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Below is an updated list of words students and teachers of drama and theatre can use to describe the qualities of an actor's voice. Responding to reader feedback, this list now includes the meaning of each word in plain English so students can readily see whether a word is appropriate for their needs.

Often as part of their coursework, drama students analyse aspects of a live theatre performance. These written analyses regularly include describing the actor's voice. This is where the list of words in this post and their related synonyms becomes a gold mine for students who wish to get high marks.

Did you think an actor spoke in an ambivalent tone? Well, below you'll know that this could mean the actor spoke with uncertainty, a wavering attitude or a tone that conveyed mixed or contradictory feelings. Perhaps an actor's voice sounded bossy. If so, below you'll know you can be more descriptive and say dictatorial, instead.

At other times theatre students also analyse their own play-making process in Drama class. This involves describing the various qualities of their own performance work or perhaps evaluating the work of classmates. In this instance, if an actor spoke in a high-pitched and ear-piercing tone, you could say she had a shrill voice. Or maybe she spoke in a gravelly, husky voice? All these words and many more are listed below.

If that's not enough, the list of words describing an actor's voice in this post is very helpful for use in written exams and exam preparation in drama and theatre courses.

Words Describing Voice in Performance

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130 Helpful Words To Describe Voice in Acting | The Drama Teacher

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This post may contain a small selection of relevant affiliate links. When you purchase a product from an affiliate link, I may receive compensation at no cost to you. See the disclosure page for more info. Below is an updated list of words students and teachers of drama and theatre can use to describe the qualities of an actor's voice.

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How the Singing Voice Works | Robert Lunte | The Vocalist Studio | Vocal Lessons

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How Humans Produce Sound | Sound | Physics | Class 9

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The Anatomy of Singing: How the Diaphragm, Larynx, and Vocal Folds Work

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Having a S.W.O.T Analysis specifically targeted on the voice will aid future rehearsals for projects and auditions. It will also allow me to pinpoint my exact weaknesses and be able to develop them fully in lessons. This will further help in monologue performing at auditions and in front of my peers. S.W.O.T stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

STRENGTHS:

Clarity of voice

Diction

Pace

Versatility of accents

Projection

WEAKNESSES:

Emotional Depth

Vocal health

Pausing when dialogue reading

Consistency

OPPORTUNITIES:

Talked on Market Harborough Radio show

Training I receive

Technology/ Research

Performing in shows set in America- use of accents

THREATS:

Being typecast

Competition around me

Vocal damage/health

Laziness

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In today’s session we had an introduction to the class and what to expect from the coming lessons. We also learnt facts about our vocal buddies to be able to become familiarised with them and how they talk. To begin our training, we all completed a voice assessment with peer feedback. I believe a strength of mine today was confidence when standing up and talking in front of the class. Due to confidence being a weakness of mine in the past I ensured to appear confident and speak clearly to be easily understood. Another strength of mine today was getting to know my buddy, Aaron successfully as we were giving each-other feedback on how to improve. I believe something I could have improved on today was the pace at which I talked and making a decision on where to pause in the vocal assessment. This was shown when I struggled for breath towards the end of the dialogue and the words became unclear and raspy. I will work on this for future sessions by choosing where to pause and breathe before beginning so I am fully prepared.

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What is the Alexander Technique? | The Definitive Guide to the Alexander Technique

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In today's vocal session we began with learning about the vocal anatomy and how breathing works. Learning this develops understanding of how the voice works and allows me to understand what exact muscles and parts of the throat which I use to sing. This will improve my vocal health when performing extended dialogue and monologues in performances. Having this as a strength will also aid with my acting overall as it will allow for clearer diction and sustainability of the voice. We also analysed our posture by tasking photos from the front, right side, left side and back. Having correct posture whilst performing monologues is key for projection and different volume levels. I believe a strength of mine whilst evaluating my posture was being able to pinpoint my exact areas which are not correct. This will allow me to practice correct posture whilst performing and walking to ensure my voice is healthily projecting. A final strength of this lesson was concentrating and focusing when learning about the semi-supine position and how that may benefit mental and physical preparation before perfroming. Laying in the semi supine position allows me, as the actor to fully close my mind off from outside noise before performing and 'get in the zone'. My weaknesses in today’s session was struggling to breathe when practicing the semi-supine position due to not having practiced this before. Occasionally I felt like my diaphragm was not expanding enough to breathe fully properly through the stomach and intercostal muscles instead of through the airways like regularly. To improve on this I will practice the position at home and focus on my breathing fully for 10 minutes a day. This will allow me to be prepared for the next voice lesson. A second weakness of this lesson was my posture. Whilst taking the photos of my posture I noticed that my shoulders were rolled and back was hunched whilst standing. To improve this over the coming weeks I will practice having my posture straight and correct to be able to project sound fully.

