Warm-Up Vocal Exercise to Deepen and Clarify Your Voice

A lot of us all want a deep, powerful voice. After we see Darth Vader - voiced by James Earl Jones - on the movie screen, the first thing we do is turn to our friends and break out in an impersonation of him.

But before you start saying "I am your father...", it’s important to realize that you can take your voices to newer, deeper levels without having to do a James Earl Jones impersonation.

What situation might you be in that could use a warm-up vocal exercise? Just imagine how much more confident you’d feel with a deeper, more resonant voice if you were facing:

● A job interview

● A presentation to the boss

● A speech to an expecting crowd

● A first date

You’d be surprised at the impact a powerful, relaxed voice can have in these types of situations. Without further ado, it’s time to explore some vocal exercises that can take your voice to that level in a relatively short amount of time.

Concentrate on where your voice is coming from. Pick up a magazine or a newspaper and start reading. Pay attention to where your voice is coming from.

Huh? Where your voice is coming from? It always comes from your throat, doesn’t it?

Well, not exactly. Depending on how you use your voice, you might notice your voice is resonating in a particular area of your body. In a nasally voice, it will be far too high: either in the throat or even mouth and nose. If you’re doing it right, you should notice vibration in your chest, because that’s where you want your voice to becoming from. Your voice starts with the exhalation of air in your lungs and works its way through your throat and voicebox - it’s not as if the voice is only about the voicebox alone.

Many singers and even speakers consider breathing exercises to be valuable for this very reason. As you read the newspaper or magazine, see if you can try to bring your voice from a deeper, lower place.

Sing. Singing is a great way to warm up your voice. Singing requires you to form words, to project your voice, and to employ a big range of vocal expression. Singing won’t necessarily do everything you want to your speaking voice, but it’s a great way to warm up, loosen up, an get in that "vocal" mood.

Singing is also a great way to make you feel differently. When you’re in a different, more joyful mood, your voice should more naturally sound a little bit better. Granted, it won’t change your voice completely, but it should have enough impact that you’ll feel better about the speech or presentation you’re about to give.

Practice words and sounds. It’s not just about voice - it’s also about enunciation. Practicing simple sounds like "may, mee, mah, moo" can sound a little ridiculous, sure, but if you give your brain a good tongue-twisting then normal words shouldn’t seem so hard to pronounce.

Stuttering or stammering over your words can often be caused by placing too much pressure on yourself to pronounce something correctly. Stay relaxed and confident and you’ll find out just how quickly you can change your voice to sound smoother, deeper, and more professional.