How to train your voice for better singing
What's the story
Improving vocal articulation is key for speakers, singers, and anyone looking to communicate more clearly.
The tongue plays a major role in shaping sounds and words.
This article shares five simple exercises to strengthen the tongue, enhance speech clarity, and ultimately improve vocal articulation.
These exercises don't need fancy equipment or a lot of training, anyone can do them!
Twisters
Tongue twisters for precision
Tongue twisters are great for improving articulation. By practicing tricky phrases, you can train your tongue for accuracy and speed.
Start slow, focusing on clarity, then gradually pick up the pace.
Some classics are "She sells sea shells by the seashore" and "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
Stretching
Stretching the tongue muscles
Just like every other muscle in your body, your tongue also needs stretching exercises.
-Stick your tongue out as far as it can go, hold it for five seconds, then pull it back in. Do this 10 times.
-Then, try moving your tongue from one corner of your mouth to the other 10 times.
These stretches help improve flexibility and control of your tongue.
Resistance
Strengthening exercises with resistance
To strengthen your tongue muscles, you should do resistance exercises.
One easy way is to push against a clean spoon or popsicle stick with your tongue while holding it between your lips or teeth for three seconds at a time.
Do this 10 times on each side of the mouth and also pushing forward against resistance.
These exercises will eventually increase the force behind articulatory movements.
Vowels
Improving diction with vowel pronunciation drills
Vowel sounds are the building blocks of clear speech, so concentrating on their pronunciation can significantly improve vocal clarity.
Practice enunciating long vowel sounds (A-E-I-O-U) distinctly and slowly initially. Ensure each sound is clearly articulated before gradually increasing the pace.
Repeating this exercise multiple times a day will help refine vowel pronunciation, leading to improved diction.
Humming
The humming technique for resonance
Humming is not just calming, but it's also a great exercise for developing vocal resonance and control over airflow.
Start by humming one note at a comfortable pitch, then slide up or down the scale with hums.
It activates the muscles of your face used in articulation and the vibrations give you feedback on where the sound is resonating in your body, all without putting any strain on your voice.