Voice Coaching Ireland

Being asked to give a speech at a wedding is a big honour.  But if you don't like speaking in public, it can often feel like a massive mountain to climb.  You may worry that you will mess up, stutter, fluff your words or go blank.  And sometimes, saying no is just not an option.  It is important that you get yourself into the right frame of mind even before you begin to prepare.  If you imagine things going wrong, you will create an even bigger fear in your mind.  So imagine what you would like to happen instead.

Here are some helpful tips that will ensure that your speech is a roaring success.

Prepare

Preparation is key. If you already know that you have a problem with talking in front of a big crowd, solve this by preparing for it. The more you prepare, the better your mindset of the speech is going to be.  Practice speaking it aloud on your own at first.  Do this in front of a mirror so that you can track your body language.  If possible, try your material out on a friend to get used to performing in public.  Record yourself speaking so that you can go back and tweak it if necessary.  This will also help to highlight where the speech needs improvement.

Write

Write your thoughts down and go from there.  Think of how the couple got together.  Recall your own personal relationship with your loved one and jot down the key points.  Some good tips for the structuring of a speech and what is expected from each person are outlined here http://www.uniqueweddingideas.ie/main/page_contents_speeches.html  Include a funny story or two about the person in question but steer clear of anything that might get them in trouble!

Relax

In the grand scheme of things, you will only be speaking for 3-5 mins on average.  When you think of it in this way, you begin to realise that this is not a huge amount of time.  It helps to get into the habit of breathing slowly and smoothly.  Everyone is rooting for you.  They WANT you to succeed.  So therefore, a slip up here and and a stutter there is not going to change that.  They are on your side. Think of the audience as your friends and that you are just there to tell a story. 

Visualise

In the days/weeks coming up to the speech, try this exercise daily.  Close your eyes and allow yourself to recall a time where you felt really confident.  See what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt.  Now visualise yourself giving the speech and inject this feeling of confidence into the image.  As you stand up and give the speech, see yourself acting totally relaxed.  Hear your voice sounding smooth and effortless, feel that feeling of confidence and sheer adrenalin.  Hear the applause from the audience and see the smiles on their faces.  Imagine everything going perfectly.

For further information on coaching for wedding speeches, email us at info@vcirl.ie

As a singer, it can be so frustrating when you sing a song perfectly with the exception of that pesky high note in the chorus!  When a note makes you squeak or isn't as strong as the rest of your range - what you decide to do next is vitally important.  A lot of singers will give up at that point and state that the note is unattainable for them.  When performing the song again, they tell themselves 'oh no!!!  here comes the big high note!!!'  When you tell yourself things like this, you create tension and stress in the body, even if you aren't aware of it.  The chest restricts, the throat tightens, your airflow gets messed up and you get your body into a position of strain.  So - when it comes to trying that note again, what happens?  You guessed it - of course the note is going to squeak or not be hit at all.

So, instead of telling yourself how you're going to mess up, wouldn't it be more useful to focus on something that will help you?  Here are some tips:

• Take that note and focus solely on it and it alone.  Practice singing the note over and over again. Softly at first - don't feel that you need to push like a maniac to get it out of you.  Get your muscles and chords used to aiming higher than you would normally.
• Keep your eyes at eye level.  Don't look up for the note as all you're doing is sending a signal to your brain that the note is 'up high'.
• Don't think of it as singing at first.  Take the note and make a number of different sound styles with it.  I like to use an ambulance siren.  So I practice the note i'm going for and also use the note below it.  So, now i'm not singing - i'm simply making a neeeee-nawwww sound with two notes.  When you can reach the note with relative ease, try singing it again.
• Involve the body.  When you go to sing that high note, extend your arm out.  Just like you are literally taking the sound from your body and handing it to the space in front of you.  Sounds mad, but it works!
• When things go wrong - laugh!  Laughing greatly reduces stress.  Plus - it makes practising more pleasant.  Win-win!

If you are in pain doing any of this, stop IMMEDIATELY.  This should not hurt - ever!  If it does, you may need help with your technique.

To get the notes you want, perserverance and patience are the name of the game

Do you think being nervous doesn't affect the sound of your voice?  Think again!  

Let's look at it this way:  The voice is an instrument that lives in our bodies.  So, it stands to reason that what goes into our bodies must affect the voice that lives there.  Try jumping up and down and see how smooth your voice is.  Or maybe run a sprint and see if your voice isn't breathy!

Many people experience a glitch in the throat when they are nervous.  Sometimes the voice can jump notes sporadically, making it appear higher or lower than normal.  Others will experience tightness in the chest or throat, which makes it feel difficult to get any voice out at all.

Nervousness is a feeling that we get when we want things to go a certain way.  We want people to like and respect us.  We want to entertain or to inspire.  Sometimes we just want to get through it without messing up.  It is worth mentioning that you cannot have a feeling without first having a thought.  So - the next time you're nervous, ask yourself what you were thinking to bring on this nervous feeling.

Also - nervous tension is actually excess energy.  When you are nervous, the body creates adrenalin which can make you shake or sweat.  So, if you want to feel less nervous, moving the body will help to release some of this energy and relax.  The more relaxed the body is, the more relaxed the voice will be.  

Here are some tips for alleviating nerves so that your voice can sound its best:

• Rehearse!  Be it a song, a speech or addressing a group.  Know your material inside out!
• Shake your hands out before you give your performance/speech to get rid of excess energy.
• Instead of saying to yourself, 'don't mess this up', replace this with: 'I can do a great job'.
• Warm your voice up beforehand.

Many people truly believe that they are ‘tone deaf’ when in fact , it is something that affects only
a tiny fraction of the population. You can dramatically improve the tone and quality of your voice with just a simple shift in technique. By gaining an understanding of how the breathing systems work and knowing how to use your voice properly, you can really make a big difference to it.

Confidence is also a very important factor but many people aren’t aware of their true potential. The voice that lacks confidence will always struggle to sing in key or will sound shaky and uneven when public speaking. Voice Coaching Ireland is committed to helping you unleash your hidden potential and build upon your own personal ability.

If you would like to improve your voice in whatever capacity and really surprise yourself, then contact us today.