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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
Voice Work
Second Edition
The voice is one of the fundamental modes of self-expression, a key touchstone of identity and sense of self. Many people in all walks of life are looking to change their voices, whether to modify a speaking challenge of some kind, to cultivate a professional skill, or for other reasons. Voice practitioners have an invaluable role in guiding clients along the path to their desired voice outcomes.
Building on the success of the first edition, Voice Work continues to offer a wide-ranging introduction to the repair, improvement, development, and exploration of the spoken and sung voice. Balancing rigorous scholarship with practical insights, the book draws from all major vocal professions and paths within voice work. It offers guidance for developing the voice alongside detailed, up-to-date insights into the work of voice instruction.
Readers of the second edition of Voice Work will also find:
- Numerous new colour illustrations
- Extensive chapter revisions and reference updates
- Original chapters on the history of voice work, public speaking and voice work online
- Updated material on voice and emotions, mindfulness and imagery, voice work and well-being, the applications of technology and the value of practitioner supervision
- Additional techniques and exercises
Voice Work is a valuable resource for spoken voice teachers, singing teachers, and speech and language therapists and pathologists. Endorsements from leading members of these professions for both the first and second editions are featured inside.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Dedication Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Praise for the Second Edition
Praise for the First Edition
Preface
Acknowledgements
About the book
Part 1: Considering voice work
Chapter 1: The voice work continuum
Background music
Who wants to change their voices?
Voice problems and voice disorders
The voice practitioner groups
The continuum of voice work
Working along the continuum
Chapter 2: The nature of voice work
Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB)
Philosophy of holistic voice work
Chapter 3: Scope and history of voice work
Evolving professionalism
Public speaking
Speech and language therapy/pathology
Spoken voice training
Singing pedagogy
Influential voice techniques and methodologies
Growing themes in voice pedagogy research
Chapter 4: Seeing voices
The physical examination of the vocal tract
Technology in voice work
Chapter 5: Hearing voices
The client's own words
Chapter 6: Voice Skills
No ideal voice
The free voice
A cautionary note
A chronology of voice work
Chapter 7: Voice Skills analysis
Rationale behind Voice Skills perceptual analysis
The Voice Skills Framework
The Voice Skills Perceptual Profile
Part 2: Voice work foundations
Chapter 8: Bodywork foundations
Posture
Tension
Tiredness and fatigue
Age changes
Health and physical ability
Environment
Chapter 9: Breath work foundations
Breathing for different purposes
The respiratory system
Five moving areas in breathing
Breath placing
Breath control
Two final thoughts
Chapter 10: Channel work foundations
The channel as voice‐shaper
The face
The lips
Jaw
Tongue
Soft palate
Pharynx
The larynx
Chapter 11: Phonation work foundations
The larynx
Vocal fold movements
Chapter 12: Resonance work foundations
The resonant voice
Registers are formed by the vocal folds, resonance and the vocal tract
Bigger resonant spaces give bigger sounds
Writers vary in what they consider to be resonating spaces for voice
Feeling resonance in one part of the body does not mean sound is actually emerging out of that place
Three options for ‘places of resonance’
There are sensory and mechanical approaches to working with resonance; voice practitioners vary in their emphasis
The Voice Skills approach uses three core terms for resonance quality
Head resonance quality gives the auditory impression of a bright ringing tone, which will carry across noise
Head resonance quality may be created by one or both of two features
Oral resonance quality gives the auditory impression of articulatory clarity, ‘full’ shaping of vowels and diphthongs, and forward resonance
The notion of forward placing is a traditional voice and singing teacher image and technique
Overtone chanting involves a specialised balance of head and oral resonance spaces
Chest resonance quality gives the auditory impression that sound vibrations are echoing within the upper torso
The free voice has a balance of head, oral and chest resonance qualities
Voice practitioners differ in views of ‘good resonant voice’
Chapter 13: Pitch work foundations
Pitch is the most obvious of the variety features in a voice
Pitch and frequency have different meanings
Frequency is measured in terms of the number of hertz per second
Vocal fold length varies between people
The average or ‘centre’ pitch is based on the speed of the vocal fold vibrations and can be measured
The centre pitches of women have lowered over time
Some writers talk about optimum pitch
Alterations in vocal fold length and thickness affect the pitch
Different pitches can affect how we
feel
High pitch and high loudness may go together in the untrained voice
The pitch range is relevant to the free voice
The singing voice pitch range is wider than the spoken one
Pitch variety within the spoken pitch range is also relevant
Jitter – even an apparently steady sustained pitch has slight variations within it
Vibrato is a regular controlled form of pitch variety
Chapter 14: Loudness work foundations
Our perception of vocal loudness involves more than a simple decibel judgement
Loudness relates to the amplitude of vibrations
Loudness is created by breath pressure and by wide opening and closing movements of the vocal folds with firm closure
We can measure the intensity of a sound produced by the amplitude of vibrations
The loudness of the background noise affects our own voice loudness levels
Our level of vocal loudness can affect laryngeal health
We can learn safe loudness
Being loud can be exhilarating
Often, people are unaware of their habitual loudness level
Loudness variation is important in public speaking
The use of emphasis is important
The ability to focus vocal energy is an important part of voice projection
Focus and projection involve energy and variety, and there are relevant voice skills
Chapter 15: Articulation work foundations
Vocabulary
Speech sounds
Pace
Pause
Fluency
Rhythm
Chapter 16: Voices and emotions
Voice development
The personal voice
Voice work can change feelings/emotions
Managing emotions
Part 3: Particular voices
Chapter 17: The daily voice
Voice and identity
The voice at work
Voice work and well‐being
Voice work with trans and gender‐diverse speakers
Voice work with two particular client groups
Chapter 18: The public speaking voice
Voice training in the workplace
First steps in client engagement
The most common client needs
Chapter 19: The acting voice
The actor's life
Exploration
Action steps
Chapter 20: The singing voice
Singing training
Different singing styles
The incidence of singing voice disturbance
Collaboration
A singer's questionnaire
Emergency care of the singing voice
Warm‐ups
Chapter 21: The disordered voice
What is a voice disorder?
