UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN VOICE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE ACTOR THE VOICE OF THE ACTOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN VOICE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE ACTOR
The Human Head
SINUSES HARD PALATE NASAL CAVITY UVULA TONGUE VELUM (SOFT PALATE) ORAL CAVITY LIPS PHARYNX EPIGLOTTIS TEETH ESOPHAGUS LARYNX TRACHEA GLOTTIS (VOCAL FOLDS)
VOCAL WARM-UP SEVEN STEPS 10-20 MINUTE DAILY PROCESS DISCOVERY OF THE VOICE AS A FLEXIBLE INSTRUMENT WITH VARIETY FOR THE ACTOR
WAKE-UP Solo Stretches and yawns Yoga Four corners Zip-Zap-Zop Wha! 2-4 minutes
VOCAL FOLDS Phonation Threshold (the moment when you begin to make sound) Breathy vs. fully voiced Hmmm Loosen lips—bbbbbbbb This can be combined with the wake-up to save time 2 minutes
EXTREMES Chest Resonance Mm Lower pitches Head up and back Shakes and shimmies Bent knees Tarzan 1-2 minutes each Mm Lilting Tongue out Mmmmmeeee Hhheee Jerry Lewis Nasal singing
BLENDING EXTREMES HEY Elevator 1-10 box (up, across, down, across) Roller coaster Arm swings 1 minute
BREATH SUPPORT ABS! Breath support is the abdominal wall working Belly moves in as sound comes out Resistance- push on something plank stance Leg lifts Stomach crunch Feel the push of your abs to get the sound out. 1-3 minutes
ARTICULATION Tongue stretches Whisper with over articulation Betty Botter and other tongue twisters BUH-DUH-GUH-BUH Tea-two, tay-two, toe-two, tie-two 3 minutes
TEXT Perform text with an awareness of your voice Walking- changing directions with each shift Explore other steps of warm-up with text 2 minutes