Master Your Voice Today

Our voice is sometimes the first thing that people notice and is key to our influence and communication.

Most people are unaware that with the right tools, they can speak with more variety of tone, dynamics and project their voice so that they sound more authoritative, and engaging to colleagues and clients.

Knowing how to warm up your voice quietly, is key when preparing to speak online in these times of remote culture.  There are plenty of vocal warm-up exercises for the voice, such as my own, but in this episode, I've focused on ones that you can do straight away and without anyone listening in.

Find Jimmy on social media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmycannonsinger/

https://www.facebook.com/JimmyCannonsingerandvoicecoach/

➡️  Join Jimmy's online course 'Master Your Voice' here:

https://www.jimmycannon.com/master-your-voice-course

About This Episode:

In this episode, Jimmy Cannon shares tips on how to: warm up your voice quietly before speaking on Zoom to clients and colleagues, giving a presentation or recording a video.

To book Jimmy for workshops or one to one voice coaching sessions or for more information on the courses he can offer, please email:

[email protected]

Or call +44 (0) 7970412147

https://www.jimmycannon.com/

Practising voice projection exercises will help your voice cut through the crowd in meetings, and speak with more clarity and projection to a larger audience.

Most of us, including me before I became a professional singer, take a shallow breath into the top of our chest, so when we speak it can sound tight and thin.  Using correct diaphragmatic breathing, we can let a lot more air into the lungs and therefore use this air to create more resonance.  Exploring different areas of resonance will give you more projection and variety of tone in your voice, helping you communicate your message more confidently and with more authority.

In this podcast, I talk about how to develop stage presence for public speaking.  This could be a metre square piece of carpet in your office, behind a podium in a large conference centre, or even in the bar after work.  By changing the way you stand and hold yourself when speaking will affect how you sound and come across to your audience.

Speaking anxiety is a very real thing, in fact, it has a name; ‘Glossophobia’ Individuals who have fear of speaking publicly suffer from strong fear in social performance situations and social sphere. (Stein, Walker, & Forde, 1996).  

Causes of stage fright: The experience we have when asked to make a presentation or before speaking at a conference is primal, and comes from our ‘fight or flight’ response, which is ingrained deeply into our DNA. The body releases Adrenaline to counteract and control the fear, but of course, we don’t need to run away from animals anymore…

5 ways to change how you speak  

We use our voice every day, but more importantly, you need it in your business. Talking to clients and colleagues, in meetings and presentations, your voice is your number one communicator and is key to your influence and impact, whatever industry you’re in.  

My work as a voice and presentation coach has led me to believe that anyone can improve their voice, and with the correct tools and the use of simple but effective exercises, you’ll discover a new level of speaking. 

Your voice will develop more resonance, a larger dynamic range, better clarity and overall presence, giving you more confidence and authority when you speak.  Here are 5 things you can do to change the way you speak and more importantly, how you’re perceived...

Here's a sample of an interview I did recently with champion 'Speaker Coach' Bob Ferguson where we talked about his concept called 'Sprints and drags' to keep the listener on the edge of their seats, which I would have been if my seat wasn't so comfortable...

Or, do you or know someone that does? It can sound grating, and generally lacks tone and dynamics.  One thing I see and hear often with students or just speakers in general, is that they speak from the Larynx, which can be tiring and sound strained.  What you might not realise is that there are a lot more areas of resonance that you can tap into (literally), which will give you more projection and colour to your voice.

Are you someone that can't be heard in meetings, on the phone, or even in the pub?  You're probably not connecting the sound to the words!  This exercise will open up your voice and help you communicate more effectively with others, and give you more confidence when speaking in public.  Sing part of your presentation on one note (intoning), then speak it. The sustained breathing you need when singing helps to bring out the sound or the tone of your voice. You'll create a warm deeper tone to your voice, creating more empathy with your clients and audience.  Do this with different pitches, always keeping the throat open