Referral for a voice disorder
The voice disorders
Group 1: Predominantly functional origin
Group 2: Predominantly organic origin
Two examples of voice therapy techniques with two clients with different functional voice problems
Part 4: Practical voice work
Chapter 22: Practical voice care
1 – Practical voice care strategies
2 – Facts underpinning the practical advice
Two sample voice care handouts
Chapter 23: General bodywork
General relaxation
Mindfulness
The Alexander Technique
Martial arts
Free movement
Five rhythms dancing (5Rhythms™)
Massage
Physical therapy
Chapter 24: Body voice work
Postural awareness
Floor work
Upright work: still or moving
Stretches
Tension awareness and release
Chapter 25: Breath voice work
Breath awareness and placing
Breath control
Imagination and breath
Chapter 26: Channel voice work
The face
The lips
The jaw
The tongue
The soft palate
Pharyngeal/Laryngeal area
Whole channel work
Chapter 27: Phonation voice work
Chapter 28: Resonance voice work
Chapter 29: Pitch voice work
Extending pitch range and variety
Chapter 30: Loudness voice work
Chapter 31: Articulation voice work
Vocabulary
Speech sounds
Pace
Pause
Fluency
Rhythm
Chapter 32: Voice work online
The nature of online learning
Practical tips for group work online
Practical tips for one‐on‐one sessions online
Voice care when working online
Chapter 33: Group voice work
Warm‐ups
Specific aspects of voice work
Sound improvisations
Songs
Two sample group course programmes
Afterword
Bibliography
Index
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 4
Table 4.1 Examples of smart phone/tablet apps.
Chapter 9
Table 9.1 The main breathing muscles and their actions.
Table 9.2 Table of maximum phonation duration.
Chapter 11
Table 11.1 Intrinsic laryngeal muscles and their actions.
Table 11.2 The vocal fold layers and their actions.
Chapter 14
Table 14.1 Typical levels of different noises.
Chapter 15
Table 15.1 English language vowel practice material using lexical sets.
Chapter 17
Table 17.1 Classification of professional voice user groups.
Chapter 25
Table 25.1 The chakras or imaginative energy centres.
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
Figure 1.1 Diagram showing the continuum of voice work and practitioner grou...
Figure 1.2 The art–science axis in voice work.
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1 Xeroradiograph of the vocal tract at rest, i.e. no voicing.
Figure 4.2 Healthy open vocal folds. With permission of Louisiana State Univ...
Figure 4.3 Healthy closed vocal folds.
Figure 4.4 ENT doctor carrying out flexible laryngoscopy. Rabizo Anatolii/Ad...
Chapter 5
Figure 5.1 The Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme, 1988.
Chapter 8
Figure 8.1 Divisions of the skeletal system.
Figure 8.2 The vertebrae of the spine: right lateral view showing four norma...
Figure 8.3 Hand and wrist postures demonstrate the effect of head and neck a...
Chapter 9
Figure 9.1 The respiratory system – anterior view.
Figure 9.2 The muscles of the abdominal wall.
Figure 9.3 Transversus abdominis muscle. Ultrasound can allow us to see the ...
Figure 9.4 The diaphragm. PIC4U/Adobe Stock Photos.
Figure 9.5 Muscles of the thorax (chest) that move the shoulder girdle.
Chapter 10
Figure 10.1 Xeroradiograph of vocal tract – no voice.
Figure 10.2 Main facial muscles.
Figure 10.3 The pharynx, showing the size and depth of the tongue.
Chapter 11
Figure 11.1 The larynx: bone and cartilages.
Figure 11.2 Front view of laryngeal cartilages.
Figure 11.3 Diagram of the epilarynx tube, or laryngeal vestibule.
Figure 11.4 The larynx.
Figure 11.5 Movement of the vocal folds.
Figure 11.6 Histological vocal fold layers.
Figure 11.7 Normal vocal fold vibratory cycle – closing and opening.
Figure 11.8 A crocheted larynx.
Chapter 13
Figure 13.1 Average centre pitches and ranges in speaking – on a typical upr...
Figure 13.2 The thyroid tilt: (left) less tension on the vocal folds (lower ...
Chapter 16
Figure 16.1 On‐line supervision.
Chapter 19
Figure 19.1 Teaching voice in a rehearsal studio at the Bristol Old Vic Thea...
Chapter 20
Figure 20.1 Teaching with the piano.
Chapter 21
Figure 21.1 Laryngeal constriction.
Figure 21.2 Soft vocal fold nodules.
Figure 21.3 Polyp.
Figure 21.4 Polyp with haemorrhage.
Figure 21.5 Vocal fold cyst.
Figure 21.6 Papillomatosis.
Figure 21.7 Paralysed vocal fold.
Chapter 22
Figure 22.1 Electric steam inhaler (cable not shown).
Chapter 23
Figure 23.1 Mindful arm lift.
Figure 23.2 Free movement with music.
Chapter 24
Figure 24.1 (a) Slumped sitting posture. (b) Balanced sitting posture. (c) H...
Figure 24.2 The semi‐supine position.
Figure 24.3 Loosening arms and legs – wobbly baby.
