One of the most amazing benefits of voice training is that you will find your voice improving as you age. Unfortunately, President Clinton isn’t aware of this fact: he sounds like an old man.
If you are over 40, you are gradually beginning to discover that nothing on your body is getting better as you get older. You have more aches and pains and your body isn’t bouncing back the way it used to.
If you change your voice placement and learn to power your voice from chest cavity, however, you will discover that your voice will continue to improve with age even though everything else on your body is going downhill. It’s a lot like a fine bottle of red wine. Yes, when you are 85, you may look it, but there is no need to ever sound that age.
The reason this is possible is because the voice which is powered or amplified from the chest decreases the wear and tear on the vocal cords. For most people, using their chest cavity as their primary sounding board is not happening. (Most people are using only 4 of their 5 vocal resonators – voice box, throat, mouth and nose.) Aside from some actors and singers, the majority of the population is unaware that indeed they have a better voice inside. It is only a matter of finding it and making it a habit.
On the other hand, if you already sound old, by changing the placement of your voice, you can eliminate the tremors, the high-pitch, and the faltering or shaking sound. One of my oldest clients was 81 and a stunning woman physically, but her voice was weak and quivered when she spoke. By learning to use her chest to power her sound, she discovered a stronger voice that no longer faltered in speaking. In addition, she sounded younger than she looked.
The goal in good voice training is to sound ageless – not too young, not too old.
For a voice that is ageless and continues to improve when everything else on your body is in decline, learn to power your voice properly and discover a sound which is warmer, richer, deeper and resonant.
If you want a voice which improves with age, check out Voicing It!