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My Vocal buddy is called Aaron and he is on the Acting course in his second year.

His S.W.O.T analysis is different to mine due to him having a different style of voice.

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In today's voice for the actor session, we learnt about Fricative sounds and how they could develop our monologues. we then built a tongue twister involving these sounds to challenge our vocal buddies by saying the ones we came up with. We also completed a re-cap on The Alexander Technique and how semi-supine benefits the actor. In acting through monologue, it was my vocal buddy and I's turn to perform our chosen monologue in front of the class and receive feedback. I performed 'Helena's Monologue' from 'Midsummer Night's Dream' as I believe it reflects my playing age and I can relate to the character. A first strength I noticed of this was having the confidence to stand up in front of everyone and perform a monologue. This highlights how working on my confidence in singing has developed through to acting and monologue lessons. Another strength I had of performing my monologue was fully getting in character before reading by taking a step back. This step back was significant as it allowed me to show the audience that I am ready to perform and I am no longer myself, but the character of 'Helena'. After I had performed the monologue, I worked with my peers and my lecturer to highlight areas which can be improved. A piece of feedback I received for this was ensuring that I move with purpose and moving when I have a change in thought. I will develop this by learning my monologue fully and pinpointing in the dialogue where a change in thought happens to be able to practice it at home. A second analysis I received was that I did not use my facial expressions to fully portray what my character was feeling. I will improve this over the coming weeks by writing an emotion next to each line so when I am learning the lines I can get used to saying them with that particular emotion.

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In today’s lesson Aaron performed ‘Romeo’s Monologue’ from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in which I took notes and gave him negative and positive feedback.

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Aaron’s first voice goal is to improve his pronunciation of certain sounds as he believes he mumbles when he talks. This will improve diction and clarity of voice while performing monologues.

His second voice goal is to improve his versatility of accents to be able to portray a wider range of characters. Learning different accents will also widen his playing age for future auditions.

His final goal for the year is to slow down his pace of talking whilst acting. This will allow him to explore different emotions portrayed instead of rushing through script.

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My Vocal Buddy And I’s Tongue Twisters Using Fricative Sounds 01/10/2024

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My Vocal Buddy And I’s Tongue Twisters Using Fricative Sounds 01/10/2024

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‘She Chauffeured Sharks Sheepishly’

‘Xylophone Zebras Zing Zestily’

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In today's session I learnt about plosive sounds and how they can adapt my monologue. Plosives are consonant sounds made by blocking airflow from the lungs with the mouth and then suddenly releasing the air; e.g. b, d, g and t sounds. The class then practised vocally expressing examples of these sounds to get used to how the articulation feels. A strength of mine in this area was correctly identifying the place of articulation and making the sounds powerful. I also analysed the effect of plosives; they can often create a harsh feel and reflect anger, disgust or a traumatic incident. I will continue to develop my knowledge of plosive sounds by going through my monologues and circling all of the plosive sounds.

A weakness of mine in this session was not writing down notes of feedback for my peers monologues in which I could use for my own work. I could also have given my peers constructive criticism which aided their performance to make it a more powerful piece. In future voice sessions I will make sure to have a note pad and pen to make notes of their monologues and any feedback they are given I could apply to my own work.

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In today’s lesson we started off with semi supine position. Doing this at the start of every lesson allows us to relax and focus the mind on the work we are about to do. Relaxing the mind is effective as it allows us to prepare for speaking our monologues later on in the session. After warming up the rest of our bodies, we then completed tongue twisters, particularly focusing on plosive and fricative sounds. A strength of mine whilst doing this was completing these tongue twisters to maximum effort. This is important, as if people do not complete the exercises, it is a waste of time and energy that could be used for conserved for the ‘voice into monologue’ session. We then learnt about intonation and how it could benefit our monologues. Intonation is the way which things are said that alter the intention behind them. We learnt about this through doing the bread and butter exercise. We did this is as way of practicing this which means that we understand the sounds better. In the second half of the session, we were given the opportunity to complete coursework which was not finished. This is because people were filming their monologues for Unit 10: Preparation for Progression.

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This week, we had 'Industry Insights Week' therefore we did not have a voice through monologue or voice for the actor session. Due to this,I completed research in my own time to be able to analyse different practitioners of acting and how they could help my performance with my own monologue. I also went over my classical monologue on this day to be able to put the notes I received from our teacher.