Figure 24.4 Back stretch.
Figure 24.5 The drop‐over.
Figure 24.6 Uncurling the spine against another's hands.
Figure 24.7 Eye contact with a large audience.
Chapter 25
Figure 25.1 (a) Upper breath, (b) Side breath, (c) Lower breath, (d). Back b...
Chapter 26
Figure 26.1 One‐finger jaw drop.
Figure 26.2 With bone prop.
Figure 26.3 The tongue base jiggle.
Chapter 27
Figure 27.1 Exploring the space between thyroid and cricoid cartilages.
Figure 27.2 Voicing against a wall.
Chapter 28
Figure 28.1 The figure‐of‐eight exercise.
Chapter 30
Figure 30.1 Intoned sounds with arm extension.
Chapter 33
Figure 33.1 Breathing under a partner's hands.
Figure 33.2 Sound bath exercise.
Figure 33.3 Finding your partner through sound alone.
Guide
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Dedication Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Praise for the Second Edition
Praise for the First Edition
Preface
Acknowledgements
About the book
Begin Reading
Afterword
Bibliography
Index
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
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To Mark, Jack, Rachel, Brodie and Lily,Anna and Susiewith love,Christina
To Abigail and Maewith love,Rocky
Voice Work
Art and Science in Changing Voices
Second Edition
Christina Shewell MA, FRCSLT, ADVS
Voice teacher and speech and language therapist
Rockford Sansom PhD, MFA
Voice teacher and communication coach
This edition first published 2025© 2025 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Edition HistoryJohn Wiley & Sons Ltd (1e, 2009)
All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by law. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse material from this title is available at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
The right of Christina Shewell and Rockford Sansom to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with law.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data Applied for
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Cover Design: WileyCover Image: Original painting (Tree of Life) by Pip Benveniste
Praise for the Second Edition
A major contribution for voice practitioners dedicated to working with others to understand and develop their speaking and singing voice. Truly a ‘tour de force’!Dr Janet Baker, Speech Pathologist and Family Therapist, Adjunct Associate Professor, Flinders University, Australia
Generous in scope and research, this new edition is a profound resource that authoritatively enshrines a rich compass of the sense and sensuality of voice. Contemporary in tone and yet also retrospectively inclusive, it is a vital and necessary companion for all with an interest in voice studies.Dr Jane Boston, Principal Lecturer, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, UK
The formerly and still seemingly disparate ‘worlds’ of voice are placed into a holistic solar system to illustrate how a diverse voice array of training and rehabilitation disciplines intersect. This book can serve as a primer for new voice professionals, and a deeper dive for veteran voice professionals looking for new connections.Tom Burke, Speech and Language Pathologist and Voice Coach, US
A richly comprehensive study of the field of voice—its origins and evolution—from scientific and artistic, theoretical and practical, cutting edge and historical, and many other, viewpoints. Offered without judgement, it is analytical, extremely well organized, and clear.Catherine Fitzmaurice, Founder, Fitzmaurice Voicework, US
This beautifully comprehensive new edition of 2009’s wonderful Voice Work is now even more essential. With color photos and illustrations, plus new material on subjects ranging from public speaking, to the voice and mindfulness, to voice work online, this second edition is a must‐have.Dawn‐Elin Fraser, Arts Professor, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, US
A treasure trove of information and guidance for voice people. Indispensable familiar content from the first edition is now refreshed, with practical exercises galore on vocal production, not to mention the Voice Skills Framework analysis model. Each facet is explored in a measured, scholarly, yet accessible tone, allowing for both casual browsing and more detailed study.Simon Masterton, Head of Voice, National Institute of Dramatic Art, Australia
In this revised edition, the authors have consolidated and refined an already comprehensive voice book, explaining the unique qualities of the human voice with meticulous science, wonderful art and the real human experience.Mark Meylan, Singing Teacher, UK
What strengthens the value of this new edition is the engagement with different performance voice approaches – a powerful hallmark of the pursuit of inclusivity in the field. It makes the sometimes difficult domains of anatomy, physiology and vocology accessible. And to crown it all, it offers a generous sharing of exercises for the various interrelated aspects of voice production.Dr Marth Munro, Professor Extraordinaire, University of Pretoria, South Africa
An exciting synthesis of rigorous academic research and the nuanced realities of practical application, bridging the gap between theory and practice to provide a valuable, moving and inclusive resource for all types of voice practitioners. I didn’t think the last book could be bettered but this updated edition is one to cherish!Debbie Winter, Managing Director, The Voice Study Centre, UK
Praise for the First Edition
‘I think of it more as a companion with practical knowledge and helpful insights. Who would have thought a book about voice would contain so much heart?’Dawn French, Comedian, Actor and Author
‘Christina Shewell has merged her extensive experience in voice training, and her practical insights into carat concepts in voice science and care. This well‐grounded work provides a broad, interesting and useful perspective on principles and techniques for voice modification.’Professor Robert T. Sataloff, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Associate Dean, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, and Chairman of The Voice Foundation
‘Although it's a textbook, there's interesting and important information for a vast number of people.’Petroc Trelawny, classical music radio and television broadcaster
‘This book allows a more exciting, experiential approach to working with voice clients, is great value for money, and a pleasure to read. A must for all voice practitioners.’Alice Poulter, Speech and Language Therapy in Practice
‘The text explores with consistency the uniqueness of the multidisciplinary voice world… a must‐have publication for all health, educational and arts professionals working with individuals who want to improve or rehabilitate their voices.’Mara Behlau, the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders
‘This book is a deep exploration of what it is to work with voices and how to use that which is offered by science, clinical research and evidence, as well as our imagination and empathy.’Annabel Bosanquet, Bulletin of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
‘An important and unique book—a book that should be embraced by the voice world and owned by anyone working with the human voice.’Patsy Rodenburg, OBE, Voice Coach and Author
‘Shewell's encyclopedic look at voice exercises holds a vast quantity of useful information… In this compilation of approaches to exploring free and effective voice use, Christina Shewell has given her readers a treasure trove of useful voice exercises and diagnostic tools. This book is an essential resource for voice practitioners from all parts of the art‐science continuum.’Erika Bailey, Voice and Speech Review
‘For voice teachers and practitioners looking for an essential book to add to their collection of vocal reference books, this is the perfect choice… an enormous amount of information regarding the functionality of the voice, along with tools and strategies to help achieve a positive change in the voice.’Shawna Gottfredson, Classical Singer
‘The very skilful and readable interweaving of academic understanding with rich thoughtful communication makes this book both an absolute winner (artistic enthusiasm) and a thoroughly researched vocal handbook (scientific objectivity)… an essential reference book and an inspiration for years to come.’Sue Anderson, Journal of the Association of Teachers of Singing, UK
Preface
For a while, as a teenager, I collected pictures of bridges for their varied shapes and designs. It was only years later that I recognised their symbolism of connection between places and people and the crossing of spaces. Since then, the meeting point between opposites and the word ‘integration’ have become core themes in my life and the foundations of my work on the first edition of Voice Work before its 2009 publication.
