***The 3 Things You Must Do to Increase Your Volume Without Shouting

By Nancy Daniels, The Official Guide to Public Speaking
The official guide to Public Speaking

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Recently, I worked with an NFL player in voice and presentation skills. During his 3rd session, he discovered the techniques for increasing his volume without shouting which I refer to as projection. He was stunned. It did not hurt his throat; it sounded better; and, his voice carried with more depth and breadth.

This is not the first professional athlete I’ve taught who has discovered the benefits of projecting the voice. Athletes, politicians, teachers, trainers, coaches, ministers, professional speakers, and even those who work in loud environments notice a tremendous difference when they learn the correct techniques for increasing their volume.

Unfortunately, if you are speaking loudly for long periods of time, you may also be suffering from vocal abuse which is characterized by chronic hoarseness, sore throats, or even loss of voice by the end of the day. And, if you frequent loud bars, projection is the only way to be heard without hurting your throat or your listeners’ ears!

In order to increase your volume properly, you will need to do 3 things first:

1. Breathe with the support of your diaphragm;
2. Use your chest cavity to power your sound; and
3. Find the optimum pitch of your speaking voice.

This technique is how you make the change from your habitual voice to your ‘real’ one. In the process, you will discover a sound that is deeper in pitch, warmer in quality and resonant. You will know when you have found it because you will not only hear the difference but you will feel your chest vibrating when you speak.

Once you have made this change, you will be able to increase your volume by means of your pelvic muscles instead of just your throat and voice box. Those pelvic muscles, sometimes referred to as your girdle of strength, will enable you to amplify your voice comfortably and with ease.

If you need to be able to speak with a larger volume of sound, stop shouting or yelling and learn how to project your voice instead. Your throat will thank you as well as your listeners!