Diction Articulation

[YeahDoIt]

I record my singing and listen to the recordings. I notice my voice is spotty, sometimes good, mostly blah and sometimes bad. I practice singing exercises. I hear the same flaws when I speak or read from a book. The flaws are often associated with lack of breath support, or breathing problems, or tiredness, or the way I form words in my mouth and throat.

 

Part of my problem is that I do not speak much. I don't talk a lot at work. I don't talk a lot at home. My voice is weak and might benefit from speaking and articulation exercise.

 

So I picked up a thin paperback book and go around inside outside reading out loud, or singing the written words to melodies that I make up on the spot. This exercise appears to be helping me. My voice appears to be getting stronger. My breathing appears deeper and my posture remains correct more. I seem to be a little stronger now around the ribs and lung area. I read and sing out loud this way for hours each day while doing other things.

 

I'm just sharing this with other singers. This might be an exercise to try. I seem to be more aware of my voice and singing ability. My voice recordings seem to show improvement.

[Mamma Cat]

That's one exercise I use, I read my lyrics in whisper, no melody, but with breath support and minding my articulation. It works wonders for breath control (as well as for practicing WHEN you need to breathe in) and articulation.

[Jersey Jack]

I think articulation is a huge issue--especially for performers who don't aspire to the high-tech vocal genres (e.g., RnB, metal, jazz, showtunes). What makes people like Dylan and Neil Young great despite their lack of formal vocal ability is precisely their articulation, phrasing, manipulation of tone, etc.

 

Even for people working in genres where one is actually expected to sing well, articulation is an important part of reaching those high notes. Some vowel sounds have to shift as one goes into mixed or head voice.

 

Brett Manning's example, using one of the most difficult (and botched) lines in the Star Spangled Banner:

 

And the rocket's red glare

 

must be sung by most singers as

 

And the rocket's rid glire

[EightString]

WrigZyydOds

[jvardon]

very good thread. was doing some practice and sample recordings today and realised that my enunciation and diction was atrocious.

[grace_slick]

This is interesting...

 

I don't think my diction's that good either...in speaking or singing, but it MIGHT be better when singing. But I find it hard to tell. I don't know if it's something I should work on or not...

 

I'm quiet and don't talk much either. Hardly talk at work some days...at home I live with my partner and 2 cats, but spend quite a bit of time alone...I do talk to myself and my cats though, and am a blabbermouth with my partner...

 

I find unless I'm angry or appalled at something, my diction when speaking isn't that clear. When I AM angry or outraged, it becomes much more crisp and I find it effortless to get the words out with a strong voice and coordinate the breathing...

 

I definitely think if you're not overly used to speaking OUT, it's excellent to read out loud and get used to how it feels...there are lots of different modes of speaking. You can speak to yourself (which tends to sometimes be mumbled or unclear cause you know what you're saying so why enunciate clearly?), you can speak to friends and family (which can tend to have a very specific and personal type of speaking that may not be totally useful and effective when speaking to strangers/an audience/singing lyrics), you can speak to people you don't know in a shy, quiet, normal everyday voice, you can speak in an OUT voice which is normal but stronger, more clear and expressive...but not weirdly so. Then there's the performance people, who are in theatre and have to dramatise their voices and make every word ULTRA clear...this is too extreme for most even musical situations I think.

[jvardon]

hmmmm..........clearer when singing. I think mines the opposite. I think I speak more clearly but as I found yesterday with my recordings, It also depends on what I'm singing. Faster songs destroy my diction and I also noticed that the slight accent of some singer have affects how i sing. Their voice affects mine.

[grace_slick]

Me too. Accents definitely affect it, but you know what? ANY accent different from my own natural accents makes me much clearer. English accents, more obvious American accents, any accent at all...instantly much clearer and easier to be clearer. *shrug* I don't know if it's because it's just different so I have to try harder and am more aware of being clearer, or if it's that as always, I tend to imitate people even if I don't mean to so it just comes out that the more extreme/obvious an accent is, the more clear it'll be as the singer's imprinted their accent in my head/ear so I copy it...

[YeahDoIt]

I remember watching TV yesterday and noticed how clear the actors' voices are, how perfect is every syllable. I do not hear mumbling or fluttering of words. I suspect actors work on their voice presentation; actors likely read scripts a lot and project their voices.

 

I think I'll search the web for acting lessons, maybe there are acting teachers with ideas that might help me. There might not be much difference between acting and singing, they are both performance.

[grace_slick]

Yeah, actors (mainly movie actors. Not so much TV actors, but some if they've been in the "biz" since childhood) often utilise voice coaches...speech coaches. Voice coaches (some anyway) can include specialist coaching in speech and projection and inflection and stuff...not just singing.

[jvardon]

hmmm. I need to learn projection and placement.

Got some serious issues that limit my stamina.

[grace_slick]

I’d REALLY like to hear something you recorded, you know…I’m curious as to whether I’d agree with what you say are your problems/issues with singing.

[jvardon]

Well, this weekend I'll be able to finish my recording and get up at least too songs.

*Warning* I have no idea how to mix so my voice just sits on the track.

[grace_slick]

Yay, some songs from you! That's ok re the mixing.

[scalingwallofso]

I talk all the time at work - I host a morning radio show! I'm been working on applying the principals I use in speaking into my singing - getting the voice from the right place, proper breathing, articulation, and projection. So the comment about reading aloud to help your singing voice is absolutely a worthwhile practice.

 

Now that I understand the projection a little more, what I'm working on now is getting my mind of the lyrics and using my voice as an instrument. The lyrical content, I believe, is not as important as HOW you sing it. I have my speaking voice down pat, as I've been using it on-air for years. Now I'm working on bringing out my singing voice, and I'm not sure how much of my "real" voice to use, and how much of an "instrument" to mix in there. I've been starting to let my guitar teach me - I'm very expressive on the strings, and the sound is totally me, so if I apply that melody and expression to my voice, I can come that much closer. This is a great thread.