There were already many excellent books on different aspects of voice work in singing, speaking and voice therapy, but I was interested in exploring what is core to all those practices whilst still acknowledging the differences. For those of us who work in voice, there is fascination and deep enjoyment in many aspects of the everyday psychophysiological miracle that enables us to share our common humanity as we chat, persuade, whisper, scream, sing, confess, act, enquire, celebrate, mourn, request, pray, argue, complain, caress, energise, soothe – and so much more. I wanted to write a book in a style that would be easily accessible and not confined to the pages of a specialist journal, which would explore and express the artistic and even mysterious aspects of voice, along with relevant science‐based theory and a multitude of practical ideas. Voice work involves choosing from a rich repertoire of options for action, from disciplined craft and repeated physical work to emotional exploration and imaginative improvisation. Good voice practice involves thoughtful choices that are bespoke for each individual or group, delivered with clarity, sensitivity and adaptability; it is not about gurus or the idea that one ‘method’ fits everyone.
When the publishers asked me to do a second edition, I had some doubts about the work that would be involved. But in one of those fortuitous examples of synchronicity, Rockford and I then met online to discuss an article I was writing for VASTA's Voice and Speech Review journal, for which he was then the editor. His offer to ‘help me with the references’ was a generous surprise, which then developed into his agreement to become co‐author. This new edition would not have happened without his collaboration, and it has been a consistent joy to work with him. I am profoundly grateful for our sharing of investigation, rigour, stamina, humour and, of course, as T.S. Eliot puts it, the ‘wrestle with words and meanings’.
In the 15 years since the first edition was published, there have been extensive new findings in research connected to the voice, particularly in the area of neuroscience. This book contains colour illustrations and hundreds of updated references (almost double the original collection), and the content of every chapter has been revised when needed. You will also find three additional original chapters by Rockford and new material in many areas, including the links between voice and emotions; the value of mindfulness and imagery; the connection of voice work to well‐being, technology and voice; and the relevance of supervision for voice practitioners. There are still extensive voice work ideas and strategies and more than 300 individual and specific exercises, whilst the first section delves deep into the physical underpinnings of the eight core Voice Skills aspects.
We hope that you will find depth, interest and value in this book, which celebrates both the power and magic of voice and the skills of practitioners who work with the precious voices of others.
Christina Shewell
I first met Christina at a workshop she was co‐leading in New York City shortly after the first edition of Voice Work was published. This meeting came at a formative time in my career as a voice practitioner, and I was struck by Christina's straightforward and thoughtful teaching style – a style that Voice Work mirrors. We connected several times over the past 15 years, and it has been a particular pleasure to develop our partnership and friendship over the past two years while working on this edition. I can safely say that having the honour of joining her as the co‐author of this book is without a doubt one of the highlights of my professional life.
Ever since that New York workshop, Voice Work has been a ‘go‐to’ resource for me as a teacher and researcher. When I've encountered unfamiliar voice concepts, I've looked them up in Voice Work. When I've wanted to find new exercises for my clients and classes, I've found relevant ones in Voice Work. The book is both a broad overview of the voice field and a robust, practical guide for a variety of voice practitioners. I love that. The book quilts together many different ideas and organises them in a scholarly and user‐friendly way. Whenever someone has asked me for a single book on the field of voice, I have always pointed them to Voice Work.
There are many beautiful books that offer formalised voice techniques and methods. This book is not that. Rather, it is a resource that empowers voice practitioners to explore and apply ideas without a sense of official systematisation; it offers information, tools and experiences, and it encourages a greater connection between voice fields. And I agreed to join Christina in this project because of that. As astronaut Mae Jemison said, ‘The arts and sciences are both avatars of human creativity’.
Christina enjoys building bridges, and in that we share a common pursuit. I have always loved to see how different ideas link and thread through each other. Like Christina, I have enjoyed a career as both a practitioner and a scholar, and I delight in watching how research and practice feed each other. So in co‐authoring this edition, she and I are a good fit. It's been a pleasure to put forth my own chapters, exercises and ideas, all while we worked together on every aspect of the text in true collaboration.