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In today's session, we began with laying in a semi-supine position to be able to allow our minds to block out any outside noise and prepare our minds for learning. We then completed a full body warm up which entails stretching our bodies out, warming our vocal range by sliding from high sounds to low quickly, and ensuring we are breathing with proper technique. Warming up our breathing and holding the breath whilst engaging the diaphragm benefits our performance as it creates a more powerful sound as its coming from the diaphragm rather than the throat, which can cause strain. After warming up, we ran through our tongue twisters 'He threw three free throws', 'An Irish wristwatch' and 'Snap, Crackle and Pop'. After saying them over for a couple of times, we went around our circle choosing an emotion to say our desired tongue twister in. Everyone then had to repeat it after us three times. A strength of mine whilst doing this was ensuring I corresponded my voice to the emotion I chose. Doing this also boosted my confidence to be able to lead a group. After the session had ended, we had the next lesson to complete coursework as some of my peers were filming their monologues and the hall needed to be quiet. I struggled to focus whilst doing this as I was sat next to one of my friends who I kept getting distracted by and talking to them. In the next session when given a coursework based lesson, I will make sure to separate myself to be able to ensure I complete any work I need to do.

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In this week's session, we began with completing our weekly full body and vocal warm up. However in this session we held our diaphragmatic breathing for longer to test whether we had been practising the technique. I was able to hold the sounds for the whole 22 seconds which highlights how my practice of using my diaphragm to breathe has improved my ability to produce a powerful and long-lasting sound with just one breath. I will continue to work on this by completing exercises which aim to improve clarity of sound using breath to develop my strength even further. We were then given a sheet of 5 tongue twisters and were told to partner up with our vocal buddies. We were then given the task of giving each tongue twister an emotion which contradicted our vocal buddy's emotion. After going over this a number of times, we were then asked to improvise a short scene which included the sentence 'I didn't say she stole my money', but we could choose which word the emphasis went on. I believe I could have worked better with my vocal buddy and contributed more ideas to our improvisation. I will develop this over the coming weeks by watching videos of scenes and analyse how they appear confident and say whatever comes to mind quickly.

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In today's lesson, we began with our vocal warm up which included tongue twisters, semi supine, tongue rolls and lip trills. Engaging in a vocal warm up allowed me to be fully prepared for filming my monologues in the next session. Due to this being the first lesson of the day, completing a full body warm rather than just a vocal warm up is beneficial to wake up the body, mind and voice to be able to focus for soaking up new acting techniques we will learn during the lesson. We then sat with our vocal buddies to be able to go over our notes from the lesson and notes from the tongue twister relay completed. The tongue twister relay is a fun race which involves saying 3 tongue twisters 3 times over, if you mess up you have to run back and start your 3 times again. Doing this builds teamwork and makes our brains think about the intonation and sounds we are making. I believe this was a strength of mine as I did not get sent back to start over which means all of my sounds were correctly pronounced. This will help with slowing down my contemporary monologue and thinking about the words that I am saying and what meaning they have behind them. After watching my videos of my two monologues filmed, I believe I could have improved my preparation of Contemporary monologue as the one I had chosen was only 45 seconds long, which is too short for drama school auditions. In the future, I will fully prepare for the lesson. I will also begin looking for a new contemporary monologue to learn which would be suitable for auditions.

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In this week's session, we watched a video about renowned practitioner Cicely Berry. We took notes on any tips and feedback we picked up from the video. The video we watched consisted of an hour and a half long workshop in the 1990s where Cicely invited well known actors and actresses to take part in a classical monologue and sonnet workshop. Here they focused on connecting with the words and not just saying them, as Shakespeare often tends to get lost to audiences. I will use the notes I took down and apply them to my classical monologue from 'A Midsummer's Night Dream' which I will be using for auditions and future lessons.

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Working Shakespeare - Cicely Berry  - 1: Muscularity Of Language

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After watching today’s video of Cicely Berry’s workshop I am going to analyse how I can develop my classical monologue acting further. Achieving this will allow the audience to understand and feel the emotion although they may not understand what I am saying. In my monologue, it begins with quite a dark and jealous phrase ‘How happy some o’er oth’r some can be’. To be able to emphasise my despair I will intonate the ‘H’ sounds to create a heavy feeling.

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VOCAL TRACT

The vocal tract is a part of human anatomy which plays a crucial role in speech and the production of sound. Interestingly, the average length of the vocal tract is 16.9 cm in men and 14.1 cm, longer than many people would assume. It consists of several key components which all contribute to sound being made.

