Freeing the natural voice

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1. eszedFeb 2024
   I didn't watch this video, but am familiar with "The Body Keeps the Score", and want to contribute supporting evidence (that I don't recall being discussed in the book).

   I've taken and taught voice for theatre, following what's called the 'Natural Voice' method. (Look for a book called "Freeing the Natural Voice", by Kristin Linklater, though other practitioners have augmented that since.) To summarize: bodies have natural resonating chambers, that act like the sound-box of a guitar or violin; tension in the body inhibits sound vibrations; release the tension.

   It's a completely physical process: exercises are about making sounds and feeling their vibrations in the body, relax, rinse repeat. It's occasionally odd, but not 'woo' in the least. Very pragmatic, and not at all psychological. Nevertheless, people have incredible emotional reactions while doing it. Linklater's theory is that we develop habitual tensions in response to things that hurt us (physically or emotionally), and that releasing tension releases emotions connected with the original incitement. (You can call that trauma, if you want, though I don't think Linklater ever uses that word. I never did when I was teaching, though maybe with "kids these days" I would.)

   In fact, those responses are kind of non-psychological, in that they're not like a flashback, or anything like that. People don't necessarily (although sometimes they do) have any knowledge or memory of the inciting events, but their bodies do. It's a fascinating process, which I think gets at these ideas from (as it were) the other way around.

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2. m1nesDec 2022
   I make my living as a voice actor. I've done everything from audiobooks, commercials, ADR to corporate.

   The best thing you can do is practice, practice, practice, but with good guidance.

   The first thing is to love and admit your voice. A lot of people try to sound deeper, more impostured, etc. They try to put on a voice they don't have. And the first thing is to recognise the sound of your voice. Your voice is your voice. You don't have to do anything special with it. Just accept it, understand how it works. It's that easy, it's that hard.

   There are plenty of schools that teach voice acting. It is a difficult profession to be self-taught, as it requires an ability to "isolate yourself from yourself", as well as being directed by an outside observer. It is exactly the same as learning to act. You can learn from videos, books, but there is no substitute for physical learning with another person.

   Audiobooks are one of the most difficult genres to work in.

   They require you to tell the story, but you can't be more of a protagonist than the story. In most of them, I listen more to the narrator than to the story itself, which is a problem, as it is the story that has to transcend.

   If you are curious, one of the classics to read are Cicely Berry's books "Voice and the actor" and "Freeing the natural voice" from Kristin Linklater.

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3. crazygringoDec 2018
   I mean there's so much, but to start: it was Alexander Technique (see Gelb's "Body Learning" for an overview) that started it all, with regards to voice in acting. For the link between psychology and vocal production, see Jennifer Hamady's "The Art of Singing". The classic text on acting voice production and the psychology behind it is Kristin Linklater's "Freeing the Natural Voice", which also draws from neuroscientist Antonio Damasio's work such as "Descartes' Error" which provides a scientific basis for how our mind is reflected in our body. In terms of bodywork, start with Mary Bond's "The New Rules of Posture" and Davies' "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook".
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