Diaphragm or sound on support

How do I properly operate the volume of my voice without straining my vocal cords?

How do you properly operate the volume of your voice without straining your vocal cords?

Have you ever noticed how loud your voice is for phrases? Try it right now! 

Imagine that behind the wall is a girl, Katya, from whom you want a cup of aromatic coffee. "Katya, where's my coffee?"

There is a concept in speech practice called "sounding on support." It's when our sound rests on the diaphragm. The diaphragm, like a piston, pushes air out, thereby giving sound to our voice.

So it is wrong to sound without support from the diaphragm, operating the volume through your cords, and it is right to sound supported.

Say the phrase "Katya, where's my coffee?" both ways, and compare the sound. Hear how in the second case the voice sounds deeper, with more beautiful overtones. So how do you bring up that very sound on support?

It's important to learn how to breathe into the bottom of your lungs, into your stomach. Imagine that as if together with the air you inhaled a big ball and it ended up in your belly.  And as you exhale you tighten the upper part of your abs, pushing the air out with your diaphragm.

To learn how to perform this exercise correctly, follow the guidelines:

• stand up straight,
• bring your shoulder blades together, rolling your shoulders up, back, and down,
• spread your feet shoulder-width apart,
• tilt your body 45 degrees,
• arms down,
• working your abdomen, exhale the "F" sound (as in the word fed) vigorously and powerfully.

When you have mastered this exercise, try pronouncing the "CA" sound in the same position. Squeeze out the air with your diaphragm. When you can easily do "CA," build up gradually to the rest of the words: "CA. KATYA, WHERE'S MY COFFEE?"

Once you have mastered this skill, you will be able to say any phrase with the sound on the support: "KATYA, BRING ME MY COFFEE, PLEASE!"

So, to summarize:

• the sound through the chords is wrong;
• the sound on the support is right.

Here's a simple approach to learning.  Sound loud and confident! And don't deny yourself anything!