LARYNX

The first component in the Larynx, also known as the Voice Box. This is located in the throat and it is where the vocal folds are held.

PHARYNX

The pharynx is the cavity behind the nose and mouth, connecting these to the oesophagus. The pharynx is important for creating saliva and mucus, which is important for sound and vibrations.

ORAL & NASAL CAVITY

This is also known as 'The Articulators' which are the mouth, the tongue, teeth and palate. These allow plosive and fricative sounds to be made and pronunciation of standard RP to be correct. The nasal cavity is the technical word for the space inside of a person's nose.

The vocal tract works in three main subsystems, the Air Pressure System, the Vibratory System and the Resonating System.

AIR PRESSURE SYSTEM

This system involves the lungs, diaphragm and chest muscles. It provides and stimulates a regular airflow, which is crucial when performing a monologue. It also controls how loud, quiet, hard or soft sound can come out. It produces voice by controlling air from the lungs by the muscles to slowly escape through the Larynx and come out through the Articulartors.

VIBRATORY SYSTEM

This system is where the vocal folds in the larynx vibrate to create sound waves. It creates sound by using the air from the chest and diaphragm for the vocal folds to vibrate as air passes by, creating sound. This movement happens so quickly that all vibrations are gone by the time the sound is out.

RESONATING SYSTEM

This is where the Pharnyx, Oral Cavity, and Nasal Cavities modify the sound waves to produce a person's unique voice. This occurs due to the sound waves travelling through the pharynx, oral and nasal cavities where they are warped and shaped into recognisable speech sounds.

The vocal tract can be adjusted in shape and size to give it the ability to produce different sounds. This is essential for everyday speech and singing.

VOCAL FOLDS

The vocal folds, also known as vocal cords, are located within the larynx at the top of the trachea in the mouth. They are made of twin folds of mucus membranes, these are then stretched horizontally across the larynx. They are flat, triangular bands that are white in colour. Each vocal fold contains a vocal ligament and muscle to be able to produce sounds. In males, the vocal folds are what lengthen and deepen during puberty, creating a deeper sounding voice.

The length and tension of the vocal folds affect the pitch and tone of the voice. Longer and tighter folds produce higher pitches, while shorter and looser folds have the ability to produce lower notes. Furthermore, they also help protect the airway by knowing when to close and open. This prevents food and liquid from entering the trachea during swallowing.

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THE VOICE FOUNDATION - Advancing Understanding of the Voice Through Interdisciplinary Research & Education

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The Voice Mechanism - THE VOICE FOUNDATION

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Understanding How Voice is Produced | Learning About the Voice Mechanism | How Breakdowns Result in Voice Disorders Learning About the Voice Mechanism Speaking and singing involve a voice mechanism that is composed of three subsystems. Each subsystem is composed of different parts of the body and has specific roles in voice production. Three Voice Subsystems Subsystem Voice

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Author: Nicola McLaren MSc * Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios MD, PhD
Last reviewed: August 02, 2022
Reading time: 15 minutes

The vocal folds, also known as the vocal cords / chords, are flaps of tissue located in the larynx. They give us the ability to produce sound (phonation). There are two folds, one on either side of the laryngeal cavity. Each fold is comprised of a vocal ligament, a vocalis muscle and a covering mucous membrane.

Vibration of these folds in response to air traveling through the larynx allows us to speak, sing, and produce other vocal sounds. The pitch of the sound produced can be altered by changing the position and tension of the folds. These movements are controlled by the joints and muscles of the larynx.

This article will discuss the anatomy and function of the vocal cords.

Definition

Tissue folds protruding into the cavity of the larynx

Structure

Vocal ligament, vocalis muscle, mucous membrane covering

Function

Phonation; Inspiration sphincter

Innervation

Vagus nerve (CN X): recurrent laryngeal nerve, superior laryngeal nerve.

Location

The vocal folds are located in the larynx, deep in the anterior neck. They sit approximately at the vertical midpoint of the larynx and protrude into its internal cavity.

The vocal cords are surrounded by the laryngeal cartilages; three large unpaired cartilages (thyroid, cricoid and epiglottis) and three smaller paired cartilages (arytenoid, corniculate, cuneiform). Just superior to the vocal folds are a second pair of folds termed the false vocal cords or vestibular membrane. These false folds do not typically play a role in sound production, instead their function is less well understood through they are thought to have a protective function.

