Producing a perfect voice image is a blend of proper diaphragm breathing, speaking within your ideal pitch range and resonating properly.  The idea of resonation seems abstract to non-voice experts but it can be easily explained.  Resonance is the amplification of speech sounds occurring in the cavities of your throat, mouth and nose.  The tone of voice produced at the level of the vocal folds is resounded within these cavities influencing vocal quality.  To simplify, resonation has to do with where the voice is “placed” by the speaker. 

There are 3 types of resonance: pharyngeal, oral and nasal.  Pharyngeal resonance (i.e., the area in your throat cavity) is highly important for voice quality since proper voicing is produced with the throat relaxed and in an open position free from tension.  Oral resonance is where voice is placed in the mouth cavity. Any movement large or small with the lips, cheeks, soft palate, or wall of the throat will affect the resonance by shaping the sound waves or harmonics. You can learn to control where the voice is placed in these two cavities to create your best astatically pleasing voice.   Nasal resonance is when the voice sounds as if it is being projected through the nose creating a tone quality that is nasal, high in pitch or sounds like whining.  When the tone is placed too high in these cavities the result is a nasal sounding voice, or when the tone is too low a harsh or strained vocal quality can be heard. Placing your voice properly in your pharyngeal and oral cavities is key for a rich, robust voice with natural projection and ideal tone quality.  This can be achieved with awareness, proper diaphragm breathing, voicing at your optimal pitch range and placing your voice correctly in your pharyngeal and oral cavity for ideal vocal resonance.
 

The 3 American Speech Sounds Produced in the Nasal Cavity

There are 3 American speech sounds that do resonant in your nasal cavity.  They are /m/,/n/ and /ng/ as in song.   When these sounds are produced, sound waves vibrate in your nasal cavity producing a buzzing vibration in the bridge of your nose that can be felt with your fingers tips.  Try it. Say “mom”, “name”, and “rung”. You should have felt a buzzing vibration in the bridge of your nose.  A buzz should not be felt with all other non-nasal sounds. If a buzz is felt in your nasal cavity with non-nasal speech sounds then too much nasal resonance is being used.

A Simple Test for Nasal Speech

Place your fingers on the middle portion of the bridge of your nose and say the following words:

Sour     Hot Sauce     Cat     Book     Bracelet     Briefcase     Telephone
A buzzing vibration should not have been felt because these words do not contain the sounds that resonate in your nasal cavity.  If a buzz was felt then your voice was placed too high in your nasal cavity creating nasal resonance. Lower your voice by speaking in your optimal pitch range and speak from your oral and pharyngeal resonating cavities.  Strategies are provided below.

Try these phrases. Again a buzz should not be felt in the bridge of your nose.

• The drink was sour.
• I went to ride the bike.
• Please pass the hot sauce.
• The oven is hot.
• Put your briefcase here.

CAUTION:  Be careful with words that contain the vowel sound /a/ as in cat.  This sound can easily be projected up into your nasal cavity creating nasal sounding speech.  Practice saying the words below that focuses on the /a/ vowel sound.  If a buzz from your nasal cavity is felt then your speech and voice is resonating in your nasal cavity.  Lower your voice placement in your pharyngeal and oral cavity to avoid nasal resonance.

Pass     Candy     Laugh     Raft    Apple     Taffy    Have     Math     Cash

Producing a Resonant Sounding Voice
Real World Practice Strategy Training

Select a strategy that will assist you with producing your voice with good resonance.  After you have selected a strategy that works best for you,  practice speaking with oral and pharyngeal resonance! 

1. I dentify Where Voice is Placed in Other People

   Now that your are savvy with the 3 different types of resonance, listen to other people while they are speaking and estimate where they are “placing” their voice.  Does the pitch sound too high?  Is the quality nasal?  Having awareness on where other people are placing their voice will strengthen your ability to recognize good and poor resonant voice qualities.  Randomly select 3 people you see on a daily basis at work or in your personal life and estimate where they are “placing” their voice.

   These are the 3 people who I will evaluate their voice quality.

2. Maintaining Diaphragm Breathing, While Speaking With Your Optimal Voice Pitch Range

   Using proper diaphragm breath support and your ideal pitch range will almost always have you placing your voice properly in your pharyngeal and oral cavity. 

3.  Visualize where you want the sound to be placed If your voice is too high

   Visualize speaking from your breastbone or shoulder area.  For many people this will automatically lower their voice from the nasal cavity and place it more within the oral and pharyngeal area.  Following this strategy will create a voice that is richer and sounds more commanding.

   A. If your voice is too high

   Visualize speaking from your breastbone or shoulder area. For many people this will automatically lower their voice from the nasal cavity and place it more within the oral and pharyngeal area. Following this strategy will create a voice that is richer and sounds more commanding.

   B. If your voice is too low

   Visualize speaking from your eyes.  This will bring your voice up higher in the resonating cavity and produce a warm and sincere tone quality.

   C. Demonstrate your flexibility!

   To further understand voice placement and resonation practice speaking in tones that are nasal, high and low in pitch.  Develop flexibility on how to place your voice in other places so you can become skilled at consistently placing your voice properly in the pharyngeal and oral resonating cavities.

4. Speak With Your Mouth Open Slightly Wider
   This is important for the /a/ short vowel sound as in apple, or rat.  When the mouth is tight or not opened wide enough the sound is more likely to resonant through your nasal cavity.  Having awareness of your mouth placement during conversation will assist you with decreasing nasal speech particularly for words containing the vowel sound /a/ and improve you oral resonance.

   * Tape record your practice and be mindful of where your voice is being placed and how you are moving your articulators.

Sentence Practice

• The air conditioner is up too high again.
• School will be dismissed on June 25 this year.
• Your appointment with Dr. Smith is at 3:30.
• Tell Joe to relax and that it is only just money.
• My office can comfortably hold 4 chairs.
• The kitchen needs a major cleaning.
• When its 95 degrees it is too hot for bike riding.
• There is a concert in the park on Sunday
• The lion is magnificent and beautiful.
• I don’t want to have to look for a new apartment.