Self-Observation - Voice and the Actor

Voice and the Actor

What are the characteristics of your voice?

·         Body & Posture – Physically I do find unwanted tensions within my shoulders and chest captivity and this does have an effect on my posture as I fidget, until I find relaxation.

·         Rhythm & Articulation – When rehearsing I like to memorise my lines through repetition, this allows me to gain an exceptional rhythm, in my projection of my lines.  Although I sometimes hesitate in articulating my ‘t’s and ‘th’s.

·         Breath Support – Learning and memorising a rhythm to my speech does support my breath capacity, as I know precise points to inhale and exhale.

·         Projection & Pitch & Tone – When it comes to projection, I feel I have mastered the appropriate stage voice, to an extent where I am not screaming my lines and I am inflicting the appropriate pitch and tone residence suited for my character.

·         Observational Feedback – Although, I have received feedback stating that I need to work on: my pacing and pauses to ensure a better performance.

In what ways do these vocal qualities benefit or hinder you as a stage performer?

These vocal qualities can be a benefit to help me establish my:

·         Flaws with certain vocal characteristics; like pacing, pauses, and sometimes breath control.

·         Progression in the production process; know how I started and how I improved as the production progressed.

·         Understanding of the character I am performing as.

However these qualities can hinder my overall vocal performance, as it sometimes gives me a sense of overconfidence and I don’t always establish my vocal errors.

What vocal exercises might be suitable for building on your strengths and to address the issues mentioned?

1)      Breath Control – This will help me to ensure I do not bring more unwanted tension within my chest captivity.  As well as ensuring I do not do any physical damage to my interior structure.
          How does the exercise works?  While inhaling and exhaling (through the nose and out the mouth), I physically press against my lower chest (diaphragm) area.  This way I can focus on what tension can, and needs to, be released, plus giving myself, and my lungs, more breath control and captivity to project to exceptional levels on stage. 

2)      Tongue Twisters – This will help me to provide exceptional articulation within my speech.  It warms-up my mouth muscles and vocal folds to ensure clear and precise pronunciation.  Particular tongue twisters like: ‘Peter Piper’ and ‘There those thousand thinkers’ really support my delivery of my ‘P’s and my ‘TH’s.  Thereby giving me distinct clarity within my lip and tongue muscles, giving me a muscle memory, that ensures extra detail on stage.

3)      Alexander Technique – This exercise will help me to focus on all my unwanted tensions and rectify my physical posture to a standard that will assist my vocal delivery.  Plus, it will ensure complete relaxation on stage and in character.       
          How does the exercise work?  Lying on the ground listening to soothing sounds, and focusing on your posture, you will be able to inflict something new, but comfortable, within your posture.  Thereby giving you a new physicality and enough comfort and focus to bring exceptional vocal delivery on stage.

What other vocal exercises will improve your techniques?  Why?

·         Actor’s Neutral – This exercise demands us to embrace a standing posture that breaks us free from our physical habits.  Like leaning to one side, keeping our feet apart or close together, or even leaning against something for support.  ‘Actor’s Neutral’ supports my unwanted tensions, breath control, and allows me to focus on various areas of my body.  Like the structure of my spine, my diaphragm capacity, and the space between my ribs and my lungs.  All ensuring that my vocal characteristics and flaws can be in neat condition and in good health for any stage performance.

·         Humming – These exercises focus mainly on our vocal folds and diaphragm breath control.  Altering the pitch and tone of humming widened my abilities of pitch and tone, and releases any bad carbon dioxide within my vocal chords.  Plus this exercise ensures I am truly prepared and warmed-up for any performance.