We live on different continents, so most of our meetings were online. But we had the opportunity to spend some time together in person for a week when I flew to England last November, and I have many fond memories of sitting in Christina's kitchen at teatime. While we were on a walk one day, Christina mentioned that the book is to her a kind of love letter to voice, a celebration of being fascinated by many different things. That's how I've come to feel about the book as well. I'm grateful to join Christina in the new edition of Voice Work, continuing and growing her ideas; at the same time, I feel that I too have been able to compose my own love letter to voice.
Rockford Sansom
Acknowledgements
For a generous sharing of knowledge, experience or support,
Christina thanks:
Evelyn Abberton, Rehab Awad, James Beattie, Martin Birchall, Ed Blake, Lynne Booth, Jane Boston, Sam and Garry Brady at speechtools.co.uk, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, the Bristol Poetry Group, Victoria Burnay, Declan Costello, Sue Cowen, Rebecca Daltry, Lauren Davies, Acacia Deakin, Jacqueline Evans, Carol Fairlamb, Andy Follin at Vocal Skills, Adrian Fourcin, Craig Fuller, Jonathan Grosberg, Louise Holland, Mererid Hopwood, Luise Horrocks, Bryan Husband, Steven Knight, Zoe Littleton, Charlie McCollom‐Cartwright, Bee Menabney, Kerrie Obert, Valentini Pavlidou, Mario Petrucci, Cathryn Robson, Rebecca Root, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Penelope Rubach, Cameron Scriven, Melanie Tapson, Jack Vaughan, Mark Vaughan, Anna Vaughan, Anne Whitaker, Besfort Williams, Jenevora Williams, Deborah Winter and the Voice Study Centre, Anthony Yammine.
Rockford thanks:
Barbara Adrian, John Bell, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Tom Burke, Steven Chicurel‐Stein, Sonya Cooke, Daniel Daigle, Marina Deyoe‐Pedraza, Nicholas Erickson, Linda Esser‐May, Craig Ester, Melissa Fay, Kimberly Musetta Feldman, Catherine Fitzmaurice, John Fletcher, Dawn‐Elin Fraser, Paul Gebb, Paul Hrycaj, Melda Kunduk, Louisiana State University, Simon Masterton, Theresa McElwee, Maura McErlean, Andrew J. McWhorter, Marth Munro, Kerrie Obert, Julie Perkins, Pamela Pike, Pamela Prather, Mark H. Rossman, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Hedi Salanki‐Rubardt, Brenda Fortune Sansom, Jerry Sansom, Christian Sebek, Edda Sharpe, Marilyn Shugart, Jonathan Silva, Kristin Sosnowsky, Henry Southwick, Ronald E. Taylor, Abigail Taylor‐Sansom, Mark Vaughan, Emmanuella Wade, Shannon L. Walsh, Christa Whittaker, David Willis, Deborah Winter and the Voice Study Centre, Shahab Zare.
We would also like to express great appreciation for our colleagues, clients and students from whom we continue to learn, and for the inspiration and gifts of actors, singers and other ‘voicers’ around the world.
About the book
The aim of this book is to offer a meeting point for all those whose work is the repair, improvement, development and exploration of voice along the normal–abnormal voice continuum. The focus is the spoken voice, but many of the ideas and exercises are also relevant to the teaching of singing.
There are three main voice practitioners who work with people who want to change their voices in some way:
Spoken voice teachers (also known as speech trainers or voice coaches)
Speech and language therapists/speech‐language pathologists
Singing teachers (in some countries known as voice teachers)
The voice practitioner professions are separate and autonomous, but there are areas of overlap where at times one will carry out aspects of another's work. Other groups – such as drama teachers, dialogue coaches, and theatre, choral and musical directors – also sometimes work directly on the sound of an individual voice, but this is usually a part of a wider work. There are other professions whose work is invaluable to understanding the care and quality of the voice but whose involvement does not usually involve direct ‘hands‐on’ voice work. These include phoneticians, speech scientists and ENT specialists (who may also be referred to as otorhinolaryngologists, laryngologists or phonosurgeons if they have a specialism in voice).
As in the first edition of Voice Work (2009), we aim to keep the style of the book scholarly but accessible, with insights from both artistic and scientific fields. Extensive references are made to research findings, writers and other voice practitioners; the number of references has doubled. Equally importantly, you will find practical thoughts and colourful stories throughout the text that connect to our varied professional voice journeys.
The pronouns ‘we’ and ‘I’ are used when appropriate. ‘We’ refers to both Christina and Rockford, and sometimes the entire voice community. ‘I’ refers to the primary author of a chapter, which is most often Christina. Rockford's chapters are noted in the chapter introductions. There has of course been a mutual and collaborative editing process throughout.
The approach of this book is deliberately eclectic, with ideas and techniques from our unique paths in voice. Christina's experience is as a speech and language therapist specialised in voice and a qualified voice teacher who has taught internationally and worked extensively with actors, singers and public speakers as coach and trainer. Rockford has experience as a voice teacher and communication coach, working with a wide range of business, acting and singing clients from around the world. Both Christina and Rockford have been university academics, and in that teaching and in the wide range of other courses they have run, they combine art and science approaches whenever possible.
In Part 4, ‘Practical voice work’, some ideas are phrased as suggestions on what to do with a client, but many are addressed to ‘you’. Many voice practitioners will have practically explored their own voices, and it is always good practice to experience the exercise first, before you pass it on to a client.
However, this is not a self‐help book for people who want to develop their own voices. Several such books are available, and these are best seen as supplements to use alongside work with a practitioner. Few people have the stamina and discipline to work through a silent book of advice; and even when digital versions of exercises exist, feedback and encouragement from an ‘outside listener’ are invaluable.
