0954 – The ‘Nervous’ Voice

Get A Better Broadcast, Podcast and Voice-Over Voice

2023.08.12 – 0954 – The ‘Nervous’ Voice

Nervous voice

Symptom: These may include a higher-pitched, fluttering voice, quickly-snatched breaths, little variation in intonation and regular mistakes.

Prescription:

· We looked in some depth previously how nerves are a natural part of a performance, but reinterpreting them can be a good first step to overcoming them. See them not as ‘nerves’ but as an indication of ‘excitement’, a buzz. A feeling that you control, not one that controls you, and a realisation that of the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ options, you’re going to fight and win-over this feeling with confidence.

· Physical ease produces mental ease, so consider how comfortable you are in your seat and at the studio desk. If it’s hard to breath, it’ll be more difficult to control your mouth, your tongue and your airflow. Can you breathe easily and fully? (Oxygen has a natural calming effect on the body: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.) Do some physical warm-ups.

· Warming up your larynx, articulators and brain will also help: we have covered vocal exercises in some depth and reading your script and knowing its context will help prepare you mentally.

· There’s a whole series on ‘mic fright’, the possible causes and potential remedies, from episode 884.

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