Voice Synergy News
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It’s Christmas! (Nearly!)
This year I would like to thank each and every one of you for your wonderful support as a recipient of my newsletter. I hope this year’s offerings have been useful, interesting and / or just fun to read. I would also like to thank those of you who have taken the courageous step to…
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Sir David Attenborough, his compelling voice
The cadence, tone, speed of delivery combined with the knowledge, respect and wonder of the natural world, all contribute to the unrivalled, expressive voice of Sir David Attenborough. As Sir David describes incredible wildlife sequences unravelling on our TV screens, he immerses himself and we listeners too, in the everyday worlds of jaguars, angel-fish, baboons…
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Voice training or voice coaching?
A few days ago, I went with my son on a hawk walk in the autumn-tinged fields surrounding Bath. He’s always been keen on wildlife and nature and this experience of flying a Harris Hawk, in conjunction with the West of England Falconry, was my birthday gift for him. Donning the leather gauntlet on his…
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Listening
The skill of listening is integral to speaking, it’s what makes a conversation. I am sitting at my desk, glancing out of the window to the pretty pink, late flowering hollyhocks, petals open to furry, pollen-covered bees, going over discussions that happened during my recent creative writing course. A key point has popped into my…
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Voices from Ancient Egypt
I have just returned from a trip to Egypt which I can honestly say was the hottest and most illuminating journey I have ever made. Under the burning eye of the ancient god, Ra, I explored ancient civilisations near the banks of the Nile around Aswan and Luxor. Travelling for the first time to this…
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Spending time in the great outdoors is good for your voice
Some of you, like me, might be remembering the positive effects on our health and wellbeing which we experienced during Lockdown, when we consciously spent more time outside in nature. Over the last three years or so, I have become more interested in nature than ever, spending time sowing seeds, noticing insect behaviour and allowing…
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Match-fit voice
A few weeks ago, a young Academy football goalie got in touch with me – he needed help to shout louder to get his voice heard on the pitch. With defenders playing the ball in a dangerous area, it’s the goalie’s job to communicate key instructions to help them get the ball safely back into…
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Queen’s English, now King’s English and the BBC accent
This week Charles III will be crowned King at his coronation and all eyes will be focussed on him. All ears will be turned towards him, too, as he swears oaths to uphold laws and governance. As the new monarch, however, it is interesting to note that as King, his voice will be less heard…
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Stand out from the crowd
This month the focus is on two aspects of public speaking; how to make your voice sound more interesting in face-to-face business meetings, plus warm-up exercises, to help you prepare your voice for speaking. As a business professional, it is important to create a positive impression by presenting yourself in a confident and engaging manner.…
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How do accents come about?
I am often asked where accents come from by my clients and I think that’s a very interesting question. Everyone has an accent and accents aren’t static. Accents evolve over time as people mix with new people who have different accents. Accent change used to take a long time, but with the rapid increase in…