The book tries to honour a wide range of readers from different perspectives, viewpoints and cultures. Christina is from the United Kingdom, and Rockford is from the United States. We acknowledge that there is a largely Western perspective to the book; nevertheless, the text regularly highlights various global majority authors and resources outside of an Anglo‐American tradition.
The UK uses the term ‘speech and language therapist’ and ‘therapist’, and the US uses the terms ‘speech and language pathologist’ and ‘speech pathologist’. For clarity and brevity, the book usually refers to speech and language therapy/pathology (SLT/P), to include both. Voice therapy is an international activity, and of course other countries use different terms.
When discussing the outcomes of research studies, the book often uses the terms ‘male’ and ‘female’ because we wish to accurately report the terminology used in the research findings. We acknowledge that sex, gender and gender identity are complex, and more research studies should include wider populations and population samples beyond ‘male’ and ‘female’. How voice relates to gender and identity is quickly evolving. It is inevitable that with time, many of the current terms and perspectives will develop and change.
Voice practitioners vary in the words they use for those with whom they work; these include ‘client’, ‘patient’, ‘pupil’ and ‘student’. The book generally uses the term ‘client’, a word that the Oxford English Dictionary defines as ‘a person using the services of a professional person or organization’.
Terms such as ‘natural’ and ‘appropriate’ should generally be client‐driven concepts. For example, a client may wish to have an ‘appropriate’ pitch variety or a ‘natural’ fluency in their articulation. These ideas relate to the client's personally defined goals in their voice; the terms do not imply that there is one and only one kind of ‘natural’ voice or ‘appropriate’ way to speak or sing.
Our power and effectiveness in working with voices are a mix of the practitioner's personal experience and qualities, the speaker's needs and personality, and the practical work chosen. The book's focus on vocal skills takes for granted that an individual's life and emotions are at the foundation of the voice; the way we ‘live our sound’ is shaped by our childhood background, inherited personality traits, the way life treats us, the moods we experience and the world in which we live.
There are four parts in the book:
Part 1
: The seven chapters of
Considering voice work
offer the scope of the field. The first chapters describe the different voice practitioner groups, exploring the various philosophies, histories and shared methodologies of practical voice work.
Part 1
also describes ways that we can find out about a voice from physical, acoustic and perceptual perspectives. Finally, this part introduces Christina's Voice Skills approach – a ‘common sense’ way of describing voices under eight core voice skills. All voice practitioner groups can use this perceptual scheme.
Part 2
: The nine chapters of
Voice work foundations
are based around the core voice aspects described in the Voice Skills approach. These chapters offer core theory and research relevant to the later practical work. The links between voice and emotions and how practitioners may need to skilfully handle feelings and emotions that may arise during voice work are discussed.
Part 3
: The five chapters of
Particular voices
describe specific areas of voice work. They include the voice in daily use, public speaking, acting and singing, whilst the final chapter looks at the disordered voice. The goal of each chapter is to introduce the topic and ways to engage with the client group, particularly for those who are new to the given field.
Part 4
: The 12 chapters of
Practical voice work
offer an extensive range of ideas, specific techniques and exercises. The first two chapters explore practical voice care and bodywork. The titles of the next eight chapters mirror the Voice Skills headings used in the
Voice work foundations
chapters, with the practical work organised under those voice aspects. For example, the
Channel work foundations
chapter relates to the exercises in the
Channel voice work
chapter. The final two chapters look at voice work in the specific settings of online coaching and group work.
At the end of the book, you will find an extensive bibliography.
Part 1Considering voice work
Chapter 1The voice work continuum
Background music
Someone is walking down the street. You recognise them as a famous fashion model and are impressed with their grace and beauty. As they pass, they take out their glamorous mobile phone, and you hear them speak. Their voice is tight, rough, nasal and monotonous, and suddenly they seem far less appealing.
A person stands up to speak at a conference. They are unprepossessing in appearance; their face is round and shining, their hair obscures their eyes, their dull grey clothes are rumpled and ill‐fitting, and they look nervous. But when they start to speak, you are captivated by the warmth and energy of their voice; their resonant sound somehow draws you in. ‘What an interesting person’, you think. ‘I'd like to know them better’.
Although consumer society is obsessed by the visual image, and we are bombarded every day by pictures of people who appear ‘beautiful’ in some way, there is still an unconscious sense that what we hear in a voice reflects the true personality of the person and has a deeper truth than what we see.
Most people take their voices for granted. They seem to flow naturally from our intellect and emotions, but because they are the background music to our words, they have a powerful, and often unconscious, effect on listeners.
There is a parallel with the typography that shouts out at us every day. Advertisers have long known that the font they use to describe their goods will have an effect on those seeing it. You may be drawn to buy antiques sold to you like this
but would expect a different ‘mood lettering’ if you were to be attracted to a new computer shop:
ALL NEW PCS AT HALF PRICE
Reverse the two, and although you might not be aware of it, you would pick up a different sort of feeling:
FINE ANTIQUE AND SECOND‐HAND FURNITURE BARGAINS!
So it is with voices. Voice is a two‐way psychosomatic phenomenon; it is shaped by the speaker's psyche (our personality and current emotions) and soma (the health, structure and usage of our bodies). As the bridge between our inner and our outer worlds, it also affects the psyche and soma of the listener. Cultural perceptions of voice certainly influence this relationship, but there is a relationship between the inner and outer worlds of voice nevertheless.
