Before Clark Gable was known as “The King of Hollywood” he spent years rigorously training his voice. His naturally high-pitched voice was lowered with better posture, body control, and breathing. <\/p>\n
Eventually, he developed the famous baritone that uttered one of Hollywood’s most iconic lines in Gone With The Wind: “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” <\/p>\n
Gable is notable example of how a voice can be improved with proper training and practice. So is Grace Kelly, the glamorous Hollywood star who later became the Princess of Monaco. <\/p>\n
When Kelly entered The American Academy of Dramatic Arts her voice was high and nasal. Determined to improve her voice and get rid of an unmistakable Philadelphia accent, she studied with voice coaches and diligently practiced in her room at night, using a tape recorder until she achieved her unique brand of perfect diction – almost British but in a lower more elegant register. <\/p>\n
These days the requirements are more relaxed. A flawless voice with perfect diction can even be a liability as voice buyers look for voice talents who sound conversational and natural. <\/p>\n
Nevertheless your voice is your instrument and it should still be resonant, strong and pleasant to listen to. <\/p>\n
As Gable and Kelly discovered, warming up your voice is essential is you want to sound your best. In this week’s Inside Voice Over video training blog I share some of my favorite vocal warm ups. <\/p>\n
Watch this week’s short training video Here Now<\/p>\n