How to Perfect Your Voice

We've all heard a beautiful, melodious voice at least once in our lives, one that captivates us so much that we enjoy listening without even caring what is being said. While mastering tone and pronunciation can be a time-consuming task, achieving a beautiful voice is possible in a relatively short amount of time. All you need is some guidance and consistent practice. So, if you want to develop a flawless voice, start with step 1 below.

Speak louder. When you speak, it's essential for others to hear you, so make sure to raise your voice! If you tend to whisper, mumble, or speak with your head down, you might be easily drowned out or ignored by others.

• However, this doesn't mean you have to shout, but adjust your volume based on the situation. For instance, if you’re addressing a crowd, you’ll need to speak louder for everyone to hear clearly.
• In everyday conversations, however, speaking loudly is unnecessary and might leave a bad impression.

Slow down your speech. Speaking too quickly is a bad habit that makes it hard for listeners to follow or even understand what you're saying. It can easily cause people to lose focus and stop listening.

• Therefore, it's important to adjust your speed by speaking more slowly and pausing between sentences – this helps emphasize what you're conveying and gives you time to breathe!
• However, you shouldn't speak too slowly either. Speaking too slowly can make your voice sound monotonous, causing listeners to lose patience and focus.
• The ideal speaking speed is around 120 to 160 words per minute. However, when giving a presentation, it’s best to adjust your speed based on the content – speaking slowly can highlight a point, while speaking faster can convey enthusiasm and passion.

Enunciate clearly. Clear pronunciation is probably the most important aspect of improving your voice. You need to pay close attention to each word you speak – pronouncing it properly and distinctly.

• Remember to open your mouth, relax your lips, and position your tongue and teeth correctly while speaking. This can also help you eliminate or correct any speech impediments. It might feel awkward at first, but with consistent effort, it will eventually feel natural.

Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing is essential for a rich and full voice. Most people breathe too quickly and shallowly when speaking, which leads to a nasal or unnatural voice.

• Your breath should come from your diaphragm, not your chest. To check if you're breathing correctly, place your fist on your stomach, just below the last rib – if you're breathing properly, you'll feel your stomach expand, and your shoulders will rise and fall as you breathe.
• Practice deep breathing by inhaling to fill your stomach with air. Inhale for 5 seconds, then exhale for 5 seconds. Familiarize yourself with this breathing technique, and then try to incorporate it into your daily speech.
• Remember that standing or sitting with your back straight, chin up, and shoulders back will help you breathe deeper and speak louder. This posture also conveys confidence while speaking.
• Try to breathe after every sentence – by using deep breathing, you’ll have enough air to complete the next sentence without stopping to catch your breath. This also allows your listeners to keep up with what you're saying.

Vary your tone. The tone of your voice can significantly impact the quality of your speech and influence the listener. Generally, a wavering or fluctuating tone can create a sense of nervousness, while a steady tone sounds calmer and more persuasive.

• While you shouldn't change the natural tone of your voice, try to control it. Don’t let anxiety take over, and practice maintaining a fuller, smoother tone.
• You can work on controlling your tone by humming a melody or simply reading a passage aloud. Keep in mind that you don’t always need to maintain a consistent tone – certain words should be spoken with a higher tone for emphasis.

Practice some vocal exercises. Engaging in vocal exercises can be an effective way to develop your natural voice. Practicing in front of a mirror is one of the best methods. Here are some techniques you can try:

• Relax your mouth and vocal cords. You can do this by yawning deeply, moving your jaw back and forth, humming a tune, and gently massaging the muscles in your throat with your fingers.
• Increase your breath capacity by expelling all air from your lungs during exhalation, then take a deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds before exhaling again.
• Enhance your vocal tone by singing the sound “a,” first at a normal pitch, then gradually lowering the pitch. You can also do this with individual letters of the alphabet.
• Repeat tongue-twisters like:
  • The copper pot boils snails, the clay pot boils frogs.
  • At noon, eat sour grapefruit.
  • Sticky rice is sticky rice from the village, rice grows in layers as the girl’s heart swells.

Read aloud. Rhythm and volume are essential when practicing pronunciation.

• Pick a passage from a book or magazine, or even better, find a famous speech (such as Trần Hưng Đạo's "Hịch Tướng Sĩ") and read it aloud.
• Remember to stand straight, breathe deeply, and open your mouth wide when speaking. If it helps, stand in front of a mirror.
• Continue practicing until you're satisfied with your voice. Then try to apply that technique during everyday conversations.

Record yourself. Although most people dislike hearing their own voice, recording yourself speaking is a great idea.

• This can help you identify mistakes you might not notice otherwise, such as mispronunciations, speed issues, or tone problems.
• Most phones now have a recording feature that you can use to listen back to your voice. You can also use a video recorder (which will help you check your body language, eye contact, and lip movements).

Find a voice coach. If you're serious about improving your voice for debates, speeches, or presentations, you should consider finding a voice coach. They can point out issues with your voice and help you correct them.

• Studying with a voice coach is especially beneficial if you have a regional accent or your voice is too harsh and you're trying to tone it down or eliminate it. Voice correction can be difficult, so seeking an expert's guidance is truly valuable.
• If working with a voice coach seems too much, consider practicing with a friend or family member who has a clear voice. They can identify problems and give you useful advice. This also helps you build confidence when speaking in front of others.

Smile when speaking. People will be more favorably inclined toward you and what you say if your voice sounds open, friendly, and encouraging (as opposed to a harsh, sarcastic, or monotone voice).

• A simple way to make your voice sound warmer and friendlier is to smile while speaking. You don’t need to grin widely—just a slight upward curve of your lips will make your voice sound more engaging, even over the phone.
• Of course, smiling may not always be appropriate, especially when discussing serious matters. But remember, an emotional tone in your voice (whatever the emotion) can have a powerful impact.

• If possible, practice these exercises in a closed room without carpet to better hear your own voice clearly.
• Try different vocal exercises as they are a great way to learn proper breathing and are also a valuable vocal technique.
• Remember to practice proper posture because it is essential for a good voice.
• When your vocal cords produce sound, you should feel vibrations in your chest, back, neck, and head. These vibrations create resonance, producing a fuller and sweeter sound in your voice. This is exactly what you want, so spend time relaxing these areas.
• Your jaw and tongue are the most important areas to relax as they form the resonance chamber, like the soundbox of a guitar. If your mouth is clenched, you'll need to exert more effort to achieve the same volume. Relaxing and gently moving your jaw and lips will help make your voice sound more natural, less tense, and less stuffy.
• Don’t stress if you're not yet satisfied with your voice. Some of the most recognizable voices have a range from high to low, all falling in between.