No matter how interesting a speaker is, if their voice is tense, monotonous and rough with a ‘whining’ nasal tone, it may affect the tension in your own body. You do not feel good listening to them and may want to get away from that sound as soon as possible. If a conference lecturer has little voice variety as they speak for half an hour, the lack of energetic change in the voice is likely to make the audience feel heavy and listless – particularly in that challenging after‐lunch slot or towards the end of a long day.
Conversely, there are qualities that we hear in sung or spoken voices that can make us feel good. The open, powerful voice of a gospel singer, with its rich resonance and huge pitch range, gives you a sense of strength and energy. On a crowded bus, you may turn to look at someone whose deep, husky voice is attractive with its tone of intimate evenings. The high, ethereal notes of a chorister singing the Allegri Miserere may make you feel as if your heart is lifting. We deliberately use images because sometimes the effect that a special voice has on our feelings and physical sensations can be expressed only in such words.
Through vocal sound, we express our physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual lives, and our voices grow and change with us in the dance of our individual life.
Who wants to change their voices?
We breathe, and we voice – the first two activities of our life. Spoken voices feel like an extension of personality, flowing effortlessly out of our heads and hearts, our thoughts and feelings. For some, working on the voice would seem like cosmetic indulgence at best and false betrayal at worst. Yet every year, thousands of people do work to extend, change or mend something about how they sound.
Many of those people are professional voice users for whom the voice is a vital part of their work. Actors work with a voice teacher to develop the power and subtlety of their voices, and even an experienced singer may go for regular lessons to continue to develop skills and repertoire. Business people may work with a voice coach to develop animated and appealing sales presentations. Many non‐professional voice users enjoy extending and developing their voices in lessons or choirs. In the latter, they can feel the power and exhilaration of their voice streaming out in the company of others.
Some people have a sense that their voice ‘lets them down’. It does not work in the way they want, and a busy call centre operator or over‐stretched teacher may seek help because they are regularly losing their voice towards the end of a day. For some, the spoken voice does not seem right for what they feel is their ‘true self’. A senior manager in a company may recognise that their voice does not reflect their real authority and work with a voice trainer to find that ‘true’ power. Voice teacher Patsy Rodenburg (2015) makes an important distinction between the natural and the habitual voice. The latter may have become laden with tensions, defences and strain; if ‘liberated’ by voice work, the speaker is likely to feel that their voice is healthier and that it better reflects their personality.
Sometimes there is an actual voice disorder. The voice may be affected from birth, as is the case for many children born with deafness, cerebral palsy or a cleft palate, whereas other people develop an abnormal voice as a result of use or illness. This often leads them to an ENT specialist who may prescribe medical treatment or a course of voice therapy.
Voice problems and voice disorders
‘Voice problem’ is a term used by the general public, whereas the diagnosis of a ‘voice disorder’ is made in the clinical world if a speaker or singer is referred for a medical opinion. There is often, however, a blurring of these distinctions.
Daniel Boone (2015) described a voice problem as occurring when ‘things that we do or fail to do prevent our natural voices being heard’. He estimated that around 25% of the population may be ‘displeased with the way that they sound, and with the way that their voices affect their careers and social lives’.
Boone's definition of a voice disorder was ‘something that needs to be treated by a specialist’. If a speaker has unexplained (not related to a cold, cough or other illness) hoarseness that has lasted for more than 2 weeks, they should go to see their local doctor; if the doctor is concerned, they will refer the client to a hospital ENT department for a thorough laryngeal examination.
Some people live with their hoarseness for months or even years without seeing a doctor, but there is always a risk – however small – that the husky voice may be caused by something serious that needs urgent treatment.
Voice story: Librarian
Some years ago, Laura, the librarian in a university department, asked me if I could give her some exercises to help her voice. ‘I'm ashamed to say that I strained my voice singing at a rugby match last month and it's still croaky’. It would have been easy to offer practical advice and exercises. But Laura was in her mid‐50s and an ex‐smoker, and I knew that there was a risk that this was not a simple voice strain. I suggested that she should first get a check with a specialist, sooner rather than later, to see that the yelling had not done any damage. Her family doctor referred her to the local hospital ENT department, and 6 weeks later she told me that a small cancerous growth had been found on one vocal fold, which would be treated by radiotherapy.
This is unusual, but it is a warning to voice practitioners to recognise the difference between voice problems and voice disorders and that if they have any concerns, an appropriate medical appointment should be made. A lifetime's dissatisfaction with a voice that goes squeaky when nervous, short‐term huskiness after flu or karaoke singing, or a sound that is not interesting in lectures rarely needs a visit to a medical specialist. But long‐lasting hoarseness or a new vocal limitation may be a warning sign that something is wrong with the vocal folds or with voice muscle function. Such changes need a medical examination at whatever age the speaker may be. Chapter 21 describes the voice disorders that can occur.
The voice practitioner groups
Although there are increasing opportunities for practitioners in parallel fields to get together, some know little about the other practitioners. We look at the training of each profession, the typical client range with whom they may work and how you might find a local practitioner.
Speech and language therapists/pathologists (SLT/Ps)
This profession assesses and works with people of all ages who have difficulty with communication or swallowing. Most students follow an undergraduate or postgraduate course with both academic and practical strands and generally graduate with a science‐based degree or qualification. In many countries, curriculum and therapists are regulated by a professional organisation; in the UK, all speech and language therapists (SLTs) must be registered with The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and their professional name is protected in law. In the United States, speech and language pathologists (SLPs) must be certified with the American Speech‐Language‐Hearing Association (ASHA). Other countries have their own professional organisations, and most have a directory of members so that clients can find a local clinician, whether working in private practice or a state‐supported service such as the British National Health Service.