The vocal folds divide the larynx into 3 parts. The section of larynx situated superior to the vocal folds is the laryngeal vestibule, sometimes called the supraglottic cavity; while the section below the folds is the infraglottic cavity. A small middle chamber of the larynx is located between the vestibular folds and vocal folds.

Structure

The vocal folds are wedged-shaped structures consisting of the vocal ligament, the vocalis muscle and a mucous membrane covering. They span the laryngeal cavity in an anterior-posterior direction and have a long free edge that protrudes into the laryngeal cavity. In a relaxed state, a small slit-like space can be found between the two folds. This opening (aperture) between the two vocal folds is called the rima glottidis.

The vocal ligament, and its covering mucosa, forms the free edge of the vocal folds. This ligament is the medial most portion of the conus elasticus (sometimes called the cricovocal or cricothyroid ligament) and is comprised of thickened elastic tissue. The vocal ligament extends across the laryngeal cavity from the thyroid cartilage (anteriorly) to the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages (posteriorly). The attachment to the thyroid cartilage is sometimes termed the Broyles ligament. Two small mucosal dense masses can be found within the vocal ligament. These are the anterior and posterior maculae flavae. Their function is unknown.

The vocalis muscle is located immediately lateral to the vocal ligaments. It runs from the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage to the ipsilateral vocal ligament. It functions to "fine tune" the tension on the vocal ligament, selectively tensing or relaxing the anterior or posterior part of the vocal ligament to allow for a wider range of pitch and intensity variation.

A mucous membrane, consisting of mucosal epithelium, encases the vocal ligament and vocalis muscle. This forms a well-defined 'fold' of tissue located on the left and right wall of the larynx. The vocal folds meet anteriorly at the anterior commissure.

The vocal apparatus of the human body consists of the vocal folds, the rima glottidis and the interarytenoid fold, a posterior continuation of the vocal folds' mucous membrane enclosing the posterior aspect of the rima glottidis.

Blood supply to the vocal folds and larynx is via the laryngeal arteries, namely the superior laryngeal artery, cricothyroid artery and the inferior laryngeal artery. The laryngeal arteries are accompanied by the laryngeal veins.

Function

The vocal folds have two main functions; phonation and acting as an inspiratory sphincter. They are also a component of the upper respiratory tract and therefore play a role in respiration. These functions are achieved by movements of the vocal folds that specifically alter the shape and size of the rima glottidis, under the control of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx.

Phonation

When the vocal folds are moved close to each other, but not tightly pressed together, air passing through the laryngeal cavity during expiration will cause the vocal fold edges to vibrate and produce sound.

Changes to the level of tension within the vocal folds and the expiratory effort enable us to alter the pitch and intensity of the sounds produced. To understand how this occurs, we first need to review the joints and muscles of the larynx.

Joints of the larynx

Cricothyroid joints

Location: joint between the cricoid cartilage (posterior aspect, external surface) and the inferior horns of the thyroid cartilage.
Action: rotation / tilting of the thyroid cartilages

Cricoarytenoid joints

Location: joint between the cricoid cartilage (posterior aspect, superior surface) and the arytenoid cartilages.
Action: allow the arytenoid cartilages to slide towards or away from each other, to tilt (anteriorly + posteriorly) and to rotate.

Arytenocorniculate joints

Location: joint between the inferior surface of the corniculate cartilage and the apex of the arytenoid cartilage (superior surface).
Action: No notable function.

Muscles of the larynx

Opening (abduction) and closing (adduction) of the vocal folds and rima glottidis

During adduction the arytenoid cartilages rotate in a clockwise direction so that the vocal processes approximate (lateral cricoarytenoid muscles). The arytenoid cartilages also slide medially (transverse and oblique arytenoid muscles). These two actions bring the vocal ligaments close together allowing vibration of the folds as air passes through the rima glottidis. If the same action occurs but without activation of the transverse arytenoid muscles a small gap persists between the folds allowing for a lower intensity of sound to be produced, known as whispering. In abduction (posterior cricoarytenoid muscles) the opposite movements occur, and no phonation occurs.

Tensing and relaxing of the vocal folds

By tilting the thyroid cartilage and increasing the distance between the thyroid prominence and the arytenoid cartilages, the cricothyroid muscles act to tighten the vocal ligaments. This tension results in raising the pitch of the produced sound. Conversely to the tensors, muscles that relax the vocal ligaments will lower the voice pitch. Relaxation is achieved by the thyroarytenoid muscles pulling the arytenoid cartilages anteriorly, decreasing the distance between the arytenoid and thyroid cartilages. The vocalis muscle acts to finely tune the tension of the vocal ligament. This action allows us to produce highly controlled changes in the pitch of the voice, as occurs during singing.

