Zoom Tight

19 Dec Zoom Tight

This past week, David recorded a new book for Audible.* He noticed that his voice was tightening up, especially during longer, more expressive passages. Even with vocal exercises and warm tea, reading aloud for six hours is a sure recipe for wearing out the voice.

David’s experience made us reflect on the Zoom sessions everyone is doing. Consider what creates wear and tear on the voice: raising your volume and “driving” the voice or not trusting that the microphone will do its job. We also tighten up because of anxiety or the difficulty inherent in managing virtual sessions.

To avoid this condition, be aware of your shoulders lifting toward your ears– the first sign of tightening. The remedy: squeeze your shoulder blades together and then release, breathing deeply. This will open the chest and relax your shoulders. Then focus on your throat, and yawn with your mouth closed. On breaks, walk around, rotate your arms and if possible, go outside to breathe fresh air. Your voice will last longer, and another Zoom irritant will be a thing of the past.

*The book David recorded will be released in early 2022. We will announce the title and release date in an upcoming tip.