Some clients will undergo a laryngeal examination and be diagnosed with a voice disorder, whereas others – perhaps with a hearing impairment, learning disability, cleft palate or the neuromuscular problem of dysarthria – will have a voice disturbance that is wider than phonation quality alone. Those who specialise in clinical voice work give voice therapy but are not referred to as voice therapists. It surprises other voice practitioners that in the UK, there is very little specific training for SLT/Ps to become voice specialists; most learn their practical skills by working ‘on the job’ alongside a more experienced colleague, gathering new knowledge in a piecemeal fashion. Few graduate courses offer experiential voice work, so therapists may never have worked on their own voices; in Sweden, with its excellent reputation in the field of voice disorder research, the logopedists receive many hours of voice training.
In 2000, I asked 110 SLTs how much actual experiential voice training they had received during their university course: 48 had none; 39 had a minimal amount (1–6 hours); 16 had a moderate amount (7–15 hours); and only 7 had an extensive amount (16 or more hours). Although this study has not been repeated, anecdotal evidence from questioning both lecturers and ex‐students suggests that this is still the case. The results are depressing because an important aspect of learning about voice is to work our own voices and then reflect on the experience, linking it to the theoretical knowledge now available (Shewell 2000b). As examples within the field, a study from Morrow et al. (2021) found that new SLTs felt vastly unprepared to treat cognitive‐communication disorders even though it was a topic addressed in their formal training. And Figueiredo de Oliveira et al. (2021) found that new SLTs do not feel prepared to go into educational settings with young children.
Spoken voice teachers/voice coaches
Voice teachers work with the spoken voices of actors and other professional voice users and with those who want to develop the power or quality of their ordinary spoken voice, or to acquire a particular dialect. They often also work with linked communication issues such as personal confidence and ‘presence’.
Historically, voice teachers developed from the profession of drama teaching or acting itself, and this is still a route for some voice teachers. There are, however, an increasing number of formal training courses around the world, and currently there are three master's degree programmes in the UK. In the United States, several acting or theatre pedagogy master's degree programmes have voice teacher training curriculum options. And some well‐known voice teachers have set up specific training courses in their methods, e.g. the Estill, Fitzmaurice, Lessac, Linklater, Knight‐Thompson, Rodenburg and other voice approaches.
There is yet no regulating body or registration for this profession, so anyone can call themselves a voice teacher. Finding a good local voice teacher can be difficult for a prospective client or interested fellow voice practitioner who does not know where to look. A phone call to an acting college will sometimes access a contact, and some voice teachers advertise in the commercial pages of the local telephone book or regional newspaper. The British Voice Association (BVA) provides a list of voice teachers for enquirers, and other organisations, such as the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA), have excellent geographically organised databases of teacher details and credentials.
Much voice teacher work is with student or professional actors in theatre, TV or film. In the performing arts, the philosophy of voice development is generally that it takes time, ideally with long periods of solid exploration and practice. This is in marked contrast to most voice therapy, where the average treatment for a voice disorder is around four to eight sessions, with work clearly goal oriented and as efficient as possible.
Many spoken voice teachers also work with others who want to protect or change their voice in some way. These include both professional voice users and ‘ordinary’ people for whom voice work may be part of training in confidence and communication skills. Some voice teachers set up companies that specialise in business training, with lucrative regular contracts with big corporations or institutions. Most, however, gather freelance work from a variety of sources, often balancing that with some sort of regular teaching commitment.
Working as a voice teacher can bring contact with an enormously mixed client group. Our work has included inaudible public speakers, anxious members of the police force, exhausted teachers, tired telephone operatives, broadcasters with sore throats and vocally challenged members of government. Many voice teachers use their own voices in a public forum, and this too can vary; Christina, for example, has given poetry readings, led a chanting session down an old flint mine and provided her voice for a helicopter warning system. Rockford has led a Shakespearean acting lesson in a giant American football stadium and created gentle meditation recordings for vocal relaxation.
Singing teachers
Singing voice teachers, of course, work to develop the singing voice in individual or group classes or are directly attached to professional shows. They may specialise in one genre of singing, such as classical, contemporary commercial music (CCM) or musical theatre, or work with many.
Teachers vary enormously in their style of singing and their own background. Most will have had some sort of musical training, be able to read music, have a wide repertoire of songs, and be familiar with many technical aspects of music and singing. Many teachers have enough keyboard skills to be able to accompany their students, but some use digital recordings or online accompaniment resources. Some teachers have a pianist as separate accompanist, but this is less usual. Although singing teachers may have been performers, this need not be so. Many general musicians offer singing lessons; traditionally, English cathedral choral directors, responsible for the developing voices of young choristers, train as organists before acquiring their knowledge of the sung voice, and many musical directors in musical theatre are conductors or composers who also have singing insight.
As with the voice teachers, no certification is needed for singing teachers, so anyone can set themselves up in the field. Some training courses are available, and in the UK, the Voice Study Centre is the first organisation to offer an MA in Voice Pedagogy for singing teaching training. In the United States, several graduate programmes, particularly at the doctoral level, focus on vocal pedagogy for classical singing and choir. Recently, Shenandoah University in the United States began a master's in voice pedagogy for both classical and CCM.
There are many excellent singing teachers, but they are often open in their concern that the lack of any regulation allows inadequate teachers to work badly with trusting students. Any good singing teacher is deeply committed to bringing out the best possible voice in a student and knowing as much as possible about the field. Knowledge can be shared through an organisation such as the Association of Teachers of Singing (AOTOS) in the UK, the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) in the United States, and similar organisations in other countries. All offer publications, access to other practitioners and a range of shared study days and conferences and can provide valuable information to other voice practitioner groups.