Inspiratory sphincter action of the vocal folds

The vocal cords also function as a sphincter, to prevent the inhalation of liquid or particles through the lower air respiratory tract and into the lungs. In this case, all intrinsic muscles of the larynx reflexively contract, the vocal folds are adducted tightly together and the arytenoid cartilages are brought closer to the epiglottis. These actions occur in addition to the closure of the larynx by the epiglottis.

Respiration

During regular breathing the vocal folds and rima glottidis are relaxed and open, allowing for the movement of air through the laryngeal cavity and into the lower respiratory tract. If forced inspiration is required the rima glottidis is actively widened. Forced inspiration is achieved by fully abducting the vocal folds.

Effort closure

Effort closure is when we actively increase intraabdominal pressure by holding inhaled air within the thoracic cavity, for example during coughing, defecation or heavy lifting. This is achieved by complete closure of the rima glottidis, along with the lower larynx.

Innervation

Sensory and motor supply to the larynx, vocal folds and their controlling musculature is provided by branches of the vagus nerve (the 10th cranial nerve).

The recurrent laryngeal nerve innervates the intrinsic muscles of the larynx, with the exception of the cricothyroid muscle which is innervated by the superior laryngeal nerve (external branch). Sensory supply is via the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (upper portion of the larynx) and the recurrent laryngeal nerve (lower half of the larynx).

Take the following quiz and start learning the anatomy of the vocal cords.

Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Netter, F. (2019). Atlas of Human Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. M. R. (2014). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Flynn W, Vickerton P. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Larynx Cartilage. [Updated 2021 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021.

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Author: Nicola McLaren MSc * Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios MD, PhD Last reviewed: August 02, 2022 Reading time: 15 minutes The vocal folds, also known as the vocal cords / chords, are flaps of tissue located in the larynx. They give us the ability to produce sound (phonation).

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Laryngeal Ligaments and Folds - Vocal - Vestibular - TeachMeAnatomy

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The larynx (voice box) is an organ located in the anterior neck. It is a component of the respiratory tract, and has several important functions including phonation, the cough reflex, and protection of the lower respiratory tract. The laryngeal ligaments help maintain…

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DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING

This technique helps reduce stress, improve lung function and enhance relaxation before going on stage. You achieve this technique by laying down comfortably and placing one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. You then inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise whilst keeping your chest still and free of air. After holding for 4 counts,exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeating this technique allows better control of voice, creating a resonant and powerful sound whilst talking.

PURSED LIP BREATHING

This technique allows you to manage shortness of breath and improves ventilation of the airways. This is beneficial when panicking or suffering anxiety as it slows your heartbeat down, therefore relieving the body of tension. It is achieved by inhaling slowly through your nose through two counts, then puckering your lips as if you're going to whistle. After holding for two, exhale slowly, pushing the air through your lips for four counts.

BOX BREATHING

This breathing technique may be considered one of the most common as it is the one that most people do to calm themselves or take a deep breath. You inhale for four counts, hold your breath for four, then exhale for four counts. You then repeat the cycle however many times you desire. This technique reduces stress, enhances focus and promotes relaxation.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING

This type of breathing can balance the nervous system, reduce stress and improve your respiratory function. You achieve this technique by sitting comfortably, closing your right nostril with your thumb and inhaling through your left nostril. You then close your nostril with your ring finger and open your right nostril to exhale through it. Then, inhale through the right nostril, close it and exhale through the left and repeat the cycle. Many singers use nostril breathing as a technique whilst onstage to regain their breath quickly.

RESONANT BREATHING

This simple technique is achieved by breathing in for six seconds and out for six seconds, maintaining a steady rhythm. This promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety; it is sometimes also known as coherent breathing.

These 5 techniques are not all breathing techniques, just the main ones used by people in their everyday lives.

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This technique is a method designed to improve posture and movement, helping reduce stress and present problems caused by unhelpful habits. The technique was developed by Frederick Matthias Alexander in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He himself was an actor who experienced chronic voice problems and developed this method to help and address his issues. The technique emphasises the intimate relationship between the mind and body, suggesting that mental habits can influence physical posture and movement. In turn individuals then become more aware of their habitual movements and stop those that are harmful to the development of themselves. This principle particularly focuses on the head, neck and spine and their coordination.

BENEFITS

It can help achieve a balanced and naturally aligned body, reducing strain and tension in the body. As well as this, it can alleviate chronic pain, specifically in the back, neck and shoulders. This technique is often used by performers such as actors, musicians and athletes to improve their performance by promoting efficient movement and reducing tension during high pressure situations.

