Articulate: Speed Trap
What is your natural rate of speech? Does it change depending on the situation? In the studio, I observe some of the fastest speakers and the slowest. In general, our goal is to get the maximum intelligibility at a speed…
Acquire: (Act)ion
The voice is a tattle-tale so how do we navigate life without broadcasting our personal business. For that, we need to reach a little deeper and dip a toe into the craft of the Actor. Actors train to make set…
Disrupt: The Deep End
When I speak to people about voice coaching they often tell me that they know they need to take deeper breaths. They do not usually know what that entails or exactly why they need that. When it comes to breathing,…
Observe: Air Bender
I read an interesting article about breathing this morning. I did have a little bone to pick so here we are. The following quote is what sent up the flag. For the body to function as peak efficiency we need…
Perform: Bad Actors
One of the challenges around communication right now is that nuanced discourse is on a sabbatical. Instead, we are surrounded by people who confuse their opinions with facts. Flanked by people more interested in winning the argument than with building…
Articulate: Did I Say That?
Have you ever had the experience of delivering the perfect response to a situation, well after the fact and in your own mind? Yeah, me too. How about watching your words land in the room as you desperately wish for…
Acquire: He’s Dead, Jim
If you have given any number of presentations or speeches you have likely encountered an audience that was non-responsive. This could be anything from a little distracted to active hostility. So what do you do? Firstly, I'd like to offer…
Disrupt: Doubt
What is doubt really? Uncertainty, sure. Lack of confidence, sometimes. How about a lack of conviction? I believe that doubt in speaking is something else altogether. Doubt can be an expression of trying to make yourself smaller, perhaps even invisible.…
Observe: The Quo
How are you? Really. Are you resting well? Nurturing your body well? Do you feel like you are living, rather than surviving? Breathe. Our current reality, regardless of where in the world you are, is affected by the pandemic and…
Perform: Authenticity and The Voice (repost, sort of)
Adapted from a post from February 9, 2008 This week in the studio has been a fun-filled authenticity fest. Actually, most weeks are that way but this week prompted me to tease out what makes a voice authentic and why…