[YeahDoIt]

 

I talk all the time at work - I host a morning radio show!

 

 

Did you go to school and study communications or something similar? If so, can you tell us about it? I wonder what radio/actor/drama/theater major college curriculums require of students. Perhaps drama students are required to take vocal courses at the college music school.

[scalingwallofso]

The school I went to is small, and it owned a low power AM station. I focused on print journalism and creative writing, under the major of communications. I didn't get into radio until my last semester, and even then it was more of a personal interest that a professional direction. It turned into a professional direction, as a demo sent to a nearby station started me on the radio path.

 

As I said, the school was small, and the communications department wasn't run by anyone who had actual experience in radio, so formal training was not really there. Anything I picked up regarding proper voice usage has been given to me by program directors during airchecks, and recording my breaks and listening back. The school didn't offer voice lessons that I know of as part of their curriculum, and as I didn't really deal with the radio station until after I graduated (I was eventually hired as program director/chief operator), I'm not sure what kind of voice training they gave. My educated guess is not much.

[YeahDoIt]

I am reading course descriptions at Juliard:

 

http://www.juilliard.edu/asp/occ/course_details.php?course_code=DRAMA%20103-4&div=Dr

 

Title: Dramatic Techniques I

 

Voice: Devoted to the examination and practice of the basic principles of breathing, resonance, placement, and diction. This work continues throughout the four years with a view to developing vocal stamina, resonance, range, and flexibility which can then be fused with the student's imaginative, creative process.

 

Speech: Concentration on the formation of the individual sounds of spoken English and the development of an ability to speak clearly, expressively, and without impediments.

 

http://www.juilliard.edu/asp/occ/course_details.php?course_code=DRAMA%20121-2&div=Dr

 

Title: Prose and Poetry

 

Description: This course introduces the process of transforming written language into spoken language. Material covered includes a variety of historical styles in prose and verse, as well as fundamental issues of storytelling, rhetoric, and syntax.

 

http://www.juilliard.edu/asp/occ/course_details.php?course_code=DRAMA%20203-4&div=Dr

 

Title: Dramatic Techniques II

 

Speech: A continuation of the first-year work, which now becomes integrated into the rehearsals of the second-year rehearsal projects. The end-of-the-year goal is for the actor to be able to speak without impediments and affectations while in rehearsal and showings of the play projects.There is classwork application of these skills in verse texts.

 

Singing: Emphasis on basic singing techniques of breath, extending vocal range through group singing, madrigals, chorales, and duets as well as individual songs.

 

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I wonder what the specific techniques taught at drama school are.

[YeahDoIt]

http://www.newschool.edu/drama/

 

The New School for Drama

 

http://www.newschool.edu/uploadedFiles/Drama_Catalog.pdf

 

"At The New School for Drama, the creative instinct is nurtured. Actors

stretch their talents through a combination of techniques including

Alexander, an exacting voice and speech curriculum that integrates several

systems of training, and Stanislavski.

 

Vocal Production 1

Voice and Speech training begins with the recognition and release of

constricting, tension-related habits that impede the full, free, flexible, and

expressive use of the vocal instrument. Students proceed through explorations

and exercises in relaxation, physical “readiness,” alignment (in collaboration

with Alexander), breath and “positioning,” phonation, support, registration

(the development of range, color, and dynamic variety), and resonance. Speech

work begins with a detailed study of the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Sounds and symbols are explored kinesthetically and studied in relationship

to overall vocal training, rather than as isolated exercises in articulation or

pronunciation. Source materials for both semesters include poetry, classical

texts, speeches, stories, and (in the second semester) monologues. Learning

activities include storytelling and singing.

 

Vocal Production 2

Students further develop and practice the techniques of voice and speech

studied in their first year. They learn to synthesize the abilities and skills of

a well-trained voice with the specific needs of text. While Shakespeare and

other stylistically challenging texts are a focus, a variety of dramatic materials

are used. The class also introduces students to storytelling through songs.

 

Vocal Production 3

Students apply their vocal abilities, skills, and techniques to a wide variety of

dramatic styles and materials. All work emphasizes a synthesis of the skills

of a well-trained voice with the text, the requirements of the character, and

the circumstances of the play. The increasing expectations and demands of

performance are a focus, as is the process of applying theory to professional

practice.

 

Dialects

Building upon the actor’s voice, speech, and IPA training, Dialects

familiarizes students with fundamental dialects of English. Sensitivity to

variations in pitch, rhythm, and inflection are developed. Speech and dialect

choices are studied in their relationship to character. The effect of climate,

culture, and commerce on dialect development is explored. Dialects covered

include standard British, Irish, Cockney, Southern, and dialects of New York.

 

Neutral American Speech

This class gives students an understanding of the International Phonetic

Alphabet and its uses in distinguishing the sound changes necessary for

accent elimination. Students learn to eliminate their accents and achieve

neutral American speech by examining sound placement in the mouth and

connecting mistakes to phoneme articulation.

 

Arnhold Hall Multimedia Observatory

55 West 13th Street, 8th and 9th Floors

212.229.5300 x4760

Equipment Center 212.229.5300 x4762

The Knowledge Union provides professional video, modeling, animation, and

sound facilities. Students have access to open lab workstations/suites and an

audiovisual studio. The Equipment Center offers checkout of video, imaging,

sound, and lighting equipment."

 

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Actors might work on vocalizations down to the level of individual syllables,

perhaps by listening to recordings of their own voice. Improving vocals may require a lot of work.