LEARNING

To learn this technique, you usually have to go through one-on-one sessions with a teacher who specialises in teaching others the Alexander Technique. Lessons are typically 30 to 45 minutes long, the recommended amount is 20 lessons to fully grasp the fundamentals of the technique.

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Kristin Linklater was a renowned Scottish vocal teacher, she was best known for her approach to vocal training and emphasising the freedom of the natural voice. Born on April 22, 1936 in Edinburgh, Scotland, she dedicated her studies to 'Freeing Shakespeare's Voice' and teaching her works across England. She began her raining at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and after graduating, moved to the United States. It was here where she worked with several prestigious theatre companies and taught at institutions such as New York University and Columbia University. In Massachusetts, she was a founding member of the distinguished 'Shakespeare and Company'. She then went on to write two books: 'Freeing the Natural Voice' and 'Freeing Shakespeare's Voice' which were widely used to summarise her work throughout her life. These were also used in voice training from other practitioner's to spread her teachings. In 2013, she establishes the Kristin Linklater Voice Centre in Orkney, Scotland, where she spent the last of her years developing her methods even further.

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Cicely Berry was born in 1926, and dedicated her life to the Royal Shakespeare Company. She began her training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama under Elsie Fogerty. Fogerty was a pioneering figure in speech training and her methods greatly influenced Berry's approach to voice work. At Central, her training focused on the connection between voice and physicality, a principle which became central to her own teachings. In 1969 she began serving as the RSC's Voice Director where she believed in releasing tension to unlock the natural resonance of the voice. She conducted renowned workshops worldwide, including countries such as Korea, Russia and parts of Asia. Her work even extended to prisons, where she used Shakespeare to help inmates find confidence in their voices. In the 80's and 90's she also worked on numerous films, serving as a dialogue coach in 'The last Emperor' and 'Stealing Beauty' in particular. She authored several influential books on voice and text, including 'Voice and the Actor' (1973) and 'The Actor and the Text'.

Throughout her life, she received numerous impressive accolades, including an OBE in 1985 and a CBE in 2009 for her contributions to theatre. After passing away in 2018, her work has continued to inspire actors and voice coaches around the world. Her methods and unique way of viewing Shakespearean texts have left a mark on the field of acting, emphasising the expressive power of the voice.

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Patsy Rodenburg was born on September 2, 1953 and trained in Voice Studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Since then she has become a highly respected British voice coach, author and theatre director. She has been the Head of Voice at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London since 1981. In New York, she also served as the Director of Voice at Michael Howard Studios from 1982 to 2020. Her techniques are designed to help actors fully utilise their vocal potential and deliver powerful performances.

Over her career, she has worked with prestigious institutions such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre, where she founded the Voice Department. Rodenburg has also collaborated with international theatres such as the Moscow Art Theatre and Comedie-Francaise. As well as this, she has authored several influential books on voice coaching, the most notable being 'Speaking Shakespeare', 'The Actor Speaks', 'The Right to Speak', and 'The Need for Words'. These books have been used worldwide in acting classes and workshops to connect the actor to their voice. Rodenburg herself has also taught thousands of actors, including Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom and Judi Dench. Globally, she also conducts her own workshops focusing on voice, presence, and impact.

In 2005 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to drama and theatre. She has also been honoured by the Voice and Speech Trainers Society (VASTA) with a Lifetime Distinguished Membership.

These awards and honours highlight how her career has impacted the lives of young actors globally.

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William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-avon in around April 1564. He likely attended the King's New School in Stratford, where he would have studied Latin and Classical Literature. By 1592, Shakespeare had begun a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men.

Some say he is the most renowned playwright to ever live, writing 39 plays, 154 sonnets and several narrative poems. His works are now studied across the world, with it being crucial for every student in England to study one Shakespearean text. His works are divided into four subcategories: comedies, histories, tragedies and romances. His most notable works include Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, A Midsummer's Night Dream and Romeo And Juliet. All of these plays have been translated into every major living language today and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare's talent and influence extended far beyond writing however, with some words and phrases Shakespeare introduced still being used today. Examples of these include 'bedazzled', 'fashionable' and 'break the ice'.

However, not all of his work is documented, in fact, there is a period in Shakespeare's life which is completely unaccounted for. These are known as the 'lost years' between 1585 and 1592. There are no records of his whereabouts during this time and many theories have circulated what he could have done. The most common theories suggest that he may have been working as a schoolteacher, lawyer or even travelling Europe.

