It never ceases to amaze me the theory that the speaking voice can benefit from vocal warm-ups. While the theory is absolutely a must for the singing voice, the same cannot and should not be attempted for the speaking voice.
What do most people do all day long either in their jobs, in their social lives, or among their family? They talk. Some talk more than others. Whether we are speaking in a face-to-face situation, talking on the telephone, or addressing a group of people, our days are usually filled with some form of dialogue. And true, some days we may talk more than other days.
What do most singersnot doall day long (unless they are rehearsing or practicing)? They do not sing. This is the most obvious reason that singers must warm-up the voice or musicians must warm-up with their instruments or even athletes must warm-up their bodies before the game, the relay or the race. Because the muscles and techniques necessary for the singer, the musician, or the athlete are not being used throughout their day, they then must practice using those muscles in order to make them more pliable and ready for the stress and pressure they will be undergoing.
Since you are using your speaking voice throughout your day, however, the muscles and organs necessary to produce spoken voice are already warmed up. Their continual use is the practice. Therefore, doing extra exercises for the speaking voice is not only worthless but in many cases produces excessive wear and tear on the vocal folds (cords). For many people, excessive use of the speaking voice can actually cause damage to those delicate organs.
One of the marvels of good voice training is that when you find your ‘real’ voice, in which your chest becomes your primary sounding board, there is absolutely no need to do any warm-up exercises. Yes, in my training, I offer breathing exercises to practice while driving to and from work, but the real practice for the speaking voice is <b>practical</b>. Once you discover your ‘real’ voice, the homework I assign is to use it as much as possible throughout your day. That is the exercise. Making your new voice a habit is your goal because once the new sound takes over, you will discover your voice continually improving with age.
When I am preparing to get ready for a presentation, for example, I will practice the opening of my presentation in the shower or while driving to my destination. I am not, however, practicing as a means of warming up my voice, but am practicing as a means of concentrating on what I will be saying.
If you are a singer, by all means, warm-up. If you are speaker, however, don’t get weighed down with useless exercises and drills. Find your ‘real’ voice and it will be ready whenever you call upon it.
