There are several ways to project your voice:
1. Use of your diaphragm
2. Focus on the tooth ridge when speaking
3. Focus on the middle of the palate
If you have any accent other than a standard British one, the chances are that option 2 and option 3 will strengthen your native accent taking you further away from a British accent. As you may know by now, A British accent resonates largely in the back of the mouth, around the soft palate and in the torso. Most other accents resonate much more in the mouth. So we will be focusing on diaphragmatic breathing.
Your diaphragm is located just below the ribcage, as indicted in the photo, below:
The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle located just below the lungs where the two sides of the ribcage meet. Technically, it contracts when we breathe in filling the lungs, but you will feel a sense of expansion in this area as the air fills the space just above the diaphragm. It is this sense of expansion that will help you to use your diaphragm.
Exercise: Lie down on a flat surface (floor or bed), place your hand just in between the two sides of the ribcage, and breathe in deeply. Maintaining the expansion created in this area, say a short phrase or sentence. As you run out of breath, you will feel the area mentioned contracting, simply pause and take in another breath. With practice, you will be able to use your diaphragm by just thinking about it. Wherever you focus goes, your voice will travel.
Comments