, rest it when possible.

According to “Your Speaking Voice,” a Toastmasters publication, when you speak, your voice reflects your psychological and emotional state of mind.

You cannot hope to persuade or influence others – or even get them to listen in a positive way – if your tones are harsh and unfriendly. Such a voice can repel even when the speaker wishes to attract. The quality of friendliness is a requirement for a good speaking voice. It is largely a matter of habit, as is the unfriendly tone.

Practise tongue twisters until you master them. Below is a vocal warm-up exercise that we do in the Introduction to Public Speaking class. These are a variety of unintentional and intentional tongue-twisters from actors’ exercises, corporate media ads, and elsewhere.

She sells sea shells by the seashore, and the shells she sells are sea shells. A twenty-two point two cubic foot frost-free refrigerator-freezer. A central ice crystal’s six similar sides determine a snowflake’s six-way similarity. Withdraw five millilitres from the top of the pallet-poor plasma. A lower-cost alternative to traditional plans. Double Bubble gum for that just-brushed freshness. High roller, low roller, lower roller. I need a box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer. He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts. The jolly collie swallowed a lollipop. Friday’s five fresh fish specials. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie. The least of the police dismisseth us. Red leather, yellow leather. The sixth Sikh Sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick. Three free thugs set three thugs free. Charles deftly switched straight flange strips. Gwen glowered and grimaced at Glen’s gleaming greens. Fancy that fascinating character Harry McCann married Anne Hammond. Lot lost his hot chocolate at the loft. Snoring Norris was marring the aria. Eleven benevolent elephants. Girl gargoyle, guy gargoyle.

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Rubber baby buggy bumpers. She stood on the balcony inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping and amicably welcoming him in. Six sick slick slim sycamore saplings. Unique New York. Toy boat (repeat three times) Lemon liniment. Three free throws. Blue black bug’s blood. Red lorry, yellow lorry. Giggle gaggle gurgle.

Have fun with these ideas, but stay determined to improve your vocal technique, including: tone, quality, volume, pitch, cadence, speed, voice inflection, emotion, sincerity and enunciation of your voice for your next job interview.