The Stage and the School

Chapter 3: Voice and Diction

Overview

Clear, correct speech and an expressive voice are essential tools for an actor. An actor can dramatically improve the expressiveness and effectiveness of his or her voice by practicing relaxation, good posture, and proper breathing. Vocal pitch, volume, rate, and quality help actors illustrate the emotion, mood, and personality of their characters. Pitch is the relative highness or lowness of a voice at any given time. Volume refers to the relative strength, force, or intensity with which sound is made. The speed at which words are spoken is called rate. And the individual sound of a particular voice is called its quality. Vocal quality depends upon resonance and the correct formation of vowel sounds. Resonance is the vibrant tone produced when sound waves strike the chambers of the throat, head, nose, and mouth. Nasality often occurs when vowel sounds are diverted from the oral cavity into the naval cavities, cutting down resonance and leaving the voice flat.

Diction refers to the selection and pronunciation of words and their combinations in speech. Ear training and speech training help actors develop their diction by conquering the various vowel and consonant sounds. Vowels are especially important in interpretation because they can be lengthened, shortened, and inflected. Mastering pronunciation and diction allows actors to produce clear, audible voices so that an audience can wholly comprehend their words.