Acquire: Pump up the Volume

One of the things I hear most often from prospective clients is, “I need to speak louder.”

This issue is a little complicated because it has a foot solidly in perception which is not a fixed point. Still, here are some tools for playing with your volume (and resonance) in a space.

Play with sounds in your head. Explore a closed mouth hum, at different pitches, and perceived volumes. Where inside your head do you feel it? Can you make it louder or softer? What else can you do with it?

ry voicing an /ah/ sound at a stable volume. Inhale, sustain the /ah/ as long as you can at a consistent sensation of volume and then release. Think of your air sustaining the /ah/. Repeat several times.

Play with a volume app. There are fun decibel meters for both iOS and Android phones which gauge ambient sounds and can indicate when your voice is getting louder in space. For a more specialized (and fun) tool. Try Voice Meter Pro currently only available for iOS. It a training tool for kids (and adults) to help moderate volume.

When in doubt, just sing it out. One of our most rapid entries to increased volume is through singing. So belt out your favorite song, even if you think you can’t sing and your access to more vocal volume will increase.

Gina Razón is the principal voice specialist at GROW Voice LLC, a full-service voice and speech studio in Boston’s Back Bay.  She has over 16 years of experience both as a teacher of voice and speech, and a voraciously curious voice user.  Gina has worked professionally as a classical singer for over a decade and more recently as a professional public speaker.  For more information on the studio or to book Gina visit www.growvoice.com.