We’re all adapting to so many new circumstances from the COVID-19 that sometimes we might not even notice how it has affected our daily activities, the way we work and study, the new dynamics of enjoying our friends and loved ones. Have you paid attention to how you have been speaking in situations where the use of mask is mandatory?
A mask affects not only how the sound will come out of our mouths, but also hinders the usual lip reading that we tend to expect while talking face to face. In order to help you handle conversations where the mask is inevitable, we have picked some useful tips described below. The four ones written here are from Roger Love, an important voice coach from USA who trains actors, singers and other influential people.
Speak louder: since masks block most of the air flow, the voice is affected and loses its clarity and reach. Diaphragmatic breathing is also very important, because when the stomach is coming back in, extra air coming out creates the expected volume.
Exaggerate your lip use: some masks might not allow you to open your mouth too much due to the risk of exposing the nose when the jaw pushes the mask down. Therefore, exaggerate the way you move your lips to speak the consonants, pushing the lips out (more forward).
Raise your voice pitch: higher frequencies tend to pass through masks more easily, so it’s recommended to raise the pitch of your voice, just enough to be better heard.
Eyes and eyebrows are important communication tools: while speaking face to face, try to emphasise emotional details by using your eyes and eyebrows, making this detail from your nonverbal language become an advantage to better communicate. You don’t need to become an eyebrow dancer, but it helps!
The video below was made by Jay Miller, from Voice & Speech. Jay gives some other interesting tips which you can watch below:
Because you can.
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