Exercises to Improve
The Resonance and Volume of Your Voice

Resonance

Resonance is the increase of sound by reflection or the co-vibration of other bodies. Exercises should be selected containing a redundancy of open vowels.

•  Open the mouth and throat as wide as possible, in­ hale deeply, close the lips only, and endeavor to keep the throat open. Imagine the body a deep well and commence at its lowest depth a soft rumbling sound. Practise at first on low pitch; force and high pitch are to be added only after some time.

•  Repeat with rising inflection awe, ah, e, noting the change in register. The first is a chest-tone, the second a throat-tone and the third a head-tone. Begin at low pitch and aim at smoothness. Repeat with falling and circumflex inflection.

•  Hum b, I and m, singly and in combination.

Pronounce the following words on various pitches, bringing out the head resonance as much as possible: Bin gle, dingle, jingle, mingle, ringle, single, tingle, mingle

Volume

Volume depends upon the extension and regularity of expiration, energy and resonance combined in a given tone. The voice grows with use, and daily practise is therefore necessary to acquire roundness and volume. The abdominal muscles should be developed by daily respiratory and physical exercises.

•  Inhale deeply, and with an abrupt action of the ab­dominal muscles explode the voice upon be, ba, baw, bah, bo, boo. Avoid using much force at first.

•  The following should be combined with the same vowel sounds, first in loud whisper, then in loud voice, ex­hausting the breath on each sound: P, t, d, v, k, bl, br, ch, dr, dw, fl, fr, gl, gr, hi, kr, pi, pr, si, sm, sn, sp, sq, sk, sh, st, sw, tr, th, tw, wh.

•  In calling tone repeat:

Ship ahoy!

Thou, too, sail on, 0 Ship of State.

Forward the Light Brigade!

Charge, Chester , charge!

On, Stanley , on!

Katherine, Queen of England, come into the Court.

Stand by the wheel five minutes yet and we will reach the shore.

Oyez! oyez! All-persons-having-business-to-do-with-the-Circuit-Court-of-the-United-States-for-the-Southern-district-of-New-York-draw-near-give-your-attention-and-you-shall-be-heard.

Char-coal. Char-co-al. Char-coooooooo-al.

4. Project the following:
It is the King. Over, over I say.
Every inch a King. Up from the south.
At this moment. The King would speak.
Armor on his back. Eagle has seen it.
State the State. The Queen of Cities.
On, ye brave. Imperial theme.

5. Repeat the following with gradually increasing force:
The war must go on! We must fight it through.
Independence now and Independence forever! Now for the fight, now for the cannon peal. The foe! they come! they come!
Ye guards of liberty, I'm with you once again. I call to you with all my voice.