William Shakespeare is also often associated with 'the Globe Theatre'. Constructed in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain's Men in Southwark, London. It was the first circular and open air-theatre to be built, with the stage extending into the audience, allowing for an intimate and interactive experience for the spectator. In 1613, the theatre was destroyed in a fire during a performance of Henry VIII after a theatrical cannon misfired and ignited the thatched roof. It was then rebuilt in 1614, but eventually demolished in 1644. A modern reconstruction of the globe was opened in 1997 and became known as 'Shakespeare's Globe' where it still operates today as a working theatre, educational centre and tourist attraction. It hosts a variety of performances, including Shakespearean plays, contemporary works and educational workshops.

Shakespeare retired to Stratford in around 1613 and passed away on April 23, 1616 where he was later buried at the Holy Trinity Church in his home town. His works continue to be performed and studied worldwide, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest writers in history.

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In today's voice session, we began by laying in the semi-supine position. Today, I was able to focus and conecntate my thoughts onto acting and clearing away anythig else that wa son my brain. This is useful as it allows me to feel fully engaged throughout the lesson. We then went on to complete a full warm up to ensure our vocal cords and mouths were warmed before beginning any acting. We then talked through some new tongue twisters which included plosive and fricative sounds. Following this, we completed a fun relay race which allowed us to warm our bodies whilst having some light-hearted competition with each other. Today's exercises were mainly based on the teaching and techniques of Cicely Berry, a renowned vocal coach. We were given a piece of paper with the prologue to Romeo and Juliet on it to use during our first exercise. We began with talking it through all together sat in a circle to get a feel for the rhythm of the dialogue. After this, we introduced the Iambic Pentameter into the text. Iambic Pentameter is defined as 'a line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable'. As actors, it is key for us to understand the Iambic Pentameter in Shakespeare's works as it develops our understanding for how he wanted words to be spoken in correlation to an emotion. After speaking over the text in an iambic pentameter we then walked around the room, changing direction on each of the punctuation. This highlighted our changes of thought throughput the text and ensures we move with purpose. We then gathered in a close knit circle and pushed our shoulders against each other whilst reading, to be able to create resistance between each other and the words. I enjoyed this particular exercise as it felt like I was spitting the words out rather than just saying them. It also helped me forget that the words were written in classical form and I simply just spoke to them in the way they made me feel. After these exercises, we then partnered with our vocal buddies to work on our own classical monologues and highlight the stressed and unstressed syllables in each line. This was beneficial to me as it allows me to explore different emotions and put emphasis on different words which I may not have thought were significant before. I will continue to analyse my monologue and aim on developing it further using the techniques of Cicely Berry.

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I find watching this interview interesting as her mind and view of Shakespeare is different to anything I have ever seen. I will use some of her techniques into my Shakespeare monologue

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An Interview with Voice Coach Cicely Berry by Jane Boston @CSSDLondon

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Cicely Berry exercise - Male and Female voice

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Watching this video gives me an insight into her character and how she taught. Allowing me to understand her techniques more.

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What is Iambic Pentameter? | Text Detectives | Royal Shakespeare Company

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Playlist of Kristin Linklater Voice Exercises

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Playlist of Kristin Linklater Voice Exercises

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Session ran by HNC, Phoebe.

Strengths- confidence in tapping, focus, didn’t get out of breath

weaknesses- diction, understanding what to do

second lesson-

cabaret meeting, director scenes, accents

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accent work-

strengths - volunteered myself to participate in an accent challenge, American accent, listening and repeating

weaknesses- knowing the difference between southern, Nyc and standard american

second lesson-

American tongue twisters, judge, into groups- created an American commercial, fun exercise to use the accents. Partnered with paige for task next week to research an american tv series or film scene and perform it.

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14/01/2025 Difficult words to pronounce in an American accent 

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14/01/2025 Difficult words to pronounce in an American accent 

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14/01/2025 Sound Changes in Standard American Accent 

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14/01/2025 Sound Changes in Standard American Accent 

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In this session, my vocal buddy performed an American Commercial as part of an exercise to put our American accent training into use. I believe his American has improved from the beginning of the lesson and I enjoyed watching his performance with his group. He could have added in diction and intonation in a couple of words to reflect that cheesy American character that you would see in a commercial.

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what we did -

warm up, more on american accents, passport exercise, time to rehearse american project, stepped in for katie, performed, given feedback

strengths-

nice articulation

good acting throughout

weaknesses-

more intonation

remember the rule of different ‘t’s