Voice & Speaking Skills For Dummies®; Contents at a Glance; Table of Contents; Introduction; About This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; What You're Not to Read; Foolish Assumptions; How This Book is Organised; Icons Used in This Book; Where to Go from Here; Part I: Introducing the Human Voice; Chapter 1: Having a Great Voice; Trumpeting the Voice; Enjoying the Advantages of Speaking Well; Finding Out about Voice Coaching; Thinking About What You Want to Develop in Your Own Voice; Identifying Good Voices; Starting Out; Chapter 2: Exploring the Amazing Human Voice.
Discovering the Power of VoicesHearing All the Sounds that Make Up Your Voice; Dispelling Voice Myths; Digging Deeper into How You React to Voices; Chapter 3: Getting to Know Your Own Voice; Hearing What You Sound Like; Gathering Insights into Your Voice; Revealing Your Different Voices; Taking Stock; Preparing for Your Journey; Part II: Beginning with Voice Basics; Chapter 4: Discovering How to Breathe Well; Making a Sound: How Your Voice Works; Getting Started with Breathing; Breathing to Communicate; Play-Acting with Sound and Breathing; Chapter 5: Rediscovering Relaxation.
Finding Freedom For a Fine SoundReadying Your Body to Speak; Standing Steady and Balanced; Going Deeper into Relaxation With Body and Mind; Blending Relaxation with Readiness: Not Too Tight, Not Too Loose; Chapter 6: Turning Sound into Speech; Making Your Voice Clearly Understood; Bringing Your Words to Life with Long Sounds; Adding Sparkle with Short Sounds; Part III: Playing Your Instrument Well; Chapter 7: Exploring Volume and Speed; Turning Up (and Down) the Volume; Finding the Best Speed; Chapter 8: Filling Your Speech with the Sounds of Music; Making Your Point Strongly.
Getting into RhythmReviving the Ancient Art of Rhetoric; Enjoying the Silence; Chapter 9: Expressing Yourself Fully with the Power of Resonance; Beginning to Explore Resonance; Championing Your Chest Voice; Getting Excited about Your Head Resonance; Warming to Your Heart Voice; Going with Your Gut: Speaking with Gravitas and Authenticity; Understanding the Gatehouse of Your Voice: Your Throat; Using Your Whole Vocal Range; Chapter 10: Uncovering Your Unique Voice; Moving Beyond Technique; Playing Roles; Being Authentic; Trusting in the Moment; Having a Voice in the World.
Part IV: Beating the Voice GremlinsChapter 11: Stopping Vocal Sabotage; Examining the Impact of Emotions on Your Voice; Fighting Fear through Movement; Pouring Calm on Squeakiness and Shrillness; Mitigating Mumbling; Controlling Gabbling and Jabbering; Untying Your Tongue; Loosening Heavy-handed Control; Letting Down the Mask of Control; Avoiding Droning On; Making Effort Easy; Sending Other Vocal Gremlins Packing; Matching Sound and Meaning; Chapter 12: Putting the Accent on Accents; Investigating Accents
and Responding to What Really Matters; Changing Your Accent.
